This is one good story that doesn’t get lost in translation

“In the Miso Soup”

by Ryu Murakami

Kodansha International, Inc.

February…

“In the Miso Soup”

by Ryu Murakami

Kodansha International, Inc.

February 2004

Translated books aren’t usually the easiest to read. Just look at all the problems that can occur when translating a book from any language into English: Necessary words can get lost in the translation; when an English word — such as “Mom” — is translated from the French version of it — “Maman” — the words sometimes don’t have the same meaning. And there’s more. But let’s move on.

The point is that a lot of things can happen to make what people most fluent in a language other than English think is a great book into what people most familiar with the English language think is just a good book.

But finally, a book has been translated without losing its point in the process.

“In the Miso Soup” is a story of a young Japanese man named Kenji who takes tourists around Kubuki-cho (commonly known as Kabukicho), the “pleasure” district of Tokyo, where cheap but legal hookers and strippers make their home.

Kenji is a former college student who dropped out because he had no desire to continue his education, so now he shows tourists where to get the best sexual gratification around the area.

Enter Frank.

Frank is an American who claims to be some sort of Toyota entrepreneur for Americans who came to Japan on business. He has read tourist guides that claim to be “on the inside,” but Kenji knows the real deal. Kenji also acts as translator for Frank when dealing with hookers.

Frank is, of course, the stereotypical American tourist. But Frank likes to visit hookers instead of tourist sites.

As the story moves on, we learn more about who Kenji is — the practical guy who’s just trying to earn a living — and who Frank is. Eventually, Kenji becomes wary of Frank, thinking that Frank may be a serial killer who sexually assaulted and murdered a Japanese schoolgirl.

Kenji tries to act nonchalant about it — and who wouldn’t? — but he finds that Frank is lying about several things that he doesn’t need to lie about; for instance, where and how he grew up, where he’s actually from and why there was a stain on his 10,000 yen bill that looked a lot like blood.

Anyways, the story is interesting.

As for the book itself, it’s a good read. It’s not too hard, but it’s not too easy, and it was actually translated by the author, so the meanings come across — not like those awful translations that are boring and never get you off the first page.