19 Japanese Books with a Cat on the Cover

Hidden in a Kyoto alley, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul offers a unique treatment: cats as medication. Patients, struggling with life’s challenges, are prescribed cats to guide them through their issues.

As they bond with their feline companions, they experience profound transformations. The clinic’s patients, from a disheartened businessman to a grieving geisha, discover healing and self-discovery through their unexpected, empathetic cats, revealing the deep power of the human-animal connection.

In a quiet Kyoto alley, the Kamogawa Diner, run by father-daughter duo Koishi and Nagare, isn’t just known for its exquisite meals—it’s renowned for its unique service. As ‘food detectives,’ they reconstruct dishes from customers’ cherished memories, unlocking keys to their forgotten pasts and future joy.

This Japanese bestseller, The Kamogawa Food Detectives, celebrates the magic of shared meals and the profound connections they can revive, transforming the present with flavors from the past.

Hidden in a Kyoto backstreet, the Kamogawa Diner, run by Chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi, is more than a restaurant—it’s a place where lost recipes and forgotten memories are revived. As culinary detectives, they help customers reconnect with cherished pasts, from an Olympic swimmer longing for his father’s bento to a pop star reminiscing about celebratory tempura.

Each dish served at the diner transforms lives in unexpected ways. The Restaurant of Lost Recipes is a heartwarming bestseller, offering a tender journey through the magic of food and memory.

On Tokyo’s outskirts, local cats subtly impact their owners’ lives amidst challenges. Chobi encourages a young woman to end a troubled relationship; an artist misinterprets her boss’s praise; a cat named Cookie helps a grieving manga fan rejoin the world; and another cat teaches a devoted wife about independence.

In She and Her Cat, the urban setting of trains and personal struggles reveals the gentle magic of everyday moments, showing how these feline companions can guide their humans toward connection and hope even in their darkest times.

Nana, a loyal cat, embarks on a road trip with his owner, Satoru, though the destination remains a mystery. Satoru plans to visit three old friends from his past, but his reasons are kept secret.

As they journey through Japan’s changing seasons, Travelling Cat unfolds with humor and warmth, celebrating the unexpected detours of life. It delves into the essence of friendship, solitude, and the delicate balance of giving and receiving. This touching story highlights how small acts of love can profoundly transform our lives.

In the highly anticipated follow-up to The Travelling Cat Chronicles, Hiro Arikawa presents The Goodbye Cat, a heartwarming collection featuring seven cats whose lives intertwine with their owners’.

Set against Japan’s changing seasons, these stories include a kitten teaching a father about parenting, wild cats guiding a boy, and a devoted cat bringing joy despite family struggles. An elderly cat’s final act aims to preserve the bond with his owner. Overflowing with love and warmth, this bestseller celebrates the profound impact of cats on our lives, from birth to death.

At twenty-five, Takako’s life unravels when her fiancé Hideaki leaves her for another woman, causing her to lose her job, friends, and fall into depression. She turns to her unconventional uncle Satoru, who runs a second-hand bookshop in Tokyo.

Taking a rent-free room above the shop in exchange for help, Takako finds solace in Japanese literature, new friendships, and a budding romance with a young editor. As she begins to heal, Hideaki returns, forcing Takako and Satoru to confront their challenges and support each other through their intertwined journeys.

In More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa returns to the beloved bookshop in Tokyo’s Jimbocho neighborhood. This follow-up to Days at the Morisaki Bookshop delves deeper into the lives of Takako, her uncle Satoru, and their new regulars, including an old man in a ragged sweater and a book collector obsessed with author stamps.

As characters navigate love, loss, and life’s transitions, Satoru and Takako face a crucial decision about the bookshop’s future, reflecting on its profound impact on their lives and community.

In What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, Tokyo’s enigmatic librarian Sayuri Komachi intuitively matches visitors with the perfect book to address their deepest needs. A retail assistant seeks new skills, a mother grapples with work challenges post-maternity leave, an accountant dreams of an antique store, and a retired salaryman looks for purpose.

Through Komachi’s insightful recommendations, they find the inspiration to pursue their dreams. This heartwarming tale celebrates the transformative magic of libraries and the power of connection.

Written from 1904 through 1906, 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 most significant writer in modern Japanese history, Soseki’s I Am a Cat is a classic novel sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

From Genki Kawamura, producer of the hit film Your Name, comes a poignant tale of loss and redemption.

A young postman, facing a terminal diagnosis and living alone with his cat Cabbage, is offered an unusual chance to extend his life. The devil promises an extra day for each item he makes disappear. As he witnesses the world changing around him, the postman reflects deeply on his life, confronting his joys, regrets, and relationships. This moving story explores what truly matters as he nears the end of his journey.

High school student Rintaro Natsuki plans to close his grandfather’s secondhand bookstore when a talking cat appears with a peculiar request: to help save neglected books. The cat and Rintaro embark on a quest to rescue lonely books from unappreciative owners, navigating various mazes and confronting book neglect in unique forms. They encounter a man who lets books decay, a book torturer who cuts pages for speed reading, and a publishing drone obsessed with bestsellers.

Their adventure leads them to a final, daunting challenge in a realm that only the bravest dare enter. The Cat Who Saved Books is a captivating tale of literature, love, and an extraordinary feline friendship.

In Japan, cats symbolize good luck, and if you’re kind to the right one, you might be led to a mysterious coffee shop that appears only under Kyoto’s glittering moon.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop has no fixed location or hours and is run by talking cats. While patrons enjoy cakes and teas, the cats offer cryptic guidance and insights into their lives. For a struggling screenwriter, a romantically lost director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a tech-challenged designer, the shop’s feline wisdom helps them find their true paths.

In a peculiar and magical photo studio owned by Mr. Hirasaka, a collector of antique cameras, a seemingly ordinary setting hides a profound secret.

The studio serves as a gateway to the afterlife, where the departed can relive their lives through Hirasaka’s “spinning lantern of memories.” Guests include Hatsue, a retired nursery teacher; Waniguchi, a compassionate yakuza overseer; and Mitsuru, a young girl who died tragically. In addition to viewing their past, each guest is given the chance to capture one cherished moment from their lives.