I finished reading some time ago Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's
In Praise of Shadows. (The link contains a write-up I wrote on this essay.) Although quite unconventional especially when placed in the light of the English essay, it espouses unique things reflective of Japanese culture and aesthetics - it's not really a must-read, IMO, but it's a good read. What would you lose if you were to read among the most prominent Japanese literary artists of all time? That's right - nothing.
