Japanese Literature

[Tarvaa]

Hello,

Since moving to Japan, a couple of years ago, my interests in Japanese novels has increased. I particularly like the authors: Yukio Mishima, Junichiro Tanizaki, Natsume Soseki and Kobo Abe. If I were to recommend one Japanese novel, it would be Spring Snow, by Mishima. That it is beautifully written, is all I shall say for now.

Anyway, I want to find out more about what Japan can offer the reader. So I would like to ask for opinions about Japanese literature. Who do you like? What novels do you think are great, and why?

Thanks

[TheFifthElement]

I love Japanese literature. I've been digging into it over the past couple of years, but I feel like I've still only scratched the surface. It started with Haruki Murakami, and kind of built from there.

I recently picked up a book of Japanese short stories, which gives an excellent flavour of Japanese literature. One story really stood out for me, called In the forest, under the cherries in full bloom by Sakaguchi Ango. It's a really excellent story. It's kind of creepy and unexpected and well worth the read.

I have read Kawabata, Soseki, Tanizaki, Abe, Murakami (Haruki and Ryu), Yoko Ogawa, Banana Yoshimoto, Naoya Shiga, Masuji Ibuse, Akutagawa, Osamu Dazai and Oe. They all have their merits. I love the reserved delicacy of Japanese fiction, the quiet inner turmoil and the fact that the characters are never universally good or especially evil. They are very three dimensional.

If I were to recommend particular works of Japanese fiction, I'd recommend:

Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse - this is a fictionalised account of the Hiroshima bombing. It is a disturbing, emotional read. As is often the case with Japanese fiction it is surprisingly non-judgemental.

A Dark Night's Passing - Naoya Shiga - it's a long book, split into 4 sections covering the journey through one man's life. It is a delicate, intricate story which is, effectively, about a man suffering depression, a depression which arises as a result of his 'unlucky birth' (illegitimacy)

Kangaroo Notebook: A Novel by Kobo Abe. It's totally surreal :)

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki. Another delicate, emotional novel. Very revealing of Japanese society and in particular the transition from the Meiji era to the modern era and the gulf between the old values and the new.

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai - I read this quite recently. It's an odd little book about a man who feels himself to be 'non-human' or rather, someone who is socially isolated.

Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata simply because, as with all Kawabata's works, it is beautiful to read.

I haven't really touched on Mishima yet, but I'm getting to it. I think I may have read The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea but if I did it didn't make an impression on me at the time. On your recommendation, I'll start with Spring Snow, it seems like a good place to start.

I very much envy you living in Japan. I'd love to do that.

[milktea]

Osamu Dazai
Endo Shusaku
Yasunori Kawabata

Senke Motomaro (poet -- phenomenal but obscure and untranslated, you'll have to read in Japanese online or be willing to fork over niman'en like I did in Jimbocho's Book Town, you won't find him in Junkudo or Maruzen unfortunately)

You've listed Mishima already who besides Senke is my favorite.

[JBI]

What did you think of Kokoro (assuming that is the Soseki novel you read)? I'll be honest, my interests lie more in verse than in prose (that is roughly true across the world for my interests, not just Japan) but I have read 3 of the four authors you mentioned, and I am interested in starting a sort of discussion if you are.

Personally, the appeal for me comes from the Japanese aesthetic sensibility in prose, where there is a subjectivity in everything, and rather sparse, poetic styles - that I believe is how it reads in Japanese as well (according to my friends who read in that language), and that holds the appeal for me. The subjectivity in everything really gives a nice impressionist mode, probably, in those mentioned, best seen in Spring Snow, or in other Mishima, but also a little bit in Kokoro, as a gesture to it, and further back in more classical texts, like Genji.

[Tarvaa]

Thank you for your posts.

Living where I do, there are no shops stocking english translations, and I have to go to the nearest city (about 110 kilometres away) to find a small selection. However, that is why amazon is so convenient.

Actually, I have not read Kokoro. I am beginning to feel that I should get hold of it soon. From Soseki, I read "The Miner" and "Botchan". In these books, the charm is based around the individual, non-conformity of the protagonists set against a backdrop of a society where such traits are rare. I don't think that Soseki reaches the beauty of someone like Mishima does, rather the appeal comes from his vivid, yet not vicious, critique of Japanese society. I chose "Botchan" because the town I live is mentioned, and Soseki described its inhabitants as half man, half monkey!

Mishima on the other hand, loaded with pin-point accurate metaphors, creates a feeling that one can really sense in Japan, that all things are natural, no matter good nor bad. His imaginery paints an idealistic Japan, maybe not a real Japan. Of course things have changed since Mishima wrote his books, but I think he had an innate skill at tapping the preconceptions one makes of Japan.

As much as I like his stories, I do find Kobo Abe's work to be hard work!

I am interested in what you think!

[milktea]

@JBI I liked the first part of Kokoro which establishes the relationship of the narrator and sensei better than (no pun intended) the heart of the novel. I knew the story before I read the novel; my opinion might have been different otherwise.

[JBI]

@JBI I liked the first part of Kokoro which establishes the relationship of the narrator and sensei better than (no pun intended) the heart of the novel. I knew the story before I read the novel; my opinion might have been different otherwise.

That's strange; the original serialization did not include the first half; the story is the second half, and the Student was added as an almost afterthought. I hear in high school classes in Japan they only read the second half. Still, perhaps it is a generational thing - to an extent I don't quite "get" Kokoro, in that modernist narratives of dislocation and paralysis, such as found in Joyce's Dubliners, don't make too much sense to me. I too found myself enjoying the student more than Sensei.

As for the above poster on Mishima, it is interesting to note that he, as an author, though accepted in Japan, is more revered (according to a professor of Japanese literature who I discuss such matters with) in the US than in Japan, where he doesn't have the central status afforded him by non-Japanese audiences.


Japanese literature in general is a great subject of success though; out of all non-European literature I think Japanese literature has enjoyed some of the greatest translators and translations in the last 60 years - the quality of scholarship on Japan from the US is staggering, to the point where Japanese literature has become ingrained in the fabric of Western literature (poets like Robert Haydon for instance did extensive work in Haiku, the most popular form in the world probably).

[milktea]

That's strange; the original serialization did not include the first half
Really? Which part was not included in serialization? The first part (Sensei and I) or the second (My Parents and I) ? Honestly, I don't see how either part could be omitted; I figure all parts of Kokoro are integral to the work.

After all, the narrator meets and introduces the reader to Sensei in the first part.

私はその人を常に先生と呼んでいた。
And in the second part the narrator receives sensei's letter while his father is dying:

「この手紙があなたの手に落ちる頃には、私はもうこの世にはいないでしょう。とくに死んでいる でしょう」

Please let me know which part was not included, and if there are books published in the manner of the original serialization (in Japanese or English translation) as the story's structure would be entirely different from the current Japanese version or the translation I own (Edwin McClellan's). BTW: Thanks for telling me this, I had no idea.


I hear in high school classes in Japan they only read the second half.
Eh? The second half? Do you mean the third part? That's sensei's letter/story. To the best of my knowledge, Japanese high school students are only required to read excerpts of all literary works; they are never assigned a full book.

[JBI]

Sorry, meant the third part; the Student as a character was created after the serialization. Sensei's letter was the original, without the context behind it (parts 1 and 2).

[Sebas. Melmoth]

Mishima's imaginery paints an idealistic Japan.

Of course: as an ultra-nationalist Mishima was in love with his native culture and land: together they form the largest character in his oeuvre.

Mishima was also very sophisticated, and appreciated Western art as well: he virtually single-handedly introduced the Japanese to the music of Richard Strauss and the literature of Oscar Wilde.

(You'll have to go to Maruzen in Tokyo for a good selection of Japanese books in English translation.)

Check esp. Mishima's Five Modern Noh Plays and The Sound of Waves.

[milktea]

Maruzen is a shangrila of books for browsing, but unless you're a modern day Croesus it's better to order from Amazon JP. You pay domestic prices for translated Japanese books, they ship for free after 1500 yen, and you can pay at the convini. But yeah... Maruzen *drool*

@JBI - can you tell me where you read about the serialization? Have you read the original version? If so, how different was it from the present day version? I talked to my Japanese coworkers today about and they had the same reaction I did. It's impossible to separate the first to parts in the present day version as the third part starts off in media res, so there's got to be a different version of Kokoro floating around somewhere, and I'd really like to possess it. I live close to Book Town, but I'd like to have a more concrete idea of what I'm looking before I badger the book store attendants with my bad Japanese. This might be a collector's version! (*^_^*)

[JBI]

Maruzen is a shangrila of books for browsing, but unless you're a modern day Croesus it's better to order from Amazon JP. You pay domestic prices for translated Japanese books, they ship for free after 1500 yen, and you can pay at the convini. But yeah... Maruzen *drool*

@JBI - can you tell me where you read about the serialization? Have you read the original version? If so, how different was it from the present day version? I talked to my Japanese coworkers today about and they had the same reaction I did. It's impossible to separate the first to parts in the present day version as the third part starts off in media res, so there's got to be a different version of Kokoro floating around somewhere, and I'd really like to possess it. I live close to Book Town, but I'd like to have a more concrete idea of what I'm looking before I badger the book store attendants with my bad Japanese. This might be a collector's version! (*^_^*)

I can't remember exactly; I studied the book formally as part of my coursework, so I read a few pieces of criticism, so I don't know exactly where I got that. I know the novel was originally run in 朝日新聞 and am referring to that serialization, which is, being serialized, not quite a book. The original was titled 心　先生の遺書 too, if that helps. I don't read Japanese though, so can't help you further; my exposure to that text was rather limited to a theory course that was dealing with modernization theory and East Asia.


Edit: my mistake, I misread something. This hopefully clarifies something. I don't know if it is the publication that only included the last section, or just the original manuscript, as stated here by Soseki.



I gave the readers notice in an advance announcement at the time, that I intended to put some short stories together into one piece, and give the title Kokoro to it. But when I was writing Sensei's Will, the initial one of the short stories, I realized that it was not settled as I have expected, so I finally decided to change my plan to publish only Sensei's Will in a separate book form.
However, this Sensei's Will was also constructed from three companion volumes which were independent by themselves but deeply related with each other at the same time. Therefore, I distinguished them as Sensei and I, My Parents and I and Sensei and His Testament, then as I considered it had no trouble in calling them under the title of Kokoro, I changed the title from Sensei's Will to Kokoro. The only difference between this book version and the original published in newspaper is the fact I divide the contents into the first, second and third volumes in this book version.

http://www.library.tohoku.ac.jp/collect/soseki/kokoro-e.html

[milktea]

Ah I think I see... so it was serialized as a single story and then split into the three parts as a book? And the kanji you posted did help. The original title you pasted is '心' or 'Kokoro' before the title was changed to the hiragana title こころ, and the '先生の遺書' is 'Sensei's Testament' Which is the title of the the third part. It is the focus of his story so it makes sense that he would give greater emphasis to that part. But as I stated earlier, I (like you) enjoyed the first part better. I'll visit the Asahi Shimbun website and see if they have online archives. Also thanks for the library.tohoku... link. This forum never fails to please.

[apxayyelos]

Question. Do any of you guys know of any scholarly journal posts on the topic of Japanese literature? On Kobo Abe in particular.

[JBI]

Question. Do any of you guys know of any scholarly journal posts on the topic of Japanese literature? On Kobo Abe in particular.

Check the Columbia Companion to East Asian literature for English sources on his work, or the Bibliography of Asian studies (available online with authorization) for a more complete list in multiple languages.

[grechzoo]

Do any people in this topic read the Japanese language version of these novels? Or the English translation?

I’m currently reading Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore (in English of course) and while I’m loving every second it, there’s something in the back of my mind that makes me wish I could truly read the authors words.

Now of course this could be said with every translation, but the reason its popping up with this author is specifically, is because I am currently learning Japanese. Not just because the language itself intrigues me, but also for future career purposes (I'm an aspiring 3d and hand animator.) and

So basically I was wondering how hard it is to get from a decent understanding of the language to being able to read it? Or should I just stick to the translations?

I’d be happy to put Murakami and other great Japanese writers on hold for however long it takes me to get to a suitable level. I just wondered if anyone in this topic has gone from English first language to being able to read Japanese (kanji, or standard lettering, I forget the name) and whether it is a viable task for someone who will only really be able to learn in his spare time?

Hope you guys can input, and thanks for all the great suggestions by the way :D

[TheFifthElement]

こんにちは!

Everything I've read has been in translation. I'm also learning Japanese at the moment but understand that whilst Japanese can be reasonably easy to learn to speak the written language is much more complex. This is because they have three writing systems: hiragana, katakana and kanji. I've learned the hiragana and am learning katakana but kanji is a different ball game. It takes a while to learn.

[grechzoo]

yeah it looks difficult, but its something i really want to learn, even if it takes me years.

there are enough books in the world to hold me up until feel im good enought to start reading japanese, whether its kanji or hiragana

i do plan to go and work there in the future, so ill have that added determination to really pull through with it. :)

but yeah i know its a longshot, but my original question still stands, if there is anyone here who actually reads any of these book in japense who is has english as their first language i woudl love to know about the learning experience (writing that setnence out, i now realise how unlikely it is ;))

[JBI]

yeah it looks difficult, but its something i really want to learn, even if it takes me years.

there are enough books in the world to hold me up until feel im good enought to start reading japanese, whether its kanji or hiragana

i do plan to go and work there in the future, so ill have that added determination to really pull through with it. :)

but yeah i know its a longshot, but my original question still stands, if there is anyone here who actually reads any of these book in japense who is has english as their first language i woudl love to know about the learning experience (writing that setnence out, i now realise how unlikely it is ;))

If you want to learn, make sure it is something you truly feel committed to and able to dedicate two hours a day to, then just jump right in - you won't regret it if it is something you truly think worth while and are willing to be dedicated to.

I'll probably pick up Japanese myself once my Chinese is permissible.

[hellsapoppin]

http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Commandment-Japanese-Foundation-Translation/dp/0860081915

Possibly the best novel ever written. A staggering challenge to the notion that Japan was an egalitarian society.