![]() ![]() His collection, Japanese Ghost Stories, is the gold-standard of the genre. Though he was more a recounter of supernatural fiction than a creator, he believed deeply in the power of these age-old narratives and portrayed them in startling prose that remains just as gripping well over a century later. After settling in Matsue, a castle town on Japan’s western coast, in the late 1800s, he married the daughter of a declassee samurai family, became enraptured by Japanese ghost stories, or kaidan (thanks in part to his deeply troubled childhood), and was eventually anointed as a Japanese subject under the name Koizumi Yakumo. Why Should I Read This Book? It’s the greatest collection of Japanese ghost stories ever written.īetter known as Lafcadio Hearn, Koizumi Yakumo was to the Japanese ghost story what the Grimm Brothers were to European fairytales: a pioneering collector and publisher of long-lost folklore. The Guest Cat is infinitely Japanese in its understated simplicity, while remaining deeply emotive and beautiful to its core. There really is little more to it than that. Then the titular cat appears, and slowly but surely, it binds the couple together again. Yet they have reached a phase in their relationship where they have begun to drift apart. They live in a small cottage in a quiet part Tokyo a place where life moves at an agreeable pace. Why Should I Read This Book? It is a beautifully written and introspective tale that gracefully explores healing power of nature, and the subtle ways in which animals can touch our lives.Ī couple of freelance writers form the central pairing in Takashi Hiraide’s The Guest Cat. Night on the Railroad – Available at Amazon ![]() The most famous tale, also called Night on the Galactic Railroad, is a Steven King-esque story (minus the gore) that shines light on the infallible power of childhood friendships. The collection of stories within are thematically connected by the cosmos and an elemental quality that resembles Japan’s connection to the natural world. Written in the early 20th century, Night on the Galactic Railroad is a pre-Tolkien, galaxy-traversing fantasy born out of Miyazawa’s love of the stars. Why Should I Read This Book? It’s a fantastical compilation from one of Japan’s most beloved authors. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo Basho The Undersea Warship – Available at AmazonĢ2. Moreover, it’s an important work of literature that helped set the foundations for a now-thriving subculture. First published in 1900, it’s a swashbuckling adventure, featuring steam-powered technology, maritime battles, and a fight-for-survival on a not-so-deserted island. ![]() His novel, The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure, is clearly inspired by Jules Verne, the father of Western sci-fi and proto-steampunk literature. Steampunk fiction has embedded itself in the Japanese literary world – particularly in the form of manga – and if we look back to the origins of this Victorian-inspired sci-fi genre in Japan, Shunro Oshikawa can be credited as one of the founding fathers. Why Should I Read This Book? Shunro Oshikawa's vivid storytelling brings to life a tale of exploration, discovery, and epic naval battles beneath the waves, offering a unique blend of adventure and fantasy. ![]()
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