Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

What is it about?

A young woman develops a close and intimate relationship with her former teacher.

OK, but what is it really about?

Tsukiko is in her late 30s when she coincidentally meets her former Japanese teacher, Sensei, at a bar in Tokyo one night. She doesn’t remember him very well at first, and he only seems to recall that she wasn’t a particularly attentive student. Over a drink and some food, they engage in polite conversation and part ways again by the end of the night. But after their initial encounter, they meet again every so often at the bar, and genuinely begin to enjoy each other’s company – an antidote to their otherwise lonely lives. 

Is it any good?

After reading “My Dark Vanessa”, the premise of “teacher falls in love with student” let all the alarm bells ring in my head. But of course, Kawakami approaches the subject from a completely different angle. Her story is not about a teacher grooming his student. Tsukiko is an adult in her late 30s when she meets Sensei again, and their encounter is completely by chance. They are both aware that their relationship is unusual and struggle with this as well, sometimes going weeks or even months without seeing each other. But as they gradually spend more time together, the close bond between them grows naturally, although they often fall in the teacher-student rhythm in their conversations.

Kawakami doesn’t rush the story and lets her characters breathe. Both Tsukiko and Sensei are lonely, and in their loneliness make a connection – an unexpected connection, fragile at first, but quickly becoming a constant in their lives. As the story is told from Tsukiko’s perspective, we can see her internal struggle, always going back and forth between not wanting to meet Sensei at all anymore, and at other times being extremely jealous when she sees him talking to another teacher.

It’s a slow-paced story that still manages to draw the reader in; Kawakami handles this tale of finding love in solitude with tender care. As an added bonus, this edition of “Strange Weather in Tokyo” includes a companion story called “Parade” – it imagines an ordinary day in the lives of Tsukiko and Sensei as a couple, yet another fine example of  Kawakami’s distinct writing style.

Most memorable quote?

“Forcing myself to make conversation felt like standing on a cliff, peering over the edge, about to tumble down headfirst.” (Dear Tsukiko, I can relate! I read this sentence and felt so seen and understood!)

Conclusion? 

I have read some reviews on “Strange Weather in Tokyo” that called the book somewhat boring. While it’s true that the plot is simple and perhaps not particularly exciting, I enjoyed its quiet approach to the universal theme of love. The beauty of the novel is in the small and subtle details. In fact, many Japanese novels feel peculiar and strange at first, but if you open yourself up to the gentle flow and rhythm of Japanese literature, you will soon be swept away by the delicate writing – and Kawakami is undoubtedly a master of her art. 

PS: The author also does a remarkably fine job at describing delectable Japanese dishes. If you like Japanese food, get ready for some serious cravings.

AT A GLANCE

Title: Strange Weather in Tokyo

By: Hiromi Kawakami

Published by: Granta Books (2020 – first published in English in the UK in 2013)

Translated by: Allison Markin Powell

Pages: 224

Language: English