The Passengers on the Hankyu Line

THE INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
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***** 
'What I love about it is its Kindness' Reader review***** 
'I wanted to tap the shoulders of the characters' Reader review***** 
‘Imagine Murder on the Orient Express without the untimely fatalities and you'll be halfway towards this cosy and affecting read' Harper's Bazaar 
_________ 
 
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 discuss their new dog. 
 
As the seasons and the landscapes change, passengers jostle and connect, as this timeless train carries each one forward towards the person they intend to become.

Imagine Murder on the Orient Express without the untimely fatalities and you'll be halfway towards this cosy and affecting read about the intersecting lives of five passengers on a Japanese commuter train.

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.

The uplifting tale of wise cats and their humans by the global bestselling author of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES

The Goodbye Cat

The uplifting new cat novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles 
 
'Quirky and life-enhancing' THE TIMES Biggest Books of the Autumn 
_____________________ 
Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. 
 
- A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby 
- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever 
- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way 
- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father 
- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night 
 
Bursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. 
 
A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. 
 
'A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans' CELIA HADDON, author of Being Your Cat 
 
**Includes seven beautiful cat drawings** 
_____________________ 
READERS ADORE THE GOODBYE CAT 
 
- 'Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness' ***** 
- 'Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book' *****

Full of warmth, wit and feline wisdom, this is a delight for all animal fans. But for cat lovers it&rsquo;ll be sheer purr-fection

Arikawa&rsquo;s writing is light and good-humored even when it deals with serious subjects like parenthood and death.

The uplifting new cat novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles 
 
'Quirky and life-enhancing' THE TIMES Biggest Books of the Autumn 
_____________________ 
Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. 
 
- A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby 
- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever 
- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way 
- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father 
- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night 
 
Bursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. 
 
A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. 
 
'A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans' CELIA HADDON, author of Being Your Cat 
 
**Includes seven beautiful cat drawings** 
_____________________ 
READERS ADORE THE GOODBYE CAT 
 
- 'Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness' ***** 
- 'Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book' ***** 
- 'I'm glad I didn't read it outside because I couldn't stop crying. Truly life-enhancing' *****

The uplifting million-copy bestselling Japanese translated story

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

THE SENSATIONAL MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER: a tender, feelgood story of a journey around Japan with a streetcat. Translated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami.

Anyone who has ever unashamedly loved an animal will read this book with gratitude, for its understanding of an emotion that ennobles us as human beings, whether we value it or not

Fleet, funny and tender... Arikawa clearly knows cats as well as any human can.

It has the warmth, painterly touch, and tenderness of a Studio Ghibli film - and it is a delight to read

Bewitching… as self-possessed and comforting as – well, a cat

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is delightful. Like a tender feline companion the uniqueness of this book is its subtle yet persistent charm that insinuates itself into your heart long after the encounter has ended.

A book about kindness and love, and about how the smallest things can provide happiness

Arikawa has a lightness of touch that elevates this to a tale about loyalty and friendship ... while speaking to our basic human need for companionship

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is why I read books. This beautiful story has everything. It's funny, heart-warming, heart-breaking and kind.

Prepare to have your heart strings tugged by this quirky tale . . . It's a deceptively gentle story that you won't need to be a cat lover to fall for.

Sweet, sad and lovely, this is a roadtrip novel with a difference

This is the book I am giving everyone . . . the book I am recommending to anyone buying something Japan-related or cat-related, and, quite possibly, the book I am placing in someone's hand when they ask me what my favourite book is. For a bookseller, that is the highest accolade a book can ever receive

This story of a cat, a man, self-sacrifice and friendship will have you totally captivated ... An addictive tale of friendship and love.

i found myself sobbing ... unable, unwilling to let this joyful little book go

Stunningly beautiful. Tender, warm, sad and uplifting

I would urge people not to dismiss this as a 'cat book'; it is too much about human interaction and relationships to be so simply defined. A novel with wide appeal. I predict it will make a popular Christmas gift.

I'm not ashamed to say it had me at meow.

A book that stands out within the world of cat literature ... and it's a world worth exploring.

I found myself sobbing ... unable, unwilling, to let this little book go.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is as much a loving tribute to Japan’s obsession with and reverence for cats as it is an endearing introduction for non-Japanese readers to the country’s ever-fascinating culture and deeply rooted traditions.

A book that speaks volumes about our need for connection - human, feline or otherwise.

This touching novel of a brave cat and his gentle, wise human will resonate with lovers of animal tales, quiet stories of friendship, and travelogues alike.

Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged by this quirky tale

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. 
 
Philip Gabriel (Translator) 
Philip Gabriel is the author of Mad Wives and Island Dreams: Shimao Toshio and the Margins of Japanese Literature and Spirit Matters: The Transcendent in Modern Japanese Literature and has translated many novels and short stories by the writer Haruki Murakami and other modern writers. He is recipient of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature (2001) for his translation of Senji Kuroi’s Life in the Cul-de-Sac, and the 2006 PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for his translation of Murakami's Kafka on the Shore.

THE PERFECT CURL-UP READ FOR CAT LOVERS 
 
'Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
 
'A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness' STYLIST 
___ 
 
It's not the journey that counts, but who's at your side. 
 
Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. 
 
Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn't know why and Satoru won't say. 
 
Set against the backdrop of Japan's changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana's story explores the wonder and thrill of life's unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. 
 
At the heart of this book is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives. 
___ 
 
Readers love THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES: 
 
'Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour' 5 stars ***** 
'Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure' 5 stars ***** 
'It had me in floods of tears but filled me with hope too' 5 stars *****

Hiro Arikawa

Philip Gabriel

**YOUR NEXT PERFECT GIFT** 
 
Discover the fabulous new double volume hardback gifting edition containing two bestsellers by Hiro Arikawa: The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Goodbye Cat. 
 
This edition includes extra sparkle and elegance, with brand new front-cover illustrations, full-colour inside endpapers and sprayed edges 
 
‘Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 
‘A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness’ STYLIST 
‘Quirky and life-enhancing’ THE TIMES 
___ 
 
Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, The Travelling Cat Chronicles explores the wonder and thrill of life's unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. 
 
In The Goodbye Cat, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. Bursting with empathy and love, it explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. 
 
Both huge bestsellers in Japan, at the heart of these books is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. Every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. 
 
___ 
 
Readers adore THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES and THE GOODBYE CAT: 
 
‘Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour’ 5 stars ***** 
‘Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure’ 5 stars ***** 
‘It had me in floods of tears yet filled me with hope too’ 5 stars ***** 
‘Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness’ ***** 
‘Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book’ ***** 
‘I’m glad I didn't read it outside because I couldn't stop crying. Truly life-enhancing’ *****

Hiro Arikawa

Books by Hiro Arikawa

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