
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week’s prompt: Books Set in/Take Place During X (Pick a place, time, era, etc. Examples: Books set in Europe/Italy/Australia/Chicago, books set in Regency England, books that take place during the 1900s, books set in imaginary worlds/post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds, books set on the ocean, books set it castles, books that take place during WW2, etc.)
So, a few years ago I read a book that changed my reading. I picked up the book, What You Are Looking for is in the Library, and I loved it. I was hooked. I needed all the cozy fiction/translated/healing fiction. I am so happy that I read a book outside my comfort zone because now it is a favorite genre for me. These titles are a mix of books I have read and books on my TBR for this year. These are all set in Japan, but some of the others that I have read were set in Korea. It was hard to choose the setting for this post!



The Kamogawa Food Detectives || What You Are Looking For is in the Library || The Full Moon Coffee Shop
The Kamogowa Food Detectives made me so hungry. The descriptions of the food, the memories that accompanied these dishes, made this book such a delight to read.
What You Are Looking for is in the Library is still one of my favorites. I could revisit this one over and over again.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop was… interesting. It was not my favorite of these but it was definitely unique!



The Easy Life in Kamusari || Butter || Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
The Easy Life in Kamusari is a gentle easy read set in the mountains. I loved this little mountain village and its inhabitants.
Butter is completely different and I still haven’t read it. It sounds crazy and is based on a true story! It is “about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case”. It is on my fall TBR list.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was another slow, gentle read. And I learned there is a whole area of Tokyo that is known as Book Town that has hundreds of bookstores!




Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop || The Convenience Store by the Sea || Dinner at the Night Library || The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop
These four are the tops of my list for this genre right now, with The Convenience Store by the Sea as the next up. I have a hold request in for it and I am waiting – hopefully this week! After that Dinner at the Night Library sounds fantastic for fall.
And that is it from me today! I look forward to visiting your posts all week and seeing what you all chose!
Japan is a favorite setting of mine. At the B&N Bookstore last week, I saw a display called Japanese Cozies and it included some of these titles.
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I have really fallen in love with this genre. It is such a different form of cozy and very gentle.
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Kamogawa Food Detectives was SO GOOD! I keep hoping that the library is going to pick up book 2 …
Many of these are on my TBR, so clearly great minds think cozily alike ❤
And the cover for the Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop is *gorgeous* 😀
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Oh my gosh, isn’t that cover everything? I love it. I want to read that in the spring.
Lol! I would say we are definitely on the same wavelength!
I am waiting for the library to get that one too. I really loved the first one!
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I feel like the popularity of this genre has exploded in the past years and I love seeing all the appreciation for translated fiction 🙂 I still haven’t fully sunk into the genre but I have enjoyed one and have quite a few on my TBR, lol. I’ve never seen that cover for Butter but that’s also on my TBR and I can’t wait to check it out. It sounds so intense!
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It has really encouraged me to read more translated fiction. It has been a great way to sort of wade in.
I have Butter sitting on my bookshelf and I keep picking it up and thinking it is time to read it, but I think it needs to be fall. I am not quite ready for it yet!
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This is a fun theme. I have not read many books set in Japan yet.
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I really enjoy these books. Thanks Lydia!
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Great choices. I haven’t read any of these ones. I read Four Seasons in Japan for my book group recently though.
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I will have to add that one to my list!
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These are all new to my titles, but those bookshop titles look cozy and interesting! Definitely ones I need to look into (as if I need to add more to my TBR ;D). Thanks for visiting my list today!!
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Lol! Top Ten Tuesday is so dangerous for my TBR too. They are such good reads.
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Nice list! I’ve not read many books set in Japan. Here is our <a href=”https://www.longandshortreviews.com/miscellaneous-musings/top-ten-tuesday-books-set-in-amusement-parks/“>Top Ten Tuesday.</a> Thank you!
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Thank you!
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These all look good. I especially like the looks of Kamogawa Food Detectives. I’m going to have to read those books.
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That one made me hungry! Lol. It was really good.
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I don’t think I’ve read any books set in Japan! I need to correct this 🙂 Thanks for the recs! My TTT
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It is a new to me setting as well, within the last year or two. 🙂
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so cute!I do read a lot of books set in Japan, but haven’t read these!I went to Paris: https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/07/22/top-ten-books-with-paris-in-the-title/
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You read so many different interesting books!
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I love when a book does that for us!! I had a hard time choosing a certain direction as well. I think it’s decision fatigue!
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Some weeks I have a harder time than others choosing my topic. Lol. And it very well could be!
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I’ve been reading quite a lot of Japanese books too – mostly the cosy ones that are perfect for the sofa on a wet Sunday afternoon – but also read Butter (very good) and have picked up a couple of detective novels (well written but with crazy twists). Thanks for some new titles.
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Yes!! That is the perfect way to enjoy these cozy Japanese books. I am glad to hear that Butter is good!
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I only read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop of this list. If you want something totally different but set in Japan, I strongly recommend Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie and The Girl in the White Kimono by Anna Johns.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2025/07/22/top-ten-tuesday-books-set-in-a-small-town/
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Thank you Laurie. I will look those up!
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What a fun theme/ setting for books. I haven’t read any of these but they do sound good.
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I love a good cozy read.
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I adored The Full Moon Coffee Shop.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create! https://readbakecreate.com/visit-toronto-ten-books-set-in-the-greater-toronto-area/
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It was so fun! I had to do some extra reading about some of the things they talked about. It was less cozy than the others but it was really interesting!
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Oh and there is a sequel coming out in case you haven’t seen that!
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Great choice! I’m super intrigued by Butter.
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It sounds really interesting! I can’t decide if I want to read about the real events before or after.
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I think I’d go fiction first, but who knows lol
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I just finished What You Are Looking For Is In The Library recently! I have been enjoying this sort of fiction as well.
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I loved that one so much. I wonder what felted piece I would have gotten?
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Yes! I also wondered the same when I was reading it, haha.
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What a fund and nourishing list of books. I am adding a few titles to my TBR.
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Thanks Anne!!
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I think I would like to read several of these — taking notes!
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I think you might like them as well!
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I haven’t read any of these yet, but most are on my tbr.
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They are perfect for when you just need something gentle and slow.
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So I’ve read 4 of these and have a couple coming up soon on my TBR including Butter! I do enjoy reading these kind of books
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They are so good! I am excited to start Butter, although I know it is going to be entirely different!
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I haven’t read any of these, but they all sound quite interesting and cozy. I’m reading a trilogy of serial killers who kill serial killers! You would probably rate them with a Carolina Reaper! They are very spicey, but the premise has me hooked!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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LOL!!! It does sound like an interesting premise. Sort of like Dexter?
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Awesome category! I have a few of these on my TBR list – and now I’ll be adding more. 😀
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Lol! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
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Love your choice of settings! I haven’t read a lot of books set in Japan, interestingly, but your list looks like a good place to start.
Haze
https://thebookhaze.com/
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Thanks Haze! These are all so cozy!
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Great post! I love stories that are set in Japan! I’ve got a few of these on my TBR, but now I’ve got more to add—thank you! The only book I’ve read from these is What You Are Looking For is in the Library which I enjoyed despite a few issues I had with it. Here is my review—with a spoiler discussion for those who have read it. I’ve also written reviews for other novels in a Japanese setting if you’re ever looking for more novels to add to your TBR. Again, great post, you got a sub from me!
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Ooo I will have to check out your other reviews. I also now have to pop over and read your review on What You Are Looking For is in the Library too. And thanks Kim!!
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Thank you, you’re sweet! And you’re welcome!
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The Convenience Store by the Sea looks so cute.
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I am waiting very impatiently for it to come in!
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