Tomoka Shibasaki (Book order)

Tomoka Shibasaki Book order

Tomoka Shibasaki is a Japanese author whose prose is characterized by its delicate portrayal of everyday life and the inner worlds of her characters. She often situates her narratives within quiet, remarkable moments that reveal deeper truths about human relationships and the fleeting nature of existence. Her style is both poetic and incisive, allowing readers an intimate glimpse into the complexities of the human psyche. With her unique perspective on reality and sensitive language, she has established herself as a distinctive voice in contemporary Japanese literature.

Spring Garden

154 pages
6 hours of reading

3.2(263)Add rating

Winner of the Akutagawa Prize A sharp, photo-realistic novella of memory and thwarted hope set in modern-day Tokyo—an “unflinching . . . powerful” showcase of the best in contemporary Japanese literature (Shelf Awareness) Divorced and cut off from his family, Taro lives alone in one of the few occupied apartments in his block, a block that is to be torn down as soon as the remaining tenants leave. Since the death of his father, Taro keeps to himself, but is soon drawn into an unusual relationship with the woman upstairs, Nishi, as she passes on the strange tale of the sky-blue house next door. First discovered by Nishi in the little-known photo-book Spring Garden, the sky-blue house soon becomes a focus for both Nishi and Taro: of what is lost, of what has been destroyed, and of what hope may yet lie in the future for both of them, if only they can seize it.