Welcome to Sakura Stories’ Book Recommendation

A new year often brings with it a sense of fresh starts and renewed motivation — and if you’re a book lover like us, you might already have a few reading goals in mind for the months ahead. To help spark inspiration for your next read, we’ll be sharing some of our favourite books from time to time, each one chosen around a theme or feeling we’d love to explore together.

To start, for anyone in need of a little encouragement or a gentle push forward, we’d love to introduce:

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

by Michiko Aoyama (Translated by Alison Watts)

What are you looking for? That’s the question posed by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. She has a special gift — an ability to sense exactly what each visitor to her library needs, and to offer them the perfect book to help them take their next step.

Told through five interconnected short stories, this quietly moving novel introduces us to a cast of characters at different crossroads in their lives — from a retail assistant feeling stuck, to a working mother balancing career and family, to others navigating dreams they’ve long put on hold.

At the heart of each story is Komachi herself, the warm and perceptive librarian of the Community House Library, whose thoughtful book recommendations gently guide her visitors toward new perspectives and possibilities.

A Favourite Quote

In a moment of self-doubt, one visitor confides in Komachi:

“But the more I say ‘one day,’ the more I feel like it might only ever be a dream.” — Ryo, p. 61

Komachi replies with quiet reassurance:

“As long as you continue to say the words ‘one day,’ the dream is not over.” — Sayuri Komachi, p. 61

Every reader has likely felt that quiet uncertainty about the future — wondering if their dreams are possible, or if they’ll always stay just out of reach. This gentle, heartwarming novel celebrates the quiet magic of libraries and the transformative power of books. It reminds us that dreams don’t have to stay dreams — they can guide us, inspire us, and help us move forward.

A comforting, inspiring read that lingers long after the last page.

By Aoi Homma