Read Japanese Literature

Alison Fincher
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A podcast about Japanese literature and some of its best worksNew episodes more-or-less monthly

  1. Aum Anxiety in Japanese Fiction

    6 dgn geleden

    Aum Anxiety in Japanese Fiction

    In this episode, we examine the history of the Aum Affair and its lasting impact on Japanese fiction. We'll start out with the history of new religions in Japan, including Aum Shinrikyo. We'll take a look at Haruki Murakami's non-fiction book, Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche. We'll move on to an examination of four novels that respond directly to Aum or the Aum attacks—Keiichiro Hirano's Eclipse, Kenzaburo Oe's Somersault, Banana Yoshimoto's The Lake, and Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.  And we'll end with a discussion of three novels that I'll argue show the new religion's continuing influence—Kikuo Tsumura's There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job, Sayaka Murata's Earthlings, and Erika Kobayashi's Trinity, Trinity, Trinity. cw: terrorist attack resulting in injury and death, religions some people think of as cults, fictional cannibalism Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    1 uur
  2. Yasunari Kawabata

    11 mei

    Yasunari Kawabata

    In this episode, we're taking a look at Yasunari Kawabata's life and work. As we tell his story, we'll ask ourselves two big questions.  Is Kawabata really a traditionalist? And what is up with the way he writes about adolescent girls?cw: author suicide, problematic imagery about adolescent girls Buy The Dancing Girl of Izu and Other Stories (translated by J. Martin Holman) on Bookshop to support RJL.  Join the RJL Patreon to support RJL and for nine minutes of bonus content— including comparisons between Noh plays and Kawabata's writing, thoughts about queer readings of two Kawabata stories, and skepticism about Donald Keene's description of Keene as "a master of feminine psychology". Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    58 min.
  3. Japanese Monster Stories on the Big Screen

    10 feb

    Japanese Monster Stories on the Big Screen

    In this episode, we look at the writers behind two of Japan's greatest movie monsters—Godzilla and Mothra. We'll start out by looking at Godzilla—its context, author, and story—before we turn to Mothra. We'll close with a reflection on why the stories behind the movies are important, even for people who have already seen the films. Buy Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama on Bookshop to support RJL. Buy The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Shinichiro Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga, and Yoshie Hotta on Bookshop to support RJL.Join the RJL Patreon to support RJL and for six minutes of Godzilla bonus content—more information about its context, author, and American adaptation.Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. *correction: Please note that this episode incorrectly states the only other translated fiction by an author mentioned in this episode is Takehiko Fukunaga's Flowers of Grass. There is also translated fiction available by Yoshie Hotta. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    1 u 3 m
  4. The Japanese Cell Phone Novel

    14-12-2025

    The Japanese Cell Phone Novel

    In this episode, we take a look at the Japanese cell phone novel and the classic story of Train Man. We’re going to start today by explaining the Japanese cell phone novel, including some relevant background like the history of serialized publishing in Japan and the rise of Japanese cell phone culture. We’ll spend some time on the early 2000s internet culture, especially on-line message boards. And today’s focus text is Train Man, attributed to Hitori Nakano and translated into English by Bonnie Elliott. content warnings: rape as a trope in romance novels, online misogyny Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode website. --- Correction: Please note that this episode incorrectly calls the 2channel thread in which Train Man originally appeared Doko Otoko. The thread was actually called Doku Otoko. Doku is a play on words, meaning both "single" (独) and "poison" (毒). Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    48 min.
  5. Lafcadio Hearn—The Master of the Japanese Ghost Story

    29-10-2025

    Lafcadio Hearn—The Master of the Japanese Ghost Story

    In this episode, we explore the enduring legacy of Greek/English/Irish/American/Japanese author Lafcadio Hearn and the ghost story The Peony Lantern. We'll start out by looking at Hearn's life. We'll discuss the long history of the story Boton Doro, more commonly known as The Peony Lantern, including its most famous incarnation under Hearn's pen. And then we'll look at two modern adaptations of the story by Aoko Matsuda and Kyoko Nakajima. Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. Buy on In Ghostly Japan on Bookshop to support RJL. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    55 min.
  6. Bullying in Japanese Literature

    20-09-2025

    Bullying in Japanese Literature

    In this episode, we look at bullying in Japanese literature. We'll start out by defining bullying and looking at bullying in Japanese schools as well as the Japanese workplace. We'll see some examples in Japanese novels. And then we'll talk about Mizuki Tsujimura's Lonely Castle in the Mirror, translated into English by Philip Gabriel. This episode is rated mature. CW: bullying and suicide If you're thinking about suicide, please get help. Open Counseling hosts a list of international suicide hotlines. Notes and sources on the episode page. Transcript available. Be sure to check out the new and improved RJL website! Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    57 min.
  7. Christianity in Japanese Literature

    05-06-2025

    Christianity in Japanese Literature

    In this episode, we look into the history of Christianity in Japan—especially the role Christianity has played in Japanese literature. Our focus text is Shusaku Endo's Silence. Notes and sources on the episode page.  Transcript available. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    1 u 2 m
  8. Japanese Writers Standing Up to the State

    18-03-2025

    Japanese Writers Standing Up to the State

    In this episode, we take a look at the Japanese proletarian writers’ movement of the 1920s and early 1930s. We also take a deep dive into the life of author Genzaburo Yoshino—not a proletarian writer, but a man who spent prison alongside them and for some of the same beliefs—and his novel How Do You Live?. Notes and sources on the episode page.  Transcript available. Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.) Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly. Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com. Support RJL on Patreon.com. Buy your books from Bookshop.org. All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

    1 u 4 m
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Info

A podcast about Japanese literature and some of its best worksNew episodes more-or-less monthly

Informatie

  • Maker
    Alison Fincher
  • Jaren actief
    2021 - 2026
  • Afleveringen
    50
  • Beoordeling
    Expliciet
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Read Japanese Literature
  • Website van aflevering
    Read Japanese Literature

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