Shillong (Meghalaya), Oct 10: Book lovers in Shillong are developing a strong affinity for Japanese authors, with several stalls at the 2nd Shillong Book Fair reporting brisk sales of Japanese novels and non-fiction titles.
Organized by the National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, the book fair has witnessed a surge in demand for books by Japanese writers, including Sanaka Hiiragi, Mieko Kawakami, Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and Sosuke Natsukawa.
“We’ve sold several copies of Japanese authors’ works, surpassing last year’s sales of BTS’s Beyond The Story,” said Sipon Mistri, representing Pan MacMillan India. “Even Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life, with its Japanese connections, is gaining popularity.”
Beyond fiction, books on Japanese culture and lifestyle have also piqued readers’ interest.
“Visitors are curious about Japan’s unique customs, food, and traditions,” noted Sujit Singh of the National Book Agency. “Titles like ‘The Japanese Mind’ and ‘The Art of Japanese Living’ are flying off the shelves.”
The Shillong Book Fair’s success highlights the growing appeal of Japanese literature and culture in India.
Some of the best-selling Japanese titles are Sanaka Hiiragi’s “Twelve Views from the Distance, Mieko Kawakami’s “Heaven”, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s “Before Your Memory Fades “and Sosuke Natsukawa’s “The Cat Who Saved Books”
Popular among non-fiction titles are “The Japanese Mind”, “The Art of Japanese Living” and “Japanese Culture: A Very Short Introduction”
