Kathy Hamilton (I only share books that I believe in. If you buy through my links, I may earn a commission. Thank you for your support)
There’s nothing like heartwarming Japanese books to soothe the soul. With Cats, bookshops, and steaming mugs of coffee in abundance, they are perfect to snuggle up with for a cosy reading session right now.
At the moment, there’s a huge trend for Japanese-translated fiction that makes you feel better about life, and I’m not mad about it! I love cosy books almost as much as I love atmospheric books and the magic of Japanese fiction is that it often seems to blend the two perfectly.
I don’t know about you, but it’s the books that seem the most unassuming that usually pack the biggest impact. There’s something special about the thoughtful ambiguity that seems quintessential to Japanese fiction that keeps me reaching for more.
That’s particularly true with these books. I can safely say that each story featured here has either made me cry or hug the book. Sometimes both!
There’s so much to choose from when it comes to Japanese fiction, it seems like we’re living in a golden era for it at the moment. But as the title suggested, I kept my focus specifically on heartwarming Japanese books. The soft and fuzzy kind!
This is why I feel confident in promising you that these are some of the most cosy to curl up with. The best bit? Almost all of these books can be read in one sitting, so grab your hot drink of choice and settle in.
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (T. Louise Heal Kawai)
A talking cat enlists a high school student’s help on a wild book-saving mission in Natsukawa’s spellbinding story featuring unwitting book torturers, greedy publishers and a whole lot of literary magic.
Let’s start off with potentially the most heartwarming Japanese book on this list! I can’t fully express my love for this one. Cats, books, magic – it has it all.
Featuring a protagonist who is searching for meaning in his life, the book is a reminder that sometimes we just need the courage to reach outside our comfort zone to find the joy and zest for life we are looking for.
If you are a book lover, as I suspect you must be, this is the perfect homage to readers and the love and care those who love books dedicate to them.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (T. Eric Ozawa)
A broken-hearted young woman finds emotional refuge in the world of her uncle’s second-hand bookshop in this tale about the healing power of reading.
After a painful breakup, Takako finds herself adrift. Single and jobless, she just wants to curl up and sleep her worries away. However, her uncle coaxes her into staying above his bookshop in a beautiful neighbourhood in Tokyo.
Gradually, by discovering a love of reading, she is encouraged to begin again, bolstered by a newfound community of friends and loved ones.
This book is a homage to the power of second chances. It’s also as welcome reminder that forgiving yourself is often the most important step towards positive change. Read the full review here .
Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (T. Geoffrey Trousselot)
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
Potentially the most famous book on this list of heartwarming Japanese books is Before The Coffee Gets Cold. The book that launched a 1000 Instagram posts! But it really is worth the hype.
Each chapter introduces us to a new visitor. Each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer. The catch is that although they can travel in time, they can’t change anything that happens. Filled with timely reminders of what matters most in the world as each character asks themselves “who do I want to meet one more time”
Be warned, this book will make you cry!
Lonely Castle In The Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura (T. Philip Gabriel)
In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining. Tender, playful, gripping, what follows is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection.
When I spotted Lonely Castle in the Mirror in the bookshop I had no idea it was “Young Adult” and to be honest I’m glad. Had I known, it’s unlikely I would have bought it, and then I would have missed one of the best books I read last year.
Touching, healing and joyful in equal measure. This book is like a hug for anyone who has, for any reason, ever felt like they don’t fit in. Each character begins the novel isolated, lonely and hiding from the world and gradually, gains the courage to try again.
People From My Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami
A bossy child who lives under a white cloth. A schoolgirl who keeps doll’s brains in a desk drawer. An old man with two shadows, one docile and one rebellious. A diplomat no one has ever seen who goes fishing at an artificial lake no one has ever heard of. These are some of the inhabitants of People From My Neighbourhood.
Okay, admittedly this one pushes the definition of heartwarming a little bit! This assortment of micro fiction almost reads like a fairy tale collection. And like many fairy tales there is occasionally a sense of the macabre here.
So why have I included it in this collection? Well, I believe that this one still has a lot to offer in the shape of its themes. This wonderful collection of 26 vignetters will beguile and intrigue you in equal measure.
This would be a great choice is great if you want a change of pace.
Whichever style of book you’re looking for, I really believe that each of the heartwarming Japanese books featured here will be a perfect choice!
