Time does fly fast, right? I can’t believe that we are already five months through this year. We are nearly midway through 2023. It feels like a lot has happened in the past five months and yet the contrary also feels the same. I guess it is still a good thing, considering the nightmare we have been through in the past two years and a half. Nevertheless, I hope that the year has been kind to everyone. I hope that the rest of the year will be filled with great news and blessings. More importantly, I hope everyone is and will be healthy. I hope everyone is doing fine, in body, mind, and spirit. Lest we forget, the pandemic is still present – as I have learned – so please still observe the minimum health standards.
Anyway, back to the purpose of this update. I finally concluded my two-month journey across Japanese literature. As I have repeatedly mentioned, this part of the literary world is one of my favorites. As such, I always hold it during my birth month of July. However, I made an exception this year mainly because of my trip to Japan in early April. To make this reading journey more special, I dedicated April to Japanese writers whose oeuvre I have not explored previously. As always, it was an interesting adventure, to say the least. A foray into Japanese literature is rarely boring. May, on the other hand, was dedicated to the works of writers whose oeuvre I have previously explored. Before I lose it in a swirl of words, here is a peek into how my May reading journey shaped up. Happy reading!
Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
A journey across Japanese literature will not be complete without one of the most famous contemporary Japanese writers. It has been nearly two years since I read a work by Haruki Murakami. Because of this, I resolved to read one of his novels for my 2023 Japanese literature month(s). My original plan was to read his newest novel, The City and Its Uncertain Walls but it is not yet available in English. This prompted me two switch to Plan B which is to read his other novels I have not read yet. I have always thought that Dance Dance Dance was one of Murakami’s nonfiction works but when I learned it was a novel, I read it to kick off my May reading journey. Dance Dance Dance is a sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase, making it effectively an extension of Murakami’s popular The Rat Trilogy. Dance Dance Dance commenced four and a half years after the conclusion of the events covered in A Wild Sheep Chase. Since then, the unnamed narrator became a successful writer. He was still, however, searching for answers for the sudden disappearance of his girlfriend. He went back to the Dolphin Hotel in search of closure but abruptly returned to Tokyo where he chaperoned thirteen-year-old Yuki. they have not met previously but they found an immediate connection. Compared to his more surrealistic works, Dance Dance Dance had a calmer flow and I can understand why Murakami said that writing it was a form of healing. It was a novel that I found easier to dissect and understand compared to his other works. Nevertheless, I had a great time losing myself in Murakami’s vast Cinematic Universe.
Forbidden Colors by Yukio Mishima
Another Japanese writer whose oeuvre I warmed up to is Yukio Mishima. His novel Forbidden Colors was the fourth Mishima novel I read. It is also one of two works of Japanese literature that are part of my 2023 Top 23 Reading; the other is Morio Kita’s The House of Nire. I thought I have grown accustomed to Mishima’s prose but Forbidden Colors showed that I have a long way to go. Originally published in 1951 as 禁色( Kinjiki, the two kanji characters translate to forbidden and erotic love, or in this case, color. Kinjiki is also a euphemism for same-sex love. I guess the original title is more than enough to establish the premise of the novel. Forbidden Colors introduced Shunsuke, an aging and cynical but respected post-war Japanese writer who met Yuichi, during a vacation. Yuichi was good-looking but simple-minded. He was also engaged to a young woman from an affluent family. Yuichim however, had no desire for his young bride and that he was only marrying her to improve his station. This prompted Shunsuke to devise a plan to use Yuichi as a tool to seek revenge against women who rejected him. The book addressed same-sex relationships and misogyny while exploring contrasting subjects such as aging and youth; physical beauty; and even mortality. One can never be sure what to expect from a Mishima novel.
I Am a Cat by Natsume Sōseki
Of the many works of Japanese literature I wanted to read, one book has held my interest for the longest time: Natsume Sōseki’s I Am a Cat. The first time I encountered the novel, it immediately grabbed my attention. There was something about the book. However, I held back on purchasing the book because I was hoping to find a hardbound copy. Alas, the opportunity never presented itself. I can no longer keep the tenterhook. I am finally reading the precursor of all the cat-related works that proliferated Japanese literature. Interestingly, Sōseki had no plans of going beyond the first short story he wrote for the literary journal Hototogisu. Its popularity prompted the journal’s editor to convince Sōseki to write more. Ten more installments were thus written before it was published as a single book. It has since become a literary classic that transcends time. At the heart of the novel was a stray (unnamed) cat adopted by a middle-class family. The patriarch, Mr. Sneaze, was an English teacher. The story focused on Mr. Sneaze’s interaction with his friends who frequent his home. Among them were Waverhouse and Avalon Coldmoon, a young scholar and Mr. Sneaze’s former student. through this eclectic set of characters, Sōseki probed into the social maladies of the Meiji era while also insights into the intellectual life during that period. A story that transcends time, I Am A Cat was a testament to one of the most revered names in modern Japanese literature.
The Last Children of Tokyo by Yōko Tawada
Breaking the streak of Japanese male writers whose works I read was Yōko Tawada, a writer who I first came across in 2019 when was part of the discourse on potential Nobel Prize in Literature awardees. It was eventually awarded to Olga Tokarczuk (2018) and Peter Handke (2019) but coming across her name piqued my interest. I soon read Memoirs of a Polar Bear, a book that left me largely unimpressed. This, however, did not stop me from wanting to explore her oeuvre, hence, The Last Children of Tokyo. The book shared similarities with Memoirs of a Polar Bear as they both dealt with subjects rarely explored in mainstream literature in a manner that also does not conform with literary norms. The Last Children of Tokyo was set in a future Japan when all countries have restricted travel and each country was left to fend for its own. The story was related by Yoshiro, one of Tokyo’s ‘aged-elderly’. Despite being a centenarian, he was taking care of his great-grandson Mumei in the suburbs. The book’s deceptively slender appearance belied its several layers. The book was a scathing commentary on rapid urbanization and growing consumerism but some of the book’s messages were obscure, leaving some of it to the reader’s imagination. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read drawn more on concepts rather than on a robust plotline.
Deep River by Shūsaku Endō
Pre-pandemic, Shūsaku Endō was a writer I have been looking forward to because of his novel, Silence. The lockdown allowed me to finally read one of the many books on my most anticipated list. But I guess I had too lofty expectations that the book did not live up to. He redeemed himself with The Samurai, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. This deep dive into the oeuvre of Endō then led me to Deep River, a book that I wasn’t too keen on reading when I first encountered it. Being listed as one of the 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die made me change my mind. The novel introduced an eclectic set of characters whose individual lives and stories crossed paths on a tour to India. We meet Osamu Isobe who recently lost his wife; Mitsuko Naruse, a former housewife who left her husband; Numada, a writer of children’s stories and a lover of animals; Kiguchi, a veteran of the Second World War who experienced dire conditions in the jungles of Myanmar; and Mr. and Mrs. Sanjo, a newlywed couple on a honeymoon. Each character has his or her own motivation for traveling to India, in particular to Varanasi, a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus. Like the two Endō novels I read, religious values were prevalent in the story. What makes Deep River more interesting is that it integrated elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
One of the qualities of Japanese literature that has long fascinated me was its vastness. Under its wide umbrella existed several genres and subgenres. As such, it comes as no surprise to find works of detective and mystery fiction under this literary umbrella. I first discovered it five years ago, with Salvation of a Saint a work by Keigo Higashino. I would then again read one of his works, Journey Under the Midnight Sun, during the pandemic. Two years later, I am reading my third novel by Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X. The Devotion of Suspect X is less of a mystery and more of a work of suspense fiction. Unlike the typical mystery fiction, Higashino immediately introduced the perpetrator, Yasuko Hanaoka, a divorced single mother who was troubled by her ex-husband, Togashi. Togashi occasionally dropped by his ex-wife’s home demanding money. One visit escalated to violence, leading to Togashi being killed by Yasuko and Misato, her daughter (not with Togashi). Just when they were about to abandon hope, Tetsuya Ishigami, their neighbor entered their lives, presenting them with the solution to their dilemma. What ensued was a chess match between Ishigami and the detectives. It dragged a bit but once the real case was cracked by Manabu Yukawa, Ishigami’s long-time friend, I was blown away. I did not expect that plot twist.
The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata
Japan produced three Nobel Laureates in Literature. The first of them was Yasunari Kawabata whose The Old Capital was among the three books the Swedish Academy cited for their selection of Kawabata. I can’t find what the other two books were but I assume it was Thousand Cranes and Snow Country. I could be wrong though. The Old Capital was my sixth by Kawabata, one of the first Japanese writers who were key in my growing interest in Japanese literature in general. The titular Old Capital was Kyoto, the setting of the story, and the old capital of Imperial Japan. Before the capital was transferred to Tokyo, Kyoto held the distinction of being Imperial Japan’s capital for nearly a millennium. The story, however, does not dive into history but rather, it captured the story of some of the members of the community. The novel’s main character was Chieko Sada, the daughter of Takichiro and Shige, the owners of a wholesale dry goods shop in Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward. She found out she was a foundling but this did little to change her attitude toward her adoptive parents. Her life unraveled after a chance encounter at Yasaka Shrine made Chieko learn about Naeko, her twin sister. Personally, what made the novel flourish are the details of Kyoto that came alive. Festivals, temples, and streets came alive with Kawabata’s writing. It also helped that I have recently been to Kyoto. Overall, a good book very typical of Kawabata’s oeuvre.
When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
While the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature awardee Kazuo Ishiguro is listed as British, he is ethnically Japanese. He was born in Nagasaki before his father’s profession moved them to Guildford, Surrey when he was younger. Like Kawabata, Ishiguro was one of the first Japanese writers who sustained my interest in Japanese literature. With When We Were Orphans, I have now completed reading all of his eight novels. Like Japanese literature, Ishiguro’s oeuvre is diverse. With When We Were Orphans, he was again pushing the boundaries of his storytelling. Considered a work of detective fiction, the novel chronicled the story of Christopher Banks, a detective in 1930s England. The concern of the story, however, was his past which has always haunted him. Prior to moving to England, he lived as a young child in the Shanghai International Settlement until his father, an opium trader, and his mother, a staunch advocate against the opium trade, disappeared one after the other. The mystery never got solved until Banks decided to crack it. The novel also grappled with history, the opium trade, and corruption. The conclusion, however, was anticlimactic. The revelation toward the end was unexpected but not cathartic either.
Death by Water by Kenzaburō Ōe
For the third consecutive book, I read a work of a Nobel Laureate in Literature, Kenzaburō Ōe’s Death by Water. Death by Water was my fifth novel by Ōe although it was the first one I acquired. What held me back from reading the book was my apprehension to explore Ōe’s oeuvre. My curiosity got the better of me and in little under three years, I have completed five of his books. Like the two books by Ōe I read before it, Death By Water qualified as an I novel. At the heart of the story was Kogito Choko, or Kogii for short; he was the alter ego of the writer. The driving force of the novel was Kogii’s pursuit to complete a novel he started decades ago about his father’s death. However, his mother kept him from finishing it. Ten years after the death of his mother, Kogii, at seventy, was finally granted permission to open a stack of letters owned by his father, purporting to contain the secrets to his father’s life. The novel zeroed in on Ōe and discourses on his works form an integral part of the story. Some readers find authors inserting themselves in their works narcissistic, and to some extent, it applies in this case. However, it can also be attributed to the rumblings of an aging man who wanted to reconcile his memories, his dreams, and his realities. The novel underscored some seminal and timely subjects but it meandered.
Diary of a Mad Old Man by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki
Speaking of the Nobel Prize in Literature, one name that has been repeatedly nominated for the award was Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. Sadly, he never got to win the award although he got close in 1964, a year before his death. This, however, does not obscure the fact that Tanizaki has built one of the most extensive and interesting oeuvres within the realm of literature. He has also become a writer whose works I look forward to. Diary of a Mad Old Man, one of his last novels, is the fourth novel by Tanizaki I read. The titular mad old man was 77-year-old Utsugi Tokosuke who lived in Tokyo with his wife and son Jokichi and Jokichi’s wife, Satsuko. At the start of the story, Utsugi was recovering from a stroke that paralyzed his hands which prompted him to start writing his journal. While the looming presence of death was prevalent, it was another subject that the journal fixated on: the old man’s growing obsession with his daughter-in-law. The premise did remind me of Yasunari Kawabata’s The House of Sleeping Beauties and Gabriel García Márquez’s Memories of My Melancholy Whores, as they both captured aging and sexual desire. Diary of a Mad Old Man probes into this sexual obsession, resulting in a compelling read.
Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto
Honestly, I wanted to read more works of female Japanese writers during the month. As such, I planned to read Banana Yoshimoto’s Asleep, on top of Yōko Tawada’s The Last Children of Tokyo. I originally planned more but I guess I failed because I realized that I didn’t have that many. Nevertheless, I looked forward to reading Asleep which was my second novel by Yoshimoto; the first, of course, was her popular debut novel Kitchen. Yoshimoto is renowned for her short works and this quality came across in both of her books I read. Although it was promoted as a novel, Asleep was actually a collection of three short stories visibly connected by the overriding theme of sleep. There were some other similar elements, e.g. young women as main characters. The first story, Night & Night’s Travelers conveyed the story of 22-year-old Shibami who recently lost her brother Yoshihiro to a car accident. Her grief made her sleepwalk barefoot on the snow; the snow was another leitmotif. The second story, Love Song, was about Fumi, an alcoholic. Before she could sleep, she hears a song that reminded her of Haru, a woman she once fought with over a man. The third story, Asleep, introduced Terako, a chronically tired woman. The novel’s slender frame belies the subjects it explored such as death, grief, change, and life in general.
South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
Although it was without design, I closed my May Japanese Literature reading journey in the same way I opened it: reading a novel by Haruki Murakami. While waiting for his latest work to be translated into English, I decided to read Dance Dance Dance – this was deliberate – and South of the Border, West of the Sun – this was unplanned. In reading the latter, I am just one novel away from completing all his novels; the only feather missing from my cap is his most recent. Anyway, South of the Border, West of the Sun chronicled the story of Hajime, an only child living in a small Japanese town. While attending school, he met Shimamoto, who, like Hajime, was an only child. She also had polio. Inevitably, the two developed a deep friendship with hints of a budding romance but they drifted away after Hajime moved towns. Memories of Shimamoto, however, lingered even when he got married and had two daughters. With help from his father-in-law – rich but with shady dealings – Hajime became the owner of two successful jazz bars. This lured in Shimamoto. They would rekindle their lost romance but at what cost? The novel was classic Murakami but with less surrealism. It was a quick read but memorable nevertheless.
Reading Challenge Recaps
- My 2023 Top 23 Reading List: 6/23
- 2023 Beat The Backlist: 4/20; 52/60
- 2023 Books I Look Forward To List: 0/10
- Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge: 53/70
- 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die: 8/20
- New Books Challenge: 1/15
- Translated Literature: 22/40
Book Reviews Published in May
- Book Review # 428: Kangaroo Notebook
- Book Review # 429: Paprika
- Book Review # 430: Dance Dance Dance
- Book Review # 431: Convenience Store Woman
- Book Review # 432: A Dark Night’s Passing
- Book Review # 433: Silent House
- Book Review # 434: Trust
- Book Review # 435: I Am A Cat
- Book Review # 436: Soul Mountain
In terms of writing book reviews, May has been my most productive this year, so far. I was able to finish nine book reviews. In the process, I completed all pending book reviews from my foray into Japanese literature last July 2022. In the meantime, I was able to start on my pending book reviews from my August 2022 Asian Literature Month reading journey. Earlier today, I published one book review from my August 2022 backlog, hence, leaving me with just one more review to complete. If I won’t procrastinate, I will be able to finish it by tomorrow; the only pending review is Salman Rushdie’s Fury. The challenge will be on catching up on my September 2022 backlog because I have quite a lot. As always, I will be taking it one step at a time.
For June, I have decided to pivot toward the rest of the Asian continent, like I did last year. I have already started the journey with Nobel Laureate in Literature Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum (China) and earlier today I completed Han Kang’s latest translated novel, Greek Lessons (South Korea). I just started Ninotchka Rosca’s State of War. One of the books on my 2023 Top 23 Reading List, this is my first book by a Filipino writer since 2021. I will try to make up for lost ground, at least where my foray into Philippine Literature is concerned. I have also lined up literary works from India, Turkey, Vietnam, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, and Iran, among others. If tie allows it, I just might be able to read a work by a Bangladeshi writer. There is so much to look forward to this month.
How about you fellow reader? How is your own reading journey going? I hope you enjoyed the books you have read. For now, have a great day and weekend. As always, do keep safe, and happy reading everyone!
The Pine-Scented Chronicles 
♥️
LikeLike
this is interesting! I’ve definitely never read anything out of Japan
LikeLike