Haruki Murakami, again? : Try these 5 Japanese authors instead

The most-read Japanese, nay East Asian author in Bangladesh, Haruki Murakami has long been the face of Japanese literature for many readers in the country.

However, Japanese literature is diverse, featuring numerous authors whose work ranges from visceral horror to enthralling detective mysteries and existential musings. Here are five Japanese writers you should try out if you need a break from Murakami's world of magical realism.

Osamu Dazai  

Osamu Dazai, the voice of alienation and poor mental health, remains one of Japan's most celebrated literary figures, known for his deeply dark and often wry narratives. 

His novel 'No Longer Human' is a great piece to start, exploring themes of despair, detachment, and societal alienation. The protagonist Yozo Oba struggles with aloofness and the inability to connect with people around him, even his own family. 

The novel is hauntingly scary without being a horror, mainly due to its raw and unsettling narration, and Dazai's gift of articulating the human psychological depth is what makes this book an unforgettable experience.

Keigo Higashino

I am currently on a Keigo Higashino marathon and recently devoured two of his books 'The Devotion of Suspect X' and 'Silent Parade'. Both these books feature Higashino's creation Detective Galileo, as he is confronted with crimes that seem unsolvable due to logical contradictions and lack of evidence. 

In The Silent Parade, Higashino teases the readers with the themes of justice and truth—a suspected murderer and rapist is killed but with no clear evidence pointing towards the suspects. The layers of deception and twists make this one of the best detective fiction I have read. 

Ryu Murakami

Now you know why I added Haruki to the title. Ryu Murakami is the dark curator of Japanese urban life, and his book 'In The Miso Soup' is a chronicle of everything that happens in the underbelly of Tokyo that rarely makes global news. Unlike his namesake, Ryu's stories are violent, with postmodernism elements and depict the dark side of Japanese society. 

In The Miso Soup is the story of a tour guide, Kenji, who takes an American tourist called Frank to experience the nightlife of Tokyo. What was supposed to be an average day at work turns into a nightmare as Frank is the embodiment of everything evil that American society stands for.

Seishi Yokomizo 

Let's get to the classics now. With most of his stories set in the 1940-the 50s, Seishi Yokomizo's ability to craft mystery thrillers places him among my favourite detective writers, right alongside Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Satyajit Ray. 

I picked my first Yokomizo 'The Inugami Curse' from the shelves of Bookworm because of its tempting cover - two legs sticking out from the ground, on a grungy background. The story lived up to the expectation set by the cover art as it delves into family feuds and a generational inheritance dispute which we Bangalis are no strangers to. If you are into stories with intricate plots, and dramatic reveals in an East Asian setting, then Yokomizo is worth picking up.  

Junji Ito 

Although Junji Ito is a master of grotesque horror, his command as a graphic artist allows him to extend his works far beyond the gore he is famous for. He brings his stories to life in terrifyingly detailed manners, as seen in Junji Ito's 'Cat Diary: Yon and Mu', as he showcases his personal experience with his pet felines. While the artwork retains the usual Ito-esque style, this book is delightful and is a must-read for all cat lovers. 

Another title worth mentioning outside his universe of horror and gore is 'Soichi's Diary of Delights', a teenage prankster who has a penchant for the supernatural and curses and uses this to torment the town he lives in. Although the Soichi stories are humorous at times, they carry the unease and claustrophobia that Ito's works are well known for.