Set in the early hours of the morning in and around Tokyo, this ingeniously constructed English language debut is an energetic fresco of nocturnal existence. Hailed as a mélange of Agatha Christie, Teju Cole, and Hieronymus Bosch, Goodnight Tokyo is a compelling reflection on human relationships in modern-day metropolises at the intersection of isolation and intimacy. 

Matsui is the driver of a taxi the colour of the night sky. Every night between the hours of 1 am and 4.30 am, when Tokyo’s eccentrics and insomniacs emerge, he guides his taxi around the streets of Tokyo, collecting passengers and their stories. 

Yoshida’s novel offers readers a unique and intimate take on Tokyo as seen through the eyes of a large cast of colourful characters whose lives are mysteriously but intricately interconnected and whose fates converge against the backdrop of the city’s neon-lit streets and night-time alleys.  

Review

"The timeless quality of Tokyo in the wee small hours is evoked as taxi driver Matsui encounters eccentrics and insomniacs alike . . . rewards are plentiful.” ― Financial Times

“A bewitching nocturnal portrait of a mysterious, eerie and surreal Tokyo.”

― Literary Review

“This short novel is the perfect introduction if you’ve not encountered the world of Japanese fiction.” ― Buzz Magazine

"Dream-like and elegant... These tales are compelling. All life is here, and Yoshida's writing is a perfect lens to see into the dark recesses of the heart."

― CrimeTime FM

“There is a whimsicality to this playful novel that vanishes in the harsh light of day.” ― Irish Times

About the Author

Born in Tokyo in 1962, Atsuhiro Yoshida is an award-winning book designer and renowned author of over forty books. Also translated into French, German, and Italian, Goodnight Tokyo is Yoshida's English-language debut.

Haydn Trowell is a literary translator who specializes in contemporary Japanese fiction, and the translator of Maki Kashimada's Akutagawa Prize-winning novel Touring the Land of the Dead (Europa, 2021). He holds a doctorate in translation studies and literary stylistics from Monash University, Australia.