last updated on June 20, 2022
Top 30 Novels About Japan You Should Read Before Visiting The Country – Best Japan Reading List!
You are reading: Fiction books about japan
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Although I have a degree in English literature and creative writing, I barely mention my love of reading on my website. it’s so focused on my passion for exploring new places, that my addiction to reading is pushed to the side. until today!
How about combining my degree and my love of reading with my favorite travel destination of all time: Japan? I have always been interested in Japanese culture, and by reading a lot of Japanese novels, I feel that I understand the country, its history, and its culture much better. It’s also a great way to get even more excited about your visit when planning a trip to Japan.
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These are my 30 favorite novels about Japan, separated into contemporary and historical novels.
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best historical novels about japan
1. geisha of gion (geisha, a life) by mineko iwasaki
2. pachinko by min jin lee
3. lost japan by alex kerr
4. I’m a soseki natsume cat
5. kokoro by soseki natsume
6. buddha in the attic by julie otsuka
7. the makioka sisters by jun’ichirō tanizaki
8. the tale of genji by murasaki shikibu
9. the years of waiting for fumiko enchi
10. no longer human by osamu dazai
11. confessions of a yukio mishima mask
best contemporary novels about japan
12. 1q84 by haruki murakami
13. norwegian wood by haruki murakami
14. kafka on the shore by haruki murakami
15. hard wonderland and the end of the world by haruki murakami
16. the windup bird chronicle by haruki murakami
17. convenience store woman by sayaka murata
18. tokyo ueno station by yu miri
19. weird weather in tokyo by hiromi kawakami
20. yoshimoto banana cuisine
21. yoshimoto banana moshi moshi
22. the sailor who fell from favor with the sea by yukio mishima
23. the sound of waves by yukio mishima
24. in ryū murakami’s miso soup
25. almost transparent blue by ryū murakami
26. a story for the moment by ruth ozeki
27. the housekeeper and the teacher by yōko ogawa
28. hokkaido highway blues by will ferguson
29. the invited cat by takashi hiraide
30. mieko kawakami ice sandwich