THE INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLERDISCOVER YOUR NEXT FEELGOOD JAPANESE NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLESOver 1.4 million copies sold in JapanYou will be wrapped in laughter and tears Reader reviewWhat I love about it is its Kindness Reader reviewI wanted to tap the shoulders of the characters Reader reviewImagine Murder on the Orient Express without the untimely fatalities and youll be halfway towards this cosy and affecting read Harpers BazaarThe contents of each travellers heart is a mystery known only to themselvesTrundling through the scenic countryside of Kyoto and Osaka is the Hankyu line a burgundycoloured 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 twentysomething 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.