Recommend me good Japanese books!

[Queen Michael]

I'm a huge Japanophile, and I'm on the lookout for Japanese books to read. Below are some Japanese writers I've read and liked:

Ryū Murakami
Mari Akasaka
Haruki Murakami
Novala Takemoto
NISIOISIN
Mitsuyo Kakuta
Eiji Yoshikawa
Banana Yoshimoto
Toh EnJoe
Shinichi Hoshi
Koushun Takami

So go ahead! Name something good!

Oh, and don't diss anybody else's suggestions. If something's bad, I can find out on my own.

 

[Glongpre]

I am guessing you read Musashi (haha, tried to autocorrect to "mushiness") already.

The other good book I have read that takes place in Japan is Shogun by James Clavell, but I don't know if that fits your criteria.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Shusaku Endo (author of "Silence") and Edogawa Rampo (horror writer). Both very good.

EDIT: Also Yukio Mishima.

 

[Ogoid]

Most of the authors I would suggest seem to be on your list already, so I guess that only leaves one I haven't actually read yet (but heard good things about) - Yasutaka Tsutsui. Both Paprika and Salmonella Men on Planet Porno are on my backlog right now.

Other than that, well... I suppose Kazuo Ishiguro is probably more of an Anglo-Japanese writer, considering he has lived most of his life in the UK and writes in English, but I'm going to mention him all the same because The Unconsoled is one of my all-time favorites. The Buried Giant, his latest novel, was also very good.

 

[Queen Michael]

Other than that, well... I suppose Kazuo Ishiguro is probably more of an Anglo-Japanese writer, considering he has lived most of his life in the UK and writes in English, but I'm going to mention him all the same because The Unconsoled is one of my all-time favorites. The Buried Giant, his latest novel, was also very good.

I read Never Let Me Go in 1½ day. Not bad at all. And I've been wanting to read The Unconsoled for ten years.

 

[KayeFaye]

Shusaku Endo (author of "Silence") and Edogawa Rampo (horror writer). Both very good.

EDIT: Also Yukio Mishima.

I'll vouch for both Endo and Rampo as well.

I don't know as many Japanese authors as I'd like, though I could perhaps poke my wife into spilling some recommendations for you; if anyone can give you recommendations of Japanese authors, it'd probably be someone who is Japanese and lived in Japan for a million years. Granted I lived there to for 500,000 of those Million years but I still mostly stuck to Western authors.

The only non-manga author that's coming to mind prominently beyond the aforementioned Endo and Rampo is Ryu Murakami. His work isn't for everyone, in fact I can safely say if you don't like a lot of sex and a lot of horror he probably isn't going to do much for you. He can be pretty extreme. But he's quite good at writing psychologically damaging yet filling works and he can write some very twisted characters. My favourite works by him are Audition and Piercing; the former may sound familiar if you've been in tune with the Japanese horror fandom in the past 20 years since there was a fairly accurate film adaptation in 1999. Piercing hasn't been adapted into a film though I am not ashamed to admit that I'm writing a screenplay based off of it as a challenge for my screenwriting class.

 

[Queen Michael]

The only non-manga author that's coming to mind prominently beyond the aforementioned Endo and Rampo is Ryu Murakami. His work isn't for everyone, in fact I can safely say if you don't like a lot of sex and a lot of horror he probably isn't going to do much for you. He can be pretty extreme. But he's quite good at writing psychologically damaging yet filling works and he can write some very twisted characters. My favourite works by him are Audition and Piercing; the former may sound familiar if you've been in tune with the Japanese horror fandom in the past 20 years since there was a fairly accurate film adaptation in 1999. Piercing hasn't been adapted into a film though I am not ashamed to admit that I'm writing a screenplay based off of it as a challenge for my screenwriting class.

I mentioned him in my original post as a Japanese author I enjoy, you silly person, you! =) As a matter of fact, I finished his book From the Fatherland, with Love about one hour ago.

 

[KayeFaye]

The only non-manga author that's coming to mind prominently beyond the aforementioned Endo and Rampo is Ryu Murakami. His work isn't for everyone, in fact I can safely say if you don't like a lot of sex and a lot of horror he probably isn't going to do much for you. He can be pretty extreme. But he's quite good at writing psychologically damaging yet filling works and he can write some very twisted characters. My favourite works by him are Audition and Piercing; the former may sound familiar if you've been in tune with the Japanese horror fandom in the past 20 years since there was a fairly accurate film adaptation in 1999. Piercing hasn't been adapted into a film though I am not ashamed to admit that I'm writing a screenplay based off of it as a challenge for my screenwriting class.

I mentioned him in my original post as a Japanese author I enjoy, you silly person, you! =) As a matter of fact, I finished his book From the Fatherland, with Love about one hour ago.

Oh the irony, lol. Remind me not to skim read! I just looked over the names, thought I didn't see Murakami, and so I brought him up. Ehh I'm new to this forum thing and I'm old! (By Internet standards, anyways.) HELP AN ULD LEHDEE OUT?

Though like I said I plan on poking my wife and getting some recommendations, especially since I want to read more Japanese stuff too. 99% of what I read is manga, and even then I don't read *that* much. Mostly just Junji Ito and I just barely finished reading Homonculus by Hideo Yamamoto. Which was pretty good for the most part, even if the way the "Woman of Symbols" arch ended pissed me off and upset me a little. But I'm starting to get off topic. Bad habit. :V

 

[syaoran728]

I'm rather fond of the A Certain Magical Index series. Its no high literature, but its fun to read. The author does research into various mythologies and religions, but often changes things around for a more entertaining story.

 

[Objectable]

I recommend the Spice and Wolf novels. Best stories about medieval economics I have ever read.

 

[Hades]

The semi historical novel Taiko perhaps? Its about a farmer who grows to become the ruler of Japan in a turbulent era.

 

[Des-Esseintes]

Look up Kobo Abe.

In particular, I recommend The Ruined Map and Secret Rendezvous.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

You say you have read Murakami Haruki so I am to assume you've read Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World, right?

I recommend the Spice and Wolf novels. Best stories about medieval economics I have ever read.

The anime is great too. Horo is in a fighting game btw, her assist is kinda meh but I use her anyways cause she's Horo. I wish they'd make more of it.

 

[Queen Michael]

You say you have read Murakami Haruki so I am to assume you've read Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World, right?

Truth be told, I haven't. I want to, but I only read Murakami in my native Swedish. I feel books should be read in the book's native language or the reader's. That's not always an option, but a new book by Murakami's being translated into Swedish every year. I'll wait until the Swedish translation is released.

 

[THM]

Battle Royale. I would also recommend anything by Murakami or Banana Yoshimoto, but you HAVE to read BR. Damn good read, that was.

 

[Queen Michael]

Battle Royale. I would also recommend anything by Murakami or Banana Yoshimoto, but you HAVE to read BR. Damn good read, that was.

Oh, I've read all the three writers in your post and agree they're great. BR was one of the first Japanese novels I ever read.

 

[VanQ]

I'll just list off the novels I'm actively following or finished. Note that my taste is a bit more anime and a bit less literature. In case the titles of several don't tip you off to that. And yes, that third title is an actual title of a novel.

Amagi Brilliant Park
Date A Live
I'm a High School Boy and a Bestselling Light Novel author, strangled by my female classmate who is my junior and a voice actress
My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected
Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?
Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria

 

[krystalphoenix]

I'm gonna recommend "Harmony" by Project Itoh. It's a group that collaborate to create stories. Harmony is a pretty powerful take on a totalitarian world and coping with not wanting to be part of the system.

 

[Queen Michael]

I'm gonna recommend "Harmony" by Project Itoh. It's a group that collaborate to create stories. Harmony is a pretty powerful take on a totalitarian world and coping with not wanting to be part of the system.

Already read it. Wasn't really my thing.

 

[Twintix]

Would Naoko Uehashi be your thing? She's written the Kemono No Souja (The Beast Player) books and the Moribito series, both of which are avaliable as manga.

They're Japanese fantasy books. Perhaps you'd like to check them out to see if you like them?