Japanese Comfort Literature: A Journey of Emotional Healing

At the age of seventy-six, Tokue Yoshii seeks employment at a dorayaki stall, despite her deformed hands and willingness to accept a lower wage than usual. The owner of the shop remains unaware of Tokue's past, which unfolds gradually in Durian Sukegawa's poignant novel 'Sweet Bean Paste.' Tokue's life has been marked by tragedy; she was sent to a national sanatorium at the tender age of fourteen, where she has remained ever since. Upon her arrival, her name was stripped away to prevent her family from facing societal shame. Additionally, her husband underwent forced sterilization. Japan's Leprosy Prevention Law mandated the segregation of patients with Hansen's disease until 1996, long after the illness was recognized as both treatable and minimally contagious. When the law was finally repealed, Tokue found herself abandoned, with no family member coming forward to claim her. This narrative, often categorized as comfort literature, raises questions about the very notion of escapism.

The concept of iyashikei, which translates to 'healing-type,' emerged in Japan during the mid-1990s, a period marked by significant societal upheaval. Following the economic bubble burst in late 1989, many graduates faced what became known as the Employment Ice Age. The catastrophic Great Hanshin earthquake on January 17, 1995, claimed over 5,000 lives in the Kobe region, and just ten weeks later, the Aum Shinrikyo cult unleashed sarin gas in the Tokyo subway system. Paul Roquet, a scholar at MIT, has chronicled the aftermath of these events, noting a surge in demand for narratives that promote emotional healing. By 1999, the term 'iyashi' was recognized as Japan's buzzword of the year. Rather than seeking refuge in fantasy, the nation gravitated towards stories that depicted the simplicity of everyday life—small spaces, ordinary meals, and unremarkable moments. This collective response suggests that what those grappling with trauma truly require is not an escape to a better place, but a pathway back to the familiar.