If you’re fascinated by all aspects of modern and traditional Japanese culture – from the bustling cities and picturesque countryside, the decadent cuisine and beautiful architecture, and the exuberant world of the performing arts to the quirky contemporary fashion scene – but you haven’t yet experienced the magnificent culture for yourself, these translated texts might be your ticket to Tokyo!
- Before the Coffee gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Hidden in the alleys of Tokyo, a small café offers four strangers a unique opportunity to travel back in time, but they must return before the coffee gets cold. A novel of magical realism, fantasy, and time travel – what’s not to love?
- I am a Cat – Soseki Natsume
It’s as simple as that. In this witty and whimsical classic Japanese novel, you’ll follow the adventures of a discontented stray kitten whose observations of humans functions as a social commentary on the foolish behaviours of the upper-middle-class during the Meiji era in Japan.
- The Honjin Murders – Seishi Yokomizo
If you’re looking for something darker and edgier, why not try this Japanese award-winning locked-room murder mystery? A snowy isolated mansion, a newlywed couple brutally murdered – it’s the ultimate ‘whodunnit’. Bonus: It’s not a translation, but like Natsume’s I am a Cat, it’s a love letter to Japan and furry felines. Why not check out The Cat and the City by Nick Bradley (a UEA Creative Writing MA graduate) and once again explore the city of Tokyo through the eyes of a street cat?
What do you think?