Welcome to the Japanese Literature Challenge 16!
During January and February of 2023, we will read Japanese novels, short stories, mysteries, thrillers, or even poetry if you so choose.
Please leave a link to that which you have read by clicking on the Mr. Linky widget below. That way, we can all have a chance to enjoy what you chose.
I so look forward on sharing this virtual trip to Japan with you!

Happy New Year all and happy new challenge. It’s my first time here and also my first time using the Mr. Linky thing so I hope I’ve done it all correctly.
I just wanted to check in to say that my first read is There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura. I’m really enjoying the style so far.
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Nick, I’m so glad you’re here and using the Mr. Linky, and enjoying the book you chose. I have There’s No Such Thing As An Easy Job on my list, too. I look forward to discussing it with you! Do you have a blog, by chance? If so, I can come visit you and comment. If not, no worries.
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Thank you! I don’t have a blog. Maybe some point in the future 😀.
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Happy New Year! Looking forward to this a lot!
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I’m so glad you’re joining in!
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Happy New Year, Meredith! I’m so excited to start this challenge!
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I am, too, for the both of us!🤭
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Thanks so much for doing this again. I will soon decide on which book I will read first for this event, which I always look forward to.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
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It makes me happy that you, and the others, at looking forward to this event. It will be fun to see what you choose!
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Thanks so much for hosting. I’ll be participating. I will post about it on January 11.
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I’ve started my new short story collection from Banana Yoshimoro & loving it so far. Thanks for hosting once again 🙂
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I like Banana Yoshimoto’s work so much. I’m hoping to get to this one, too!
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I haven’t blogged in a long time but one thing I was thinking about was January in Japan. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able participate this year. I’ve already started reading. I hope you’re doing well. Happy 2023. May it be a wonderful for you.
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I’m so glad you’re back again, Caroline, and that you’ve decided to join in the Japanese Literature Challenge again!🎉
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Thank you so much, Meredith. My first post should be up this week. 😊
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I learned of this from Tony’s Reading List. Coincidentally, I just got back from a trip from Japan, so this reading challenge will keep the adventure going. An item that’s been on my shelf for a while has been The Wisdom of Tea: Life Lessons from the Japanese Tea Ceremony by Noriko Morishita. The film adaptation was one of the in-flight movies, so I am even more interested. I might follow that up with The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi and there reading of some Noh plays.
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Oh, I envy yo just coming back from Japan! I was there in 2018, and I am dying to go back. I remember reading Haruki Murakami’s book, Killing Commandatore, on the flight as it had just been released.
The Wisdom of Tea book you mentioned is new to me, but sounds wonderful, as does The Waiting Years. I am always eager to learn all I can about Japan.
So glad you came here from Tony’s, we have both been enormous fans of Japanese literature for a long time, and welcome!
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I posted my first review. Before Your Memory Fades–book 3 of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/japanese-lit-challenge-review-before-your-memory-fades-by-toshikazu-kawaguchi-translate-by-geoffrey-trousselot/
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I can’t make your Mr Linky work it isn’t opening, so here’s the link to the review I just posted. Heaven by Mieko Kawakami.
https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2023/01/10/heaven-mieko-kawakami-2009/
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So happy to be able to join in this year even though the first book I read wasn’t wonderful !
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I’ve lined up 3 choices to read in this 2 month time period. My post is on my blog at https://finishingtheseries2020.blogspot.com/2023/01/karens-japanese-literature-challenge.html
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I’ve tried and tried to leave a comment on your blog; it will not let me even when I use Chrome. I will try again tomorrow! Still, thank you for posting your books, and what you’ll read for this challenge.🥰
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I don’t know what is wrong with the thing. I’m so sorry you had trouble!
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I just finished the excellent novella Child of Fortune by Yuko Tsushima which was such a multi-layered novella, a woman trying to cope raising her daughter alone while being gaslit by her sister and too many readers. A work that penetrates the depths and manifestations of grief, that stands up to an unsympathetic society and demands to exist in an alternative way to conventional ideals.
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