The Japan Society Book Club: Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai

Mild Vertigo is a quietly disorienting novel that captures the inner life of a Tokyo housewife caught in the stifling routines of domesticity. As she moves through the repetitive motions of daily life—supermarket visits, laundry, polite conversations—her thoughts spiral into long, stream-of-consciousness reflections that reveal a deeper emotional and existential unease. Through its subtle shifts in perception and mood, the novel explores how the ordinary can unsettle one’s sense of self, evoking both humour and quiet dread in the seemingly mundane.

Mieko Kanai (1947-) is a Japanese writer known for her experimental and introspective fiction, poetry, and essays. She emerged in the 1960s literary scene and gained acclaim for her distinctive voice and formal innovation. Her work often explores themes of identity, domesticity, and perception, blending surreal elements with everyday life. She has published around thirty novels and short story collections, and her critical essays have been featured in Japanese newspapers and magazines for almost fifty years. Widely translated and awarded in Japan, she remains a significant figure in contemporary Japanese literature.