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Spring Garden
Winner of the Akutagawa Prize, a sharp, photo-realistic novella of memory and thwarted hope
'He'd come to realise that it was a mistake to grind up his father's remains with such a thing. The mortar was lined with narrow grooves, a little too perfect for ashes to get stuck in.'
Divorced and cut off from his family, Taro lives alone in one of the few occupied apartments in his block, a block that is to be torn down as soon as the remaining tenants leave. Since the death of his father, Taro keeps to himself, but is soon drawn into an unusual relationship with the woman upstairs, Nishi, as she passes on the strange tale of the sky-blue house next door.
First discovered by Nishi in the little-known photo-book 'Spring Garden', the sky-blue house soon becomes a focus for both Nishi and Taro: of what is lost, of what has been destroyed, and of what hope may yet lie in the future for both of them, if only they can seize it.
Tomoka Shibasaki was born in 1973 in Osaka and began writing fiction while still in high school. After graduating from university, she took an office job but continued writing, and was shortlisted for the Bungei Prize in 1998. Her first book, A Day on the Planet, was turned into a hit movie, and Spring Garden won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2014.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2014
85 people are currently reading
3746 people want to read
About the author
Tomoka Shibasaki
20 books49 followersTomoka Shibasaki (柴崎 友香) is a Japanese author. She graduated from Osaka Prefecture University and worked for four years before her debut in 2000, the novel Kyō no dekigoto, which was filmed by Isao Yukisada in 2003.
In 2014 she won the 151th Akutagawa Prize with her novel Haru no niwa.
See also 柴崎 友香.
In 2014 she won the 151th Akutagawa Prize with her novel Haru no niwa.
See also 柴崎 友香.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
June 5, 2024
Spring Garden won the Akutagawa Prize, a prestigious Japanese literary award.
Taro, a man alone, lives in an old Tokyo apartment building that will be torn down.
He becomes friends with his neighbour, Nishi, they look at an old photo book of their building and a special house nearby.
They explore feelings of loneliness, connection, and the changing world around them.
Taro learns to accept that things, like their building, can't stay forever.
The story is ordinary but discovers beauty in daily life, illustrating how simple connections can bring meaning to life's quiet moments.
Taro, a man alone, lives in an old Tokyo apartment building that will be torn down.
He becomes friends with his neighbour, Nishi, they look at an old photo book of their building and a special house nearby.
They explore feelings of loneliness, connection, and the changing world around them.
Taro learns to accept that things, like their building, can't stay forever.
The story is ordinary but discovers beauty in daily life, illustrating how simple connections can bring meaning to life's quiet moments.
March 27, 2020
The Tokyo Times calls this “A masterful look at loneliness and malaise in Tokyo”. The article notes that the history of twentieth century Japan is partly one of migration from the countryside to the city. It has also been frequently stated that urbanisation leads to alienation and this is a study in isolation and obsession.
The novel revolves around an apartment block which is due to be demolished to be replaced by something more modern. The flats are named after an animal in the Japanese zodiac. The main protagonist is Taro who lives in one of the flats. He works in some unexplained administrative capacity. In many ways he is quite a two-dimensional character on the surface; divorced and living alone, he takes the path of least resistance and spends his time doing very little. Also in the block are Mrs Snake and Nishi. Mrs Snake is so named by Taro because she lives in the snake flat. Nishi is a single woman and she has an obsession; an obsession with a house they can all see from their balconies. A couple of decades before it had featured in a photography book called Spring Garden when a couple of relatively well known celebrities had been living in it. Nishi has a copy of the book and gives a copy to Taro. For about half the novel it is empty and for the second half of the novel a family move in and are befriended.
The novel drifts along and meanders around the area of Tokyo in which it is set. I have noticed that in terms of reviews that an awful lot of reviewers on here have given it three stars, possibly an indication that many don’t quite know what to make of it. It is true that on the surface very little does happen. Although there is a sudden and surprising change of perspective very late in the novel.
It is a narrative of urban living for those alone in a soulless landscape. However there is note taken of aesthetics and architecture in a displaced sort of way. Nishi and Taro are dreamers whose dreams never quite come true, although Nishi does get to see some of the inside of the house.
Shibasaki does have an eye for occasional intricate detail, especially of plants and insects (the potter wasp for example). There are some odd moments as well; Taro grinding his father’s ashes in a pestle and mortar so they are fine enough to scatter. The changing urban landscape is the backdrop to the whole:
“Every day, [Taro] walked over culverts with rivers running inside them. There were water pipes and gas pipes underground too, and maybe unexploded bombs, for all he knew. If there were unexploded bombs still underground, then there must also be bits of the houses that were burnt down then, items of their furniture. Before that, this area had been fields and woods, and the leaves and fruits and berries that fell every year, as well as the little animals, would also have formed layers over time, sinking down deeper under the ground.
And now Taro was walking on top of it all.”
I did enjoy this novel, sometimes I prefer mood over plot. A city in flux, the inevitability of progress and superficial relationships:
“Taro was about to say that he wouldn’t feel the cold when he was dead, but it suddenly struck him that Numazu wasn’t actually wanting a conversation. He was just voicing the thoughts passing through his mind, and not looking for an answer. There were two other people in the office at that point, and they were without a doubt listening to what was being said, but neither of them uttered a word.”
And the end of modern life and progress, well:
“The only option available was to go on doing the same things endlessly, wondering why everything had to be such a pain, about how good it would be if you could eat leaves or fruit from some other kind of tree instead of the one you’d landed on. Once you could no longer go on repeating those actions, then you and your species, at least in its current form, would disappear.”
It has been described as a novel of dislocation and regret, but I found it enjoyable. It was easy to read and the writing was poetic and sparse, a combination I enjoyed.
The novel revolves around an apartment block which is due to be demolished to be replaced by something more modern. The flats are named after an animal in the Japanese zodiac. The main protagonist is Taro who lives in one of the flats. He works in some unexplained administrative capacity. In many ways he is quite a two-dimensional character on the surface; divorced and living alone, he takes the path of least resistance and spends his time doing very little. Also in the block are Mrs Snake and Nishi. Mrs Snake is so named by Taro because she lives in the snake flat. Nishi is a single woman and she has an obsession; an obsession with a house they can all see from their balconies. A couple of decades before it had featured in a photography book called Spring Garden when a couple of relatively well known celebrities had been living in it. Nishi has a copy of the book and gives a copy to Taro. For about half the novel it is empty and for the second half of the novel a family move in and are befriended.
The novel drifts along and meanders around the area of Tokyo in which it is set. I have noticed that in terms of reviews that an awful lot of reviewers on here have given it three stars, possibly an indication that many don’t quite know what to make of it. It is true that on the surface very little does happen. Although there is a sudden and surprising change of perspective very late in the novel.
It is a narrative of urban living for those alone in a soulless landscape. However there is note taken of aesthetics and architecture in a displaced sort of way. Nishi and Taro are dreamers whose dreams never quite come true, although Nishi does get to see some of the inside of the house.
Shibasaki does have an eye for occasional intricate detail, especially of plants and insects (the potter wasp for example). There are some odd moments as well; Taro grinding his father’s ashes in a pestle and mortar so they are fine enough to scatter. The changing urban landscape is the backdrop to the whole:
“Every day, [Taro] walked over culverts with rivers running inside them. There were water pipes and gas pipes underground too, and maybe unexploded bombs, for all he knew. If there were unexploded bombs still underground, then there must also be bits of the houses that were burnt down then, items of their furniture. Before that, this area had been fields and woods, and the leaves and fruits and berries that fell every year, as well as the little animals, would also have formed layers over time, sinking down deeper under the ground.
And now Taro was walking on top of it all.”
I did enjoy this novel, sometimes I prefer mood over plot. A city in flux, the inevitability of progress and superficial relationships:
“Taro was about to say that he wouldn’t feel the cold when he was dead, but it suddenly struck him that Numazu wasn’t actually wanting a conversation. He was just voicing the thoughts passing through his mind, and not looking for an answer. There were two other people in the office at that point, and they were without a doubt listening to what was being said, but neither of them uttered a word.”
And the end of modern life and progress, well:
“The only option available was to go on doing the same things endlessly, wondering why everything had to be such a pain, about how good it would be if you could eat leaves or fruit from some other kind of tree instead of the one you’d landed on. Once you could no longer go on repeating those actions, then you and your species, at least in its current form, would disappear.”
It has been described as a novel of dislocation and regret, but I found it enjoyable. It was easy to read and the writing was poetic and sparse, a combination I enjoyed.
September 26, 2017
The View Palace Saeki III flats in Tokyo will soon be demolished. Enormous buildings are replacing flats as the population, that was once heavily rural, has migrated to the city. Four of the eight flats have been vacated. The owner now awaits the departure of the remaining tenants when their leases expire. These residents, that have been virtual strangers, meet and converse for the first time.
Taro works in a five person PR office. He is grieving the death of his father and the demise of his marriage. He avoids anything he considers bothersome, including social interaction. Nishi, an illustrator and comic-strip artist appears to be sketching a picture of a sky blue house while precariously balanced on a balcony railing. When Nishi leaves for work, Taro follows her noticing that she stops in front of the sky blue house. Nishi's over the top interest in this house has occurred as a result of a publication."Spring Garden" is a black and white photographic collection of the everyday life of a married couple. What would it be like to live in this house? What room would be Nishi's favorite? The sky blue house is the focus of the friendship between Nishi and Taro. When the house is resold, Nishi wants to experience the changes in decor, whether drastic or subtle. She finds a way to do just that before she must vacate her flat.
"Spring Garden" by Tomoka Shibasaki is a novella about loneliness, social isolation and the forces of urbanization which actually create a platform for Taro and Nishi to connect. Although some buildings stand the test of time, demolition of small or aging structures, replaced by towering buildings have altered the pulse of many neighborhoods.
Thank you Pushkin Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Spring Garden".
Taro works in a five person PR office. He is grieving the death of his father and the demise of his marriage. He avoids anything he considers bothersome, including social interaction. Nishi, an illustrator and comic-strip artist appears to be sketching a picture of a sky blue house while precariously balanced on a balcony railing. When Nishi leaves for work, Taro follows her noticing that she stops in front of the sky blue house. Nishi's over the top interest in this house has occurred as a result of a publication."Spring Garden" is a black and white photographic collection of the everyday life of a married couple. What would it be like to live in this house? What room would be Nishi's favorite? The sky blue house is the focus of the friendship between Nishi and Taro. When the house is resold, Nishi wants to experience the changes in decor, whether drastic or subtle. She finds a way to do just that before she must vacate her flat.
"Spring Garden" by Tomoka Shibasaki is a novella about loneliness, social isolation and the forces of urbanization which actually create a platform for Taro and Nishi to connect. Although some buildings stand the test of time, demolition of small or aging structures, replaced by towering buildings have altered the pulse of many neighborhoods.
Thank you Pushkin Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Spring Garden".
December 20, 2021
Loneliness, melancholy and uncertain economic circumstances in a rapidly changing Tokyo
Could living creatures be relied on to find the best solutions to their problems?
This story of obsession with a rich family’s house vaguely reminded me of watching Parasite. Still Spring Garden for me lacked propulsion and a kind of overt purpose, while the characters all felt rather bland and adrift. The writing of Tomoka Shibasaki has lots of descriptions and clear cut explanations of people doing stuff, while the divorced main character feels far from being very perceptive or sharp sighted.
A nice touch is the gifting food to one other, which seems to be a huge thing in Japan. In the book there seems a whole web of mutual gift giving commitments underlying all social interactions.
A more morbid tradition is the grinding up the remains of ones father in a mortar with a pestle after the cremation. Sometimes I as a reader had the feeling there was something more, something darker, simmering beneath the writing, but in the end the author didn't go there and this turned out to be a rather bland story of dislocation. 2.5 stars rounded down.
Could living creatures be relied on to find the best solutions to their problems?
This story of obsession with a rich family’s house vaguely reminded me of watching Parasite. Still Spring Garden for me lacked propulsion and a kind of overt purpose, while the characters all felt rather bland and adrift. The writing of Tomoka Shibasaki has lots of descriptions and clear cut explanations of people doing stuff, while the divorced main character feels far from being very perceptive or sharp sighted.
A nice touch is the gifting food to one other, which seems to be a huge thing in Japan. In the book there seems a whole web of mutual gift giving commitments underlying all social interactions.
A more morbid tradition is the grinding up the remains of ones father in a mortar with a pestle after the cremation. Sometimes I as a reader had the feeling there was something more, something darker, simmering beneath the writing, but in the end the author didn't go there and this turned out to be a rather bland story of dislocation. 2.5 stars rounded down.
August 6, 2021
This short novel is like listening to a long, engaging chat: You’re not sure what some of the details have to do with others, but you’re happy to keep listening, to be distracted by its charm. By the end you’re still not sure if all the details were necessary, but upon reflection, find that most of them were.
I was particularly charmed at all the gift-giving in the novel. I know that’s a big part of Japanese culture and it’s shown to full effect here, how a received gift that means nothing to you can be re-gifted and have meaning for someone else.
I was particularly charmed at all the gift-giving in the novel. I know that’s a big part of Japanese culture and it’s shown to full effect here, how a received gift that means nothing to you can be re-gifted and have meaning for someone else.
June 13, 2021
Yet another book about loneliness, Japanese and universal too, I guess. And maybe depression, a little bit? Anyway, if you want to be left alone, you can always succeed, even in such overpopulated country as Japan.
June 24, 2020
Rating: 4🍌
A deceptively simple portrait of two individuals in a doomed apartment building trying to find meaning in an increasingly isolated world. Told with gentle humor and poignancy, SPRING GARDEN explores how we find meaning through constructed narratives and stories -- both our own and others.
Taro and Nishi are two of the last residents of an apartment building that is slated for demolition, part of the ever-renewing landscape of modern Tokyo. The blue house that stands behind the building is a lifelong obsession for Nishi, who was introduced to it from a photo book published while she was in high school. The photos in the book, depicting a young, beautiful couple captured in seemingly careless snapshots, represent a particular life unavailable to Nishi as she grew up in a dull apartment block in Nagoya, and we learn that she purposefully moved to this apartment complex to be close to the building. Meanwhile, her neighbor Taro, nominally the main character of the book, is living his own dull life in his shabby apartment on the ground floor. In fact, until Nishi told him about the blue house and the photo book, he hadn't even noticed it -- just as he had not noticed many things about his neighborhood. He spends most of his time working and lying around, rarely even interacting with his family. But once Nishi introduces him to the story of the house, he starts to, sputteringly, seek meaning in the world around him -- his father's ashes, memories of his past, and the larval nest of a potter wasp, which Taro unconsciously recreates as he cocoons himself in his apartment.
Running throughout the book is the theme of meaning and identity being made through constructed narratives, usually others: Taro learns about the house through a story told by Nishi, whose connection to the house is itself connected through the constructed story of the photo book. Later, when Taro's sister arrives, we learn that many of the childhood memories Taro recalls throughout the book are either not remembered by his sister or remembered differently, and some of the memories she has -- part of that store of anecdotes she shares with others as a way to define herself -- are either misremembered or incomplete.
Perhaps the most striking element of SPRING GARDEN is the contrast between the quiet stillness of the narrative and the theme of never-ending change. Shibasaki has a way of imbuing small moments with meaning, and the slow emptying out of the apartment block around Taro and Nishi as the seasons, neighborhood, and Tokyo changes around them is beautiful and haunting.
A deceptively simple portrait of two individuals in a doomed apartment building trying to find meaning in an increasingly isolated world. Told with gentle humor and poignancy, SPRING GARDEN explores how we find meaning through constructed narratives and stories -- both our own and others.
Taro and Nishi are two of the last residents of an apartment building that is slated for demolition, part of the ever-renewing landscape of modern Tokyo. The blue house that stands behind the building is a lifelong obsession for Nishi, who was introduced to it from a photo book published while she was in high school. The photos in the book, depicting a young, beautiful couple captured in seemingly careless snapshots, represent a particular life unavailable to Nishi as she grew up in a dull apartment block in Nagoya, and we learn that she purposefully moved to this apartment complex to be close to the building. Meanwhile, her neighbor Taro, nominally the main character of the book, is living his own dull life in his shabby apartment on the ground floor. In fact, until Nishi told him about the blue house and the photo book, he hadn't even noticed it -- just as he had not noticed many things about his neighborhood. He spends most of his time working and lying around, rarely even interacting with his family. But once Nishi introduces him to the story of the house, he starts to, sputteringly, seek meaning in the world around him -- his father's ashes, memories of his past, and the larval nest of a potter wasp, which Taro unconsciously recreates as he cocoons himself in his apartment.
Running throughout the book is the theme of meaning and identity being made through constructed narratives, usually others: Taro learns about the house through a story told by Nishi, whose connection to the house is itself connected through the constructed story of the photo book. Later, when Taro's sister arrives, we learn that many of the childhood memories Taro recalls throughout the book are either not remembered by his sister or remembered differently, and some of the memories she has -- part of that store of anecdotes she shares with others as a way to define herself -- are either misremembered or incomplete.
Perhaps the most striking element of SPRING GARDEN is the contrast between the quiet stillness of the narrative and the theme of never-ending change. Shibasaki has a way of imbuing small moments with meaning, and the slow emptying out of the apartment block around Taro and Nishi as the seasons, neighborhood, and Tokyo changes around them is beautiful and haunting.
January 5, 2022
Tomoka Shibasaki es una escritora japonesa que en 2014 ganó el premio literario más prestigioso que otorga el país de Japón a sus escritores, el premio Akutagawa. “El jardín de la primavera” es un relato corto cargado de todo aquello que a los amantes de la literatura japonesa nos gusta: soledad, melancolía y personajes diferentes pero (porque siempre hay un pero) siento deciros que esta no ha sido una novela para recordar.
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En esta historia conoceremos a Taro, un hombre divorciado que habita en un edificio que será próximamente derruido. Su cotidianidad es bastante anodina y solitaria pues apenas se relaciona con gente de fuera de su círculo laboral y está bastante distanciado de su familia después de la muerte de su padre. Todo cambia cuando conoce a Nishi, una de las pocas vecinas que siguen viviendo en la urbanización, con la trabará una curiosa amistad. Esta última siente una tremenda curiosidad que roza lo obsesivo hacia una de las casas que se ven desde sus respectivos hogares.
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El punto más fuerte del libro es la reflexión que brinda relacionada con la vida en las grandes ciudades y cómo se enfrentan esos pequeños pisos a la aparición de ediciones imponentes; y sin duda esa soledad y aislamiento social tan característicos que vemos siempre en las novelas japonesas. Hay mucho simbolismo detrás del escrito sobre todo referente a la casa azul que termina siendo un reflejo de todo aquello que nuestros protagonistas han perdido en el camino.
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El estilo de Tomoka es elegante y envolvente, con un humor suave traza un texto cuidado y tranquilo. Sus personajes son bastante curiosos, por un lado tenemos a Taro que resulta sumamente reservado, pasivo y en conclusión, muy poco carismático pero por otro lado me sentí mucho más atraída por Nishi y su personalidad tan arrolladora. Resulta emocionante sentir su fervorosa admiración por los habitantes de la casa y la necesidad de ver más de ella.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
En definitiva, es un libro muy breve que leí de una sentada, que en general me ha gustado pero sentí que la historia estaba incompleta: quedan muchas dudas sin resolver y parece que la historia no llega a ninguna parte. Es uno de esos libros que no tienen una trama absorbente, ni aventuras, ni romance, simplemente es un escrito de personas que muestran su vida cotidiana, su dolor y sus recuerdos con un toque especial. Me quedé con ganas de más pero no me arrepiento en absoluto de haberme adentrado en esta historia.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
En esta historia conoceremos a Taro, un hombre divorciado que habita en un edificio que será próximamente derruido. Su cotidianidad es bastante anodina y solitaria pues apenas se relaciona con gente de fuera de su círculo laboral y está bastante distanciado de su familia después de la muerte de su padre. Todo cambia cuando conoce a Nishi, una de las pocas vecinas que siguen viviendo en la urbanización, con la trabará una curiosa amistad. Esta última siente una tremenda curiosidad que roza lo obsesivo hacia una de las casas que se ven desde sus respectivos hogares.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
El punto más fuerte del libro es la reflexión que brinda relacionada con la vida en las grandes ciudades y cómo se enfrentan esos pequeños pisos a la aparición de ediciones imponentes; y sin duda esa soledad y aislamiento social tan característicos que vemos siempre en las novelas japonesas. Hay mucho simbolismo detrás del escrito sobre todo referente a la casa azul que termina siendo un reflejo de todo aquello que nuestros protagonistas han perdido en el camino.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
El estilo de Tomoka es elegante y envolvente, con un humor suave traza un texto cuidado y tranquilo. Sus personajes son bastante curiosos, por un lado tenemos a Taro que resulta sumamente reservado, pasivo y en conclusión, muy poco carismático pero por otro lado me sentí mucho más atraída por Nishi y su personalidad tan arrolladora. Resulta emocionante sentir su fervorosa admiración por los habitantes de la casa y la necesidad de ver más de ella.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
En definitiva, es un libro muy breve que leí de una sentada, que en general me ha gustado pero sentí que la historia estaba incompleta: quedan muchas dudas sin resolver y parece que la historia no llega a ninguna parte. Es uno de esos libros que no tienen una trama absorbente, ni aventuras, ni romance, simplemente es un escrito de personas que muestran su vida cotidiana, su dolor y sus recuerdos con un toque especial. Me quedé con ganas de más pero no me arrepiento en absoluto de haberme adentrado en esta historia.
April 27, 2021
Taupus, paprastas žodis, o tiek daug už jo slepiasi...
Knyga apie namus, ten gyvenančius, ateinančius, išeinančius. Apie bevardžius kaimynus, kurių nepažįstame, nuo kurių atsiribojame ir nenorime įsileisti.
Apie vienatvę ir laikinumą.
Apie neišsipildžiusius lūkesčius ir idealizavimą.
Apie praeitį, atsiminimus ir žmogiško ryšio svarbą.
Jeigu tikitės šioje knygoje rasti veiksmo ir siužeto, jo nebus. Jeigu norite lėto, lyriško skaitymo, pirmyn, susipažinkite su išsiskyrusiu, atsiribojusiu nuo savo šeimos Taro ir su jo keista kaimyne, komiksų kūrėja, Niši. Ji turi nuotraukų albumą "Pavasario kiemas". Tose nuotraukose ideali šeima gražiame mėlyname name. Tas mėlynas namas Taro ir Niši kieme...ar Taro ir Niši pasibels į duris? Ar prisibels? Atsakymą rasite T. Shibasaki "Pavasario kieme".
Knyga apie namus, ten gyvenančius, ateinančius, išeinančius. Apie bevardžius kaimynus, kurių nepažįstame, nuo kurių atsiribojame ir nenorime įsileisti.
Apie vienatvę ir laikinumą.
Apie neišsipildžiusius lūkesčius ir idealizavimą.
Apie praeitį, atsiminimus ir žmogiško ryšio svarbą.
Jeigu tikitės šioje knygoje rasti veiksmo ir siužeto, jo nebus. Jeigu norite lėto, lyriško skaitymo, pirmyn, susipažinkite su išsiskyrusiu, atsiribojusiu nuo savo šeimos Taro ir su jo keista kaimyne, komiksų kūrėja, Niši. Ji turi nuotraukų albumą "Pavasario kiemas". Tose nuotraukose ideali šeima gražiame mėlyname name. Tas mėlynas namas Taro ir Niši kieme...ar Taro ir Niši pasibels į duris? Ar prisibels? Atsakymą rasite T. Shibasaki "Pavasario kieme".
November 2, 2024
Taro thought about how different the place he now lived was from the place he’d grown up—the size of the buildings and the gaps between them, the number of people living there, the general feel of it, everything. His home town as it existed in his memory seemed distant to him, like something that belonged to another person. It was almost as though he’d mistaken a place he’d seen on TV or in a film for a thing of his own, or else that the sights seen by someone in one of the thousand or so different Spring Garden flats on that estate had somehow snuck their way into his mind and still remained there. That was how it seemed from time to time.
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It’s a rule of mine not to broadcast things until they’ve happened.
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It’s a rule of mine not to broadcast things until they’ve happened.
December 1, 2017
I discovered 'Spring Garden' by Tomoka Shibasaki when I was browsing in the bookshop a couple of weeks back. It was published by Pushkin Press. I love Pushkin Press. I also love Japanese literature. When the two of them came together, it was hard to resist!
Taro lives in an apartment complex in Tokyo. Most of the apartments there are empty because the landlord who owns them is planning to demolish them and so whenever a rental agreement's time is up, he asks the tenants to leave. Finally, there are four tenants left. Taro is one of them. One day Taro notices that the woman who lives upstairs is looking at the house opposite to their apartment complex. When she notices that he is looking at her, she goes inside. Taro starts wondering why she is looking at the opposite house. At some point Taro bumps into the woman, they get acquainted and become friends, and one day they catch up for dinner. Taro discovers that her name is Nishi. Nishi tells him the story of why she is interested in the house opposite. It is a fascinating story. Taro also gets to know more about Nishi and her life. Soon, new tenants move into that opposite house and Nishi becomes friends with them. What happens between these three - Nishi, Taro and the blue house - that forms the rest of the story.
'Spring Garden' is an interesting book. There is not much in it in terms of plot. Yes, there is a plot which describes the lives of Taro, Nishi and other characters. But it doesn't have the typical structure and events that novels have had for ages. The main character in the novel is probably that blue house. How Nishi discovered it, how she became obsessed with it, how she experienced it from the outside and from the inside and how she took Taro along for the adventure - this is the crux of the book. This may not be everyone's cup of tea. If you are looking for action, dialogue, mysteries and revelations, this is not the book for you. However, though this book is not about plot, it is about some beautiful things. This book is a love letter to houses - as living spaces, as showcases of beautiful architecture, as places filled with aesthetic beauty. This book is about how houses can be living characters in stories and in real life, how they evolve and change across time, how they embrace their dwellers and grow with them, and how when they are empty they grow in different ways. It is a beautiful ode to our everyday house from a perspective that we rarely think about. I loved it. This book also made me think of Brian Selznick's 'The Marvels'. Last, but not the least, I adore that cover!
I will leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"Time which had stopped while the house was empty, was moving again. The structure itself was exactly the same as it had been a week ago when nobody was in it, and yet its colours, the feel of the place, where now wholly different. It wasn't just that people were living in it - it was that the house itself had suddenly come back to life. The house which Nishi had been convinced that she could carry on looking at forever, in the same way as she could the house in the photos, felt now as if it had taken on a mind of its own, and begun moving. As dramatic as it sounded, it honestly seemed that the house has taken on the same quality as a doll that had suddenly become human. Every time she passed by the house, every time she saw the envelopes poking out of the letterbox or the sheets hanging out to dry on the balcony, she had the physical sensation like something rubbing at her body from the inside."
Have you read Tomoka Shibasaki's 'Spring Garden'? What do you think about it?
Taro lives in an apartment complex in Tokyo. Most of the apartments there are empty because the landlord who owns them is planning to demolish them and so whenever a rental agreement's time is up, he asks the tenants to leave. Finally, there are four tenants left. Taro is one of them. One day Taro notices that the woman who lives upstairs is looking at the house opposite to their apartment complex. When she notices that he is looking at her, she goes inside. Taro starts wondering why she is looking at the opposite house. At some point Taro bumps into the woman, they get acquainted and become friends, and one day they catch up for dinner. Taro discovers that her name is Nishi. Nishi tells him the story of why she is interested in the house opposite. It is a fascinating story. Taro also gets to know more about Nishi and her life. Soon, new tenants move into that opposite house and Nishi becomes friends with them. What happens between these three - Nishi, Taro and the blue house - that forms the rest of the story.
'Spring Garden' is an interesting book. There is not much in it in terms of plot. Yes, there is a plot which describes the lives of Taro, Nishi and other characters. But it doesn't have the typical structure and events that novels have had for ages. The main character in the novel is probably that blue house. How Nishi discovered it, how she became obsessed with it, how she experienced it from the outside and from the inside and how she took Taro along for the adventure - this is the crux of the book. This may not be everyone's cup of tea. If you are looking for action, dialogue, mysteries and revelations, this is not the book for you. However, though this book is not about plot, it is about some beautiful things. This book is a love letter to houses - as living spaces, as showcases of beautiful architecture, as places filled with aesthetic beauty. This book is about how houses can be living characters in stories and in real life, how they evolve and change across time, how they embrace their dwellers and grow with them, and how when they are empty they grow in different ways. It is a beautiful ode to our everyday house from a perspective that we rarely think about. I loved it. This book also made me think of Brian Selznick's 'The Marvels'. Last, but not the least, I adore that cover!
I will leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"Time which had stopped while the house was empty, was moving again. The structure itself was exactly the same as it had been a week ago when nobody was in it, and yet its colours, the feel of the place, where now wholly different. It wasn't just that people were living in it - it was that the house itself had suddenly come back to life. The house which Nishi had been convinced that she could carry on looking at forever, in the same way as she could the house in the photos, felt now as if it had taken on a mind of its own, and begun moving. As dramatic as it sounded, it honestly seemed that the house has taken on the same quality as a doll that had suddenly become human. Every time she passed by the house, every time she saw the envelopes poking out of the letterbox or the sheets hanging out to dry on the balcony, she had the physical sensation like something rubbing at her body from the inside."
Have you read Tomoka Shibasaki's 'Spring Garden'? What do you think about it?
March 17, 2017
This didn't really have any impact on me. The writing is all right, but I'm not sure I really see the point.
September 25, 2020
Stil. Ingetogen. Minimalistisch. Realistisch.
Gelezen in stilte en afzondering.
Een novelle als een klein portret over sociaal isolement, stedelijk verval en de aaneenschakeling van de dagelijkse dingen in de marge van een grote stad als Tokyo.
Gelezen in stilte en afzondering.
Een novelle als een klein portret over sociaal isolement, stedelijk verval en de aaneenschakeling van de dagelijkse dingen in de marge van een grote stad als Tokyo.
'En de vaas met paarse bloemen op de schoenenkast paste, evenals de donkerblauwe en kastanjebruine traditionele stof van de zitkussens en het tafelkleed, bij haar kleren. Maar de indruk die Taro kreeg was niet zozeer: alles is netjes in orde, als wel: er ontbreken dingen die er zouden moeten zijn.'
'Toen hij 's avonds thuiskwam, was flat Draak al leeg. De deur was dicht en op het eerste gezicht was er geen verschil met de dag ervoor, maar de duisternis achter het raam was een andere duisternis dan die in een flat waar iemand woont. Het was een lege duisternis, waarachter zich het grote niets bevond.'
September 29, 2021
Lėtas ir taupus tekstas apie stebėjimą ir gan ramų gyvenimo tekėjimą, kartais trumpam sujudinamą tų pastebėjimų, bet tik akimirkai, lyg vandens paviršiuj suraibuliavus.
"Taro iš prigimties visada vengdavo rūpesčių. Jis buvo smalsus, bet labiau nei sėkmės ir įdomybių, dėl kurių reikėtų gerokai pasistengti, jam norėjosi ramiai gyventi."
"Ir dabar retsykiais atrodo, kad tėvas tik kur išėjęs. Tarsi Taro sapne būtų pamiršęs savo situaciją. Bet tėvo nėra pernelyg ilgai. Taro mano, kad gal jam taip atrodo, nes jis nori, kad tėvas nebūtų miręs."
"Neskaičiuoju, kiek geriu, ne taip, kaip Taro, bet man neramu, kad mano rašysena ėmė panašėti į tėvo. Bėgant metams, mano keverzonės vis labiau primena girto žmogaus eiseną. Kartais, pamačius kokias greitomis brūkštelėtas savo pastabas, man rodosi, kad tai tėvo rašyta. Kaži kodėl taip yra, juk rašyti išmokau ne iš jo. Kai buvau pas Taro, mačiau, kad jo rašysena nepanaši nei į tėvo, nei į motinos."
"Taro iš prigimties visada vengdavo rūpesčių. Jis buvo smalsus, bet labiau nei sėkmės ir įdomybių, dėl kurių reikėtų gerokai pasistengti, jam norėjosi ramiai gyventi."
"Ir dabar retsykiais atrodo, kad tėvas tik kur išėjęs. Tarsi Taro sapne būtų pamiršęs savo situaciją. Bet tėvo nėra pernelyg ilgai. Taro mano, kad gal jam taip atrodo, nes jis nori, kad tėvas nebūtų miręs."
"Neskaičiuoju, kiek geriu, ne taip, kaip Taro, bet man neramu, kad mano rašysena ėmė panašėti į tėvo. Bėgant metams, mano keverzonės vis labiau primena girto žmogaus eiseną. Kartais, pamačius kokias greitomis brūkštelėtas savo pastabas, man rodosi, kad tai tėvo rašyta. Kaži kodėl taip yra, juk rašyti išmokau ne iš jo. Kai buvau pas Taro, mačiau, kad jo rašysena nepanaši nei į tėvo, nei į motinos."
December 15, 2023
Pokalbyje apie japonų literatūrą vertėja Gabija Enciūtė pasakė, kad japonai mėgsta galvoti apie daiktus (ir netgi sakosi neturį abstraktaus mąstymo, kas, aišku, netiesa) – ir per daiktus pasakoti apie vidinį gyvenimą ar abstrakčias problemas, kas mums atrodo labai gilu ir metaforiška, bet toks yra tiesiog mąstymo būdas. Šito pastebėjimo negalėjau "atmąstyti" skaitydama šią knygą.
Tikrai graži knyga apie paprastą gyvenimą ir tam tikrus jame pasirodančius blyksnius – vapsvos lizdas ant lango, požeminė upė, geltonos ir žalios plytelės gretimo namo vonioje. Patiko, kad šie blyksniai nesudvasinami, neišpučiami iki murakamiškų keistenybių, pagrindiniai personažai neparodomi kaip išskirtinai dvasingi dėl to, kad juos pastebi – tiesiog atskleidžiamas natūralus žmogiškas noras pastebėti pasaulio už kasdienybės ribų detales. Pvz., aš irgi, vakarais vedžiodama šunį, visada pažiūriu į vieną daugiabutį ir pastebiu, kaip šiandien jame išsidėlioja langų su uždegta šviesa konsteliacijos – ir nesu nei dvasinga, nei kamuojama vienatvės, nei besiilginti kitokio gyvenimo, šiaip maža maloni kasdienybės detalė.
Tikrai graži knyga apie paprastą gyvenimą ir tam tikrus jame pasirodančius blyksnius – vapsvos lizdas ant lango, požeminė upė, geltonos ir žalios plytelės gretimo namo vonioje. Patiko, kad šie blyksniai nesudvasinami, neišpučiami iki murakamiškų keistenybių, pagrindiniai personažai neparodomi kaip išskirtinai dvasingi dėl to, kad juos pastebi – tiesiog atskleidžiamas natūralus žmogiškas noras pastebėti pasaulio už kasdienybės ribų detales. Pvz., aš irgi, vakarais vedžiodama šunį, visada pažiūriu į vieną daugiabutį ir pastebiu, kaip šiandien jame išsidėlioja langų su uždegta šviesa konsteliacijos – ir nesu nei dvasinga, nei kamuojama vienatvės, nei besiilginti kitokio gyvenimo, šiaip maža maloni kasdienybės detalė.
September 27, 2019
Stilski negde izmedju vitkog i mršavog, krcata simbolikom (doduše neretko besciljnom) i tematski hladna, ova knjižica jedna je od onih koje vrlo lako izblede iz čitalačkog sećanja nakon nekog vremena,
ma koliko ona bila umešno napisana, ma koliko čitanje išlo brzo i pitko i prijatno. Mislim da je ovo jedna od onih knjiga koje pripadaju velikim, mladim talentima, koji nažalost nemaju puno toga da kažu, te iako poberu par nekih nagrada, respektabilno se prodaju i znaju čak da se odvaže po toplistama, na kraju izblede u opskurnost koja dozvoli nekom drugom klincu u budućnosti da je "otkrije", bude prijatno iznenadjen i baci je u ćošak.
3
ma koliko ona bila umešno napisana, ma koliko čitanje išlo brzo i pitko i prijatno. Mislim da je ovo jedna od onih knjiga koje pripadaju velikim, mladim talentima, koji nažalost nemaju puno toga da kažu, te iako poberu par nekih nagrada, respektabilno se prodaju i znaju čak da se odvaže po toplistama, na kraju izblede u opskurnost koja dozvoli nekom drugom klincu u budućnosti da je "otkrije", bude prijatno iznenadjen i baci je u ćošak.
3
July 13, 2023
If you are a fan of heavy plot with engaging narratives then this novella ain't for you. This novella was so light with no major twist whatsoever, the idea of slice of life and daily encounter, group of friendly neighbors with one's admiration towards a sky blue house near the block. No intense development with the story line except when the Morios came into the plot-- cause it was related to Spring Garden that this part a bit enjoyable for me. Other than that it was just plain, draggy with unnecessary scenes here and there. The only strength of the story was mainly from the characters, although at a point I think the author really dragged some of the character's feelings a lot that it became a bit tiresome for me to read. Anyway, I love Taro's older sister-- I like her narration nearly the end.
June 5, 2021
Spring Garden Japanese novella 2
Tomoka Shibasaki
Winner of the Akutagawa Prize — part of the Japanese novella series - contemporary Japanese tales.
Taro’s father had died. He kept his fathers cremated bones in his kitchen.
Taro, thirty-ish, divorced, grew up in Osaka, but was now living in Japan.
He lived in a building made up of eight flats, named View Palace Saeki III.
Instead of having room numbers, the flats were identified by animals of the Chinese zodiac:
Pig, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Sheep, Horse, and Snake, Dragon.
Taro lived in the Pig flat.
One of the ladies who lived in the building owned the ‘Snake’ flat, so Taro called her Mrs. Snake. Mrs. snake was very short and wore unusual clothes that could’ve been fashioned out of old kimonos.
She found a key that belonged to Taro. (it was a key to his office).
To thank her, he offered her some dried sardines marinated in soy sauce.
Mrs. Snake was genuinely delighted with the gift. Sardines were her favorite.
Taro then meets Mrs. Dragon. Her real name is Nishi. They become friends and go to dinner together. She shows him a book called “Spring Garden”. (photos of a house next door to their building of flats) Nishi is fascinated with the house. (a famous couple use to live there). Taro is fascinated with Nishi.
Symbolically the connection between Taro and Nishi —the flat they live and rundown house next door-
which was being earmarked for demolition—
was an odd reminder that that things break down. Things change. People change. Building break down. People break down. People get older, get divorce, are grieving, and or don’t experience much purpose in day-to-day living
Loneliness sets.
Conversations, and brief connections with those around us, help pass the time.
Another slim quiet reflective Japanese tale…
It’s charming, sweet, sad, and real.
Tomoka Shibasaki
Winner of the Akutagawa Prize — part of the Japanese novella series - contemporary Japanese tales.
Taro’s father had died. He kept his fathers cremated bones in his kitchen.
Taro, thirty-ish, divorced, grew up in Osaka, but was now living in Japan.
He lived in a building made up of eight flats, named View Palace Saeki III.
Instead of having room numbers, the flats were identified by animals of the Chinese zodiac:
Pig, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Sheep, Horse, and Snake, Dragon.
Taro lived in the Pig flat.
One of the ladies who lived in the building owned the ‘Snake’ flat, so Taro called her Mrs. Snake. Mrs. snake was very short and wore unusual clothes that could’ve been fashioned out of old kimonos.
She found a key that belonged to Taro. (it was a key to his office).
To thank her, he offered her some dried sardines marinated in soy sauce.
Mrs. Snake was genuinely delighted with the gift. Sardines were her favorite.
Taro then meets Mrs. Dragon. Her real name is Nishi. They become friends and go to dinner together. She shows him a book called “Spring Garden”. (photos of a house next door to their building of flats) Nishi is fascinated with the house. (a famous couple use to live there). Taro is fascinated with Nishi.
Symbolically the connection between Taro and Nishi —the flat they live and rundown house next door-
which was being earmarked for demolition—
was an odd reminder that that things break down. Things change. People change. Building break down. People break down. People get older, get divorce, are grieving, and or don’t experience much purpose in day-to-day living
Loneliness sets.
Conversations, and brief connections with those around us, help pass the time.
Another slim quiet reflective Japanese tale…
It’s charming, sweet, sad, and real.
February 11, 2020
Well, well, well...
I was putting back novels on the library shelves, refiling those from R to Z (which you probably don't care about, but it's part of my job), when I got this pretty book in my hand : Japanese literature ? Check. Lovely cover ? Check. Garden, in spring ? Check. Mention of a lovely house ? Check. All things I love, I borrowed it.
However... Taro got divorced ? Too bad, but who cares ? His building will soon be demolished and all tenants are leaving ? Well, that happens. One of his neighbours, very nosy, is interested in coming into his appartment to have a better look at that house downstairs ? She looks like a stalker, doesn't she ? Besides, she's a heavy drinker ! But where is the interest ? The writing style is average. The characters are not really interesting. What's the point in that story ? I have no idea. Am I tempted to pick another book by that author ? Nope. There was a house in the neighborhood, several people rented it and lived in it, and that's all. People come, people go.
I finished it, that's all I can say, but I wasn't interested and I will probably have forgotten about it by tomorrow morning.
I was putting back novels on the library shelves, refiling those from R to Z (which you probably don't care about, but it's part of my job), when I got this pretty book in my hand : Japanese literature ? Check. Lovely cover ? Check. Garden, in spring ? Check. Mention of a lovely house ? Check. All things I love, I borrowed it.
However... Taro got divorced ? Too bad, but who cares ? His building will soon be demolished and all tenants are leaving ? Well, that happens. One of his neighbours, very nosy, is interested in coming into his appartment to have a better look at that house downstairs ? She looks like a stalker, doesn't she ? Besides, she's a heavy drinker ! But where is the interest ? The writing style is average. The characters are not really interesting. What's the point in that story ? I have no idea. Am I tempted to pick another book by that author ? Nope. There was a house in the neighborhood, several people rented it and lived in it, and that's all. People come, people go.
I finished it, that's all I can say, but I wasn't interested and I will probably have forgotten about it by tomorrow morning.
May 6, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
Taro, ein Mittdreissiger, der sich wie ein Holzscheit vom Strom des Lebens mitreissen lässt und Nishi, eine tatkräftige Mangaka lernen sich in ihrem Wohnblock in Tokyo kennen. Obwohl die beiden nicht unterschiedlicher sein könnten, kommen sie ins Gespräch und Nishi erzählt Taro die Geschichte des blauen Hauses das ihrem Wohnblock gegenüber steht und sie weiht ihn in ihr Vorhaben ein, sich Zutritt zu diesem Haus zu verschaffen.
Bald vermischen sich Realität und Fiktion, Natur und Architektur zu einem kunstvollen Gewebe, das den Leser sachte umgibt. Für mehr Infos zum Buch und die Anspielungen auf die japanische Mythologie, schaut in meine Video-Rezi rein.
https://youtu.be/i3ilBnlyKIQ
Viel Spass beim Lesen!
Taro, ein Mittdreissiger, der sich wie ein Holzscheit vom Strom des Lebens mitreissen lässt und Nishi, eine tatkräftige Mangaka lernen sich in ihrem Wohnblock in Tokyo kennen. Obwohl die beiden nicht unterschiedlicher sein könnten, kommen sie ins Gespräch und Nishi erzählt Taro die Geschichte des blauen Hauses das ihrem Wohnblock gegenüber steht und sie weiht ihn in ihr Vorhaben ein, sich Zutritt zu diesem Haus zu verschaffen.
Bald vermischen sich Realität und Fiktion, Natur und Architektur zu einem kunstvollen Gewebe, das den Leser sachte umgibt. Für mehr Infos zum Buch und die Anspielungen auf die japanische Mythologie, schaut in meine Video-Rezi rein.
https://youtu.be/i3ilBnlyKIQ
Viel Spass beim Lesen!
April 16, 2021
A sweet little story about two tenants in an apartment building and the house nearby that they think about an absurd amount. This was a quick read and a had a nice pace to it but not one I will call a favourite.
October 24, 2023
Lo amé ! ♥️ Realmente Tomoka se lució con cada simbolo y cada homenaje qué I. Parte en esta obra ✨🔆lo disfruté muchísimo y sigo imaginándome todos los sitios de esa casa! Es genial como nos marca la diferencia y estilos de construcción
September 20, 2019
Una historia que no lleva a ninguna parte con un protagonista pasivo al que no le gusta nada.
January 20, 2025
I've been in a terrible reading slump lately, and this didn't help to start with - this is a very slow book that at the beginning was doing nothing for me, to be honest. I strongly considered DNFing but it was a buddy read and I'm glad it was as talking to my friend helped me put into words some of my thoughts and feelings during the process.
Slow, quiet, and very ambiental/zen in tone, Spring Garden looks at two neighbors, Taro and Nishi, who develop a friendship over a mutual interest, borderline obsession, of a uniquely styled house on their block. The themes of loneliness and isolation are subtle, and the story gracefully analyzes where the past comes at a crossroads with the present through the lens of architecture, humanity, society, and death. What does architecture or aesthetic say about us, and how it develops through time and society?
When the pieces of the book started coming together is when I started to realize how good this book actually is. Super slow to start off with, but the final 30-40 pages really took this to a higher gear for me. I'd probably enjoy this much more (even if the rating would be the same) when not in a slump.
Slow, quiet, and very ambiental/zen in tone, Spring Garden looks at two neighbors, Taro and Nishi, who develop a friendship over a mutual interest, borderline obsession, of a uniquely styled house on their block. The themes of loneliness and isolation are subtle, and the story gracefully analyzes where the past comes at a crossroads with the present through the lens of architecture, humanity, society, and death. What does architecture or aesthetic say about us, and how it develops through time and society?
When the pieces of the book started coming together is when I started to realize how good this book actually is. Super slow to start off with, but the final 30-40 pages really took this to a higher gear for me. I'd probably enjoy this much more (even if the rating would be the same) when not in a slump.
August 15, 2021
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#146
Kaip kiti svaigsta dėl Sabaliauskaitės, taip aš dėl japonų literatūros. Tokie trumpučiai tekstai dvelkia kažkokiu neišpasakytu melancholiškumu, kuriuo mėgaujiesi skaitydamas knygas. Ypač įpusėjus rugpjūčiui. Pasiimi į rankas šią ypatingai ploną romaną, pasidedi šalia puodelį kavos, įsitaisai kur nors verandoje užsiklojęs skaitymo užtiesalu ir pasineri su pagrindiniu herojumi Taro į svajingą ir neskubrią Tokyo gyventojo kasdienybę. Pamažu pradedi pažinti šalia gyvenančias kaimynes ir su viena iš jų pasineri į kelias valandas truksiantį nuotykį.
Skaitant nespastebi kaip vasaros saulė jau seniai nusileido už horizonto, o tu klausydamas svirpiančių pievoje žiogų, taip pasinėręs į Toro ir Niši kasdienį bendravimą, kad knygą baigi skaityti kai jau gerokai po vidurnakčio ir galvoji koks talentas yra šitaip sukurti tekstą.
Knygą tikrai rekomenduoju, nepamatysite kai perskaitysite neskubant per vieną prisėdimą.
www.facebook.com.miciausknygos
#146
Kaip kiti svaigsta dėl Sabaliauskaitės, taip aš dėl japonų literatūros. Tokie trumpučiai tekstai dvelkia kažkokiu neišpasakytu melancholiškumu, kuriuo mėgaujiesi skaitydamas knygas. Ypač įpusėjus rugpjūčiui. Pasiimi į rankas šią ypatingai ploną romaną, pasidedi šalia puodelį kavos, įsitaisai kur nors verandoje užsiklojęs skaitymo užtiesalu ir pasineri su pagrindiniu herojumi Taro į svajingą ir neskubrią Tokyo gyventojo kasdienybę. Pamažu pradedi pažinti šalia gyvenančias kaimynes ir su viena iš jų pasineri į kelias valandas truksiantį nuotykį.
Skaitant nespastebi kaip vasaros saulė jau seniai nusileido už horizonto, o tu klausydamas svirpiančių pievoje žiogų, taip pasinėręs į Toro ir Niši kasdienį bendravimą, kad knygą baigi skaityti kai jau gerokai po vidurnakčio ir galvoji koks talentas yra šitaip sukurti tekstą.
Knygą tikrai rekomenduoju, nepamatysite kai perskaitysite neskubant per vieną prisėdimą.
Read
May 27, 2023DNF
April 25, 2023
Like a Murakami protagonist, Taro is a divorced man in his thirties, mildly interested in the sometimes peculiar goings-on in his vicinity. Rumor has it that his Tokyo apartment complex will be torn down soon, but for now the PR manager is happy enough here. “Avoiding bother was Taro’s governing principle.” But bother comes to find him in the form of a neighbor, Nishi, who is obsessed with a nearby house that was the backdrop for the art book Spring Garden, a collection of photographs of a married couple’s life. Her enthusiasm gradually draws Taro into the depicted existence of the TV commercial director and actress who lived there 25 years ago, as well as the young family who live there now. This Akutagawa Prize winner failed to hold my interest – like The Guest Cat, it’s oddly preoccupied with architectural detail, a Japanese fascination that doesn’t translate so well.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
December 27, 2019
I did not get the point of this short novel (154 pp). There were two main characters Karo and Nishi, two adults, who both had a fixation of seeing the inside of a large blue house near where they lived. This was during a time the flats (apartment buildings) where they lived were being torn down for newer flats so eventually they would have to move out. I had no strong feelings positive or negative towards the protagonists. I was just waiting for something to “happen”. But if it did it went right over my head. I guess I will read the reviews of others and hope some light is shed on what I just read. I have a suspicion I missed something since it won a major literary prize in Japan in 2014 (Akutagawa).
January 13, 2019
All of the books I’ve read this year are really good but this one is special. It doesn’t really have a plot, it doesn’t have an adventure, a romance or some super deep hidden message. It’s just a novella about people living their every day life and paying attention.
It is also a story about grief, memories, friendship, cities and nature, but mainly about houses. Houses as living creatures that go to sleep when no one lives in them, houses as history books, houses as dreams.
It’s a great book about small things, which are the things I love the most. It was beautiful and I didn’t want it to end.
It is also a story about grief, memories, friendship, cities and nature, but mainly about houses. Houses as living creatures that go to sleep when no one lives in them, houses as history books, houses as dreams.
It’s a great book about small things, which are the things I love the most. It was beautiful and I didn’t want it to end.
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