Kokoro

One of the best-loved novels in Japan, with millions of copies sold: a modern classic about love, loneliness and profound social change.

Left alone in the seaside town of Kamakura, a young student is drawn to an enigmatic older man who swims at the same beach. He makes the man’s acquaintance, and soon comes to call him Sensei.

As their friendship grows, the student becomes more and more intrigued by the secrets that haunt Sensei, and by the mysteries of a past that have compromised his present. Against the backdrop of the end of the Meiji era and the rapid modernisation of Japanese life, their bond endures despite the distance Sensei keeps – until one day the young man receives a letter that reveals the full story.

Kokoro is a profound yet intimate picture of a changing Japan, and a timeless meditation on love, honour and friendship.