An Unusual Japanese Book List (31 books)

An Unusual Japanese Book List

Featuring classics in moderation, and focus on severely to slightly unhinged modern fiction, postmodern books and graphic novels.

all votes add books to this list

1	Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami 4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 avg rating — 32,825 ratings score: 598, and 6 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	I Am a Cat: Three Volumes in One by Sōseki Natsume 3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 avg rating — 1,833 ratings score: 592, and 6 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Key by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki 3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 avg rating — 844 ratings score: 495, and 5 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Battle Royale by Koushun Takami 4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 avg rating — 16,983 ratings score: 300, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edogawa Rampo 4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 avg rating — 555 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Naomi by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki 3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 avg rating — 1,328 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami 3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 avg rating — 29,742 ratings score: 288, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Out by Natsuo Kirino 3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 avg rating — 8,126 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai 4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 avg rating — 1,739 ratings score: 285, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	おもいでエマノン by Shinji Kajio 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 66 ratings score: 282, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Audition by Ryū Murakami 3.45 of 5 stars 3.45 avg rating — 1,386 ratings score: 280, and 3 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Japanese Gothic Tales by Kyōka Izumi 4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 avg rating — 109 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Snakes & Earrings by Hitomi Kanehara 3.19 of 5 stars 3.19 avg rating — 1,575 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 1,075 ratings score: 196, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Akinari Ueda 4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 avg rating — 308 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto 3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 avg rating — 2,922 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Some Prefer Nettles by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki 3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 avg rating — 970 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi 4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 avg rating — 7,235 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter by Anonymous 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 177 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Dororo, Vol. 1 by Osamu Tezuka 3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 avg rating — 453 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Ruined Map by Kōbō Abe 3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 avg rating — 539 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe 3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 avg rating — 5,488 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Bosley Sees the World: A Dual Language Book in Japanese and English by Tim Johnson (Goodreads Author) 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi 3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 avg rating — 950 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Paranoia Street by Shintarō Kago 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Vagabond, Volume 1 by Takehiko Inoue 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 1,345 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Comics Underground -- Japan: A Manga Anthology by Kevin Quigley (Editor) 4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 avg rating — 23 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets by Takashi Tsujii 0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	after the quake by Haruki Murakami 3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 avg rating — 11,999 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Cape and Other Stories from the Japanese Ghetto by Kenji Nakagami 3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 avg rating — 76 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Palm-Of-The-Hand Stories by Yasunari Kawabata 4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 avg rating — 925 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars