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Ancestor Memories #2
Passage to Tokyo
In the second book in the Ancestor Memories historical fantasy series, a young woman finds herself back in 1920s Tokyo as Japan enters a new and dangerous era—and a deadly tragedy awaits her city.
Yui Sanada struggles to raise her twelve-year-old brother, Hiro, while contending with the antics of their neglectful, alcoholic mother. During a trip to Ueno Park, Hiro runs away from his sister into a strange passage beneath a samurai statue. Yui chases after him and soon finds herself in a Tokyo far removed from the familiar world of 1995.
When Yui emerges from the tunnel, she cannot find Hiro but meets a young woman named Chiyo and her family and learns she has traveled back through time to 1923. As feelings between the two women develop, Yui and realizes it’s just weeks before the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake will happen, killing tens of thousands and leveling the city. Will Yui be able to find her brother and save her new family from the coming disaster?
Yui Sanada struggles to raise her twelve-year-old brother, Hiro, while contending with the antics of their neglectful, alcoholic mother. During a trip to Ueno Park, Hiro runs away from his sister into a strange passage beneath a samurai statue. Yui chases after him and soon finds herself in a Tokyo far removed from the familiar world of 1995.
When Yui emerges from the tunnel, she cannot find Hiro but meets a young woman named Chiyo and her family and learns she has traveled back through time to 1923. As feelings between the two women develop, Yui and realizes it’s just weeks before the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake will happen, killing tens of thousands and leveling the city. Will Yui be able to find her brother and save her new family from the coming disaster?
368 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2026
31 people are currently reading
9696 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Kuroki
9 books203 followersPoppy was born in Scotland and has been living in Japan since 2014. GATE TO KAGOSHIMA (BOOK 1), a sweeping historical fantasy set in samurai-era Japan, releases in summer 2024.
Poppy loves video games, cooking, history, and reading books of any genre. She lives in a beautiful town near the sea with her husband and son.
Poppy loves video games, cooking, history, and reading books of any genre. She lives in a beautiful town near the sea with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 9, 2026
Time travel meets shocking tragedy and historical romance. And fiction meets nonfiction! 3.5 stars.
This story has what I would say is high emotionality, but with somewhat low connectability (for me).
I am aware that this is written about a culture that I am not well versed in, and don’t belong to. So i would like to say that some readers may find connection points, and receive a bigger benefit from the important representation in it!
I do really like the plot as a whole.
From the time travel, to the telling of history that may be lesser known to a lot of people, to the showcasing of how past (sometimes still current) societal structures and perspectives impact people’s ability to lead the lives they were meant to.
I found it all it to be done well, and it made for an engaging and emotional read.
I did struggle a bit with some elements of the story, particularly with the character interactions.
The way this was written doesn’t always feel the most “natural”, if that makes sense.
The dialogue feels a little bit tense and rigid, sort of like people reading from a script, as opposed to having a natural, flowing conversation.
This made it a bit harder for me to get close to them- because their personalities didn’t always shine.
With that being said, i still think it’s a worthy read. Especially if there’s a special place in your heart for historical romance, or if you’re looking for a story with Japanese cultural representation.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Perennial and paperbacks and author Poppy Kuroki for providing me with the eARC of “Passage to Tokyo”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: January 27, 2026
This story has what I would say is high emotionality, but with somewhat low connectability (for me).
I am aware that this is written about a culture that I am not well versed in, and don’t belong to. So i would like to say that some readers may find connection points, and receive a bigger benefit from the important representation in it!
I do really like the plot as a whole.
From the time travel, to the telling of history that may be lesser known to a lot of people, to the showcasing of how past (sometimes still current) societal structures and perspectives impact people’s ability to lead the lives they were meant to.
I found it all it to be done well, and it made for an engaging and emotional read.
I did struggle a bit with some elements of the story, particularly with the character interactions.
The way this was written doesn’t always feel the most “natural”, if that makes sense.
The dialogue feels a little bit tense and rigid, sort of like people reading from a script, as opposed to having a natural, flowing conversation.
This made it a bit harder for me to get close to them- because their personalities didn’t always shine.
With that being said, i still think it’s a worthy read. Especially if there’s a special place in your heart for historical romance, or if you’re looking for a story with Japanese cultural representation.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Perennial and paperbacks and author Poppy Kuroki for providing me with the eARC of “Passage to Tokyo”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: January 27, 2026
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Yui Sanada desperately searches for her missing little brother, Hiro, in a Tokyo park in 1995, only to be transported to 1923, WWII Japan, weeks before a massive earthquake that destroys Tokyo and kills over a hundred thousand. As she goes looking for her brother among temples and samurais, the threat of an impending earthquake intensifies, and she must act quickly to save him and hopefully return to their time. Yui, who’s stuck in a bygone era, meets Chiyo Aiko, and they strike a clandestine romance. This sapphic historical romantasy hits all the right notes. —Arvyn Cerezo
Yui Sanada desperately searches for her missing little brother, Hiro, in a Tokyo park in 1995, only to be transported to 1923, WWII Japan, weeks before a massive earthquake that destroys Tokyo and kills over a hundred thousand. As she goes looking for her brother among temples and samurais, the threat of an impending earthquake intensifies, and she must act quickly to save him and hopefully return to their time. Yui, who’s stuck in a bygone era, meets Chiyo Aiko, and they strike a clandestine romance. This sapphic historical romantasy hits all the right notes. —Arvyn Cerezo
February 17, 2026
If you could take a secret passage to any time period, what would you chose? I think at this moment, I would pick the 1920s. I’d like to go and visit my Great-Grandma Kile as a teenager and help her out during the terrible time when she and her siblings were abandoned by her father, and she was trying to keep care of her dying mother.
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki.
In 1995 Tokyo, Yui Sanada is struggling to help her mother make ends meet and raising her twelve-year old brother Hiro. One day, Hiro disappears into a tunnel at Ueno Park. Yui follows him and finds herself in 1923, Tokyo. As she looks for her brother, she meets a young nanny named Chiyo. Chiyo takes her home to stay with her family. While she searches for her brother. Yui realizes that the Great Kanto Earthquake will happen in a few weeks. Will she be able to save her brother before the earthquake? Without about Chiyo and her family?
My thoughts on this novel:
• There was a historical romance between Yui and Chiyo as their relationship grows.
• This was also a historical fantasy with time travel involved in the story. I love time travel in novels. It brings up so many ethical concerns and interesting questions. If two different time travelers leave at the same time, will they end up in the same time period? When you go “back,” what time period are you going back to? How does the past change due to time travelers? How many time travelers are there in this world?
• This was a new time period for Japanese history for me and it was very interesting.
• I did not know about this devastating earthquake. It was written in vivid detail and would have been a terrible thing to see and experience.
• Immediately after the earthquake there was terrible racism against Koreans and non-Japanese. Thousands of deaths were actually people murdered after the earthquake due to the rumors that Koreans were poisoning the wells or doing other terrible things. The rumors were not true, but they caused a lot of deaths.
• I was sad again thinking about how many people died in the past due to not having proper medicine or medical care.
• I was sad that at the end of this book, a character disappears during WWII, and it is never determined what happened to the character.
• This was the second book in the Ancestor Memories series, but it can be read as a standalone. I do want to go back and read the first book.
• There was an interesting author’s note at the end as well as historical timeline and glossary.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo Poppy Kuroki was a fascinating historical fantasy sapphic romance that has the reader to experience the Great Kanto Earthquake in real time.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki.
In 1995 Tokyo, Yui Sanada is struggling to help her mother make ends meet and raising her twelve-year old brother Hiro. One day, Hiro disappears into a tunnel at Ueno Park. Yui follows him and finds herself in 1923, Tokyo. As she looks for her brother, she meets a young nanny named Chiyo. Chiyo takes her home to stay with her family. While she searches for her brother. Yui realizes that the Great Kanto Earthquake will happen in a few weeks. Will she be able to save her brother before the earthquake? Without about Chiyo and her family?
My thoughts on this novel:
• There was a historical romance between Yui and Chiyo as their relationship grows.
• This was also a historical fantasy with time travel involved in the story. I love time travel in novels. It brings up so many ethical concerns and interesting questions. If two different time travelers leave at the same time, will they end up in the same time period? When you go “back,” what time period are you going back to? How does the past change due to time travelers? How many time travelers are there in this world?
• This was a new time period for Japanese history for me and it was very interesting.
• I did not know about this devastating earthquake. It was written in vivid detail and would have been a terrible thing to see and experience.
• Immediately after the earthquake there was terrible racism against Koreans and non-Japanese. Thousands of deaths were actually people murdered after the earthquake due to the rumors that Koreans were poisoning the wells or doing other terrible things. The rumors were not true, but they caused a lot of deaths.
• I was sad again thinking about how many people died in the past due to not having proper medicine or medical care.
• I was sad that at the end of this book, a character disappears during WWII, and it is never determined what happened to the character.
• This was the second book in the Ancestor Memories series, but it can be read as a standalone. I do want to go back and read the first book.
• There was an interesting author’s note at the end as well as historical timeline and glossary.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo Poppy Kuroki was a fascinating historical fantasy sapphic romance that has the reader to experience the Great Kanto Earthquake in real time.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki follows Yui Sanada, a young woman who chases her brother Hiro through a mysterious tunnel in Ueno Park and finds herself transported from 1995 Tokyo to 1923, just before the Great Kantō Earthquake. Separated from Hiro, Yui is taken in by Chiyo and her family and must navigate life in the past while trying to understand the rules of her sudden displacement and find a way home.
The book reads somewhat like a young adult novel, not only in its prose but also in the depth of its character work. Yui’s initial confusion after traveling through time feels appropriate, but the narrative returns to the same observations and reactions again and again without adding new insight. Over time, this repetition makes her perspective feel surface-level rather than revelatory.
Many events throughout the story feel similarly shallow. The book often relies on familiar, well-worn cultural details, which may be intended to make the story more accessible to a broad audience. At the same time, those choices can come across as stereotypical. While it’s difficult to convey cultural nuance to readers unfamiliar with the setting, leaning into specificity is what ultimately gives historical fiction texture and depth.
The writing itself is uneven. Although the narration is third-person limited, primarily anchored to Yui, we get occasional glimpses into Chiyo’s thoughts while leaving everyone else opaque. This creates a blurred sense of perspective and makes the point of view feel unfocused. Repetition is also used in place of clarity at times, as though restating an idea will make it land more strongly.
The time travel element, despite being central to the story, feels underdeveloped. For such a critical component of the plot, it feels surprisingly unstructured.
The handling of historical events is also uneven. The Kantō Earthquake happens early, and the years that follow, including the war, are glossed over despite their immense significance. As a result, the focus of the book doesn’t quite match what the summary promises, and some of the most compelling historical moments feel underexplored.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo has an intriguing premise and clear emotional ambition, but repetition, structural inconsistency, and a lack of depth hold it back. For a story centered on time travel, memory, and history, it often feels more interested in moving forward than in fully engaging with its most meaningful ideas.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book.
The book reads somewhat like a young adult novel, not only in its prose but also in the depth of its character work. Yui’s initial confusion after traveling through time feels appropriate, but the narrative returns to the same observations and reactions again and again without adding new insight. Over time, this repetition makes her perspective feel surface-level rather than revelatory.
Many events throughout the story feel similarly shallow. The book often relies on familiar, well-worn cultural details, which may be intended to make the story more accessible to a broad audience. At the same time, those choices can come across as stereotypical. While it’s difficult to convey cultural nuance to readers unfamiliar with the setting, leaning into specificity is what ultimately gives historical fiction texture and depth.
The writing itself is uneven. Although the narration is third-person limited, primarily anchored to Yui, we get occasional glimpses into Chiyo’s thoughts while leaving everyone else opaque. This creates a blurred sense of perspective and makes the point of view feel unfocused. Repetition is also used in place of clarity at times, as though restating an idea will make it land more strongly.
The time travel element, despite being central to the story, feels underdeveloped. For such a critical component of the plot, it feels surprisingly unstructured.
The handling of historical events is also uneven. The Kantō Earthquake happens early, and the years that follow, including the war, are glossed over despite their immense significance. As a result, the focus of the book doesn’t quite match what the summary promises, and some of the most compelling historical moments feel underexplored.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo has an intriguing premise and clear emotional ambition, but repetition, structural inconsistency, and a lack of depth hold it back. For a story centered on time travel, memory, and history, it often feels more interested in moving forward than in fully engaging with its most meaningful ideas.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for an advanced copy of this book.
January 2, 2026
When I found out there’d be another Ancestor Memories book and it was more an anthology than a direct sequel, I got very excited! Continuing on would be too complicated and not capture that same magic, but a new take and setting for time travel historical romance is just what it would need. Unfortunately, this wasn’t it for me, and it’s such a shame.
Pacing was a huge issue. For a good quarter of the book we’re going nowhere fast before disaster strikes and sets us off on an even faster journey. Unlike the first installment, the foretold tragedy happens way sooner so we don’t get the same attachment to what will be lost as this time we’re dealing in more aftermath. Not necessarily a bad choice, shakes things up (no terrible pun intended) and shows us more of a life when the choice is made to stay. However, it made everything feel too surface and even as the decades progressed we still didn’t linger or delve into anything or anyone.
The last quarter seemed like a convoluted race to the finish line paved with ties into the first book in a more MCU cameo way rather than story expansion, especially since it had minimal impact. We suddenly are given so much so quickly as well as magically and correctly assuming how and why the time travel works/exists? Similar revelations came up last time but it felt way more naturally incorporated before. I didn’t hate how braided up the multiple time jumps this particular family had, but I feel like it could’ve been done with more impact instead of throwing a bunch of shocks in for a finale.
Despite trying to stick out as fresh, we can now boil down the series formula to this: Modern Protagonists is aware of historic tragedy and gets transported to that era. Fish out of water as they come to terms with this and are taken in by kind Past Interest. Try and fail to change history, realizing things were always that way as their impact in some small way ensures their ancestor’s safety. Opportunity to go back to their time pops up and they choose to stay until second opportunity comes up and they have better reason to return. What SHOULD also be part of this is the “Memories” half of the series title, which is absent from this one. Granted this was much closer in timeline so that descendants only needed to hear tale of what happened before, but literally having an ancestor’s memory in dream was the mystical cherry on top that wrapped things up so nicely.
Overall, I kept holding out hope for a payoff and what we got left me disappointed. I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece, but it didn’t hit nearly the same at GtK
Pacing was a huge issue. For a good quarter of the book we’re going nowhere fast before disaster strikes and sets us off on an even faster journey. Unlike the first installment, the foretold tragedy happens way sooner so we don’t get the same attachment to what will be lost as this time we’re dealing in more aftermath. Not necessarily a bad choice, shakes things up (no terrible pun intended) and shows us more of a life when the choice is made to stay. However, it made everything feel too surface and even as the decades progressed we still didn’t linger or delve into anything or anyone.
The last quarter seemed like a convoluted race to the finish line paved with ties into the first book in a more MCU cameo way rather than story expansion, especially since it had minimal impact. We suddenly are given so much so quickly as well as magically and correctly assuming how and why the time travel works/exists? Similar revelations came up last time but it felt way more naturally incorporated before. I didn’t hate how braided up the multiple time jumps this particular family had, but I feel like it could’ve been done with more impact instead of throwing a bunch of shocks in for a finale.
Despite trying to stick out as fresh, we can now boil down the series formula to this: Modern Protagonists is aware of historic tragedy and gets transported to that era. Fish out of water as they come to terms with this and are taken in by kind Past Interest. Try and fail to change history, realizing things were always that way as their impact in some small way ensures their ancestor’s safety. Opportunity to go back to their time pops up and they choose to stay until second opportunity comes up and they have better reason to return. What SHOULD also be part of this is the “Memories” half of the series title, which is absent from this one. Granted this was much closer in timeline so that descendants only needed to hear tale of what happened before, but literally having an ancestor’s memory in dream was the mystical cherry on top that wrapped things up so nicely.
Overall, I kept holding out hope for a payoff and what we got left me disappointed. I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece, but it didn’t hit nearly the same at GtK
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🌸Some books pull you into another world Passage to Tokyo drops you straight through time and dares you not to panic.
I absolutely loved slipping back into the Ancestor Memories series with this second installment, and wow, did Poppy Kuroki raise the emotional stakes. From the start, I was fully invested in Yui Sanada, tired, fiercely protective, and just trying to hold her fractured family together in 1995 Tokyo. So when her little brother vanishes into a mysterious passage under a samurai statue, I knew there was no way this story was going to play it safe.
Watching Yui tumble into 1923 Tokyo was both magical and heartbreaking. Kuroki’s historical details are rich and immersive without ever feeling heavy, and I could practically feel the hum of the city as Japan stands on the edge of massive change. Meeting Chiyo and her family grounded the story in such a tender, human way, and the slow-burn connection between Yui and Chiyo felt natural, sweet, and quietly powerful.
But what really got me was the ticking clock. Knowing the Great Kanto Earthquake is coming and that Yui knows it too adds a constant sense of dread. Every peaceful moment felt fragile. Every relationship felt precious. I found myself racing through pages, torn between wanting to savor the characters and desperately hoping Yui could somehow rewrite fate.
Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki is emotional, suspenseful, and beautifully layered, blending time travel, queer romance, and real historical tragedy into a story that lingered with me long after I closed the book.
✨️Thank you Harper Perennial and Poppy Kuroki for sharing Passage to Tokyo with me!
I absolutely loved slipping back into the Ancestor Memories series with this second installment, and wow, did Poppy Kuroki raise the emotional stakes. From the start, I was fully invested in Yui Sanada, tired, fiercely protective, and just trying to hold her fractured family together in 1995 Tokyo. So when her little brother vanishes into a mysterious passage under a samurai statue, I knew there was no way this story was going to play it safe.
Watching Yui tumble into 1923 Tokyo was both magical and heartbreaking. Kuroki’s historical details are rich and immersive without ever feeling heavy, and I could practically feel the hum of the city as Japan stands on the edge of massive change. Meeting Chiyo and her family grounded the story in such a tender, human way, and the slow-burn connection between Yui and Chiyo felt natural, sweet, and quietly powerful.
But what really got me was the ticking clock. Knowing the Great Kanto Earthquake is coming and that Yui knows it too adds a constant sense of dread. Every peaceful moment felt fragile. Every relationship felt precious. I found myself racing through pages, torn between wanting to savor the characters and desperately hoping Yui could somehow rewrite fate.
Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki is emotional, suspenseful, and beautifully layered, blending time travel, queer romance, and real historical tragedy into a story that lingered with me long after I closed the book.
✨️Thank you Harper Perennial and Poppy Kuroki for sharing Passage to Tokyo with me!
February 10, 2026
In this second installment of the Ancestor Memories series, Yui Sanada is doing her best to survive modern life in 1995 Tokyo while raising her twelve year old brother, Hiro, and navigating a neglectful, alcoholic mother.
The responsibility weighing on her shoulders is heavy from the very beginning, and that emotional grounding made everything that followed hit even harder.
When Hiro disappears into a mysterious passage beneath a samurai statue in Ueno Park, the story takes a breathtaking turn. Yui follows him and emerges in 1923 Tokyo, a city alive with beauty, tension, and the sense of an era on the brink of collapse.
I loved how vividly this time period was rendered; the streets, the people, and the social undercurrents all felt richly alive.
Unable to find Hiro, Yui is taken in by Chiyo and her family, and this is where everything begins. The developing relationship between Yui and Chiyo is tender, cautious, and deeply moving. Their connection grows quietly, even as the reader knows what Yui knows: that the Great Kanto Earthquake is only weeks away. That looming inevitability casts a shadow over every moment of warmth and hope, making even the smallest joys feel fragile.
Yui isn’t just racing against time to find her brother but she is also grappling with the unbearable knowledge of what’s coming, and the question of whether it’s possible (or even right) to try to change history. The stakes feel intensely personal and devastatingly real.
This is beautifully written, emotionally resonant, and quietly heartbreaking.
The responsibility weighing on her shoulders is heavy from the very beginning, and that emotional grounding made everything that followed hit even harder.
When Hiro disappears into a mysterious passage beneath a samurai statue in Ueno Park, the story takes a breathtaking turn. Yui follows him and emerges in 1923 Tokyo, a city alive with beauty, tension, and the sense of an era on the brink of collapse.
I loved how vividly this time period was rendered; the streets, the people, and the social undercurrents all felt richly alive.
Unable to find Hiro, Yui is taken in by Chiyo and her family, and this is where everything begins. The developing relationship between Yui and Chiyo is tender, cautious, and deeply moving. Their connection grows quietly, even as the reader knows what Yui knows: that the Great Kanto Earthquake is only weeks away. That looming inevitability casts a shadow over every moment of warmth and hope, making even the smallest joys feel fragile.
Yui isn’t just racing against time to find her brother but she is also grappling with the unbearable knowledge of what’s coming, and the question of whether it’s possible (or even right) to try to change history. The stakes feel intensely personal and devastatingly real.
This is beautifully written, emotionally resonant, and quietly heartbreaking.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars rounded up and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!
Poppy, you did it again.
I have been recommending Gate to Kagoshima for ages and I was so gosh darn excited to hear there was going to be another book in the series. I'm also really glad in Kuroki's choice to make it an anthology instead of an actual series. The characters can be connected while also telling a completely different story.
Yui was such a treat to read and her relationship with Chiyo was so soft and lovely. I loved that they didn't fully sacrifice their own love and relationship despite everything else happening to them and around them. They stayed strong together.
The story also doesn't shy away from the tragedy of the earthquake. The reader is forced to be in this moment just like our characters are. We don't get a fade to black on the devastation. We are there experiencing it with them. Too many authors take the easy way out and give us a hand-waved "and this happened across town" scenario. Kudos to Kuroki for writing a solid apocalyptic earthquake event.
I loved GtK, but this is a step up in Kuroki's writing style and I can't wait to see what else she brings to us in the future!
Poppy, you did it again.
I have been recommending Gate to Kagoshima for ages and I was so gosh darn excited to hear there was going to be another book in the series. I'm also really glad in Kuroki's choice to make it an anthology instead of an actual series. The characters can be connected while also telling a completely different story.
Yui was such a treat to read and her relationship with Chiyo was so soft and lovely. I loved that they didn't fully sacrifice their own love and relationship despite everything else happening to them and around them. They stayed strong together.
The story also doesn't shy away from the tragedy of the earthquake. The reader is forced to be in this moment just like our characters are. We don't get a fade to black on the devastation. We are there experiencing it with them. Too many authors take the easy way out and give us a hand-waved "and this happened across town" scenario. Kudos to Kuroki for writing a solid apocalyptic earthquake event.
I loved GtK, but this is a step up in Kuroki's writing style and I can't wait to see what else she brings to us in the future!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Passage to Tokyo was a powerful and eye-opening read. I genuinely enjoyed how the story wove Japan’s history into the narrative, shedding light on the immense devastation and destruction caused by both the natural disaster in 1923 and the war in the 1940s. The earthquake and wartime periods were portrayed with such weight that you could truly feel the loss, fear, and resilience of the people living through them.
What stood out most to me was how the book explored hardship and the racism faced, particularly the struggle of people trying to be accepted in a society that often demanded conformity. It was heartbreaking to see how, not so long ago, individuals had to hide parts of themselves, pretend, and reshape who they were just to meet society’s expectations.
The time-travel element was especially effective, bringing these important historical periods into sharp focus while also highlighting the contrast with the present day. Seeing the past alongside the modern world really emphasized just how much has changed through technology, medical advancements, and shifting social attitudes.
The book also highlighted sickness and disease in a way that felt honest and grounded in reality, further deepening the emotional impact of the story.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo blends history, time travel, and human resilience beautifully. It’s a story that not only educates but also encourages reflection on how far we’ve come and how important it is to remember where we started.
What stood out most to me was how the book explored hardship and the racism faced, particularly the struggle of people trying to be accepted in a society that often demanded conformity. It was heartbreaking to see how, not so long ago, individuals had to hide parts of themselves, pretend, and reshape who they were just to meet society’s expectations.
The time-travel element was especially effective, bringing these important historical periods into sharp focus while also highlighting the contrast with the present day. Seeing the past alongside the modern world really emphasized just how much has changed through technology, medical advancements, and shifting social attitudes.
The book also highlighted sickness and disease in a way that felt honest and grounded in reality, further deepening the emotional impact of the story.
Overall, Passage to Tokyo blends history, time travel, and human resilience beautifully. It’s a story that not only educates but also encourages reflection on how far we’ve come and how important it is to remember where we started.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
OHkay. I really enjoyed this book, but silly me, I didn’t look at the genres and expected a little historical sapphic romance with maybe a little drama. To be fair, there was a historical sapphic romance. It did involve drama. However, I’d almost call the romance background to the historical aspect and that was plain traumatic. Look, I love a little history lesson, but please tell me what I’m in for. I have no heart left. It is shattered. Gone. Blown into the wind for the ancestors to use to protect future generations. The initial events were brutally accurate (as far as I know them to be) and graphic, and I couldn’t help feeling like a part of the story, making it even worse. What I didn’t like was how the writing style differed in Part 3. The first couple of chapters matched up and then it started feeling a little rushed. I understand decades were needing to be covered, I just didn’t think the execution quite fit. Also, the final plot “twist” didn’t quite make sense to me, even though I knew where she was going with it. Maybe there’s another story coming, though? Overall, I VERY much enjoyed this story. I’m taking off a star for the inconsistent pacing and style, but I’m for sure thinking of reading the first book in the series… If I even find the nerve to go through that again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poppy Kuroki for allowing me to read this in advance!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poppy Kuroki for allowing me to read this in advance!
January 22, 2026
{3.5 stars}
Thanks to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
Yui is a young woman taking care of her 12 year old brother, Hiro, hoping to give him a better childhood than her drunk mother gave her. When they attend a festival in a local park they both are somehow transported in time. Yui arrives in 1923 and is desparate to find Hiro but with little success, she settles in knowing she can not leave without him, not that she knows how to get back to her own time. She finds herself living with a beautiful young woman's family but quickly realizes a huge tragedy is on the horizon, a great earthquake. She focuses her attentions on trying to save this family and find her brother.
I'll stop there as what happens beyond that would be spoilers. I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of this novel which gave me so much knowledge of life in Japan from the devastating earthquake through WWII. The family dynamics, the challenges of day to day life as a woman and a queer person as well as the racism of the Japanese against the Koreans. If this had just been that story, I would have given it a much higher rating. The time travel bit did not work for me at all, it seemed unneccessary and the meeting your ancestor part felt like a paradox I just couldn't get on board with.
Thanks to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
Yui is a young woman taking care of her 12 year old brother, Hiro, hoping to give him a better childhood than her drunk mother gave her. When they attend a festival in a local park they both are somehow transported in time. Yui arrives in 1923 and is desparate to find Hiro but with little success, she settles in knowing she can not leave without him, not that she knows how to get back to her own time. She finds herself living with a beautiful young woman's family but quickly realizes a huge tragedy is on the horizon, a great earthquake. She focuses her attentions on trying to save this family and find her brother.
I'll stop there as what happens beyond that would be spoilers. I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of this novel which gave me so much knowledge of life in Japan from the devastating earthquake through WWII. The family dynamics, the challenges of day to day life as a woman and a queer person as well as the racism of the Japanese against the Koreans. If this had just been that story, I would have given it a much higher rating. The time travel bit did not work for me at all, it seemed unneccessary and the meeting your ancestor part felt like a paradox I just couldn't get on board with.
February 11, 2026
Full disclosure, I have not read book one; however, that didn’t take away from this story. It is easy to get fully invested in Yui, and to root for her. It’s not easy trying to care for a twelve-year-old, Hiro… but she’s doing her best. And then the unthinkable happens—he disappears. Imagine being in Tokyo 1995, to being transported into Tokyo 1923. This is Yui new reality as she searches for her little brother.
Kuroki’s imagery of Tokyo 1923 was phenomenal. It made me feel terrified for Yui, as you can only imagine what is going through her mind. She realizes that an earthquake is coming and knows, historically, the outcome was devastating. Can she find her brother and save the family she’s grown to know?
The writing was beautiful. I felt like I was with Yui every step of the way. And every page had me wondering, “Is this the moment?!” making every moment spent with Chiyo and her family feel precious. The history being told was intriguing and well done. Again, I haven’t read book one (yet), but while you don’t necessarily need to read book one to follow this, I think it may heighten your experience with this story. I plan to read book one on KU, and then give this a second read to see if it changes anything for me.
This is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, but if you can, support your local library or your local indie bookshop.
Kuroki’s imagery of Tokyo 1923 was phenomenal. It made me feel terrified for Yui, as you can only imagine what is going through her mind. She realizes that an earthquake is coming and knows, historically, the outcome was devastating. Can she find her brother and save the family she’s grown to know?
The writing was beautiful. I felt like I was with Yui every step of the way. And every page had me wondering, “Is this the moment?!” making every moment spent with Chiyo and her family feel precious. The history being told was intriguing and well done. Again, I haven’t read book one (yet), but while you don’t necessarily need to read book one to follow this, I think it may heighten your experience with this story. I plan to read book one on KU, and then give this a second read to see if it changes anything for me.
This is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, but if you can, support your local library or your local indie bookshop.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I admit I didn't know much about the plot of this book; I grabbed it and eagerly wanted to read it because I liked Poppy Kuroki's first book in this series (a time-travel story set during the last Samurai war). Unlike the first book, this second book does not cover a single momentous event in history but instead relives Japanese history from 1923 to approximately 1950, thereby spanning many years. I found this book hard to read, not because it was poorly written, but because I had difficulty reading about the traumatic events in Japanese history during that period (particularly the the 1923 Earthquake). Also, for some reason, while Yui and Chiyo felt like real characters, the dialogue was so stoic that it was hard for me to connect with the characters (for example, the last conversation between Yui and Hiro). However, I really loved the last 10% of the book because of its intersection with the story from Ancestor Memories Book 1 and the reunion with familiar characters. I found the end to be highly satisfying and comforting. Despite the tough period in Japanese history, it is another excellent read for lovers of history and time travel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While Passage to Tokyo works as a standalone sequel to Gate to Kagoshima, it didn't quite capture the magic of the first book for me. I appreciated the portrayal of the main characters' relationship and the difficult and nuanced, parental dynamics. The themes of perseverance through hardship remain a strong point of the series.
However, the narrative felt a bit rushed. The story covers vast spans of time, often "telling" the reader what happened rather than "showing" the emotional weight of those years. I would have preferred more time spent in specific decades to allow for deeper character development. Additionally, some character motivations felt inconsistent. Actions that were framed as "shocks" felt predictable based on earlier descriptions, making certain plot points feel forced rather than organic.
Despite my issues with pacing and certain characters, I am glad I stuck with it to see how the main characters pulled through everything.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC!
However, the narrative felt a bit rushed. The story covers vast spans of time, often "telling" the reader what happened rather than "showing" the emotional weight of those years. I would have preferred more time spent in specific decades to allow for deeper character development. Additionally, some character motivations felt inconsistent. Actions that were framed as "shocks" felt predictable based on earlier descriptions, making certain plot points feel forced rather than organic.
Despite my issues with pacing and certain characters, I am glad I stuck with it to see how the main characters pulled through everything.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC!
February 17, 2026
A passage opens in the base of a statue, admitting a brother and moments later a sister to 1932 Japan. They have escaped from a drunken mother into the past and come in contact with a family who does not hesitate to take them in. The girl tells the daughter of the family about coming from the future. She convinces the family that there will be a great earthquake and then a world war. At a point, the portal re-opens to allow the brother and sister a chance to return home. They decide to stay. Times may be hard, but they feel more at home here than they had in the future. Years go by and most of them survive their trials. When the daughter develops symptoms similar to her deceased mother, the girl from the future asks to have the portal open again so she can save her. She is able to take the daughter to the future to have her cured. A reunion of sorts occurs at the end.
I loved the history in this story (much like the first one I read). The characters were genuine (really wanted to kick grandma!).
I loved the history in this story (much like the first one I read). The characters were genuine (really wanted to kick grandma!).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went into this novel expecting a light-hearted romance and some brief darker content surrounding the horrendous Great Kanto Earthquake. Instead, there was an abundance of love, sorrow, pain, horror, and perseverance in the face of tragedy and adversity.
I haven't read the first book in the series yet, but it seems they are not actual sequels but loosely related thematically.
The relationships felt authentic, layered around other relationships and battling social expectations during the historical period the story takes place in. The culture is highly respected, never glossing over the tragedies written about but fully given room to breathe and be.
I haven't really given the genre of historical fiction a chance, but perhaps it is time to do so with this series.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher Harper Perennial for allowing me an ARC to read and review.
I haven't read the first book in the series yet, but it seems they are not actual sequels but loosely related thematically.
The relationships felt authentic, layered around other relationships and battling social expectations during the historical period the story takes place in. The culture is highly respected, never glossing over the tragedies written about but fully given room to breathe and be.
I haven't really given the genre of historical fiction a chance, but perhaps it is time to do so with this series.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher Harper Perennial for allowing me an ARC to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank You to Harper Perennial for this free ARC book in exchange for my honest review of Passage to Tokyo by Poppy Kuroki.
Amazing!
This is the second book in the Ancestor Memories series and it does not disappoint. What happens when a young woman ends up in 1920s Tokyo? Well the catch is that Japan ends up in a new dangerous era and sadly a dangerous tragedy is awaiting the city. Make sure to read this historical fantasy to find out! It had me captivated me from the start and I couldn't stop turning the pages. The author wrote this well and every character in this I loved, especially Yui. Another thing I loved was the time travel aspect in this. This was such an amazing read that I loved a lot and would recommend it to any reader, especially to those who love fantasy or historical fiction reads.
Amazing!
This is the second book in the Ancestor Memories series and it does not disappoint. What happens when a young woman ends up in 1920s Tokyo? Well the catch is that Japan ends up in a new dangerous era and sadly a dangerous tragedy is awaiting the city. Make sure to read this historical fantasy to find out! It had me captivated me from the start and I couldn't stop turning the pages. The author wrote this well and every character in this I loved, especially Yui. Another thing I loved was the time travel aspect in this. This was such an amazing read that I loved a lot and would recommend it to any reader, especially to those who love fantasy or historical fiction reads.
January 30, 2026
I loved Gate to Kagoshima, so I was genuinely excited to dive into this next installment of the Ancestor Memories series. This book packs a punch in the most heartbreaking way. Yui is a beautifully complicated character, and her internal struggle—between the life she lived and the way she viewed the world—felt incredibly poignant. That tension shaped every interaction she had, and it made her journey all the more powerful.
The writing in this installment feels grittier than in book one, carrying a heavier emotional weight. When I say I was sobbing through the entire sequence of events in September, I’m not exaggerating. The story becomes even more devastating once you remember that these were real events that happened to real people.
The ending threw me for a bit of a loop, and it took a moment to wrap my head around the overlapping timelines. But once it clicked, it felt like a fitting and meaningful choice for the story.
I cannot wait to see where Poppy takes us next.
The writing in this installment feels grittier than in book one, carrying a heavier emotional weight. When I say I was sobbing through the entire sequence of events in September, I’m not exaggerating. The story becomes even more devastating once you remember that these were real events that happened to real people.
The ending threw me for a bit of a loop, and it took a moment to wrap my head around the overlapping timelines. But once it clicked, it felt like a fitting and meaningful choice for the story.
I cannot wait to see where Poppy takes us next.
December 17, 2025
Passage to Tokyo genuinely surprised me—in the best way. I don’t usually gravitate toward historical fiction, but Poppy Kuroki’s storytelling completely pulled me in. The relationships she builds feel layered, emotional, and purposeful, making the time period come alive without ever feeling heavy or overwhelming.
This series strikes a beautiful balance: immersive world-building, compelling character dynamics, and a deep respect for the historical setting it’s rooted in. Both books have held my attention from start to finish, and I found myself fully invested in the characters and their journeys. If you think historical fiction isn’t your thing, this might be the book that changes your mind.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This series strikes a beautiful balance: immersive world-building, compelling character dynamics, and a deep respect for the historical setting it’s rooted in. Both books have held my attention from start to finish, and I found myself fully invested in the characters and their journeys. If you think historical fiction isn’t your thing, this might be the book that changes your mind.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 25, 2026
Passage to Tokyo follows Yui, a girl living in 1995 Tokyo trying to escape her alcoholic mother. When she takes her brother to a festival and they both end up going through a passage through time, Yui is shocked to discover she’s ended up in 1923, right before a devastating earthquake.
I enjoyed this book and the expansive look at Japanese history from 1923 on, including some lesser known historical events. I did also like that you follow the characters for almost their entire lives so you really get a sense of their relationships, but with such a large cast of characters there is some lost depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperPerennial for the ARC!
I enjoyed this book and the expansive look at Japanese history from 1923 on, including some lesser known historical events. I did also like that you follow the characters for almost their entire lives so you really get a sense of their relationships, but with such a large cast of characters there is some lost depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperPerennial for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
🌟 🌟 4.5 stars🌟 🌟
Time travel
Fantasy
Fiction and Factual combined
LGBTQ+ representation
Romance
Natural disasters
War
There is a character lost and a glossary at the back of the book. This helped me understand some of the foreign [to me] terms that I didn't know.
This book seamlessly combines many different elements and makes for a great story. I really enjoyed that it had both fictional and non-fictional characters and events.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, and ideas of time travel.
Time travel
Fantasy
Fiction and Factual combined
LGBTQ+ representation
Romance
Natural disasters
War
There is a character lost and a glossary at the back of the book. This helped me understand some of the foreign [to me] terms that I didn't know.
This book seamlessly combines many different elements and makes for a great story. I really enjoyed that it had both fictional and non-fictional characters and events.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, and ideas of time travel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a fascinating book! I have come to truly love historical fiction. This incorporates true historical disasters of Kanto earthquake in 1923 and WWII attacks on Japan with time travel, a love story, found family and perseverance.
This was a beautiful romance and a tragic family story. I didn’t want to put the book down, wanting to see how it would unfold for Yui and Chiyo.
I enjoyed how each act had its ripple effect into the future, especially Masao’s story.
Great world building, found family, love, loss, family trauma.
This was a beautiful romance and a tragic family story. I didn’t want to put the book down, wanting to see how it would unfold for Yui and Chiyo.
I enjoyed how each act had its ripple effect into the future, especially Masao’s story.
Great world building, found family, love, loss, family trauma.
January 31, 2026
This is around 4.5 stars for me! I really enjoyed Yui's character, and following her journey!
I love that this gave us not only a fun time travel twist, but still gave a lot of historical information along the way. This reminded me a bit of Pachinko, but I wasn't as bored while reading it. I love all the events and social topics that were touched upon as well!
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for my gifted copy!
I love that this gave us not only a fun time travel twist, but still gave a lot of historical information along the way. This reminded me a bit of Pachinko, but I wasn't as bored while reading it. I love all the events and social topics that were touched upon as well!
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for my gifted copy!
November 8, 2025
Having not read the first book in this series I didn't know what to expect and I went in not knowing anything about this book. I LOVED this fusion of historical fiction, which is my typical favorite type of novel, and the added fantasy of time travel. Poppy Kuroki is definitely now on my radar as a must-read author!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the advance review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the advance review copy.
January 27, 2026
This is the second book in Poppy's series about girls who are stolen away to a different time period, both in Japan. Her writing is always decently solid and paints a picture well enough. Both books plant our main characters right before a famous Japanese historical event, and this one happens to be the Kanto earthquake in 1923.
October 10, 2025
im not sure how I have this book it says not yet published, but its on kindle unlimited so here we are. I enjoyed the first one, so quickly grabbed this one. it was interesting to read about the not so distant past as the first one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Passage to Tokyo opened up my mind to time travel. Should we change the future?
Yui and Hiro were such strong characters. They survived one way or another jumping to 1923.
This is a fantasy,, historical history and romance all rolled into one amazing story.
Yui and Hiro were such strong characters. They survived one way or another jumping to 1923.
This is a fantasy,, historical history and romance all rolled into one amazing story.
Read
February 6, 2026Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC of this title!
DNF @ 40%
I really wanted to like this book. I really tried....
DNF @ 40%
I really wanted to like this book. I really tried....
November 8, 2025
I enjoyed the first book and had high hopes for this one. Sadly, it was a huge disappointment and I almost stopped reading part way through. The characters were almost caricatures and unbelievable. I felt Yui was a total spaz without any cognitive thought processes. I'd give it 1 star but I still liked the concept of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
3.4 stars:
I’m using a standardized rating system from now on. I liked this I book a little more than the first one. I thought it was a good story with good historical moments to learn about.
I’m using a standardized rating system from now on. I liked this I book a little more than the first one. I thought it was a good story with good historical moments to learn about.
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