440,000 copies sold in Japan. The beloved, heartwarming Japanese bestseller, published for the first time in English — nominated for the Japan Booksellers' Award, adapted into a major TV series.
You always told me that writing is life itself.
After many years abroad, Hatoko reluctantly returns to Kamakura to take over the stationery store left to her by her late grandmother. As the custodian of the store, she also inherits the profession of public scribe, a role Hatoko trained for as a child under the guidance of her strict grandmother. As the locals seek out Hatoko's help, she takes on all manner of requests: writing letters of greeting, condolence, farewell and love on behalf of those who come to her.
A local community forms around Hatoko and the store, and when the secrets of her late grandmother begin to unravel, Hatoko learns that the role of the scribe requires much more than putting ink to paper. Set to the rhythm of the four seasons and the Japanese rituals that come with them, Tsubaki Stationery Store is a charming novel about community and the reconciliatory power of the written word.
Praise
“For stationery lovers and lovers of Kamakura, this book is an irresistible treasure trove… you can smell the scent of the ink emanating from the page.” — Kaori Nakahara, Sankei Shimbun
About the author
Ito Ogawa is a novelist from Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Several of her books have been bestsellers, and she has been nominated for the Japan Booksellers' Award three times. Translated by Cat Anderson.
