Czech RepublicNikola Kochová
HOST-vydavatelství

Host is one of the largest independent publishing houses in the Czech Republic. It has published contemporary Czech and world literature for 30 years, now publishing about 160 titles annually in genres including general fiction, science fiction and fantasy, crime fiction, thrillers, children’s literature, popular science, and poetry.

Nikola Kochová, translation acquisitions manager at Host, visited Japan (Central and Eastern European Editors’ Visit) to gain a deeper understanding of current trends in the Japanese book market and to establish connections with publishers, literary agents, and other players in Japan’s book business.

“My primary area of interest is general fiction for adults published in Europe, but I also have experience with other regions, including South Korea,” she says. “I’m happy to explore Japanese literature!”

Kochová recently oversaw the launch of a new series of translated works by female authors depicting everyday life against the background of social change and historic events. She now hopes to include Japanese writers in the series, introducing readers to the experiences of women in Japan as their society evolved from the twentieth century to the present. Kochová is also interested in the manga genre, as Host is working on a new manga and comic book for adult readers.

“For Host, this program was an introduction to many appealing literary works,” Kochová reports. “It was a game changer for our publishing portfolio.”

Before Kochová’s visit to Japan, the only Japanese book Host had published was Neko no kyaku [trans. The Guest Cat] by Hiraide Takashi, but through the program, Host began handling Japanese manga for the Czech market and also identified new Japanese literary works. The opportunity to meet participants from other parts of central and eastern Europe to discuss Japanese books and their different experiences in their respective markets was also highly meaningful. “It was an important and necessary trip for our publishing house. I would recommend this program to any European editor interested in Japanese literature.”

In a statement summing up her visit to Japan after returning to the Czech Republic, Kochová shares, “I met new friends and came to love Japan. I am now so interested in Japanese literature and culture that my husband and I changed our plans for this year’s vacation. We are going to buy tickets to Tokyo.”