Tree

byAya Koda, Charlotte Goff (Translator)

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‘Trees are not just living things, but feeling beings, like us. Better keep a watchful eye over them…’

Ezo spruce, hinoki, cherry blossoms. Persimmon, maple, cypress. The trees of Japan cast a spell on those who visit its landscape. But as a child, writer Aya Koda realized they were more than objects of beauty. Gifted a sapling by her father, she learned that we depend on trees as much as they do on us – and spent a lifetime trying to understand them.

Mesmerising and poignant, Tree is written in a Japanese genre called zuihitsu which means ‘following the brush’. Here we follow Aya Koda on a journey to discover Japan’s most remarkable trees. As she witnesses landslides and forests of falling ash, she encounters fresh saplings and ancient, ungovernable roots, learning how each tree contains its own unique story.

Now translated into English for the first time, Koda’s work echoes down the generations, reminding us that trees hold a mirror to who we are, and what we leave behind.

A whimsical masterpiece of acute observations … a gem
Literary Review

Aya Koda essays make me glad for every tree she visited— it’s a privilege to train our gaze on these specimen, alongside her, with the wisdom of a life lived, of years accumulated. To feel the strength of the roots that do not meet our eyes, the aliveness of the wood and its scent, the sorrow of a doomed forest. With Koda, we travel to landscapes where ash falls like light rain, where cherry blossoms bloom in abundance, where cedars stand sentinel in crumbling slopes. This book is pure arboreal pleasure, and will make you want to go outside and meet, truly meet, a tree
Aube Rey Lescure, author of River East, River West

About Aya Koda

Aya Koda (1904–1990) was an esteemed Japanese author and essayist of the twentieth century. The second daughter of Rohan Koda (1867–1947), a famous literary figure in Japan, she began writing after his death and became a prolific writer of novels, essays and short stories. Her novels Flowing and Her Brother were adapted into successful films, and Tree, which was published posthumously, featured prominently in the recent Oscar-nominated film Perfect Days. She was the recipient of numerous awards for her writing, including the Yomiuri Prize, the Japan Art Academy Prize and the Order of the Sacred Treasure.

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Details

Imprint: Penguin Classics
Published: 14/05/2026
ISBN: 9780241735510
Length: 208 pages
Dimensions: 180mm x 17mm x 112mm
Weight: 158g
Price: £11.99

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Tree

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A whimsical masterpiece of acute observations … a gem

Despite being born over a century ago, Aya Koda's prose remains remarkably fresh today. I believe this is because she never ceased to observe keenly, listen attentively, and think for herself: surely the most vital qualities for a writer and for any human being

Wise, frank and often funny, Koda's written stewardship of Japan's trees is utterly beguiling. Spruce, Cedar, Cherry, Cypress and more, all shimmer through the pages like leaves in rain. A book to return to, as Koda recommends we do with trees, in all seasons

Aya Koda’s writing is full of gentle yet piercing perspectives. To love trees, I believe, is to live well. This book gave me an opportunity to look at the world anew

Tantalising, inquisitive and personal. Tree transported me to fascinating Japanese landscapes: wild forests, remote islands, rugged mountains, and in each I was enchanted by the trees

About Aya Koda

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