Best Japanese novels to read in translation

As is the case with most cultures across the globe, Japanese storytelling began with the oral tradition. Stories were passed down generation by generation through the power of the spoken word and the importance of maintaining a collective memory.

Before kanji (Japanese writing using Chinese characters) found its way to Japan from China via the Korean peninsula in the 5th century, Japan didn’t have its own writing system. Despite developing written language through the likes of China, according to Japan Guide, the world's first novel was actually written in Japan during the peak of the Heian Period in the 11th century.

, also known as , was written by a noblewoman, poet and lady-in-waiting named Murasaki Shikibu. Though the original manuscript no longer exists, the 54-chapter story which followed the life and romances of a prince named Hikaru Genji had an unprecedented global influence