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Megan Collins Sullivan/NPR

Megan Collins Sullivan/NPR

As someone who enjoys reading and discussing Japanese literature, I have been pleasantly surprised by the increasing number of Japanese books translated in the United States in recent years.

Yoko Ogawa and Mieko Kawakami’s novels have been shortlisted for international awards, and more than a dozen Japanese translations have been published this fall alone. Much of this trend is attributed to translators who have succeeded in capturing Japanese nuances without alienating them, while providing American readers with the context they need, whether they have ever been to Japan or not. It is due to effort.

From this huge genre of variety and abundance, the five books coming out this fall feel like antidotes to the stresses that have accumulated over the last few years. They share a common theme of protagonists who were devastated but managed to emerge from the darkness by the end.

Whether or not you’ve been exposed to Japanese literature before, these books could be your gateway to a country that’s just beginning to slowly ease pandemic-related restrictions on foreign tourists.

Dead-End Memories: Stories by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Asa Yoneda)

Since her debut in 1988, Banana Yoshimoto has been one of the most beloved writers out of Japan. kitchenHer books often feature heartwarming characters and mouthwatering food descriptions. dead end memory is a collection of five stories first published in 2003 and considered by the author to be his “most valuable work”. As expected, readers of this book will be particularly hungry for Japanese food such as omurice, nabe, roll cakes, and even convenience store food to share with someone in the park.

In “House of Ghosts,” a young couple spends the night in an apartment with the deceased landlord still in the kitchen, seemingly unaware of their condition. Imagine the results of a meal meant to give you A famous story shows that even brief friendships can hold the key to overcoming deep trauma.

These stories don’t always have predictable happy endings, but my own mundane routine and my newfound appreciation for comfort food have left me feeling warm and cozy. rice field.

Diary of a Void: A Novel by Emi Yagi (translated by David Boyd and Lucy North)

In this award-winning debut novel, a woman in her 30s casually piles up misogynistic comments and treats a man like a janitor or secretary, even though she has a different job as a full-time employee. I’m tired of my co-workers. One day, her boss makes passive-aggressive remarks that inspire Shibata to come up with a brilliant lie that solves all problems. she is pregnant Her “morning sickness” means she can’t help around the kitchen, and she have I get home at 5pm every day to get enough rest. Her men immediately begin to do her duty and treat her with respect.

The novel is cleverly structured as a diary in a government-issued pamphlet that allows Japanese mothers to document their pregnancies week by week. I initially wanted to keep reading just to see how Shibata pulls off a pseudopregnancy, but the narrator’s deadpan humor and her keen observations of the treatment of women in Japanese society made me want to keep reading. I was immediately hooked.

American readers may notice similarities to the fictional group of mothers and the depiction of a baby-tracking app that compares the size of the fetus to various vegetables.

The Weasel in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada (translated by David Boyd)

acclaimed author of The Factory When hole She returns with this new work that may be her strongest and most memorable work. Like the previous two titles, weasel in the attic A thin book with less than 100 total pages, I happily consumed it in one sitting. Every scene is deeply disturbing, reminiscent of Kobo Abe’s surrealist fiction.

The main character is a married man who lives in the city and is struggling to have a child with his wife. Meanwhile, his friends, who he thought would be forever single, suddenly get married, move to the countryside, and start families with ease.The narrator and his wife become weasels that cause skin rashes and mental anguish. He is invited to the home of one of these friends infested with The book is filled with eerie tension and haunting monologues.

Idol, Burning Rin Usami (translated by Asa Yoneda)

Rin Usami was only 21 when she won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for this novel. recommendor idle.

Akari is a senior in high school, and her love and obsession with the pop group Maza Maza’s Masaki Ueno makes her a super fan. “My dedication to pushing was a reward in itself,” she wrote.

What is striking about this novel is the author’s ability to empathize with Akari’s all-consuming love for Masaki while also showing how damaging this relationship is to Akari and everyone around her. left me heartbroken, but also gave me hope and made me excited for more Usami novels to come.

she and her cat Written by Makoto Shinkai and Shigeki Hagawa (translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori)

Many of my friends unwind at the end of the day with a new adventure video game. confused, Players control adorable stray cats and travel through a mysterious world. she and her cat It will be right up their alley. The book is a novelization of an early animated film by acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai. your name(his latest work, sparrow lockup, It will be released in the US in 2023. )

she and her cat is divided into four stories, each focusing on a cat and the woman who takes care of it. Like the dialogue in Shinkai’s anime, the points of view alternate between cats and women in a perfectly cheesy but satisfying way. I can appreciate the creative attention to detail in this novel, such as the sounds and recurring motifs of how to somehow regain the will to live. You get a tough life.

Yurina Yoshikawa is a writer based in Nashville. She leads the Japan-America Society of Tennessee’s virtual book club, where she discusses various works of translated Japanese fiction.her writing is The Japan Times, Lithub, and elsewhere.