Japanese English

Nanao, nicknamed Ladybug - the self-proclaimed “unluckiest assassin in the world” - boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka with one simple task: Grab a suitcase and get off at the next stop. Unbeknownst to him, the deadly duo Tangerine and Lemon are also after the very same suitcase - and they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard. Satoshi, “the Prince”, with the looks of an innocent schoolboy and the mind of a viciously cunning psychopath, is also in the mix and has history with some of the others.

Japan is the forge of the world’s fantasies: karaoke and the Walkman, manga and anime, Pac-Man and Pokémon, online imageboards and emojis. But as Japan media veteran Matt Alt proves in this brilliant investigation, these novelties did more than entertain. They paved the way for our perplexing modern lives.

At turns nonchalantly hip and charmingly deranged, Suzuki's singular slant on speculative fiction would be echoed in countless later works, from Margaret Atwood and Harumi Murakami, to Black Mirror and Ex Machina. In these darkly playful and punky stories, the fantastical elements are always earthed by the universal pettiness of strife between the sexes, and the gritty reality of life on the lower rungs, whatever planet that ladder might be on.

Delve into the mystical worlds of Celtic enchantment, the heroic sagas of Bulfinch's lore, the enigmatic tales of Slavic spirits, the celestial dances of Japanese deities, the profound fables of Turkish origins, the creation epics of Sumerian and Mesopotamian civilizations, the rich tapestry of Native American heritage, and the captivating chronicles from the Filipino archipelago.

Ready to start understanding real Japanese articles? Understanding real Japanese material is incredibly satisfying, but it's also very difficult to find anything that is accessible to intermediate learners. This book is the perfect stepping stone from textbooks (or children's books) to real Japanese articles aimed at native speakers. The book, which contains 15 interesting articles, helps guide the listener through any unknown grammar and vocabulary with translations and in-depth explanations.

Seven cats weave their way through their owners’ lives, climbing, comforting, nestling, and sometimes just tripping everyone up in this uplifting collection of tales by international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa. Bursting with love and warmth, The Goodbye Cat exquisitely explores the cycle of life, from birth to death—as each of the seven stories explores how, in different ways, the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down.

Our Reality is Ramen Noodles. Get your copy of the best and most unique Ramen recipes from BookSumo Press! Come take a journey with us into the delights of easy cooking. The point of this cookbook and all our cookbooks is to exemplify the effortless nature of cooking simply. In this book we focus on Ramen. Easy Ramen Noodle Recipes is a complete set of simple but very unique Ramen recipes. You will find that even though the recipes are simple, the tastes are quite amazing. Besides recipes you will learn about the following: A Guide to Japanese Noodle Mastery The Importance of Ramen in ...

If you’re ready to read, speak, and sound like a Japanese local, then brace yourself for a fun, engaging, and informative way to learn the Japanese language fast and easy! Short Stories for Japanese Learners: You Can Read Japanese Level 2, The Red Candle offers fun and engaging beginner-friendly stories to help you easily read Kanji and more! Enjoy 10 Japanese short stories in different genres: Every story has English translations to help learners enjoy and immerse themselves without struggling with vocabulary and grammar.

As they do every year, a small group of acquaintances pay a visit to the remote castle-like Water Mill House, home to the reclusive Fujinuma Kiichi, son of a famous artist, who has lived his life behind a rubber mask ever since a disfiguring car accident. This year, however, the visit is disrupted by an impossible disappearance, the theft of a painting, and a series of baffling murders. The brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada arrives to investigate.

Embark on a spellbinding journey into the heart of Japanese artisanal culture with "Woven Threads," the ultimate guide that intertwines the deep-rooted elegance, innovation, and spirit of one of the world's most remarkable craft heritages. Each meticulously crafted chapter unravels the delicate fabric of tradition and modernity, paying homage to the timeless beauty of Japanese craftsmanship. "Woven Threads" invites readers to explore the Essence of Japanese Craftsmanship, delving into its historical significances, such as the iconic role of artisans in preserving cultural identity. Feel the...

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason customers stop by. The father-daughter duo are 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are able to recreate dishes from a person’s treasured memories—dishes that may well hold the keys to their forgotten past and future happiness. The restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to vanished moments, creating a present full of possibility.

No Longer Human (1948, Ningen Shikkaku / A Shameful Life / Confessions of a Faulty Man) was an attack on the traditions of Japan, capturing the postwar crisis of Japanese cultural identity. Framed by an epilogue and prologue, the story is told in the form three notebooks left by Ōba Yōzō, whose calm exterior hides his tormented soul. Osamu Dazai was a Japanese author who is considered one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th century Japan. A number of his most popular works, such as Shayō (The Setting Sun) and Ningen Shikkaku (No Longer Human), are considered modern-day classics in Japan.

Haruki Murakami’s highly anticipated first novel in six years follows the narrator as his enduring memory of his formative teenage relationship leads him to the mysterious City, and a disruption to the barriers between the real and shadow worlds.

Golden Gate is the 12th book in the New England Series set in a universe in which George Washington died at the Battle of Long Island in 1776 and…the Revolutionary War was lost. It is Empire Day, Sunday 8th July 1979. And the Golden Gate Project, the iconic totem of the new imperial regime in Government House, Philadelphia, is under attack, an attack that for all its supposed technological battlefield mastery, nobody in the British Empire saw coming and the consequences might be incalculable. Things had seemed to be going so well! The Russian foothold in the Alaskan lands has been ...

Since the first whiff of information came from Japan that there might still be traditional Japanese Reiki practitioners in Japan, we became intrigued with the system of Reiki's Japanese past. We travelled to Japan (with our two year old in tow) to see if we could find out anything else about it. In Japan we met with teachers who taught a mixture of both traditional styles of Reiki and its more modern versions.

Barbed wire, trenches, and machine guns are all elements of modern warfare that are mainly associated with the bloody carnage of World War One, yet they were all first used in combination 10 years earlier in a largely forgotten war that was fought in Manchuria and Korea: the Russo-Japanese War.

Ash shook off the images swarming his head and tried to focus on her again; it wasn’t hard. She was so beautiful, those plump lips naturally lined by a darker stain of pink as they blossomed into a cherry in the center, those wide eyes so rich and opaque he could stare into them for hours and never separate pupil from iris. The lashes kissing the delicate smattering of freckles on her mahogany cheek—“I can’t begin to tell you how much your friendship means to me,” Ash said, still drinking in her face. She was so close. It would take nothing to just come a little closer, just there...

Sabu explains in his long-awaited autobiography how his actions always spoke louder than words. After training with his legendary uncle The Sheik and his big break in Japan, Sabu pioneered a new “hardcore wrestling style” on American television in the 90s. Upon his ECW debut, he immediately dazzled fans with an innovative arsenal that included breaking tables, leaping off chairs, and working highly-acrobatic moves into every match. Raising the bar, he changed the game for professional wrestlers everywhere. Discover how his SCARS from barbwire, his SILENCE on the mic, and use of ...

After I died from overwork in my previous life, I decided keeping a good work-life balance in this one would be my top priority. I've been a lot busier ever since word got out that I'm level 99, but my world has also been getting bigger. Beelzebub is the most reliable demon I've ever met, Falfa and Shalsha are as adorable as can be, Laika is the best apprentice anyone could ask for, and Halkara is...well, Halkara is doing her best. Whether it's hosting a café, fighting ghosts in a factory, or even meeting a demon king, there's nothing we can't handle together!

During World War II a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house thousands of Japanese-American internees. One of the first families to arrive was the Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year-old child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggled and adapted, observed and grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life.