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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
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 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Critics Review
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A whimsical masterpiece of acute observations … a gem
Literary Review
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It takes a special aptitude to love living things. This was Aya Koda’s talent: her ability to remain uncrushed by the sorrow of inevitable endings, but to take a deep breath and keep her gaze fixed on the footprints they leave as they continue moving towards the future
Asako Yuzuki, best-selling author of Butter
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Despite being born over a century ago, Aya Koda's prose remains remarkably fresh today. I believe this is because she never ceased to observe keenly, listen attentively, and think for herself: surely the most vital qualities for a writer and for any human being
Hiromi Kawakami, author of Under the Eye of the Big Bird
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Wise, frank and often funny, Koda's written stewardship of Japan's trees is utterly beguiling. Spruce, Cedar, Cherry, Cypress and more, all shimmer through the pages like leaves in rain. A book to return to, as Koda recommends we do with trees, in all seasons
Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, author of The Grassling
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Aya Koda’s writing is full of gentle yet piercing perspectives. To love trees, I believe, is to live well. This book gave me an opportunity to look at the world anew
Takuma Takasaki, co-writer and producer of Perfect Days
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Aya Koda essays make me glad for every tree she visited— it’s a privilege to train our gaze on these specimen, alongside her, with the wisdom of a life lived, of years accumulated. To feel the strength of the roots that do not meet our eyes, the aliveness of the wood and its scent, the sorrow of a doomed forest. With Koda, we travel to landscapes where ash falls like light rain, where cherry blossoms bloom in abundance, where cedars stand sentinel in crumbling slopes. This book is pure arboreal pleasure, and will make you want to go outside and meet, truly meet, a tree
Aube Rey Lescure, author of River East, River West
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A wonderful book that was ahead of its time and is now timeless
Tristan Gooley, author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs
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Tantalising, inquisitive and personal. Tree transported me to fascinating Japanese landscapes: wild forests, remote islands, rugged mountains, and in each I was enchanted by the trees
Paul Wood, author of Tree Hunting
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Details
- Author
- Aya Koda
- Narrator
- Ela Lee
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Release Date
- 14 May 2026
- ISBN
- 9781837313723
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Trees, wildflowers and plants: general interest, Conservation of the environment, Classic travel writing, Essays
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.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 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
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