Read Japanese Literature
@readjapaneseliterature.com
a podcast about Japanese fiction + some of its best works | posting updates on new Japanese fiction | apologies for the typos | blocking new follows that look like bots | DON’T buy or read AI translations | all stories are political
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Read Japanese Literature is a podcast and resource site about Japanese lit and some of its best works. Follow this account for updates about the podcast, booklists of translated lit, and updates on new English-languages releases.
Remember to fill out your profile before you follow folks. ☺️
Remember to fill out your profile before you follow folks. ☺️
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Good literary translation requires understanding (language, culture, genre--on both sides of the translation) and an ability to write well. "AI" can't do that. There are no shortcuts. Treat your work and foreign language readers with the respect they deserve. You won't fool anyone with this.
Amazon has launched a new AI-driven translation service, Kindle Translate, for Kindle Direct Publishing authors 👇 #BookSky
Amazon launches AI translation service for indie authors
ebx.sh
November 7, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Good literary translation requires understanding (language, culture, genre--on both sides of the translation) and an ability to write well. "AI" can't do that. There are no shortcuts. Treat your work and foreign language readers with the respect they deserve. You won't fool anyone with this.
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Sachiko Kashiwaba joined me for this video about THE VILLAGE BEYOND THE MIST on Libby & Sora Reads. Look for Kashiwaba-san 40 seconds in! ❤️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JuG...
Libby & Sora Reads (November 18 - December 2) PICK!
YouTube video by Sora, by OverDrive
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Sachiko Kashiwaba joined me for this video about THE VILLAGE BEYOND THE MIST on Libby & Sora Reads. Look for Kashiwaba-san 40 seconds in! ❤️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JuG...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
I don’t want to undermine the economic blackout or We Ain’t Buying It campaign, so I’m releasing the 2026 New and Upcoming Japanese Fiction Releases list a little early this year. Please enjoy!
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I don’t want to undermine the economic blackout or We Ain’t Buying It campaign, so I’m releasing the 2026 New and Upcoming Japanese Fiction Releases list a little early this year. Please enjoy!
I don’t want to undermine the economic blackout or We Ain’t Buying It campaign, so I’m releasing the 2026 New and Upcoming Japanese Fiction Releases list a little early this year. Please enjoy!
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I don’t want to undermine the economic blackout or We Ain’t Buying It campaign, so I’m releasing the 2026 New and Upcoming Japanese Fiction Releases list a little early this year. Please enjoy!
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Asian Review of Books takes a closer look at Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window – The Sequel, exploring how this new installment adds fresh insights while keeping the warmth and charm of the original.
📖 Read the full review: https://ow.ly/gRSO50Xx253
📖 Read the full review: https://ow.ly/gRSO50Xx253
“Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel” by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
In 1981, Japanese actress and television personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi published a best-selling memoir, Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window, an engaging story set during her unusual primary …
ow.ly
November 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Asian Review of Books takes a closer look at Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window – The Sequel, exploring how this new installment adds fresh insights while keeping the warmth and charm of the original.
📖 Read the full review: https://ow.ly/gRSO50Xx253
📖 Read the full review: https://ow.ly/gRSO50Xx253
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Today in the ARB: Christopher Corker reviews “Swallows” by Natsuo Kirino tr Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda (Knopf, Canongate) "Natsuo Kirino has a real gift for seeing the worst in people" asianreviewofbooks.com/swallows-by-...
“Swallows” by Natsuo Kirino
Natsuo Kirino has a real gift for seeing the worst in people. Her characters cheat, steal, and murder with an apparent lack of remorse that makes them (one hopes) unrelatable for most, but they are…
asianreviewofbooks.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Today in the ARB: Christopher Corker reviews “Swallows” by Natsuo Kirino tr Lisa Hofmann-Kuroda (Knopf, Canongate) "Natsuo Kirino has a real gift for seeing the worst in people" asianreviewofbooks.com/swallows-by-...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Today in the ARB: Mahika Dhar reviews “The Woman Dies” by Aoko Matsuda, tr from Japanese by Polly Barton @europaeditions.bsky.social asianreviewofbooks.com/the-woman-di...
November 22, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Today in the ARB: Mahika Dhar reviews “The Woman Dies” by Aoko Matsuda, tr from Japanese by Polly Barton @europaeditions.bsky.social asianreviewofbooks.com/the-woman-di...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
The #AAS2026 preliminary conference program is online ... start browsing the nearly *600 sessions*, planning your schedule, and seeing all that our gathering in Vancouver has to offer!
buff.ly/gItXtM1
buff.ly/gItXtM1
November 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The #AAS2026 preliminary conference program is online ... start browsing the nearly *600 sessions*, planning your schedule, and seeing all that our gathering in Vancouver has to offer!
buff.ly/gItXtM1
buff.ly/gItXtM1
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Look for RJL’s 2026 list of new and upcoming releases from Japan later this week.
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
2026 New Releases from Japan
Checkout out this list on Bookshop
bookshop.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Look for RJL’s 2026 list of new and upcoming releases from Japan later this week.
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
Look for RJL’s 2026 list of new and upcoming releases from Japan later this week.
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
2026 New Releases from Japan
Checkout out this list on Bookshop
bookshop.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Look for RJL’s 2026 list of new and upcoming releases from Japan later this week.
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peek of what’s already available for pre-order!
Happy release day to Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-awaited memoir, Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window—The Sequel, translated by Yuki Tejima.
November 18, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Happy release day to Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-awaited memoir, Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window—The Sequel, translated by Yuki Tejima.
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Today in the ARB: Susan Blumberg-Kason reviews “Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel” by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, tr from Japanese by Yuki Tejima asianreviewofbooks.com/totto-chan-t...
November 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Today in the ARB: Susan Blumberg-Kason reviews “Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel” by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, tr from Japanese by Yuki Tejima asianreviewofbooks.com/totto-chan-t...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Today in the ARB: @VikramZutshi reviews “The Samurai Detectives” by Shōtarō Ikenami @PenguinUKBooks asianreviewofbooks.com/the-samurai-...
November 17, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Today in the ARB: @VikramZutshi reviews “The Samurai Detectives” by Shōtarō Ikenami @PenguinUKBooks asianreviewofbooks.com/the-samurai-...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
At last! My translation of Michio Hoshino's The Traveling Tree is out today in the UK! I’ve been dying to translate this beautiful book for more than 15 years.
Read my thoughts on translating it:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Or purchase a copy:
www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-T...
#japaneseliterature
Read my thoughts on translating it:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Or purchase a copy:
www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-T...
#japaneseliterature
November 7, 2025 at 4:36 AM
At last! My translation of Michio Hoshino's The Traveling Tree is out today in the UK! I’ve been dying to translate this beautiful book for more than 15 years.
Read my thoughts on translating it:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Or purchase a copy:
www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-T...
#japaneseliterature
Read my thoughts on translating it:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Or purchase a copy:
www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-T...
#japaneseliterature
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
And it's still getting stranger... Strange Pictures has been shortlisted for @foylesforbooks.bsky.social Book of the Year! We're so thrilled and so grateful 🎉
November 5, 2025 at 9:51 AM
And it's still getting stranger... Strange Pictures has been shortlisted for @foylesforbooks.bsky.social Book of the Year! We're so thrilled and so grateful 🎉
Thinking about the holidays already?
A list of Japanese Books to Give for the Holidays from RJL.
(Perfect auto-generated image @bookshop.org. No notes! 😅)
A list of Japanese Books to Give for the Holidays from RJL.
(Perfect auto-generated image @bookshop.org. No notes! 😅)
Japanese Books to Give for the Holidays
Do you dream of sharing your love of Japanese literature with the perfect translated book?
bookshop.org
November 4, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Thinking about the holidays already?
A list of Japanese Books to Give for the Holidays from RJL.
(Perfect auto-generated image @bookshop.org. No notes! 😅)
A list of Japanese Books to Give for the Holidays from RJL.
(Perfect auto-generated image @bookshop.org. No notes! 😅)
Happy N American release day to Satoshi Yagisawa's Days at the Torunka Cafe (trans Eric Ozawa)!
"From the author of the Morisaki Bookshop novels comes a charming and poignant story set at a quiet Tokyo café where customers find unexpected connection and experience everyday miracles."
"From the author of the Morisaki Bookshop novels comes a charming and poignant story set at a quiet Tokyo café where customers find unexpected connection and experience everyday miracles."
Days at the Torunka Café: A Novel
A Novel
bookshop.org
November 4, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Happy N American release day to Satoshi Yagisawa's Days at the Torunka Cafe (trans Eric Ozawa)!
"From the author of the Morisaki Bookshop novels comes a charming and poignant story set at a quiet Tokyo café where customers find unexpected connection and experience everyday miracles."
"From the author of the Morisaki Bookshop novels comes a charming and poignant story set at a quiet Tokyo café where customers find unexpected connection and experience everyday miracles."
Guess who wrote this book's entry on Temple Alley Summer... ☺️
Worlds of Wonder: Celebrating the Great Classics of Children's Literature ed. by Daniel Hahn is a beautifully illustrated journey through the most beloved classics of children’s literature, spanning more than twenty countries and one hundred and fifty years. Learn more: hubs.ly/Q03QfsFw0 [Sponsored]
November 4, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Guess who wrote this book's entry on Temple Alley Summer... ☺️
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Mai Ishizawa’s The Place of Shells follows a Japanese PhD student studying art history in Germany while coming to terms with her fading memories of the March 2011 tsunami. Ishizawa’s literary style is gorgeously translated by Polly Barton. #Japanesefiction #booksky 📚 japaneselit.net/2025/11/01/t...
The Place of Shells
Mai Ishizawa’s short novel The Place of Shells, which was awarded an Akutagawa Prize in 2021, follows a Japanese woman pursuing her PhD research in European art history at a university in the Germa…
japaneselit.net
November 3, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Mai Ishizawa’s The Place of Shells follows a Japanese PhD student studying art history in Germany while coming to terms with her fading memories of the March 2011 tsunami. Ishizawa’s literary style is gorgeously translated by Polly Barton. #Japanesefiction #booksky 📚 japaneselit.net/2025/11/01/t...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Today in the ARB: Ben Woollard reviews “Archipelago of the Sun” by Yoko Tawada, tr from Japanese by Margaret Mitsutani @ndbooks.bsky.social @grantabooks.bsky.social asianreviewofbooks.com/archipelago-...
November 4, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Today in the ARB: Ben Woollard reviews “Archipelago of the Sun” by Yoko Tawada, tr from Japanese by Margaret Mitsutani @ndbooks.bsky.social @grantabooks.bsky.social asianreviewofbooks.com/archipelago-...
What about volumes II and III of Convenience Store by the Sea? Still Bruno Navasky?
Beginning to compile RJL's list of new and upcoming for 2026!
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
November 3, 2025 at 10:44 PM
What about volumes II and III of Convenience Store by the Sea? Still Bruno Navasky?
Beginning to compile RJL's list of new and upcoming for 2026!
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
November 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Beginning to compile RJL's list of new and upcoming for 2026!
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
Does anyone know is translating Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before I Knew I Loved You? Is it still Geoffrey Trousselot?
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
November 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
Tommy Bastow, who plays Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) in NHK’s morning drama Bakebake, visits Ireland and New Orleans, where Hearn grew up, in a special program.
It’s fascinating how the history and culture of each place come through.
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
It’s fascinating how the history and culture of each place come through.
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
Lafcadio Hearn, a Soul Linking Japan and the World | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
Writer Lafcadio Hearn introduced Japanese culture to the world around 130 years ago, in books that faithfully depicted the country's traditions. We explore the cultural journey of this world traveler.
www3.nhk.or.jp
November 3, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Tommy Bastow, who plays Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) in NHK’s morning drama Bakebake, visits Ireland and New Orleans, where Hearn grew up, in a special program.
It’s fascinating how the history and culture of each place come through.
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
It’s fascinating how the history and culture of each place come through.
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
Reposted by Read Japanese Literature
This interview is a necessary for all you queers. It's cheerful and emotional, with poignant questions and intelligent answers and we need more of this
Interviewing legendary gay manga artist Gengoroh Tagame at the de Young Museum
Tagame Gengoroh is a worldwide legend as a gay erotic manga artist, critic, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. We got to talk to him at the new exhibit featuring his work.
www.animefeminist.com/gengoroh-tag...
Tagame Gengoroh is a worldwide legend as a gay erotic manga artist, critic, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. We got to talk to him at the new exhibit featuring his work.
www.animefeminist.com/gengoroh-tag...
October 30, 2025 at 3:24 AM
This interview is a necessary for all you queers. It's cheerful and emotional, with poignant questions and intelligent answers and we need more of this