In the depths of history, where the waves of the seas have long carried messages of friendship between nations, Iran and Japan have always reached for one another across the vastness of geography. From the days when Persian merchant ships left their wake upon the waters of East Asia, to the present when Japanese art, literature, and cinema have found a cherished place in Iranian homes, the two nations have spoken a common language—one not bound by words, but shaped by respect, an eye for beauty, and a shared quest for truth and humanity.
The thread of this friendship and wisdom knows no borders, nor does it yield to the dust of oblivion. At times, it is revealed in a precious eighth-century wooden tablet from Nara, Japan’s ancient capital, inscribed with the name of a Persian teacher in the imperial court. Deciphered through modern infrared imaging, this artifact bears witness to the presence of Iranian scholars in Japan, likely teaching sciences such as mathematics. More than a name, it is a testament to the dawn of a long-standing civilizational dialogue. Alongside it, Sasanian glassware preserved in the Imperial Treasury of the Shōsō-in in Nara tells the story of Persian art’s deep influence on Japanese aesthetics.
Yet perhaps the most poetic leaf in this shared history is a piece of paper left in 1217 by a Persian-speaking sailor. That year, a Japanese monk met Iranian sailors in the port of Guangzhou, China, and asked them to leave him a keepsake. They chose not to write their names, but instead inscribed the distilled wisdom of their homeland—verses from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and Fakhr al-Din Asʿad Gorgani’s Veis and Ramin:
“The world is but a memory, and we are passing;
Nothing of a person remains but their humanity.”
Carried by wind and wave to a temple in Japan, the paper would be read centuries later, like a message that had crossed oceans and ages. Today, these verses are preserved as an “Important Cultural Property” in Japan, a symbol of the truth that one’s immortality lies in a good name and noble character.
This bond has continued into the modern era with greater warmth and depth. For Iranians, the name Japan recalls more than advanced industry—it evokes familiar faces and stories etched into our collective memory. The television series Oshin, with its moving tale of hardship and perseverance, accompanied generations in Iran, making its heroine a model of patience and hope. Likewise, Akira Kurosawa’s cinematic masterpieces, such as Seven Samurai and Red Beard, have found a special place in the hearts of Iranian cinephiles for their profound humanism and universal themes. These works became cultural gateways through which our two nations came to understand each other more deeply.
In recent decades, the cultural exchange has taken on new dimensions. Japanese literature, with its subtle narratives and fresh perspectives on life, has gained a distinctive place in Iran’s literary market. Today, on bookstore shelves, works by Haruki Murakami, Yōko Ogawa, and Kazuo Ishiguro stand alongside world classics. Iranian readers—especially the younger generation—find companionship in the characters of Japanese fiction. Nearly 4,500 books by Japanese authors or on Japan have been published in Iran, evidence of a quiet yet constant river of dialogue and empathy flowing between the two cultures.
BookCity, as a home for books, thought, and art, proudly honors this ancient bond. Among its shelves, hundreds of translated titles from Japanese literature serve as small bridges connecting two cultures, inviting readers to embark on deep journeys into the past in preparation for the future.
These encounters are both a reminder of a rich past and a promise of a shared future in which Iran and Japan will continue traveling together. In a world often swept away by haste and noise, dialogue and mutual understanding are the lights that guide the way. Today, as we welcome the esteemed Ambassador of Japan to this cultural home, we remember that what flows between us is not only history, but shared dreams and hopes—for a world where beauty and wisdom blossom like cherry blossoms in spring.
—
Picture: AI depiction of a meeting between a Persian merchant and a Japanese monk, exchanging poetry, 1217 CE