I've always been very fond of books, despite life's ups and downs, and since I took an interest in all things Japan, I've been trying to find books which talk about various aspects of Japanese culture. There's absolutely loads of them on the web, however, I made a list of those that—in my opinion—are a must-read if you're interested in knowing more about Japanese culture.
I've started to get through this list myself and I look forward to reading them all, so let me show you my list of 10 must-read books about Japanese culture! If you click on each photo, you'll be directed to its buy page on Book Depository.
I've always been intrigued by legends and myths, and Japanese folklore is surely one of my favourite things at the moment. I find the concept of how legends came to be is quite fascinating and, among all the different books I found on this subject, this was the one that immediately caught my attention.
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This book recently came to me, and I'm hopeful it will help me get out of the rough patch I've been in for some time. The term Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept which refers to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.
I feel like it's kind of a self-help book, it has exercises and prompts to write down, and since I believe Japan is my sense of purpose, I hope it will help me mantain the positivity I'm working hard to keep during this pandemic.
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I became very interested in this topic after I did an online course on Sadoo, the Japanese tea ceremony. It was quite interesting, and by chance I came across this book afterwards.
The Book of Tea discusses the philosophy behind the tea ceremony, and I think it's must-read book if you want to understand Japanese culture better.
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Although at first glance this is a book I wouldn't normally choose for me, I was intrigued by the "technical" aspect where—instead of everyday life—cinema, television, and arts are analysed instead.
I feel like this book has more of a raw vibe to it, so it'll be very interesting to read it.
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One thing I've learnt about Japanese culture is that public eye is important—if not almost vital—to Japanese society, and I was immediately drawn to The Japanese Mind by Roger J. Davies because he wrote about aspects that are very topical even today.
I also find very interesting that there are questions at the end of each chapter, so I feel like this would be a great pick for a book club.
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I've recently read Convenience Store Woman and for me it was a very eye-opening book. If you're into Japan, you cannot not know what a konbini is, and it was really fascinating to learn about the rules of social interaction from the point of view of a konbini worker.
I won't spoil the story, but it's definitely another book I would recommend if you want to understand Japanese culture better.
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I really adore historical fiction, so it was obvious that The Tale of Murasaki had to be included in my list of 10 must-read books about Japanese culture.
Mystical rice fields, a royal court, and political intrigue in ancient Japan? Where do I sign!!
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Memoirs of a Geisha is kind of a must if you want to learn about Japanese culture, an another historical novel I need to include in my list.
Just like I'm fascinated by historical Japan, I am also mesmerised by the figure of a Geisha and her role in ancient Japanese society, so I can't wait to read this.
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This is another historical novel that needed to be included in my list. If you ask people about books on Japanese culture, Shōgun is one of the first they will mention, especially if they're talking about Samurai.
It seems there's also a bit of romance in there, so I'm sure readers of this genre will also enjoy this book!
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Lastly—but certainly not least in my heart—The Book of Five Rings is one you absolutely must read.
This book is extra special to me for different reasons, and it's about another important aspect of Japanese culture: martial arts. If you have a curious mind, I think this book is definitely for you!
So, there you have it! 10 must-read books about Japanese culture. I'd be interested in knowing if you've read any of these books, or if you have others you think it'd be worth including, so please leave a comment and share your recommendations!
次回まで。♥
