Book review: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
The stunning debut novel by Satoshi Yagisawa
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
Author – Satashi Yagisawa
Translator – Eric Ozawa
Year published – 2010
Type of book – Novel
Locale – Tokyo
Time period – Present day
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is the stunning debut novel by Satoshi Yagisawa. The short novel – it’s only 174 pages long – follows the story of 25-year-old Takoko, who is living in Tokyo after being born on the island of Kyushu.
Takoko has had a relatively easy existence until one day when Hideaki, her boyfriend who she is planning to marry someday, announces he is marrying another woman and has been cheating all along.
Poor Takoko plunges headfirst into a freefall and is eventually thrown a life preserver by her long-lost uncle Satoru. He runs a used bookstore in the famous book district of Tokyo called Jimbocho, and offers Takoko the room upstairs in exchange for help at the store.
“The Morisaki Bookshop stands alone at the corner of a street crowded with used books. There aren’t many customers. And because it has a limited selection, people who aren’t interested in its specialty never get it a second glance,” Takoko observes. “But there are people who love the store. And as long as they’re devoted to it, then that’s enough.”
In the months that follow, Takoko surprises herself by developing a passion for books; by reconnecting and developing a bond with her uncle; and by becoming a regular at a coffee shop around the corner from the bookstore.
Reading this book, I was reminded of Catcher in the Rye. A short novel about a young person struggling to find happiness and meaning in life.
The book is full of lovable characters, meaningful epiphanies, and moments of tender poignancy. It also captures the fun of walking into a bookstore in search of a new book; the excitement of discovering new writers; and the fine art of learning about a friend by reading a book they recommended.
-June 27, 2025