26-04-2025
Arunima Mazumdar: ‘Japanese literature has a niche but deeply engaged readership in India'
Arunima Mazumdar, 39, is the founder of Dokusha Book Club, a New Delhi-based group dedicated to Japanese literature. The club reads Japanese books in English translation, opening up conversations around a literary niche that is enjoying a recent boom in India. Outside of the club, Mazumdar works as a communications professional.
1. What sparked your interest in Japanese literature? I studied English literature at Delhi University, and that's when my love for reading really deepened. But we never read any Japanese works — the English honors program is still very colonial. I discovered Japanese literature around 2011 or 2012 when I picked up 'Sputnik Sweetheart' by Haruki Murakami, which became my gateway to Japanese literature.
2. What inspired you to start Dokusha Book Club? Few of my friends were into Japanese literature; most found it boring or absurd. I didn't have anyone to discuss these books with. In December 2022, I had a month-long break between jobs, so I decided to start documenting my Japanese literature reading journey. I just put it out there on Instagram — and organically, the community grew. Before I knew it, we had 4,000 members.
3. What is the significance of the name 'Dokusha'? I don't know any Japanese, and I was looking for a name that would be easy to remember and also represent reading in some way — so I settled on dokusha (reader).
4. Did you face any challenges in establishing the book club? Not really, because I didn't start it with any particular agenda. It was, and still is, a passion project. I'm not doing it for money or fame. It's simply something I love and wanted to share with others. But Japanese books are expensive by Indian standards, and a lot of my audience are students or young language learners. I try to work with publishers to offer discounted or complimentary copies whenever possible.
5. How has the response been? The response has been overwhelmingly positive since day one. I received so many DMs from people eager to join. Our first in-person session in July 2023, held in collaboration with the Japan Foundation, had over 60 attendees. The audience was diverse, with both young readers and older ones, including a retired doctor who spoke about Japanese classics. It showed me how many hidden pockets of Japanese literature lovers there are across India. I also try to keep the club inclusive by encouraging members to talk about manga, anime and films, since all of these forms are deeply connected.
6. Where are your members based? The majority are from the Delhi NCR, then Bangalore and Mumbai. There are also people from Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Jaipur, Guwahati, Itanagar, Dehradun and elsewhere.
Dokusha Book Club has members from all across India and holds quarterly events, with lively discussions about Japanese literature on WhatsApp in between. |
Courtesy of Arunima Mazumdar
7. What are your criteria for selecting books? I try to keep up with current trends — like popular titles or ones shortlisted for major prizes — but I also make space for older or lesser-known works. I post reviews of books I'm reading. Sometimes I highlight authors who aren't widely available in India, or bring attention to reissued classics with new covers. It's a mix of what's timely and what I feel deserves more visibility.
8. Are there particular themes or genres within Japanese literature that resonate more with your members? Right now, anything related to Japan is really popular in India. It's less about a specific genre and more about the fact that the book is from Japan — readers are excited to explore Japanese literature in general.
9. What does a typical book club meeting look like? We mostly meet in person quarterly, and there's also a lot of ongoing discussion in our WhatsApp group. I've tried online meetings before, but the turnout hasn't been great. People prefer meeting face-to-face.
10. Can you share any memorable feedback you've received from a club member? One member wrote to me saying that discovering Izumi Suzuki through the club turned out to be 'quite a nice read.' It really affirmed my effort to spotlight lesser-known Japanese authors in India.
11. Are there specific aspects of Japanese culture that inspire discussion? One theme that really stands out — and often comes up in our discussions — is the quiet loneliness that many Japanese characters seem to carry. There's also this contradiction we notice: Japanese books often feel calm, introspective, even beautiful in their simplicity — but the societal realities they hint at, like extreme work culture or isolation, are far from that. Take 'Convenience Store Woman' — the protagonist is content with her highly routine life, which is so different from how Indian people try to break monotony with multiple pursuits. These contrasts spark a lot of curiosity, and I think that's why Japanese literature attracts a niche but deeply engaged readership in India.
12. How has running the club changed your relationship to Japanese literature and culture? I have Google alerts set up with keywords like 'Japanese literature,' 'Japanese books,' 'Japanese film' and 'Japanese art,' so I stay constantly updated on what's new — what's being adapted into film, what's been shortlisted for awards and so on. I'm actively following news around Japanese literature and culture. Even if I don't read or buy every new release, I make sure I know about it.
13. Has Japanese literature influenced any of your daily habits? After reading 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle,' I started ironing my clothes when I feel anxious, like the protagonist. It's become a calming ritual for me.
14. Does the club organize other activities to promote Japanese culture? Not at the moment, but we're thinking about small activities like a sushi workshop in collaboration with a restaurant. That said, I want to keep the focus on literature and make sure the club doesn't become too commercial or event-driven.
15. Has a particular Japanese book ever changed the way you see the world? 'Hunchback' by Saou Ichikawa really moved me. It reminded me of a wheelchair-bound reader in my club who couldn't attend a meet-up due to lack of accessibility. The book made me reflect deeply on how much we take for granted — like simply holding a book — and how little the publishing world does to support disabled readers.
16. Are there any points of confluence between Japanese literature and contemporary Indian society? Themes like patriarchy, body image and identity struggles are common in both Japanese literature and contemporary Indian society.
17. Do you see the Dokusha Book Club as building cultural bridges between Japan and India? Yes, absolutely. What began as my personal passion project has organically grown into a space for cultural exchange, bringing Japanese literature closer to Indian readers and encouraging meaningful cross-cultural conversations.
18. What's a lesser-known Japanese book or author you think deserves more global recognition, especially in India? I'd say Izumi Suzuki. Her work was ahead of its time, and she's not widely read in India.
19. Has the club collaborated with Japanese authors or translators? I had the chance to interview Asako Yuzuki when she came to India for the Alliance Literary Festival in Bangalore. I also met Ginny Tapley Takemori, the translator of 'Convenience Store Woman,' at the same festival and eventually interviewed her. Another memorable interview was with Michiko Aoyama. That one was arranged by her publisher, as was my interview with Yoko Tawada for her book 'Spontaneous Acts.'
20. If you could invite any Japanese author, living or dead, for a Dokusha Book Club session, who would it be? It would have to be Haruki Murakami! He's such a recognizable name that even people who haven't read him know who he is. I would like to ask, 'You've been in the running for the Nobel Prize so many times — do you still hope it'll happen someday?' And also, 'What's changed in your writing over the past decade?'
