Strange Weather in Tokyo

Sep 21, 2026

A collection of published praise highlights Hiromi Kawakami’s novel Strange Weather in Tokyo, emphasizing its quiet, nature-infused prose and subtle emotional depth. Reviews describe the book as an intimate exploration of human connection, loneliness, and love, where romance emerges gently from everyday life. The text also notes the book’s whimsical, often melancholic chapters, its careful attention to sensory details, and its ability to keep humor close while preserving understated beauty.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages100

Reading Time2 h 34 min

AccessFree to download

KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM31000038301878 hiromikawakami Translated by Allison Markin Powell # PRAISE FORStrange Weather in Tokyo "Simply and earnestly told,this is a profoundexploration of human connection and theways love can be found in surprising newplaces.”—BuzzFeed “A moving,funny,and immersive tale of mod-ern Japan and old-fashioned romance ...Aquiet,understated beauty of a book.” —Book Riot "In quiet,nature-infused prose that stressesboth characters'solitude,Kawakami subtlycaptures the cyclic patterns ofloneliness whileweighing the definition oflove.”-Booklist "In its love of the physical,sensual details ofliving,its emotional directness,and aboveall in the passion for food,this is somewhat KmecoNeR “Each chapter of the book is like a haiku,incor-porating seasonal references to the moon,mushroom picking and cherry blossoms.The chapters are whimsical and often mel-ancholy,but humor is never far away...It isa celebration of friendship,the ordinary andindividuality and a rumination on intimacy,love and loneliness.I cannot recommendStrange Weather in Tokyo enough,which is alsoa testament to the translator who has skill-fully retained the poetry and beauty of theoriginal.”—Japan Society "Strange Weather in Tokyo is a tender love storythat drifts with the lightness of a leaf on astream.Subtle and touching,this is a novelabout loneliness,assuaged by an unlikelyromance,and brought to life by one of Japan’smost engaging contemporary writers.” —Readings(Australia) “A dreamlike spell of a novel,full of humor,sadness,warmth,and tremendous subtlety.I read this in one sitting,and I think it willhaunt me for a long time.” —AMY SACKVILLE,author ofPainter to the King and The Still Point PRAISE FORManazuru "In Kawakami's first novel to be translatedinto English,a woman fades in and out ofthe present as she visits the beach town ofManazuru,in the shadow of Mt.Fuji.Thereal and the fantastical meld as Kei narrowlyavoids disaster(she escapes the typhoonthat destroys the restaurant where she wasdining).Her memories are startlingly vivid,yet their veracity remains uncertain;are thevisions she has of her husband with anotherwoman real or imagined?Kawakami has a remarkable ability to obscure reality,fantasy,and memory,making the desire for love feelhauntingly real.”—Publishers Weekly "The action convincingly moves in waves be-tween Kei's past and present,the surreal andthe everyday.Part ghost story,part meditationon life and death,family and self,this slimnovel is captivating and suspenseful,and sureto satisfy not only fans of ghost fiction but allreaders."—Booklist # PRAISE FOR "Kawakamilavishes attention on quotidian mi-nutiae and exquisitely awkward pauses,end-ing scenes on maddeningly unresolved butvibrant images...It feels a lot like daily life inTokyo,but odder." —The New York Times “A gentle,humorous novel.” —The Wall Street Journal "[Kawakami]knows she doesn't need fireworksto keep the reader entertained,and is pushingher exploration of form and style.” —TheJapan Times "[The characters]are thoughtfully written—understated,quirky,flawed,and by the end ofthe novel you care about them so much.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Hiromi Kawakami's charming novel illu-minates moments of kindness,love andfriendship that pop up like the unexpectedtreasures amid the shop's dusty collection ofpretty mismatched bowls and plates,castoffeyeglasses,task lamps and old electric fans.” —The Star Tribune(Minneapolis) "Subtle,graceful,wise,and threaded ona quirky humor,this exploration of theconnections and disconnections betweenpeople kept me smiling long after the lastpage.”—JULIA ROCHESTER,author ofThe House at the Edge of the World "Kawakami has an extraordinarily way ofdrawing you into her ethereal world where,although nothing really happens,when theydo,little transgressions or events cause ripplesthat spread seamlessly throughout the wholebook and stay with you long after the storyhas finis

FAQs

What is Strange Weather in Tokyo known for according to the reviews?

The reviews highlight its quiet, nature-infused prose and its tender, understated exploration of loneliness and human connection through a gentle romance.

How do reviewers describe the novel’s tone and structure?

Praise mentions emotionally direct writing with a cyclical sense of loneliness, whimsical chapters, and a haiku-like feel supported by seasonal imagery.

What themes recur across the praise for the book?

Across quotations, the novel is repeatedly framed around love found in surprising places, intimate relationships, and the blend of subtle humor with warmth and sadness.

Sep 21, 2026

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