Durian Sukegawa

'I'm in story heaven with this book.' Cecelia Ahern, author of P.S. I Love You Sentaro has failed. He has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste. But everything is about to change. Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. She begins to teach him her craft, but as their friendship flourishes, social pressures become impossible to escape and Tokue’s dark secret is revealed, with devastating consequences. Sweet Bean Paste is a moving novel about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship. Translated into English for the first time, Durian Sukegawa’s beautiful prose is capturing hearts all over the world.

Sweet Bean Paste

Sentaro has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past

sofia mae

'All experience adds up to a life lived as only you could.'

"It's my belief that everything in this world has its own language. We have the ability to open up our ears and minds to anything and everything."

“You have to do it properly or else all the trouble you've gone to this far will be wasted.”

we were born in order to see and listen to the world.

jungmi

I know you may not be able to hear anything now, even if you try, but please don't give up. I fee sure that one day you will find whatever it is you seek, and that the spark that leads to it will come from hearing some kind of voice. People's lives never stay the same colour forever. There are times when the colour of life changes completely.

🏹

In the midst of darkness and a struggle we had no hope of winning, I held on to this one thing – the fact of our humanity – and I was proud of it.

I realized that no matter how much we lost, or however badly we were treated, the fact is we are still human. All we can do is keep on going with our lives, even if we lose limbs, because this is not a fatal illness.

People’s lives never stay the same colour forever. There are times when the colour of life changes completely.

I know you may not be able to hear anything now, even if you try, but please don’t give up. I feel sure that one day you will find whatever it is you seek, and that the spark that leads to it will come from hearing some kind of voice.

I pay attention to the language of things in this world that don’t use words. … It’s my belief that everything in this world has its own language.

aywen

Then next thing, I thought I heard a voice that sounded very much like the moon whispering to me. It said: I wanted you to see me. That’s why I shine like this. From then on I began to see everything differently. If I were not here, this full moon would not be here. Neither would the trees. Or the wind. If my view of the world disappears, then everything that I see disappears too. It’s as simple as that.

And then I thought, what if this didn’t apply to just me, what if there were no other human beings in this world? What about all the different forms of life that have the ability to be aware of the presence of others – what would happen if none of them existed either? The answer is that this world in all its infinity would disappear. You might think I’m deluded, but this idea changed me. I began to understand that we were born in order to see and listen to the world. And that’s all this world wants of us. It doesn’t matter that I was never a teacher or a member of the workforce, my life had meaning.

Anca B

And then I thought, what if this didn't apply to just me, what if there were no other human beings in this world? What about all the different forms of life that have the ability to be aware of the pres- ence of others- what would happen if none of them existed either? The answer is that this world in all its infinity would disappear. You might think I'm deluded, but this idea changed me. I began to understand that we were born in order to see and listen to the world. And that's all this world wants of us. It doesn't matter that I was never a teacher or a member of the workforce, my life had meaning.

NENEK TOKUE. KENAPA BIKIN AKU SEDIH BANGET. HUE. T_T

ℛ.

"Dialah yang sudah berjuang sekuat tenaga."

Pepohonan berganti dengan semak-semak dan jalan setapak berhenti di situ.

Di sana ada rerumputan yang dipangkas rapi dan menara yang menjulang.

Amalie Elisabeth

If my view of world disappears, then everything that I see disappears too. It's as simple as that.

When I hear stars whispering at night I feel part of the eternal flow of time.

In the midst of darkness and a struggle we had no hope of winning, I held on to this one thing - the fact of our humanity - and I was proud of it.

One thing I can do in Tenshoen is sniff the wind and listen to the murmur of the trees. I pay attention to the language of things in this world that don't use words. That's what I call Listening, and I've been doing it for sixty years now.

Tiny flowers on the side of the path quivered in the breeze. This could be a beautiful woodland scene anywhere, thought Sentaro.

It felt to Sentaro as if the singular silence rose from the very earth beneath their feet, steeped as it was in sighs and regrets.

Sunshine filtering through the trees dappled the ground outside the building. In the silence of shadows and light, the stillness was palpable.

Klara Hansen 

Cassandra Tang

Maybe Tokue’s words will meet me decades later. And it will all make sense then. I also want to eat fresh dorayaki with sweet bean paste. 

Alyanna

the pace was incredibly slow. Maybe because it's translated, the English version sounds really monotonous. Overall, it was difficult to stay in the book and it felt five times longer than it actually was.

Hill

It's a beautiful story, but...

the pace was incredibly slow. Maybe because it's translated, the English version sounds really monotonous. Overall, it was difficult to stay in the book and it felt five times longer than it actually was.

i love how food brings people together. love is stored in food !!!!!

Listen to your craft. Be kind to everyone. It's an unlikely friendship formed among an old lady, an ex-convict, and a high school student. Three different generations, three different backgrounds, one shared space.

Naomi P

was in a book slump when i pucked this up and it got me outta it such a good slice of life book its so peaceful??? and i loved it 

Maureen

"The only way to get over barriers, ... is to live in the spirit of already being over them."

***

5 stars for this heartwarming read! This has been on my TBR list for the longest time, and I've heard nothing but good reviews. Glad it didn't disappoint. The premise is simple, but its characters are what make the story golden. 'Til I read this book, I was unaware of the Hansen's disease in Japan and how those affected faced decades of discrimination and pain. The takeaway in the end was lovely too.

This was honestly a really lovely story. It took me a while to get into it properly, because it’s written in a way that I can’t explain with any other word than “passive”. 

Building a relationship with the characters I found difficult at first, but as the story progressed, you really get to feel for them. 

This story has taught me so much. It taught me a newfound appreciation for life, for the little things that we all should pay more attention to. It taught me to look at people from a more deep perspective, and how easy it is to judge people sometimes before you even get to know them. 

The struggles of the characters, especially Tokue, are portrayed very well. The trajectory of her life is honestly heartbreaking - but you really get to feel for her, and consider your own opinions on different groups of people more clearly. 

A genuinely touching read.

Gelaine Trinidad

Andrea Morales

3.5 ☆‘s
so so so sweet, me encantó el mensaje de Tokue: we all have purpose, even if it’s just to listen to the earth and find magic in everything.

I honestly loved this book, and the symbolism of Tokue shown in the bird. How they both crave the freedom of the open world. It was a sad but fulfilling ending.

gracie

mayfly

3.75! This book is mostly warm, sometimes sad, and fairly hopeful. 

There’s this particular fondess I have for slice-of-life narratives and Sweet Bean Paste (almost) perfectly captures the mundanity of life. I liked the extremely vivid descriptions of the process of making dorayaki. 

In the beginning, I felt that there is lack of connection with Sentaro and the reader; it was only in the second half of the book that we get some insight of his character.

I also liked that in the middle, it started discussing about the stigma related to lepers and how the world could be so cruel to them. It was sad reading about their isolation and disconnect from society. I cannot help but make comparisons with life at Culion.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this book.

isabelle

Felt like a warm hug and then it stabs you in the back.

This is a nice easy read. at times the dialogue felt off due to translation; it can be awkward to read at times. but over all the style of writing reminded me greatly of The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa. 

amari

sani

i DID not expect this seemingly cozy book to tear me up so bad. best read of february so far. 

“If I were not here, this full moon would not be here. Neither would the trees. Or the wind. If my view of the world disappears, then everything that I see disappears too. It’s as simple as that. I began to understand that we were born in order to see and listen to the world. And that’s all this world wants of us. It doesn’t matter that I was never a teacher or a member of the workforce, my life had meaning.”

social stigmas are actually so dangerous, i was aware, but this book changed the meaning for me. the way poor Toku had to suffer. 

there was something so magical about this book, sad but magical. you cannot help but want to read it more and more no matter how gruelling it is. 

i imagine Toku looking at Sentaru and Wakana from up above because that's how she is, a cherishing angel who suffered all of her life because of the social stigmas regarding the Hansen's disease.

may we always listen to the whispers of the world

Lettuce Wrapped Cabbage Cat

Ren 

a bittersweet tale that perfectly depicts just how unforgiving society is. despite that, some people choose to continue on living by appreciating the little things— the chirping birds, the gust of the wind, the cherry blossom petals, the adzuki beans. fate interwoven Sentaro's path to Tokue that spring, and through her he learned about warmth and acceptance, the joy of living life and its mundanity.

so sweet and heartwarming. i want to eat dorayaki now

amelo

i want to read this again while eating a warm dorayaki

kate 

A tender and deeply romantic exploration of life through the eyes of Tokue, a woman who has lived much of her life burdened by illness. Her resilience is a testament to the power of hope and perspective, showing that a meaningful life is not defined by the suffering we endure but by the choices we make in how we face it. Tokue’s refusal to succumb to self-pity, despite the challenges she has faced, is inspiring. She embodies the belief that life is about more than just the trials we face; it’s about the strength we find in choosing how to approach those challenges. The beautiful descriptions of the changing seasons, particularly the imagery of cherry blossoms; these small but meaningful details serve as a reminder to pay attention to the world around us, just as Tokue does. The cyclical nature of life and the natural world mirror the story’s central theme—that life is a balance of joy and pain, and both are essential to a life fully lived. 

Captivating book, evoking bittersweet emotions. It teaches us that everything has a language of its own & how we ought to be sensitive to them.

Sweet Bean Paste

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