17 top crime books set in Japan

From its rich traditions and intriguing history to its distinctive art and bright city lights, Japan has provided inspiration for many outstanding crime novels.

If you’re on the hunt for a good book to help immerse yourself in Japanese culture and landscape then look no further. Whether you love detective fiction, psychological suspense or a good old thriller, phenomenal bestsellers and cult classics from the likes of Natsuo Kirino, Haruki Murakami and Shuichi Yoshida will keep you engrossed for hours.

Here’s our pick of the best books set in Japan.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

When Detective Kusanagi tries to piece together the events preceding a murder, he finds himself confronted by the most puzzling, mysterious circumstances he has ever investigated. Nothing quite makes sense, and it will take a genius to understand the genius behind this particular crime.

Despite revealing the culprit at the very beginning, this clever, cunning whydunnit doesn’t fail to surprise and will keep you guessing until the very end.

The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo

In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the wedding of a son of the Ichiyanagi family. But on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi household are woken by a terrible scream and the sound of eerie music. Death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house.

A scruffy amateur sleuth and a seemingly impossible crime make this entertaining tale one of Japan’s greatest murder mysteries.

Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

For five days, the parents of a seven-year-old Tokyo schoolgirl sat and listened to the demands of their daughter’s kidnapper. They would never learn his identity. They would never see their daughter again.

What follows is a complex, slow-burning, insightful and methodical picture of policing in Japan that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji Shimada

Japan, 1936. An old eccentric artist living with seven women has been found dead – in a room locked from the inside. His diaries reveal alchemy, astrology and a complicated plan to kill all seven women. Shortly afterwards, the plan is carried out: the women are found dismembered and buried across rural Japan.

This classic locked room mystery is perfect for anyone who loves a good puzzle. It’s clever, intriguing and an absorbing whodunnit.

Audition by Ryu Murakami

Documentary-maker Aoyama hasn’t dated anyone in the seven years since the death of his beloved wife – until he meets Yamasaki Asami, a young, beautiful and talented ballerina with a turbulent past. But there is more to her than Aoyama, blinded by his infatuation, can see, and by the time he discovers the terrifying truth it may be too late.

Get ready to feel a chill down your spine, because this violent read from the master of the psycho-thriller is as disturbing as they come.

Ring by Koji Suzuki

In this novel that inspired the Hollywood and Japanese film series, everyone who watches a chilling videotape with supernatural powers meets a deadly end.

Part detective fiction, part horror, this thriller from the ‘Japanese Stephen King’ is not for the faint-hearted.