Japanese Literature discussion

The discussion thread for the works of Hiromi Kawakami.
Under the Eye of the Big Bird is the April 2025 group read.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Nakano Thrift Shop was our group read for March 2018.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I will fill out more information on her profile as we go into the group read.

Partial list of works translated into English:

神様 (Kamisama), 1994(jpn), Partial translation included in Read Real Japanese Fiction, trans. Michael Emmerich, Kodansha, ISBN 9784770030580, 2008(eng)
蛇を踏む (Hebi wo fumu), 1996(jpn), Record of a Night Too Brief, trans. Lucy North, Pushkin Press, ISBN 9781782272717, 2017(eng)
溺れる (Oboreru), 2000(jpn), no eng translation a/o to date
センセイの鞄 (Sensei no kaban), 2001(jpn), The Briefcase, trans. Allison Markin Powell, Counterpoint, ISBN 9781582435992, 2012(eng), also printed as Strange Weather in Tokyo, trans. Allison Markin Powell, Counterpoint, ISBN 9781640090163, 2017(eng)
パレード (Parēdo), 2002, Parade: A Folktale, trans. Allison Markin Powell, Soft Skull Press, ISBN 9781593765804, 20199(eng)
龍宮 (Ryūgū), 2002(jpn), Dragon Palace, trans. Ted Goossen, Stone Bride Press, ISBN 9781737625377, 2023(eng)
ニシノユキヒコの恋と冒険 (Nishino Yukihiko no koi to bōken), 2003(jpn), The Ten Loves of Nishino, trans. Allison Markin Powell, Europa Editions, ISBN 9781609455330, 2019(eng)
古道具 中野商店 (Furudōgu Nakano shōten), 2005(jpn), The Nakano Thrift Shop, trans. Allison Markin Powell, Europa Editions, ISBN 9781609453992, 20169(eng)
真鶴 (Manazuru), 2006, Manazuru trans. Michael Emmerich, Counterpoint, ISBN 9781582436272, 2010(eng)
パスタマシーンの幽霊 (Pasutamashīn no yūrei), 2010(jpn), no Eng translation to date
水声 (Suisei), 2014(jpn), no eng translation to date
大きな鳥にさらわれないよう (Ōkina tori ni sarawarenai yō), 2016(jpn), Under the Eye of the Big Bird, trans. Asa Yoneda, Soft Skull Press, ISBN 9781593766115, 20249(eng)
このあたりの人たち (Kono atari no hitotachi), 2016(jpn), People From My Neighborhood, trans. Ted Goossen, Soft Skull Press, ISBN 9781593767112, 2021(eng)
三度目の恋 (Mitabime no koi), 2020(jpn), The Third Love, trans. Ted Goossen, Granta Books, ISBN 9781783788873, 2024(eng)

I think there was an updated version of Kamisama written for the 3/11 disaster. I have read it (was good) and will look for the reference.

The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino was a light and enjoyable read, perfect for a nightstand.

Kamisama 2011 (translated as “God Bless You 2011” by Ted Goossen & Motoyuki Shibata)

Read for free here via Granta:
https://granta.com/god-bless-you-2011/

It’s available alongside the original Kamisama/God Bless You in the collection March Was Made of Yarn.

I looked at Kawakami’s life/work and compared the two stories in a podcast ep about Fukushima fiction:
https://readjapaneseliterature.com/20...

Hiromi Kawakami (川上 弘美, Kawakami Hiromi, born 1958) is a Japanese writer known for her off-beat fiction, poetry, and literary criticism. She has won numerous Japanese literary awards, including the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Prize, the Yomiuri Prize, and the Izumi Kyōka Prize for Literature. Her work has been adapted for film, and has been translated into more than 15 languages.

Kawakami's work explores emotional ambiguity by describing the intimate details of everyday social interactions. Many of her stories incorporate elements of fantasy and magical realism. Her writing has drawn comparisons to Lewis Carroll and Banana Yoshimoto, and she has cited Gabriel García Márquez and J. G. Ballard as influences. Many of her short stories, novel extracts, and essays have been translated into English, including "God Bless You" ("Kamisama"), "The Moon and the Batteries" (extract from Sensei no kaban), "Mogera Wogura", "Blue Moon", "The Ten Loves of Nishino", and "People in My Neighborhood." (Credit Wikipedia)

Here is the Booker Prizes link for Hiromi Kawakami:
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke...
Under the Eye of the Big Bird was on the 2025 short list.

My review is excerpted on the Booker list!