THE BRIDEGROOM WAS A DOG by Yoko Tawada

Translated by Margaret Mitsutani

Japan courses with a singularly rich vein of literary weirdness. There’s Murakami, sure, but he’s the beige tip of a rainbow iceberg. Much better, I’d hazard, is Yoko Tawada. Having now read a bunch of her books, I can say with some confidence that I have no idea what planet she lives on but I’m happy to get the odd ticket to visit. The Bridegroom Was A Dog, one of her earlier works, newly republished, is a great intro to her ouevre; an absurdist fable that does exactly what it says on the box.

Mitsuko runs a cram school for kids on the outskirts of town. Rumours abound about her, but she gets results and she’s popular with the students. One day, a man appears at her door and announces he will be staying. Then proceeds to sniff her butt. You get the idea. What follows is a bonkers tale of falling in and out of love, small-town resentments and an origin story straight from a discarded ‘50s pulp horror magazine. It’s wooly, weird and sweet. Kind of like my eye-less, anxiety-ridden toy poodle who turns 13 in a couple of days. Happy birthday, Louie!

The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yoko Tawada (Tr. Margaret Mitsutani)
Granta, 2024
85 pages