Japanese Translated Novels I Recommend

If you love literary fiction or cosy commercial stories, then you should definitely read some Japanese-translated novels. Some of the best stories to be published in recent years have been stunning novels out of Japan.

Japanese Translated Novels I Recommend

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu

One of my all-time favourites is Before the Coffee Gets Cold. It’s a novel that was originally a play so the story is in four acts, and revolves around a cafe where you can time travel. You can only travel in the cafe – you can’t kill Hitler – and you only have until the coffee gets cold before you travel back. It’s a story of grief, love, and forgiveness, the first in a series.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

A recent novel I’ve worked on and read is Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. This adorable story is about a young woman who is dumped and moves in with her uncle at their family’s old bookshop. Her uncle has been separated from his wife for a time and the two of the mismatched family members come together to heal, forgive and read books. It’s delightful.

Convenience Store Woman by Sakaya Murata

This is a literary novel about a woman who works in a Convenience Store and wants to do nothing else. Not a lot happens as it’s a character-based story, but it’s quirky and sweet and self-affirming for those that are content with their lives despite what other people want them to do.

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Sentaro is struggling in life with a criminal record and a failed writing career, but when he meets Tokue, an elderly woman who makes the most delicious sweet bean paste he’s ever tasted. It’s a beautiful story of friendship and intergenerational relationships.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

This lovely book is all about books – the best kind of books! Throw in cats and it’s perfect. After the death of his beloved grandfather, Rintaro meets a cat who needs the help of a book lover to help with three magical adventures. It’s magical realism but it’s super sweet and perfect for fans of any of the above.

Those are the Japanese-translated novels I recommend. Which of these books have you read? And which ones will you read next? Let me know in the comments below.

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