Tokyo Ueno Station
4 hrs. 37 min.
Description
A bestseller according to The New York Times and the winner of the 2020 National Book Award in the category “Translated Literature,” this book has drawn readers from all over the world—it’s been translated into 17 languages.
The story begins with Kazuo’s life—he was connected to the imperial family and spent most of his life in the park near Ueno Station. He started working in Tokyo ahead of the 1964 Olympic Games, and ended his days living in a tent in a homeless village after the 2011 tsunami and the announcement of the 2020 Olympics.
Now his spirit wanders through Ueno Park, listening to the sounds of Tokyo’s bustle and remembering his most intimate stories. How did Kazuo’s life change so much that he became a ghost? Why did moments of beauty and grace seem unreachable?
This is a story of life and death—surreal and destructive, yet also touching and poetic. It tells about modern Japan and about people who can disappear for a time, and maybe even forever.
The story begins with Kazuo’s life—he was connected to the imperial family and spent most of his life in the park near Ueno Station. He started working in Tokyo ahead of the 1964 Olympic Games, and ended his days living in a tent in a homeless village after the 2011 tsunami and the announcement of the 2020 Olympics.
Now his spirit wanders through Ueno Park, listening to the sounds of Tokyo’s bustle and remembering his most intimate stories. How did Kazuo’s life change so much that he became a ghost? Why did moments of beauty and grace seem unreachable?
This is a story of life and death—surreal and destructive, yet also touching and poetic. It tells about modern Japan and about people who can disappear for a time, and maybe even forever.
