Japan has a long and colorful lineage of same-sex love and non-normative sexualities. As queer communities in Japan continue to fight for social acceptance, equal rights and legal protections, Pride Month is an opportune moment to look at how sexual minorities have been represented in the country’s literary domain.
Nowadays, Japanese fiction is more accessible than ever before, thanks to a burgeoning field of literary translators as well as the voracious appetites of readers around the world. While not all of the authors in the list below are queer themselves, their depictions of LGBTQ+ characters and themes illustrate, in some measure, the plight of marginalized communities in modern society.
Storytelling is a bridge to empathy, offering insights into the lives and worldviews of people we might never be able to meet otherwise. If you’re not yet familiar with queer narratives and characters from Japan, think of this list as a jumping-off point — and perhaps the beginning of your reading journey.
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