Butter: A Foodie Feminist Bestseller Skewering Japanese Sexism
Butter – A Japanese Novel that Gave a Feminist Voice to an Unseen History
From the Lethal Past to a Literary Powerhouse
Last year, the Japanese writer Asako Yuzuki turned a real–world crime into a sharpened literary argument. The novel Butter derives from the death sentence of “Black Widow” Kanae Kijima, a woman accused in 2012 of poisoning three men she met through modern dating sites.
Why the Story Resonated Internationally
- Packed with 610,000 copies sold across overseas markets, Butter has dominated the UK, where it has drawn 400,000 readers, a figure that surpasses domestic sales.
- The book has earned a collection of prizes and has been hailed as a cutting feminist terrain that scrutinises sexism and the relentless body‑shaming some societies impose on women.
Inspired by a Real‑World Case
Yuzuki was motivated by the sensational story of Kanae Kijima, who earned notoriety as “Black Widow.” The Japanese media focused largely on Kijima’s appearance, wondering how a woman described as “homely and unattractive” could be suspected as a lethal femme‑fatale. Critics also praised her kitchen‑skills, suggesting that her cooking classes were designed to “please men.” Yuzuki said this portrayal deeply disturbed her.
The Journalistic Angle
In Butter, a journalist, disquieted by the portrayal of a “Kijima‑like” character (renamed Kajii), writes to the imprisoned suspect. He hopes to secure an exclusive interview by appealing to her gourmet interests. A letter requesting Kajii’s beef‑stew recipe, allegedly fed to her final victim, sets a relationship in motion—a relationship that redefines the pathway in which Yuzuki questions misogyny’s roots in Japan.
Buried in the Butter Symbol
Butter isn’t simply a buttery delight; it is a symbol of pleasure and excess. Yuzuki uses sumptuous depictions of butter‑rich ramen and lavishly buttered rice to examine the tension between indulgence and the self‑denial that comes with the pressure placed on women to be thin and attractive.
- The authors emphasise a culture saturated with weight‑loss adverts, cosmetic surgery, and diet fads—generating a profound “fat‑phobia.”
- Despite the global winner of the 2022 #MeToo movement, Japanese society has struggled to enable honest discussion about discrimination or sexual assault.
Parallels in Japanese Culture
Yuzuki references Shiori Ito’s courage and Mueller’s disaster, underscoring how women’s voice is monopolised by the media and rarely given independent agency. She illustrates, with the case of boy‑band star Masahiro Nakai, how the system of male power creates systemic sexual violence, locked within organisational cover‑ups.
Reading Between the Lines
Yuzuki feels that the key to transformation lies outside Japan. She argues that foreign media, especially English‑language outlets, can give new perspectives, shifting how Japan views these dark realities.
If continued interest by foreign media persists, the situation may begin to change.
