Japanese Comedy

Soseki Natsume's comic masterpiece, I Am a Cat, satirizes the foolishness of upper-middle class Japanese society during the Meiji era. With acerbic wit and sardonic perspective, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary stray kitten who comments on the follies and foibles of the people around him. A classic of Japanese literature, I Am a Cat is one of Soseki's best-known novels. Considered by many as the greatest writer in modern Japanese history, Soseki's I Am a Cat is a classic novel sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

The quirky, charming Japanese sensation with over half a million copies sold worldwide. "An unexpected treasure." —Laurie Gilmore, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe Welcome to Tenderness! A quaint seaside town in Kitakyushu, Mojiko is full of hidden delights. And...

In this gloriously over-the-top tale, Aoyama, a widower who has lived alone with his son ever since his wife died seven years before, finally decides it is time to remarry. Since Aoyama is a bit rusty when it comes to dating, a filmmaker friend proposes that, in order to attract the perfect wife, they do a casting call for a movie they don't intend to produce. As the resumes pile up, only one of the applicants catches Aoyama's attention - Yamasaki Asami - a striking young former ballerina with a mysterious past. But she is a far cry from the innocent young woman he imagines her to be.

This book is a thoroughly researched primer on the 108 Upanishads, philosophical treatises that form a part of the Vedas, the revered Hindu texts. These Upanishads contain the most crystallized bits of wisdom gleaned from Hinduism. Roshen Dalal explains the concepts at the core of each Upanishad...

Bridget Jones meets James Bond! What happens when you stumble in the arms of a gorgeous man with DANGER! written all over? Especially, when you're stuck in your worst magical eclipse? FREE on Kindle Unlimited! I’m Sophie Rowling. I used to be a world-renowned violinist, until my world was turned upside down. Following a freak accident in Paris, I can’t remember how to play the violin anymore. To make matters worse, I’m supposed to perform for my childhood teacher’s retirement party, which is just weeks away. Usually I would turn to my BFFs, Jackie the ghost and Allegra the violin ...

A witch violinist, Romance bubbling in the cauldron, the return of a ghost and fairy… Throw in an overprotective daddy and freaky mobsters getting in the way. FREE on Kindle Unlimited! I’m Sophie Rowling. Violinist, witch, and wholehearted believer in Magic and Happily Ever After. A terminal case of musician’s block and lost magic used to be my biggest problems. Dante Walker. Tall, cocky, and mysterious Mr. Wrong… who turns out to be the magical cure for my musician’s block. After rescuing me from murderous kidnappers, he ends up spending the night with me, in the same bed, and…...

A class president among class presidents, a bespectacled model student who soars to the top of honors lists without fail, Tsubasa Hanekawa also happens to be a decent human being. True, she does have a habit of making single-minded assumptions, but they come from a good place and turn out to be...

She’s searching for Mr. Perfect. God keeps sending Mr. Unexpected. Lex Sakai is completely unfazed by her family’s dreaded title, Oldest Single Female Cousin. As a competitive volleyball coach and athlete, she has bigger priorities. So when her iron-willed grandmother threatens to cut funding for Lex’s team unless Lex brings a date to her cousin’s wedding, Lex does what any competitor would do—she creates a game plan. Convinced God has the perfect man out there, Lex builds a prayerful, Ephesians-inspired checklist to guide her search. She’s determined to trust God—and her list...

I Fell in Love with a Girl Who Died Before I Was Even Born — Vol. 3 Ryu Kazeyama never asked for peace, but even chaos has its limits. Crescent Moon Academy still reeks of incense, cigarette smoke, and old VHS tapes, but the ghosts are getting louder—and some of them aren’t dead anymore. As Ryu tries to balance his doctorate homework, his rent, and his increasingly complicated feelings for the undead, the world around him begins to crack. Yuki, the ghost who changed his life, has started to fade. Shion, the vampire who pretends not to care, is caught between hunger and loyalty. And ...

Bakemono, literally “altered thing,” which translates as “monster.” Monogatari, literally “thing narrated,” which translates as “tale.” Combined into a neologism by he of the reversible nom de plume, they yield BAKEMONOGATARI, the monster tale that kicked off a series whose anime...

Welcome to Crescent Moon Academy. It’s haunted, cursed, understaffed, and smells like expired soy milk. But for Ryu, a quiet teenage boy just trying to survive the school year, it’s also home. Unfortunately, it’s home to other things too. Like: A barefoot tanuki girl who starts a dairy cult in the freezer aisle A ninja cheerleader with glittery lockpicks A literal ghost who insists on sitting in his lap A new transfer student who may or may not be an emissary of Inari And one very tiny yokai with a tofu tray and way too much power After a routine field trip to the local Piggly Wiggly ...

This freewheeling black comedy features a bizarre cast of characters, including a Japanese man with a ball floating six inches in front of his head, an American CEO with three arms, and a Brazilian peasant who discovers the art of healing by tickling one’s earlobe with a feather. By the end of this hilarious tale, they each have risen to the heights of wealth and fame, before arriving at disasters—both personal and ecological— that destroy the rain forest and all birds of Brazil.

A classic memoir of self-invention in a strange land: Ian Buruma's unflinching account of his amazing journey into the heart of Tokyo's underground culture as a young man in the 1970's When Ian Buruma arrived in Tokyo in 1975, Japan was little more than an idea in his mind, a fantasy of a...

For Westerners, the two words most associated with Japan are probably “strange” and “exotic.” Turns out, you can’t marry the exotic, without accepting the strange, as well. That might have been a good thing for William to know, in advance. Throw in a couple of kids and a Canadian family filled with quirky characters, and you have the makings of epic tragedy or gut-busting comedy, depending upon your point of view. I Married Japan provides a good-natured glimpse into one Canadian-Japanese family and marriage. Get ready to learn as you laugh your way through this collection of Japan...

A hilariously offbeat and tender comedy about one bipolar woman’s messy search for love at a seaside wedding where no one can stay afloat. Is she falling in love, or falling apart? Dee, Misa, and Matt were the "three musketeers" of the psych ward. A year after discharge, Dee is eager to...

俺たちの一生を台無しにするような出来事は、そこらに転がっている……。だが、それを笑い飛ばせる何かがココにはある(気がする)。死角から次々と繰り出される笑撃はディフェンス不可能、KO必至だって!・食べると納得しちゃうおせんべいって、何せんべい?・講演会に行った人が、帰ってきたら一回り大きくなっていました。さて、どうして?

A love story that feels both new and achingly true from one of Japan’s most acclaimed writers, capturing the intensity, uncertainties, and intimacy of falling for someone for the first time. Art student Isogai first models for one of his tutors, the much older Yuri, then begins a passionate...

This audiobook is for those who want an easy-to-follow guide that will make learning the Japanese language both fun and simple. This audiobook is specifically created for travelers, students, and businesspeople who visit Japan.

「猫間川寄席」の雰囲気を、そのままで！
約15年間、大阪玉造 さんくすホールで、毎月開催されている「猫間川寄席」。ワッハホールでの、四代目桂文我の口演を収録した落語集。

A breathtaking novel, rare and moving, about the world's greatest chef and his unruly heart. WHITE TRUFFLES IN WINTER imagines the world of the remarkable French chef Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935), who changed how we eat through his legendary restaurants at the Savoy and the Ritz. A man of...