Factbook

A Dynamic Compendium of Interesting Japanese Literary and Publishing Facts

If you would like to contribute to this compendium please submit your ideas here.
All will be considered for publication by our expert panel.

Category Index:

Factbook Keyword Search:
Search for:

Many of Japan’s most interesting creative writers cite ‘No Longer Human’ by Osamu Dazai as their favourite book or one that had a huge influence on them[UPDATED: 5-29-2020]

According to Fuminori Nakamura, one of the most exciting new generation of Japanese authors, his only escape when he was young was reading, and the one book that really resonated for him, was No Longer Human (Ningen shikkaku), by Osamu Dazai (1909-1948). Many other leading Japanese authors say… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Fuminori Nakamura
- Culture
- History
Many of Japan’s most interesting creative writers cite ‘No Longer Human’ by Osamu Dazai as their favourite book or one that had a huge influence on them Posted January 4th, 2018 by Richard Nathan
Japan’s first generation of postmodern authors grew up listening to Bob Dylan and the Beatles[UPDATED: 2-26-2020]

The generation of Japanese authors that grew up in the 1960s, including some internationally renowned names like Kiyoshi Kasai, Haruki Murakami, Kenji Nakagami, Masahiko Shimada, Soji Shimada and Genichiro Takahashi, are sometimes referred to by academics as Japan’s first postmodern authors.They were all born after… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Soji Shimada
- History
- Postmodern
Japan’s first generation of postmodern authors grew up listening to Bob Dylan and the Beatles Posted January 29th, 2020 by Richard Nathan
Japan is the world’s fourth-largest publishing market[UPDATED: 12-29-2019]

According to the International Publishers Association (IPA), Japan’s publishing market is the fourth-largest in the world, making it a very large domestic business sector, as publishing is a major global business. The sector, however, is in fact underweight relative to other nations, as Japan’s overall economy… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Industry
- IPA
- Market Data
Japan is the world’s fourth-largest publishing market Posted November 20th, 2017 by Richard Nathan
Santa’s first documented Christmas appearance in Japan was in 1900 when he arrived as Santa Kuro in the pages of a children’s book[UPDATED: 12-9-2019]

Christianity arrived in Japan in 1549 with Francis Xavier (1506-1552) and the first Christmas Mass in Japan was reportedly celebrated at Yamaguchi Church in 1552. However, Santa Claus, probably one of the most recognised icons and characters associated with Christmas celebrations around the world today, did not… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Christian Fiction
- Culture
- Religion
Santa’s first documented Christmas appearance in Japan was in 1900 when he arrived as Santa Kuro in the pages of a children’s book Posted December 9th, 2019 by Richard Nathan
An Italian who came to Japan to design the nation’s first modern banknotes helped found one of the country’s most important printers[UPDATED: 11-21-2019]

Edoardo Chiossone (1833-1898) an Italian painter, engraver and lithographer arrived in Japan in 1875 at the height of Japan’s period of rapid modernisation, known as the Meiji Era (1868-1912), to help design and create the country’s first modern banknotes. He designed banknotes including: a 5-Yen banknote;… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Printing
An Italian who came to Japan to design the nation’s first modern banknotes helped found one of the country’s most important printers Posted November 21st, 2019 by Richard Nathan
Narrative scrolls, emaki-mono, are the historical foundation of Japanese literature[UPDATED: 10-4-2019]

Historically, Japanese literature began life as a unique blend of painting and prose, which generally took the form of narrative scrolls, known as emaki-mono in Japanese. For thousands of years these handscrolls have been used to record and share stories in Japan. An extremely famous and… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Art
- History
Narrative scrolls, emaki-mono, are the historical foundation of Japanese literature Posted October 4th, 2019 by Richard Nathan
Japan’s first rugby book published in 1909 criticised baseball, arguing that rugby was the superior sport[UPDATED: 9-11-2019]

Japan’s first book on rugby, Ragubi Shiki Futoboru (Rugby-Style Football), was published in 1909, a digital copy of which can be accessed online at Japan’s National Diet Library. The book not only introduced the game and its rules to Japanese readers for the first time, but it… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Ruby
- Sports
Japan’s first rugby book published in 1909 criticised baseball, arguing that rugby was the superior sport Posted September 11th, 2019 by Richard Nathan
Japan’s oldest surviving cookbook was published in 1643[UPDATED: 8-26-2019]

According to historians, Japan’s first modern cookbook Ryori Monogatari, Accounts of Cooking, was published just as the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa (1543-1616), came to power in 1603, and Japan’s Edo Period began (1603-1863). Tokugawa was a supporter of publishing and in particular books that provided… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Cookbooks
- Food
Japan’s oldest surviving cookbook was published in 1643 Posted February 4th, 2019 by Richard Nathan

Factbook

Many of Japan’s most interesting creative writers cite ‘No Longer Human’ by Osamu Dazai as their favourite book or one that had a huge influence on them[UPDATED: 5-29-2020]

Japan’s first generation of postmodern authors grew up listening to Bob Dylan and the Beatles[UPDATED: 2-26-2020]

Japan is the world’s fourth-largest publishing market[UPDATED: 12-29-2019]

Santa’s first documented Christmas appearance in Japan was in 1900 when he arrived as Santa Kuro in the pages of a children’s book[UPDATED: 12-9-2019]

An Italian who came to Japan to design the nation’s first modern banknotes helped found one of the country’s most important printers[UPDATED: 11-21-2019]

Narrative scrolls, emaki-mono, are the historical foundation of Japanese literature[UPDATED: 10-4-2019]

Japan’s first rugby book published in 1909 criticised baseball, arguing that rugby was the superior sport[UPDATED: 9-11-2019]

Japan’s oldest surviving cookbook was published in 1643[UPDATED: 8-26-2019]

Newsletters