The best Japanese fiction in translation

It’s official: Japanese fiction is the most popular form of translated literature in the UK. Of the 2 million works of translated fiction were sold in Britain last year, a quarter overall (and half of the top-selling titles) were Japanese.

There are several strong traditions in Japanese fiction, from the kawaii (weird but cute) to the quiet and restrained, to the sinister and surprising. Our list of some of the best works to start with includes examples of them all.