1. An Artist of the Floating World (Kazuo Ishiguro)

Ishiguro isn’t really a Japanese author; though he was born in Japan his family moved to England when he was a baby, and most of his books are set there. But this one is set in post- WWII Japan. The main character is an old man, pining for the prewar days when he was a celebrated artist who found his subjects in the pleasure quarter, the ‘floating world’. Like most of Ishiguro’s protagonists, he’s utterly deluded. He refuses to accept that the world has changed, to his detriment (bonus: there’s an amusing scene where he takes his grandson to see the newly-released Godzilla).

  1. My Life as Emperor (Su Tong)

Su Tong’s novel is set in a place that is imperial China in everything but name. The main character becomes emperor at a dangerously young age. And since absolute power corrupts absolutely, he turns into a spoiled, cruel despot (example: when he hears the royal concubines mourning the death of the previous emperor, he orders their tongues cut out). But his subjects won’t put up with it forever. Can the ultimate brat develop into a real human being?

  1. The Devil of Nanking (Mo Hayder)

Mo Hayder is one sick bitch, and I say that with the utmost admiration. She draws on her experience as a hostess in a Tokyo club for this novel about a mentally-disturbed woman who arrives in Japan looking for a Chinese professor. She’s searching for a copy of a film she once saw, of a particular atrocity performed during the Rape of Nanking. She has a personal reason for wanting the film, and her quest leads her straight to a hostess club and a dangerous Yakuza boss. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you can stand some really gruesome shit, it’s totally riveting.

  1. Lust, Caution (Iris Chang)

This is actually a short story, but has been released in an edition by itself (like Brokeback Mountain was after the movie came out). It’s an unusual (to say the least) love story set in occupied Shanghai during WWII. And really, to say anymore would ruin the twisted beauty of the story (and yes, it’s the basis for Ang Lee’s extraordinary movie of the same name).

  1. Kwaidan (Lafcadio Hearn)

Hearn was the first Westerner to really be assimilated into Japanese society in the 19th century. His research was invaluable in explaining the culture of the mysterious, insular island nation. Kwaidan is a collection of folktales focusing on horror and the supernatural and is both edifying and highly entertaining.