Book Review: “Tokyo Ueno Station” by Miri Yu

“Tokyo Ueno Station” by Miri Yu (2020)

Genre: Contemporary, Japanese Literature, Fiction

Page Length: 180 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

Born in Fukushima in 1933, the same year as the Emperor, Kazu’s life is tied by a series of coincidences to Japan’s Imperial family and to one particular spot in Tokyo; the park near Ueno Station – the same place his unquiet spirit now haunts in death. It is here that Kazu’s life in Tokyo began, as a labourer in the run up to the 1964 Olympics, and later where he ended his days, living in the park’s vast homeless ‘villages’, traumatised by the destruction of the 2011 tsunami and enraged by the announcement of the 2020 Olympics.

Akutagawa-award-winning author Yū Miri uses her outsider’s perspective as a Zainichi (Korean-Japanese) writer to craft a novel of utmost importance to this moment, a powerful rebuke to the Imperial system and a sensitive, deeply felt depiction of the lives of Japan’s most vulnerable people. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Tokyo Ueno Station is a story set in modern Japan. The narrator, Kazu, is a homeless ghost and takes readers through his story as he reflects on his past and his current surroundings at Ueno station.

This was a sad and heartbreaking book to read. Kazu has so many regrets and has suffered a lot in his life due to living in poverty. He has always struggled to make ends meet for his family and in doing so he didn’t get to spend much time with them (when he was alive). His life comes back full circle as he is still living a life of poverty even in his afterlife. Kazu also talks about the stereotypes of homeless people, social outcasts, and the working poor. The most important message (of the book) is that he shares is that everyone has a story.

Before, we had families. We had houses. Nobody starts off life in a hovel made of cardboard and tarps, and nobody becomes homeless because they want to be. One thing happens, then another.

I felt that even though this is a quiet novel that it was still powerful. It’s a novel set in one location but through Kazu we are able to travel via his memories, reflection, and snippets of conversations he overhears. Overall I got the sense it was a novel about observations and bringing awareness to social issues. It also is a story about prejudice, taking small things for granted, and the process of grief.

This is such an emotional book. Its very short but the story moves slowly. I felt for me I needed more action to propel the story forward and most of that comes towards the end of the book. It does make you reflect on on how you treat others and cherishing the people in your life. I was a bit confused by the story at times but I appreciated the small details such as the variety of people the residing near Ueno Station, how the seasons changed, and how the five senses were expressed through the narrative.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.