A timeless psychological study of a young man's deep alienation from society. Set in the early 20th century, Kokoro opens with a chance encounter on a beach near Tokyo that irrevocably links a young student to a man he simply calls Sensei (Teacher). Intrigued by Sensei's aloofness, the student calls upon him with increasing frequency. Eventually, Sensei and his beautiful wife open their home and their lives to him. Only later does the student learn the devastating secret that has haunted Sensei since his youth. Kokoro has sold millions of copies in Japan where it is taught in schools and is a perennial favorite. Its lucid prose and universal themes of friendship, betrayal and the struggle for meaning in a changing world have made it popular internationally as well. This English-language manga version will make the book accessible to a new generation of foreign readers. The manga includes depictions of suicide and may not be suitable for some readers.
Natsume Sōseki Book order
Natsume Sōseki was an influential Japanese novelist and literary scholar who profoundly impacted modern Japanese literature. His works often explore themes of identity, alienation, and morality in a rapidly modernizing Japan. Sōseki masterfully weaves humor, irony, and psychological depth to create unforgettable characters and narratives. His literary legacy is so significant that he is often considered the greatest writer in modern Japanese history.







- 2024
- 2022
Ten Nights' Dreams and Our Cat's Grave
- 94 pages
- 4 hours of reading
Exploring themes of love, honor, and despair, this collection of ten vignettes presents a dream-world where fantastic and tragic events unfold. Each story captures a unique essence, blending modernist and impressionistic styles that reflect both stark realism and a deeper emotional resonance. The narratives invite readers to ponder the complexities of human experience, evoking a sense of universal connection through their exquisite sensibility. This classic work marks a significant moment in Japanese literature, showcasing Natsume Soseki's profound insight into life and feeling.
- 2021
The story is narrated from the perspective of a nameless cat observing human society in Meiji-era Japan. Through its witty and critical observations, the cat offers a unique commentary on the behaviors and follies of the people around it. The first two chapters set the stage for a humorous exploration of class, culture, and the complexities of human nature, showcasing Natsume Sōseki's keen insights and literary style. This English version captures the essence of the original work while making it accessible to a wider audience.
- 2021
Soseki Natsume's I Am A Cat: The Manga Edition
- 208 pages
- 8 hours of reading
Japan's most beloved masterpiece brought to life with manga English readers can now enjoy I Am a Cat as a graphic novel for the first time. Read right to left, this popular story--the most read novel in Japan--has been skillfully adapted by Tyrol Kobata. Set in early 20th century Tokyo, Soseki Natsume's comic masterpiece satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With biting wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray cat who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him. Originally written as a short story, then serialized in eleven parts, the novel was published in three volumes between 1905-07, becoming an instant success and making Soseki the most popular writer in Japan.
- 2018
Kokoro: (Translated by Edward McClellan)
- 156 pages
- 6 hours of reading
Exploring the themes of loneliness and isolation, this novel delves into the transition from Meiji society to modern Japan. It is structured in three parts, focusing on the narrator's relationship with the reclusive "Sensei," his return home after graduating, and a revealing letter from Sensei that uncovers his deep-seated guilt and loss of faith in humanity. This poignant narrative offers insight into the complexities of human emotions and relationships, making it a significant work by Natsume Soseki.
- 2016
Light and Dark
- 464 pages
- 17 hours of reading
Originally published in Japanese with the romanized title of Meian.
- 2015
Ten Nights Dreaming
- 96 pages
- 4 hours of reading
A murderer discovers his true nature from a talking infant, a samurai is frustrated in his attempts to meditate, and a dying man bestows his hat on a friend in these surrealistic short stories. The dream-like, open-ended tales by the father of Japanese modernist literature offer thought-provoking reflections on fear, death, and loneliness. Their settings range from the Meiji period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the era in which the tales were written, to the prehistoric Age of the Gods; the twelfth-century Kamakura period, in which the samurai class emerged; and the remote future.A scholar of British literature, author Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916) was also a composer of haiku, kanshi, and fairy tales. The stories of Ten Nights Dreaming, which were originally published as a newspaper serial, constitute milestones of Japanese fantasy. Like Sōseki's other writings, they have had a profound effect on readers, writers, and filmmakers. This edition features an expert new English translation by Matt Treyvaud, who has translated the story "The Cat's Grave" for this work as well.
- 2015
A rediscovered Japanese modernist classic, translated by renowned Murakami translator Jay Rubin and with a new introduction by Murakami himself.
- 2012
Botchan is a novel written in 1906. It is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan. A Tokyoite known only as Botchan thinks teaching a bunch of high-school yokels in the sticks will be simple-after all, they’re essentially living in yesteryear. But our narrator soon learns that he is surrounded by schemers and tricksters and that the teaching job that should have been a walk in the park is more like a walk off a plank. Can he survive and make it back to civilization on Moral Fibre alone? Román Botchan vznikol v roku 1906 a je považovaný za jeden z najobľúbenejších románov v Japonsku. Tokijčan známy ako Botchan si myslí, že učiť pár hlúpych stredoškolákov bude jednoduché – veď vlastne prakticky žijú v minulosti. Ale rozprávač čoskoro zistí, že ho obklopujú samí podvodníci a práca učiteľa, ktorá mala byť prechádzkou ružovou záhradou, je skôr prechádzkou tŕnistou záhradou. Dokáže sa sám predrať späť iba s pomocou svojho morálneho kompasu?
- 2011
And Then
- 248 pages
- 9 hours of reading
"A Japanese writer of genius."—Japan Quarterly Soseki Natsume is considered to be one of Japan's most beloved and respected authors. And Then is ranked as one of his most insightful and stirring novels. Daisuke, the protagonist, is a man in his twenties who is struggling with his personal purpose and identity as well as the changing social landscape of Meiji-era Japan. As Japan enters the Twentieth Century, ancient customs give way to western ideals, and Daisuke works to resolve his feelings of disconnection and abandonment during this time of change. Thanks to his father's wealth, Daisuke has the luxury of having time to develop his philosophies and ruminate on their meaning while remaining intellectually aloof from traditional Japanese culture and the demands of growing industrialization. Then Daisuke's life takes an unexpected turn when he is reunited with his college friend and his sickly wife. At first, Daisuke's stoicism allows him to act according to his intellect, but his intellectual fortress begins to show its vulnerabilities as his emotions start to hold greater sway over his inner life. Daisuke must now weigh his choices in a culture that has always operated on the razor's edge of societal obligation and personal freedom.