Before the hospital, we had often raised our hands towards each other as we’d gone through life together.
A man sits in a cafe, sipping a green juice and watching the world go by. A white butterfly flutters through the air; a calico cat jumps onto a wall; cherry blossom petals fall, softly, to the ground. Life, momentarily, stands still. Our unnamed narrator is preparing to visit his terminally ill wife in hospital.
A prize-winning bestseller in Japan, Beautiful Distance is a profoundly affecting and intimate story that looks with honesty and tenderness at the journey towards the end of a life. It explores what family means, how we think about death, and the power of quiet acts of love.
‘Beautiful Distance is a gem of a book – tender, devastating, and beautifully written, it speaks of the experience of caring and love in their purest forms, in a way that touched me deeply. It will stay with me for a long time.’ Cecile Pin
‘Quietly moving, sad, surprising . . . it all felt so true to life.’ Sharlene Teo
Delivery options
This book will be released on 9th April 2026
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Latest UK Delivery Estimates
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