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:

Honnomushi is Japanese for bookworm and there are hundreds of thousands of them in Japan[UPDATED: 9-17-2018]

The Japanese for an avid and devoted reader, honnomushi (本の虫), is similar to the word used in English and many other languages, bookworm. The direct translation of honnomushi is book insect or bug. Bookworm and honnomushi, as well as being the common informal term for bibliophiles, is used in both languages to describe any insect that is thought to bore… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Culture
- Industry
Honnomushi is Japanese for bookworm and there are hundreds of thousands of them in Japan Posted January 1st, 2018 by Richard Nathan
The Japanese word for novel entered the Japanese language in 1754 via China[UPDATED: 9-17-2018]

The Japanese word shosetsu written using two letters or characters meaning ‘small’ and ‘talk ’ first came into use as a Japanese term for fiction in 1754; following the successful translation and adaptation of Chinese books such as Sui-Hu Chuan (The Water Margin), pronounced Suikoden… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Book production
- China
- Culture
- History
The Japanese word for novel entered the Japanese language in 1754 via China Posted January 3rd, 2018 by Richard Nathan
Tsundoku a unique Japanese expression for buying books and leaving them to pile up unread[UPDATED: 7-30-2018]

Tsundoku, is a unique Japanese expression for buying books and magazines and leaving them to pile up unread; something that many book buyers around the world appear to have in common. But unlike Japanese, most languages don’t have a specific phrase or word to describe… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Culture
- Retail
Tsundoku a unique Japanese expression for buying books and leaving them to pile up unread Posted March 23rd, 2017 by Richard Nathan
Kafka a popular author and name amongst Japan’s creatives[UPDATED: 6-9-2018]

Kafka is a popular author and name amongst creatives in Japan. In 2007, an animated version of his 1917 short story A Country Doctor was produced by Koji Yamamura and the author’s name appeared in Haruki Murakami’s bestselling 2002 book titled: Kafka on the Shore. Two… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Culture
Kafka a popular author and name amongst Japan’s creatives Posted March 23rd, 2017 by Richard Nathan
Japanese literature and creative writing is being exploited cleverly to attract more tourists to the country[UPDATED: 5-28-2018]

Literary tourism is now a growing part of what is known in Japan as kontentsu tsurizumu (contents tourism). The term is used to describe tourism inspired by popular culture and includes both literary tourism and film-induced tourism. It is defined by academics, who run The International… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Culture
- Poetry
Japanese literature and creative writing is being exploited cleverly to attract more tourists to the country Posted January 3rd, 2018 by Richard Nathan
Books in Japan generally published as tanko-bon, bunko-bon or both[UPDATED: 5-19-2018]

There are two standard book formats in Japan tanko-bon and bunko-bon. Most works of fiction are initially published as tanko-bon and then after a given period, that can sometimes range from 1 to 4 years, as bunko-bon. The content of a book and the publisher… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Book production
- Industry
Books in Japan generally published as tanko-bon, bunko-bon or both Posted May 3rd, 2017 by Richard Nathan
Totto-Chan is Japan’s all time bestselling novel[UPDATED: 3-27-2018]

Japan’s all time bestselling novel is Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window, written by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. It was originally published as a series of short stories by Kodansha in its magazine Young Women in 1979. At pixel time it has sold more than 5.8… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- Industry
Totto-Chan is Japan’s all time bestselling novel Posted March 23rd, 2017 by Koji Chikatani
Japan’s oldest publishing house, Hozokan, is more than 400 years old[UPDATED: 3-22-2018]

Hozokan, the Kyoto based Buddhist publisher can trace its roots back to 1602 and is considered to be Japan’s oldest publisher. It publishes books on Buddhism, targeting both specialists and general readers. Hozokan’s longevity, and the nature of its subject specialism, has not stopped it embracing… Read more »
- TOPICS:
- History
- Industry
- Religion
Japan’s oldest publishing house, Hozokan, is more than 400 years old Posted January 4th, 2018 by Richard Nathan

Factbook

Honnomushi is Japanese for bookworm and there are hundreds of thousands of them in Japan[UPDATED: 9-17-2018]

The Japanese word for novel entered the Japanese language in 1754 via China[UPDATED: 9-17-2018]

Tsundoku a unique Japanese expression for buying books and leaving them to pile up unread[UPDATED: 7-30-2018]

Kafka a popular author and name amongst Japan’s creatives[UPDATED: 6-9-2018]

Japanese literature and creative writing is being exploited cleverly to attract more tourists to the country[UPDATED: 5-28-2018]

Books in Japan generally published as tanko-bon, bunko-bon or both[UPDATED: 5-19-2018]

Totto-Chan is Japan’s all time bestselling novel[UPDATED: 3-27-2018]

Japan’s oldest publishing house, Hozokan, is more than 400 years old[UPDATED: 3-22-2018]

Newsletters