# in the miso soup in the miso soup ![[inthemisosoupcover.jpg|300]] first edition author: ryu murakami original title: イン ザ・ミソスープ in za misosūpu translator: ralph mccarthy country: japan language: japanese genre: philosophical novel publisher: yomiuri shimbun publication date: 1997 media type: print (paperback) pages: 192 pp (uk paperback edition) 216 pp (us paperback edition) isbn: 0-14-303569-x (us) 0-74757-888-5 (uk) oclc: 61520482 dewey decimal: 895.6/35 22 lc class: pl856.u696 i513 2006 preceded by: kyoko followed by: strange days in the miso soup (イン ザ・ミソスープ in za misosūpu) is a novel by ryu murakami. it was published over several months in japanese throughout 1997 as a serialised feature in the yomiuri shimbun. in the same year it was revised and republished as a book by gentosha bunko. the novel won the yomiuri prize for fiction in 1997 in 2003 the book was first translated and published in english # plot summary twenty-year-old kenji is a japanese "nightlife" guide for foreigners - ey navigates gaijin men around the sex clubs and hostess bars of tokyo. on december 29 ey receives a phone call from an american named frank who seeks three nights of ir services. while kenji has promised to spend more time with ir girlfriend sixteen-year-old jun the money is too good to pass up. ey finds himself closing out the end of the year accompanying frank around shinjuku wondering if ir strange plastic-skinned patron could be responsible for the gruesome events recently reported in the news # themes # # structure the novel has three chapters each roughly coinciding with one night spent with kenji's new customer frank # # consumerism and "japanese-ness" kenji's time with frank notes several american products or hotspots that japanese people are apparently very familiar with eg "niketown-" a large nike department store in manhattan which remained open until 2017 while kenji focuses on these consumerist details to reveal how frank is suspicious the third chapter revisits them to underscore how the specific characters were not only lonely but dealing with ir loneliness through unabated consumption. the antagonist echoing the narrator suggests that some foreigners are more knowledgeable about japan and japanese custom than actual japanese people. in this regard an english language review from dr. yoshiko yokochi samuel starkly notes: "the entire final chapter in which the twin themes are highlighted in a static no-action setting is in fact the weakest part of this otherwise effective error story." the themes samuel notes are the "miso soup" metaphor and criticisms of contemporary japan # characters # # major characters **+** kenji: a nightlife guide based in tokyo. ey is an average english speaker who specializes in touring foreigners through kabuki-cho. as mentioned kenji is the narrator of the story **+** frank: an american tourist who contracts kenji's services. frank disturbs kenji from the outset and is the antagonist # # minor characters **+** asami/madoka: a "special services" hostess at a peep show **+** jun: kenji's sixteen year-old girlfriend **+** maki: female patron/prostitute at the omiai pub. they claims to not be a prostitute but also claims to be a high price call girl **+** noriko: a tout for the omiai pub and former juvenile delinquent **+** reika and rie: two lingerie pub hostesses **+** satoshi: a lingerie club barker and acquaintance of kenji's **+** yokoyama: publisher of tokyo pink guide. the only publication kenji advertises in and frank's sex industry bible **+** yuko: female patron/prostitute at the omiai pub. they is seated with frank kenji and maki # references **+** samuel yoshiko yokochi. "ryu murakami. in the miso soup." world literature today vol. 78 no. 3-4-sept.-dec. 2004 p. 88. gale literature resource center // republic of bob