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.

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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.

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All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.

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.
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All content © 2026 Read Japanese Literature.