10 Must-Read Books About Japanese Culture

10 Must-Read Books About Japanese Culture

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.

The Book of Yokai by Michael Dylan Foster

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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Ikigai by Hector Garcia

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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The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo

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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A Japanese Mirror by Ian Buruma

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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The Japanese Mind by Roger J. Davies

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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Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

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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The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby

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 by Arthur Golden

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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Shōgun by James Clavell

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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The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi

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。♥

4 comments

  1. I already have Convenience Store Woman and The Book of Five Rings, and from your post I gather I should start those asap 😁 I'm also adding all the others you shared on my list because 1. we can't ever have enough books, and 2. I'm way too fascinated by Japanese culture ❤️ Thanks for putting together such a great book post, Fran!

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    1. Oh, I totally agree with you! One can never have too many books in general, but even more so about Japan! I'll be looking forward to knowing your thoughts on those two!

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  2. I just saw Convenience Store Woman on another blog and added it. Can't wait to read it. Ikigai sounds fascinating to me as someone who thinks (probably too much lol) about meaning in life and all that! So adding that one too!

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    1. I did enjoy Convenience Store Woman, it gives a good insight into one of the different Japanese mindsets. One other book I would recommend to you, although it's not really relevant to this list, is Before the Coffee Gets Cold. I read it recently and I enjoyed it even more than CSW.

      I'll let you know once I get to Ikigai, then! :)

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