The Passengers on the Hankyu Line

Hiro Arikawa, Allison Markin Powell

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Hardback

Forthcoming
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Japanese

Doubleday
03 June 2025

Fiction & Literature; Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945); Fiction in translation

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From the authentic and original healing fiction author of TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES comes a 1.4-million-copy bestseller - set in a famously scenic railway line in Japan, following key emotional dramas for five commuters.

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FEELGOOD JAPANESE NOVEL, BY THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES

Over 1.4 million copies sold in Japan

'You will be wrapped in laughter and tears' Reader review
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* 'What I love about it is its Kindness' Reader review
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* 'I wanted to tap the shoulders of the characters' Reader review
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The contents of each traveller's heart is a mystery known only to themselves

Trundling through the scenic countryside of Kyoto and Osaka is the Hankyu line, a burgundy-coloured electric train that has been carrying its commuters to their destinations for decades.

Over the course of a single journey in springtime, and the return journey six months later just as the leaves begin to fall-

- a young man meets the woman who happens to take out the last copy of the library book he was about to borrow; - an angry wedding guest dresses in a white gown to upstage the bride; - a university student leaves home for the first time; - a twenty-something finally grows the courage to walk away from an abusive partner - a widow learns independence, as she and her granddaughter meet their new dog.

As the seasons change and the landscapes change, passengers jostle and connect, as this gentle

timeless train carries each one forward towards the person they intend to become.

By: Hiro Arikawa
Translated by: Allison Markin Powell
Imprint: Doubleday
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 205mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 304g
ISBN: 9781529934915
ISBN 10: 1529934915
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 03 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Hiro Arikawa (Author) HIRO ARIKAWA is the multi-million-copy bestselling author of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES and THE GOODBYE CAT. Passing through a scenic mountainous region of Japan, the famous Hankyu line is a privately run railway that connects Osaka and Kyoto and is famous for its maroon-coloured vintage-style carriages. One of its much-visited stops is the city of Takarazuka, where the author of this book lives. Published twenty years ago, this enduring Japanese classic has sold 1.4 million copies and has been published worldwide.