Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
| Author | Satoshi Yagisawa |
|---|---|
| Original title | 森崎書店の日々 |
| Translator | Eric Ozawa |
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Slice-of-life, literary fiction |
| Publisher | Shogakukan (JP) Harper Perennial (US) |
Publication date | 7 September 2010 (JP)[1] |
| Publication place | Japan |
Published in English | 4 July 2023[2] |
| Media type | Print (paperback), e-book, audiobook |
| Pages | 208 (JP) 160 (EN) |
| ISBN | 978-4-09-408545-7 |
| Followed by | More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop |
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Japanese: 森崎書店の日々, Morisaki Shoten no Hibi) is the debut novel by Japanese writer Satoshi Yagisawa. First published in Japan in 2010, it follows a young woman who rebuilds her life while living and working in her uncle’s second-hand bookshop in Tokyo’s Kanda–Jinbōchō district. The book won the 3rd Chiyoda Literature Prize and became a national bestseller.[3] An English translation by Eric Ozawa was released worldwide by Harper Perennial in July 2023.
The novel was adapted into a feature film of the same title directed by Asako Hyuga and released theatrically in Japan on 23 October 2010.[4]
Plot
Takako, a 25-year-old office worker, is devastated when her boyfriend announces he is marrying someone else. After quitting her job, she retreats to her apartment until her bachelor uncle Satoru invites her to move into the cramped second floor of Morisaki Bookshop, his antiquarian store in Jinbōchō. Surrounded by musty stacks and eccentric regulars, Takako slowly rediscovers pleasure in reading, forms new friendships and begins to heal. When her ex-boyfriend reappears, she must decide whether to return to her old life or embrace the unexpected community she has found among books.
Background and publication
Yagisawa submitted the manuscript to the Chiyoda Literature Prize, where it won the grand prize in 2009.[3] Shogakukan published the novel as a paperback on 7 September 2010, later adding the short epilogue “The Return of Momoko.” A full sequel, 続・森崎書店の日々 (More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop), appeared in 2011.
English translation
The first authorised English edition, translated by Eric Ozawa, was published by Harper Perennial on 4 July 2023.[2] A translation of the sequel followed in 2024.
Film adaptation
Filming took place on location in Jinbōchō in early 2010.
Reception
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was warmly received by readers and critics, remaining on Japanese bestseller lists for several months.[1] English-language reviewers praised the novel’s gentle atmosphere and its celebration of reading. The translation was shortlisted for the 2024 British Book Awards in the Debut Book category.
See also
References
- ^ a b "森崎書店の日々". Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Shogakukan. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop". HarperCollins. Harper Perennial. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ a b "著者プロフィール — 八木沢里志" (Press release) (in Japanese). PR TIMES. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "森崎書店の日々（映画）". eiga.com (in Japanese). Eiga.com. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
External links
- Morisaki Shoten no Hibi at Shogakukan (in Japanese)