Just like catnip for book lovers!

‘More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’, the sequel to Yagisawa’s ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop’, feels like a group of friends meeting up after a long time during a summer break — a heartwarming few days filled with laughter and cherished memories. It brings along a strong sense of nostalgia and is the perfect mix of books and book lovers.

Throughout the book, we get to see how much Takako has grown. Takako, the protagonist of the first book, is a 25-year-old whose life comes to a standstill after being dumped by her two-timing boyfriend. Having healed from that breakup and everything that followed, the Takako we meet in the sequel is confident and charming — no longer a ‘sleep monster’ who hides on the first floor of the Morisaki bookshop.

In addition to Takako’s character development, we also get to see how much the Morisaki bookshop has evolved. Unlike before, the secondhand bookstore is no longer the sole responsibility of Saturo, Takako’s uncle. Momoko’s (Saturo’s wife) return to the world of Jimbocho is the sweetest addition to the book.

The Japanese bestseller explores a wide range of relationships and emotions. While Momoko’s relationship with Takako is of a maternal nature, Saturo and Takako share a childish and playful bond. My favourite is Takako and Tomo’s friendship, which will make you want to ring your best friend and talk for hours. Apart from these long-term relationships, the book also reminds you to cherish the fleeting faces you see on a day-to-day basis — be it the old man who walks into the bookstore, seeking company instead of books, or the loud and nosy owner of your favourite coffee shop.

The book is about love, but more importantly the loss of love. While one might dismiss Yagisawa’s work as a light read, having no real potential except being used to pass time, the author’s way of stringing along lives and presenting it to the reader in the most comforting slice-of-life book is commendable. He holds up a mirror to the reader and reminds one to pay attention to emotions which one might believe are less important.

Yagisawa is no Haruki Murakami or Kobo Abe, but not everyone needs to be Murakami and Abe. His work is catnip for people who live in the fantasy world of books, where what matters is not your next meal but your next book.

Who wouldn’t want unrestricted access to a secondhand bookstore? I envy the people who get to spend their evenings in Jimbocho, walking in and out of used-book stores.

There’s a unique comfort in reading secondhand books. Their worn pages and faded notes tell stories beyond the printed words, connecting past readers to the present. The scent of aged paper and the feel of softened and creased covers evoke warmth and nostalgia, making the experience of reading deeply personal and timeless.

Jimbocho is a monthly column where we sift through popular Japanese books. Often called the ‘town of books’, Jimbocho is a neighbourhood in Tokyo that celebrates Japan’s rich literary heritage.

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