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Ithaka Press to publish ‘beautiful’ new novel from Genki Kawamura

Ithaka Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, will publish One Hundred Flowers by Genki Kawamura, a beautiful novel about the preciousness of every moment and the healing power of letting go, from the author of the two million copy bestseller If Cats Disappeared from the World. The book will be translated from Japanese into English by Cathy Hirano.

Sarah Braybrooke, publishing director at Ithaka Press, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Neil Gudovitz at Gudovitz & Company Literary Agency.

Yuriko leads a quiet, orderly life as a piano teacher. It’s New Year’s Eve and her grown-up son Izumi comes to visit. Yuriko makes him his favourite meal: omelette and hayashi rice. Together, they look like a normal family. But Yuriko has a secret. Many years earlier, when Izumi was a boy, Yuriko suddenly disappeared for an entire year. She returned, but the lost year was never discussed.

Now as Yuriko begins to lose her memory, Izumi is forced to race against time as he seeks the truth behind this long-buried mystery. One Hundred Flowers is a story about the preciousness of every moment, the beauty and pain of family love, and the healing power of letting go.

Genki Kawamura said: “Eight years ago, I went back to my parents’ house in Yokohama for the New Year.  My mother had told me, “Your Grandma isn’t feeling very well recently.” We went to her house and my grandmother opened the door. I was relieved to see her smiling, looking healthy. However, there was something strange about her smile. It was like that of a little girl.

“Why don’t you have some tea?” she said. After wandering around the kitchen for a while the kettle was on the stove, my grandmother came back with a teacup. “Is school over for today? You’re home early.” I didn’t answer, as I was then over 35 years old.  

This incident was the inspiration for my new novel, One Hundred Flowers  It’s a story about a mother who is losing her memories. As her son faces his mother, he begins to remember things he had forgotten himself.

I am delighted that this novel is being published in the UK, a country that my grandmother loved. She was a great fan of Agatha Christie’s novels and had a British-style garden in front of her house. I would very much like to report the UK publication of One Hundred Flowers to her in heaven.”

Sarah Braybrooke said: “With its themes of memory, family secrets, and learning to let the ones we love go, I was deeply moved by Kawamura’s new book. Simultaneously uplifting and poignant, it is a beautiful story about learning to see our parents for who they are, and treasuring the preciousness of every moment.”


Genki Kawamura’s debut novel, If Cats Disappeared from the World was published in 25 languages and has sold over two million copies worldwide. In addition to being a bestselling novelist Kawamura is also a filmmaker, and in 2022 he won the prestigious Best Director Award at the 70th annual San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain for the film adaptation of One Hundred Flowers.

Cathy Hirano is a literary translator based in Shikoku, Japan. She translated Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and works by many other Japanese authors, including Kazumi Yumoto and Nahoko Uehashi.

One Hundred Flowers will be published in hardback in March 2025.