Goodnight Tokyo

By (author) Yoshida, Atsuhiro; Translated by Trowell, Haydn
Short description/annotation:

A symphony of interconnected lives and an intimate journey around Tokyo after dark.

Description:

“Rewards are plentiful.”— Financial Times 

“A must-read for Murakami fans.”— Hotlist 

Set in the early hours of the morning in and around Tokyo, this ingeniously constructed English language debut is an energetic fresco of nocturnal existence. Hailed as a mélange of Agatha Christie, Teju Cole, and Hieronymus Bosch, Goodnight Tokyo is a compelling reflection on human relationships in modern-day metropolises at the intersection of isolation and intimacy. 

Matsui is the driver of a taxi the colour of the night sky. Every night between the hours of 1 am and 4.30 am, when Tokyo’s eccentrics and insomniacs emerge, he guides his taxi around the streets of Tokyo, collecting passengers and their stories. 

Yoshida’s novel offers readers a unique and intimate take on Tokyo as seen through the eyes of a large cast of colourful characters whose lives are mysteriously but intricately interconnected and whose fates converge against the backdrop of the city’s neon-lit streets and night-time alleys.  

Review quote:

“A bewitching nocturnal portrait of a mysterious, eerie and surreal Tokyo.”

Review quote:

“Satisfyingly uplifting and full of unexpected, magical moments.”

Biographical note:
Born in Tokyo in 1962, Atsuhiro Yoshida is an award-winning book designer and renowned author of over forty books. Also translated into French, German, and Italian, Goodnight Tokyo is Yoshida''s English-language debut. Haydn Trowell is a literary translator who specializes in contemporary Japanese fiction, and the translator of Maki Kashimada''s Akutagawa Prize-winning novel Touring the Land of the Dead (Europa, 2021). He holds a doctorate in translation studies and literary stylistics from Monash University, Australia.