Japanese Author: Books Should Touch Hearts, Not Just Minds

When heartbreak strikes, sometimes the cure isn't found in advice or time, but tucked between the pages of a book on a dusty shelf. That's the message Japanese author Satoshi Yagisawa brought to The Hindu Lit For Life festival in India, where he made his first international appearance to crowds of devoted fans.

Yagisawa writes the charming Morisaki Bookshop series, which follows Takako as she heals from deep heartbreak while working in her uncle's secondhand bookstore in Tokyo's Jimbocho district. The books, translated by Eric Ozawa, have touched readers across continents with their gentle wisdom about finding yourself through literature.

"I was saved by books, and I also wanted to write books that would save people," Yagisawa told the audience. His journey from struggling young reader to celebrated author began with that simple desire to pass along the comfort books had given him during difficult times.

The author expressed genuine surprise at his warm reception in India. He never expected his stories about a small Japanese bookshop to resonate so deeply with readers halfway around the world.

Yagisawa shared a beautiful observation about secondhand books. When he finds underlined passages or margin notes from previous owners, he feels connected across time and space. You might never meet that person or know their name, but you understand exactly how they felt reading those same words.

Why This Inspires

In our knowledge-obsessed culture, Yagisawa offers refreshing permission to read differently. "We always need to be on the lookout for books that touch us deeply and affect our lives, not just the ones that give us knowledge but the books that leave a lasting impact on us," he said.

He compared being in bookstores and libraries to finding sanctuary. Even without reading, simply being surrounded by books makes him feel calm and saved. That peace drew him back again and again, eventually inspiring him to create the fictional Morisaki Bookshop as a healing space for his characters and readers alike.

The sequel to his first book almost didn't happen. His publisher requested it, and while the writing process felt tedious, Yagisawa ultimately felt glad he wrote it. The second book allowed readers to spend more time with beloved characters learning that life truly begins when we overcome heartbreak.

Though the Morisaki Bookshop doesn't physically exist, Jimbocho is filled with real secondhand bookstores where readers can experience that same magic. Yagisawa wants readers to feel his fictional shop could be tucked among them, filled with gems of older Japanese literature that speak to our shared humanity.

His message is simple but profound: the books worth seeking aren't always bestsellers or classics everyone discusses at dinner parties, but the quiet ones that change something deep inside you.