Will I love Sweet Bean Paste?

This is a book by one of my favorite contemporary Japanese writers.

Sweet Bean Paste is both charming and horrifying. The main character with a criminal past tries to turn his life around by working at a confectionary stall selling sweet pancakes to passersby. At this stall he meets an elderly woman with warped hands.

Through her we learn of the horrors of how leprosy patients used to be treated. It’s an enlightening and, yes, sweet tale and shows that the young have much to learn from those who came before them.

The themes of this book in my opinion are about focusing on the little things in life. What is important to us and how do we make the most of the time we have? This heartwarming story of two unsuspecting friends pack in a big punch and gave me lots to think about upon completion. This is one of the most emotional stories I have read set in Japan and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see a darker spin on the daily lives of those living in Tokyo.