Crafting Twists and Thrills: A conversation with author ISAKA Kotaro
October 30 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm EDT
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Multi-award-winning mystery fiction author, ISAKA Kotaro, is making his North American debut this year! A featured guest at the 2025 Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA), the author of the Assassins series is most widely known for his thrilling take on crime fiction, although he has experience across various genres of writing. Mr. Isaka’s works have been translated into over 20 languages around the world and many of his novels have been adapted into films, including the 2022 Hollywood adaptation of Bullet Train.
On October 30, Mr. Isaka will share rare insights into his life as a creative at the Japan Foundation, Toronto, in conversation with Brian Bergstrom, translator for one of his novels Hotel Lucky Seven. The pair will talk about creative processes, inspirations, and challenges, in addition to experience with translation and film adaptations. Audience can also expect to learn more about Isaka’s most recent English translations Seesaw Monster and Hotel Lucky Seven and ask any burning questions they may have about his intricately woven plotlines.
*Registrants are encouraged to arrive on time when doors open at 5:30 PM. We will have an in-person waiting line before the event, where we will release any empty seats, on a first-come first-served basis.
*Following the talk event, there will be a book-signing session with ISAKA Kotaro at the JFT Library until 9 pm. The signing session is exclusively available to registered participants; you must already be onsite for the event prior to the signing session. There is no separate registration for the signing session.
Registrants can purchase copies of Mr. Isaka’s books from the bookseller onsite or bring their personal copy to get signed. Please note that there is a limit of one autograph per attendee.
This event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding.
Guest
(c) Munemasa Takahashi
Kotaro Isaka is the internationally acclaimed Japanese author of Bullet Train (Japanese title Maria Beetle, 2010). One of the most consistently bestselling authors of contemporary Japanese fiction, Isaka is known for works that straddle the literary and entertainment genres. His novels include Audubon’s Prayer (2000, Shincho Mystery Club Award), Lush Life (2002), Three Assassins (Japanese title Grasshopper, 2004), The Precision of the Agent of Death (2005, Mystery Writers of Japan Award), Shumatsu no Fool (2006), Golden Slumber (2007, Yamamoto Shugoro Award and Japan Booksellers’ Award), The Mantis (Japanese title AX, 2017), and Gyaku Socrates (2020, Shibata Renzaburo Award). His latest novel is 777 (2023). Isaka’s books have been translated into over 20 languages worldwide. Bullet Train was the basis of the eponymous movie from Sony Pictures (2022), directed by David Leitch and starring Brad Pitt.
Moderator
(c) Toma Iczkovits
Brian Bergstrom is a lecturer and translator who has lived in Chicago, Kyoto, and Yokohama. His writing and translations have appeared in publications including Paris Review, Granta, Aperture, Lit Hub, Mechademia, Japan Forum, positions: asia critique, and The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories. He translated Erika Kobayashi’s novel Trinity, Trinity, Trinity (2022) and story collection Sunrise: Radiant Stories (2023) with Astra House, the former winning the 2022 Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature. His recent translations include Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto by Kōhei Saitō (W&N & Astra House, 2024), which was shortlisted for the 2024 Sasakawa Foundation Translation Prize, and Hotel Lucky Seven by Kōtarō Isaka (Harvill Secker & Overlook, 2024), which was long-listed for the 2025 Crime Writers’ Association Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation. He is currently based in Montréal, Canada.
Interpreter
Chieko Bond is a Canadian government-certified conference and simultaneous interpreter. Her career as an interpreter started in Japan and has expanded in Canada. She has interpreted for prime ministers and cabinet ministers at bilateral and multilateral meetings, including G7/G20 summits and ministerial meetings. She has also interpreted for negotiations of agreements between Canada and Japan, and worked in all continents at public and private international conferences, bilateral meetings, business meeting, Investor Relations, litigations, and audits. Ms. Bond also works as a translator and has various other roles outside of interpretation.
Co-presented by
Related Programming
Bullet Train
Wednesday, October 29, 6:45 PM (ET)
Doors open 6:25PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, ON M5S 1J5)
Unlucky assassin Ladybug (Brad Pitt) is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train from Tokyo to Kyoto.
Adapted from ISAKA Kōtarō’s 2010 novel Maria Beetle, Bullet Train features a cast of unforgettable characters and takes audiences on a wild, high-speed ride that’s as stylish as it is fun, blending thrilling action sequences, witty banter and a dazzling neon style.
Special pre-screening introduction by the author of the original novel — ISAKA Kōtarō, who is a featured guest at the 2025 Toronto International Festival of Authors!
JFT Book Club (Hybrid): Seesaw Monster by ISAKA Kotaro
Saturday, November 8, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (ET)
Online &| In-Person | Japan Foundation, Toronto Library (2 Bloor St E #300, Toronto, ON, Canada M4W 1A8)
Join us virtually or in person for our book club meeting, where we dive deep into the dark wit and intricate plots of Japan’s master storyteller, ISAKA Kotaro! We’ll discuss his novel Seesaw Monster (or the original Japanese version: 伊坂幸太郎著『シーソーモンスター』, translated into English by Sam Malissa), which consists of two interconnected, suspenseful stories set in the past and the future. Meet fellow readers and share insights into the stories that you might not have discovered on your own!
P.S. A special video message from the author ISAKA Kotaro will be exclusively shared with book club participants!
