Lantern Offering

This is "Lantern Offering" (2014) by Yoko Tawada.

After a great disaster, Japan is in a state of isolation, with foreign words, cars and the Internet all gone. The elderly are healthy even at over 100 years old, but the children do not have the physical strength to go to school. Yoshiro is extremely worried about his frail great-grandson Mumei, who is destined to leave Japan as a "lantern messenger." In addition to the title story, which has caused a great sensation, this book contains a total of five stories that can be said to be the pinnacle of post-earthquake literature.

The title story, The Lantern Bearer, is an extreme example of modern-day Japan, and while it may seem like science fiction, it feels incredibly real. The author's language skills, both in Japanese and German, enhance this feeling even more. (Ammel)