Japan is a beautiful country that has a lot to offer. But if you can’t travel to Japan anytime soon, the next best thing is to read about it. That is why we decided to list the 50 best Japanese books of all time. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Like any list, many great books will be left off the list. The good news is that there will be 50 books that will get a much-deserved spotlight. Even if you know little about Japan, it is hard to deny the influence Japan has had in Western culture in the past few decades. You can check out our full list below.
The 50 Best Japanese Books of All Time
- The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
- I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki
- Ring by Koji Suzuki
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
- The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura
- The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
- Apparitions by Miyuki Miyabe
- Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata
- Lost Japan by Alex Kerr
- The Silent Cry by Kenzaburo Oe
- The Gossamer Years by Michitsuna no Haha
- The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima
- Kokoro by Natsume Soseki
- Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
- Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
- Almost Transparent Blue by Ryu Murakami
- No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
- The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
- Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
- Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri
- The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi
- Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
- The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
- The Tale of the Heike by Multiple Authors
- Silence by Shusaku Endo
- An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro
- The Seven Samurai and Other Screenplays by Akira Kurosawa
- The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo Basho
- The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima
- The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki
- The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura
- Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan by Eiji Yoshikawa
- The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
- A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe
- Vibrator by Mari Akasaka
- The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
- Territory of Light by Yuko Tsushima
- Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
- Night on the Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa
- The Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe
- The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
- Out by Natsuo Kirino
- The Inland Sea by Donald Richie
- Goodnight Punpun by Inio Asano
- The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon
- The Lonesome Bodybuilder by Yukiko Motoya
- Dragon Sword and Wind Child by Noriko Ogiwara
- Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka
- Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn
- In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki
Popular Japanese Books
Even if you are unfamiliar with Japan, you may have heard of The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. It is considered to be the first work of literature in Japan’s history and often debated to be the first novel ever written. The novel was written in the 11th century in an archaic language and it was in the 20th century that it was translated into modern Japanese.
Another book on this list that you may have heard of is called Ring by Koji Suzuki. The scary movie was released in the early 2000’s which was based on Koji Suzuki’s novel.
Conclusion
How many of these books have you read or plan to read on this list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!
Thanks for the list. I have read a number of these and I can’t find fault with your list. I only question the title “Japanese Books”. David Mitchell, Alex Kerr and Donald Ritchie aren’t Japanese authors. And their books were written in English. So they are not Japanese books. I would have also chosen Spring Snow by Mishima rather than Temple of the Golden Pavilion. But that’s just personal preference.
I forgot Lafcadio Hearn. Also a gaijin!!