The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

As the last petal falls, the final page is turned…

Welcome to The Cherry Blossom Bookshop, a haven for book lovers that only appears during the fleeting cherry blossom season. Nestled amidst the bloom of delicate petals, you’ll find a sanctuary for those burdened by regrets and past sorrows. Here, Sakura, the mysterious young owner, and her wise calico cat, Kobako, patiently await the arrival of souls in need of solace and healing.

Told over four seasons, each visitor to the bookshop holds a book that bridges their past and present, guiding them towards understanding and acceptance. Within the antique charm of the shop and the soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Sakura and Kobako help their guests confront their lingering sadness through the power of stories, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope.

Born in Sapporo in 1966, Takuya Asakura graduated from the University of Tokyo. He won the first ''This Mystery is Amazing!'' Grand Prize in 2002 for Yokkakan no Kiseki (The Miracle of Four Days), which was subsequently made into a film and sold over 1.3 million copies. Takuya is also a translator and translated Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library from English into Japanese.

Uplifting, poignant healing fiction from the Japanese bestselling author brand new for 2025

Uplifting, poignant healing fiction from the Japanese bestselling author brand new for 2025

• IP project with HC Japan based on the idea of a bookshop that only appears for as long as the cherry blossom blooms for two weeks in Spring

• Told in four parts for four different seasons, with the main shop owner, a young woman named, Sakura, as the constant character, along with her cat – a long-haired tortoiseshell called Kobako

• The author is a Japanese bestseller and also translated Matt Haig and Evie Woods’ The Lost Bookshop from English into Japanese

Competition: the;before the coffee gets cold; days at the morisaki bookshop;what you are looking for is in the library;dallergut dream department store;marigold mind laundry;lantern of lost memories;butter;welcome to the hyunam-dong bookshop. by;toshikazu kawaguchi;michiko aoyama;asako yuzuki;sanaka hiiragi;