About us
Join us for lively book discussion in Central Tokyo.
Fiction and non-fiction books and great chat with a friendly crowd!
We usually meet in a pub in Ebisu but occasionally we meet in Osaki.
We will have read the book, or at least most of it, before we come along and most people contribute their opinions and thoughts on the book.
We have a list of questions to act as a prompt if we run out of topics.... but this is rare as we all generally have lots to say.
If the group is large, we split in to smaller groups and we discuss the book and related topics as they come up.
The pub kindly lets us book without taking a course menu or asking for a booking fee, but we do need to order drinks and there is a food menu available.
We hope you enjoy being a member.
Upcoming events
12
Tokyo Ebisu Book Club - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The FooTNiK EBISU, 1-11-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-Ku, Asahi Bldg 1F, Tokyo, JPRead the book (or most of It)
Order a drink/food at the counter
Enjoy discussing with your fellow book-lovers!
We split into groups for the discussion.
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April’s book is: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
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"Rebecca" is a classic Gothic novel by Daphne du Maurier that explores themes of love, jealousy, and the haunting nature of the past. The story is narrated by an unnamed young woman who marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter. As she moves to his grand estate, Manderley, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the memory of Rebecca, Maxim's first wife. The novel masterfully builds suspense and atmosphere, immersing readers in the psychological turmoil of the protagonist as she grapples with her insecurities and the shadow of Rebecca's legacy.
First published in 1938, never out of print and with one of the most famous opening lines in literature: "Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again."
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Directions can be found at bottom of www.footnik.com55 attendeesTokyo Ebisu Book Club – No longer human by Osamu Dazai
The FooTNiK EBISU, 1-11-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-Ku, Asahi Bldg 1F, Tokyo, JPRead the book (or most of It)
Order a drink/food at the counter
Enjoy discussing with your fellow book-lovers!
We split into groups for the discussion.
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May’s book is:** No longer human by Osamu Dazai
(See Note at end if ordering on Amazon Japan)
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What does it mean to live among others—and feel, at every moment, that you do not belong?No Longer Human is one of the most haunting and intimate novels of modern Japanese literature. Written by Osamu Dazai, one of Japan’s most influential twentieth-century writers, this book takes the form of a confession: the life story of a man who survives by wearing masks, performing for others, and hiding a terror he cannot name.
Through a series of notebooks, the narrator recounts his childhood, his relationships, his descent into addiction, and his growing conviction that he is fundamentally unfit to live as a human being. The result is not a melodrama, but a cold, precise, and unsettling self-portrait—at times darkly comic, at times mercilessly honest.
First published in 1948, No Longer Human has become one of the best-known and most widely read novels in Japan, and is often considered Dazai’s masterpiece. Its influence can be felt across modern literature, particularly in works that explore alienation, shame, and the fear of being seen for who one truly is.
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Directions can be found at bottom of www.footnik.comOrdering on Amazon Japan: There are a few English versions available. Some appear to ship much later than the others. At time of writing, this “bitly” link should take you directly to an “In Stock” faster-delivery one. https://bit.ly/4uvtnNa
(There may be others available but do keep an eye on the actual delivery date, not just the “will ship in X days”.)28 attendeesTokyo Ebisu Book Club - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The FooTNiK EBISU, 1-11-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-Ku, Asahi Bldg 1F, Tokyo, JPRead the book (or most of It)
Order a drink/food at the counter
Enjoy discussing with your fellow book-lovers!
We split into groups for the discussion.
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June’s book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
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Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coelho introduces Santiago, an Andalucian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream.
Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night.
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity."A global phenomenon, The Alchemist has been read and loved by over 62 million readers, topping bestseller lists in 74 countries worldwide.
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Directions can be found at bottom of www.footnik.com11 attendees
Past events
173
