Japanese English

I've lived in this world killing slimes for 300 years...so when did I turn into a little kid?! I bet it was those mushrooms Halkara cooked... And now everyone in my family is trying to coddle me! Please, cut it out!

On a clear spring day in 1995, five members of a religious cult unleashed poison gas on the Tokyo subway system. In attempt to discover why, Haruki Murakmi talks to the people who lived through the catastrophe, and in so doing lays bare the Japanese psyche. As he discerns the fundamental issues that led to the attack, Murakami paints a clear vision of an event that could occur anytime, anywhere.

Learn Japanese in a whole new way, based on up-to-date understanding of linguistics and learning psychology. Drawing on the best innovations in language instruction of the last 40 years, Dr. Blair's method integrates a variety of language-teaching approaches and activities into one breakthrough course.

In Ghostly Japan collects 12 ghostly stories from Lafcadio Hearn, deathless images of ghosts and goblins, touches of folklore and superstition, salted with traditions of the nation. While some of these stories contain nightmare imagery worthy of a midnight creature feature, others are not ghostly or ghastly at all. "Bits of Poetry" offers an engaging study on verse, and "Japanese Buddhist Proverbs" explains the meaning of several aphorisms based on Japanese cultural references.

Amid the rubble of post-war Tokyo, inside the grand Tsubaki house, a once-noble family is in mourning. The old viscount Tsubaki – a brooding, troubled composer – has been found dead. When the family gather for a divination to conjure the spirit of their departed patriarch, death visits the house once more, and the brilliant Kosuke Kindaichi is called in to investigate. But before he can get to the truth, Kindaichi must uncover the Tsubakis' most disturbing secrets, while the gruesome murders continue ...

Before he joined the Armed Detective Agency, Osamu Dazai was the youngest-ever executive with the Port Mafia, the most notorious underground crime syndicate in all of Yokohama. Three of its members—Dazai, Odasaku, and Ango—formed a camaraderie despite their vast disparities in rank. When Ango suddenly goes missing, Odasaku, a lowly Mafia grunt, receives direct orders from their boss to find him…only for Ango’s trail to lead Odasaku to a mysterious, foreign criminal organization called Mimic.

A new collection of stories from the cult author of Terminal Boredom: A philandering husband receives a bestial punishment from a wife with her own secrets to keep; a music lover finds herself in a timeline both familiar and as wrong as can be; idle high school students find adventure in another dimension but aren't all that impressed; a misfit band of space pirates discover a mysterious baby among the stars; Emma, the Bovary-like character from one of Suzuki's stories in Terminal Boredom, lands herself in a bizarre romantic pickle.

Shoji Morimoto was constantly being told by his boss, "It makes no difference whether you’re here or not," and that his presence contributed nothing to the company. Morimoto began to wonder whether a person who "does nothing" could still have actual value and a place in the world. Perhaps he could turn "doing nothing" into a service? With one tweet, Rental Person was born.

Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on the remote Gokumon Island bearing tragic news—the son of one of the island’s most important families has died, on a troop transport ship bringing him back home after the Second World War. But Kindaichi has not come merely as a messenger—with his last words, the dying man warned that his three step-sisters’ lives would now be in danger. The scruffy detective is determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious prophesy, and to protect the three women if he can.

16 years of peace and prosperity have passed since Lord Otori Takeo united the Three Countries. Takeo and his beloved consort, Kaede, have three daughters and a happy family life. Their success has attracted the attention of the distant Emperor and his general, the warlord Saga Hideki, who covet the wealth of the Countries. Meanwhile, the violent acts and betrayals of the past will not lie buried, and other secrets will not stay hidden. Everything that Takeo and Kaede have achieved is threatened.

This course consists of lessons centered on an audio blog that is completely in Japanese. The audio blog postings take you around Japan and introduce you to many different aspects of the country, including culture, history, folklore, the arts, and more. You will learn all about many different cities, and what they are famous for. Along the way, you'll pick up sophisticated expressions and advanced grammar in this audio blog series presented entirely in Japanese.

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, was an Irish writer known also by the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. His book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, comprises two parts, the first being the "Kwaidan Proper" and the second, "Insect-Studies", which consists of an essay each on ants, butterflies and mosquitos. According to the author, most of the folk tales and ghost stories in the first part were translated from old Japanese texts. The themes encompass resurrection, sacrifice, magic, and the realm of dreams.

In a break from Lawrence and Holo's ongoing adventures, author Isuna Hasekura presents "Side Colors," a series of short vignettes focusing on the fans' favorite characters.

Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933) is one of Japan's most beloved writers and poets, known particularly for his sensitive and symbolist children's fiction. This volume collects stories which focus on Miyazawa's love of space and his use of the galaxy as a metaphor for the concepts of purity, self-sacrifice and faith which were near and dear to his heart.

A writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. With its bright and spacious interior, the home seems perfect. But looking closer, the building’s floor plan reveals a mysterious ""dead space” hidden between the walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plan with an architect friend only to discover more “strange spaces” dotted across the house.

16-year-old Mochizuki Touya marches across the blazing desert sands toward the Burning Kingdom of Sandora. His goal? The Second Babylon. Once again, his journey is not so simple. The land is fraught with danger, and the cryptic words of an ancient doctor echo in the back of his mind. The Phrase rear their ugly heads, the dimensional boundary of the world begins to strain, and the mysterious monochrome boy, Ende, appears once more to puzzle Touya and friends. To make matters worse, a government starts to crumble, falling on the cusp of a military coup!

Japanese culture has fascinated the West ever since the country’s doors opened up in the 1800s. In many ways, Japan has remained elusive, and people have travelled from all around the world to see for themselves how unique this nation remains. Another way of exploring this enigmatic culture is through its literature. The English language succeeds surprisingly well in revealing the Japanese sense of life.

Even adventurers want a change of pace every now and then. Priestess stays behind for once, Cow Girl visits town without any work, Guild Girl takes a rare day off, and High Elf Archer reminisces about old adventures instead of looking for a new one. But evil doesn't take vacations. Goblin Slayer, Spearman, and Heavy Warrior are teaming up, but is this irregular party good enough to battle demons?!

An end to the endless war—the possibility of stopping the Legion once and for all. Such is humanity’s most fervent desire. But in the war-free world of tomorrow, what will become of the Eighty-Six? Many have gained renewed faith in the future. Some have found love; others, new aspirations. But what of those who have yet to dream? The warm rays of hope have bent their iron wills and distorted their realities. For those tragic few, the worst is yet to come.

A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company. It’s the perfect venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends, brought back together to celebrate a wedding. A night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare as secrets get dragged out and relationships are tested. But the house has secrets too. Lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart.