Abstract

A woman in her late 30s who misses the last train, a young man hurrying to his critically ill mother, a pro baseball player on the brink of his career’s end—taxi drivers quietly accompany their passengers through these moments of life.

This latest entry follows Natsuko Takama and her colleagues at To-Ō Taxi, who take pride in their work and forge meaningful human connections through sincerity and care.

Author’s Information

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1968. He won the 86th All Yomimono Newcomer's Prize in 2006 for "Ura e Hashiri Kerikome" (Run to the Back and Kick It In). In 2008, he made his book-length debut with the novel ROCKER (Poplar Publishing), which received the Excellence Award at the Poplar Publishing Novel Awards.

He garnered immense acclaim in 2019 when his novel Hito (A Person / Shodensha) won second place at the prestigious Japan Booksellers' Award. He has since published a vast number of works across major Japanese publishing houses.

Selected Works:
The Mitsuba no Yubinyasan (The Postman of Mitsuba) series (Poplar Publishing)
Jinsei wa Namimori de (Life in a Regular Portion) (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha)
Machi (Town) and Ie (House) (Shodensha)
Honjitsu mo Kyokan Nari (An Instructor Again Today) and Residence (KADOKAWA)
Kisekishu (Collection of Miracles) (Shueisha)
Mini Theater no Rokunin (Six People at the Mini Theater) (Shogakukan)
Tonimokakunimo Gohan (Anyway, Let's Eat) and En (Ties/Fate) (Kodansha)
Yoru no Soba ni Tatsu (Standing Beside the Night) and Kon'ya (Tonight) (Shinchosha)
Katamizato Arakawa Connection (Gentosha)