"In its love of the physical, sensual details of living, its emotional directness, and above all in the passion for food, this is somewhat reminiscent of Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen." --INDEPENDENT, (UK)

"Simply and earnestly told, this is a profound exploration of human connection and the ways love can be found in surprising new places." --BuzzFeed

"Each chapter of the book is like a haiku, incorporating seasonal references to the moon, mushroom picking and cherry blossoms. The chapters are whimsical and often melancholy, but humor is never far away.... It is a celebration of friendship, the ordinary and individuality and a rumination on intimacy, love and loneliness. I cannot recommend Strange Weather in Tokyo enough, which is also a testament to the translator who has skillfully retained the poetry and beauty of the original." --The Japan Society

"Strange Weather in Tokyo is a tender love story that drifts with the lightness of a leaf on a stream. Subtle and touching, this is a novel about loneliness, assuaged by an unlikely romance, and brought to life by one of Japan's most engaging contemporary writers." --Readings (Australia)

"I'm hooked on [this] sentimental novel about the friendship, formed over late nights at a sake bar, between a Tokyo woman in her late thirties and her old high school teacher . . . I can only imagine what wizardry must have gone into Allison Markin Powell's translation." --Lorin Stein, The Paris Review Daily

"A sweet and poignant story of love and loneliness . . . A beautiful introductory book to Kawakami's distinct style." --Book Riot

"In quiet, nature-infused prose that stresses both characters' solitude, Kawakami subtly captures the cyclic patterns of loneliness while weighing the definition of love." --Booklist

"I love this book and its characters so much. It's the best." --Bryan Washington, author of Lot

"A dream-like spell of a novel, full of humor, sadness, warmth and tremendous subtlety. I read this in one sitting and I think it will haunt me for a long time." --Amy Sackville