During the gorgeous cherry blossom season, known as
Sakura, Japan is busy with tourists travelling to walk under
the blooming trees, and itβs regarded as a family
time, a new beginning and a break from normal life. All this
features in a charming and uplifting magical realism tale.
THE VANISHING CHERRY BLOSSOM BOOKSHOP provides tea or coffee
and a host of much-loved books.
One by one β or two in the case of a set of twins
β people who sit reading under cherry trees are
transported to the old-fashioned store. They enter because
they love books, and the lively calico cat seems to be
calling them. Sakura, the young proprietor, and her cat
Kobako make guests welcome and offer them a book. Memories
come with the book β of a better time, or a sad time,
or a confused time. People need to sort out their lives, and
sometimes they need to understand their past.
A young woman needs to come to terms with her memories of
her mother as stingy and hard-working, taking little time
for her children. Maybe there were reasons for all this, but
as the lady has died, nobody can ask her to explain.
Reliving the past for a few decisive moments may help.
Β
A bittersweet story shows a senior gentleman who is now
in a memory care home, convinced he needs to go back to his
job of train driver. His family wish he was more lucid and
didnβt fret so badly about his failing memory. While
Sakura and her cat canβt reverse his illness, they can
allow the gentleman to live more in the present. And
Iβm sure on a fine spring day, anyone would be glad to
sit under cherry trees for a while.
Yuka MaenoΒ is the translator for this work and she
has made it accessible while still preserving the Japanese
identity. Takuya Asakura the author, has both won an award
for his writing and translated other writersβ works
into Japanese. The theme of this lovely tale THE VANISHING
CHERRY BLOSSOM BOOKSHOP is that family is our strength, and
books our wisdom, while walking outdoors can help us sort
out problems or reduce stress. The Japanese people are
famously long-lived, partly ascribed to their diet and
partly to enjoyment of open spaces. Anyone wanting a low-
stress read may find the bookshop and cat irresistible.
Told over four seasons, each visitor to the bookshop holds a book that bridges their past and present, guiding them towards understanding and acceptance. Within the antique charm of the shop and the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Sakura and Kobako help their guests confront their lingering sadness through the power of stories, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope.
No excerpt available.
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