Since that first visit, I’ve seized every opportunity to return to Tokyo. In fact, I’d planned to attend the 2020 Summer Olympics. The pandemic, of course, had other ideas. So, I decided to do the next best thing: immerse myself in books about Japanese culture before, during, and after the Games. After all, what better way to get lost in a country than through the perspectives of other people who feel the same love for it that I do, including many #OwnVoices authors? I reached out to my lifelong friend and fellow book lover, Debbie Rowland, a Japanese American who, in addition to being born in and spending summers in Japan as a child, lived in Tokyo as an adult for 15 years. Rowland shared this list of books about Japanese culture she recommends to everyone who’s planning a visit to Japan — a collection she’s curated after working, playing, and traveling all over the country. For each book, I asked her to offer a perspective on how the title captures Japan’s unique culture. So, while you’re getting ready to cheer on your favorite athletes as they compete in Tokyo, check out these fiction and nonfiction books about Japanese culture.
Fiction Books About Japanese Culture
Nonfiction Books About Japanese Culture
While it will never be quite the same as an in-person visit, digging into these books’ perspectives on Japan will at least give you a sense of the one-of-a-kind place the whole world will be talking about during the upcoming Olympic Games. Even Rowland, who only moved back to the U.S. last December, expressed to me that reflecting on these titles already made her “want to reread all [of them] and take a trip to Japan as soon as possible.” Rowland’s Take on Convenience Store Woman: “The convenience store is a surprisingly significant part of Japanese culture,” Rowland told me. She explained that it’s often “the first and last place a traveler to Japan will visit, and visitors and residents alike will find themselves in a convenience store every day without even trying.” After visiting Japan a few times myself, I can attest that I’d gone to my first convenience store before I’d even left the airport and did indeed find myself in one several times each day while I was there. Rowland also told me that the author nails the atmosphere of a Japanese convenience store in the first few pages, which Rowland recommends reading before your first visit to know what to look for, then again afterward to see if the experience lived up to your expectations. The rest of the novel, she says, offers “a feel for work culture and the pressures of conformity in modern Japan” Rowland’s Take on The Makioka Sisters: Rowland is sure that readers will want to step into the pages and join the Makioka family on a spring outing to witness “the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms.” She told me that Tanizaki’s descriptions of street scenes, festivals, and nature in Kyoto and Osaka are still relevant today. That said, Rowland also enjoyed this title specifically for its depiction of daily life in pre-war Japan. Rowland’s Take on Pachinko: “Learning about the struggles of Koreans in Japan and the underground world of pachinko parlors was eye-opening,” Rowland says. She recommends this title as a peek into a more unconventional side of Japan. Rowland’s Take on Snow Country: Rowland describes this novel as “the perfect companion for a local train ride in the snow country along the Sea of Japan.” Not quite on your itinerary yet? Rowland still recommends reading this title for its accurate representation of “love, isolation, and loneliness from a Japanese perspective.” Rowland’s Take on A Tale for the Time Being: If you’re interested in learning about Japanese culture and modern history, including World War II, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, religion, family, and schools, Rowland recommends this title as a more accessible alternative to nonfiction books about Japanese history. “[T]his story,” she says, “is an easier way to familiarize yourself with some unique aspects of Japanese life.” Rowland’s Take on The Tale of Murasaki: This is a story, Rowland predicts, you’ll be daydreaming about while walking through the temples and shrines of Kyoto. “Not only is it a great story, ” she told me, “but Liza Dalby’s The Tale of Murasaki, set in 11th century Japan, will give some history and context to the historical sites visitors will encounter.” Rowland’s Take on A Beginner’s Guide to Japan: If you’re looking for a book to read on your flight to Japan, Rowland recommends this one: “You can easily get through this collection of brief reflections and anecdotes.” She herself relates to Iyer’s observations and thoughts on Japan and Japanese culture. “His perspective as an experienced travel writer and longtime resident of Japan is unique and trustworthy.” Rowland’s Take on A Beginner’s Guide to Japan: This author’s “love of Japanese culture and tradition is apparent,” Rowland says, but adds that if you’re not quite ready to embrace some “negative aspects of modern Japan” before your first visit, then save this book until after you’ve returned home. If you’re looking for even more books about Japan, start with these Book Riot recommendations.
