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‘A whimsical masterpiece of acute observations … a gem’ Literary Review

An immersive journey through trees in Japan by celebrated writer Aya Koda – now available in English for the first time

‘Trees are not just living things, but feeling beings, like us. Better keep a watchful eye over them…’

Ezo spruce, hinoki, cherry blossoms. Persimmon, maple, cypress. The trees of Japan cast a spell on those who visit its landscape. But as a child, writer Aya Koda realized they were more than objects of beauty. Gifted a sapling by her father, she learned that we depend on trees as much as they do on us – and spent a lifetime trying to understand them.

Mesmerising and poignant, Tree is written in a Japanese genre called zuihitsu which means ‘following the brush’. Here we follow Aya Koda on a journey to discover Japan’s most remarkable trees. As she witnesses landslides and forests of falling ash, she encounters fresh saplings and ancient, ungovernable roots, learning how each tree contains its own unique story.

Now translated into English for the first time, Koda’s work echoes down the generations, reminding us that trees hold a mirror to who we are, and what we leave behind.

Aya Koda (1904–1990) was an esteemed Japanese author and essayist of the twentieth century. The second daughter of Rohan Koda (1867–1947), a famous literary figure in Japan, she began writing after his death and became a prolific writer of novels, essays and short stories. Her novels Flowing and Her Brother were adapted into successful films, and Tree, which was published posthumously, featured prominently in the recent Oscar-nominated film Perfect Days. She was the recipient of numerous awards for her writing, including the Yomiuri Prize, the Japan Art Academy Prize and the Order of the Sacred Treasure.