Banana Yoshimoto was kind enough to answer some questions I sent to her by fax in 2006.
1. In your writing there are references to archetypal figures such as Adam and Eve. Has Jung’s writing on archetypes been an influence in the way you see your characters such as Tadokoro san?
I have only studied Jung’s work briefly, therefore he has had little influence on my writing I think. I remembered hearing about a large Japanese company where there was someone who had nothing to do when I was writing Tadokoro san.
2. In your more recent writing such as Iruka and the Okoku series, your characters communicate with plants and animals. Again Jung wrote about these ideas. If not Jung, which other writers have influenced your thinking about this type of communication?
Burroughs book about a cat and Singer influenced me. But most of all was Castenada. He inspired me enormously.
3. What do you think is the significance of your characters being able to communicate with plants and animals?
There are many invisible things in the world, we can communicate without words. And so, in Japan, we believe that mountains and rivers, the earth and rocks have souls or else gods live there. This is an important element in my writing.
4. Do you believe that Shizuku was wrong to save the cactus plants before worrying about her human neighbours in Okoku 1?
At that point, it was not possible to save her neighbours so the cactus was not saved ahead of other people. When you think that some people love their plants more than their neighbours, I guess this is possible.
5. In your recent writing you have criticized the effects of overdevelopment on the environment and the effect of city life on relationships. Do you believe this environmental perspective is new to your writing? How significant is this environmental focus on your writing?
It depends on the theme of the novel, there is no escaping the issue of the environment in Japan so it occurs frequently in my writing. I don’t make a big issue of the environment in my writing.
6. Can you now be described as a writer with an environmental consciousness? Do you feel that you belong to a wider environmental movement?
I want to my explore my ideas just in my novels, I don’t want to be associated with any movements. When the reader finishes my book, I want them to realise the beauty of what is around them
7. In your interview with Kawaii Hayao you have said that your childhood in Tokyo’s shitamachi was a wonderful time of risk taking. Since then Tokyo has changed. Do you think Tokyo is a good place to bring up children today?
Compared to the rest of the world it is in bad shape you have to say. It has many things and a good education system. Despite things are in an awful state. There is nowhere like Japan where there are so many stressed people and it is not good for children.
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