The Street of a Thousand Blossoms

I was surprised that another commentator preferred this to The Samurai's Garden. That book was only about a 3 star book to me but it was written 13 years before this book and it was her debut. I can see how she has grown and matured as a writer and she is at the top of her game right now. This book is absolutely superb. My Japanese husband also read it and loved it. Time and again we had to go to the internet to look up places and events depicted in the book. If you don't have a burning to desire to go to a Noh performance then you haven't read the book yet! I can't wait for her next book!

I won't find it necessary in my review to restate the content or the story line in Ms. Tsukiyama's novel but rather I would like to speak to the positive aspects of the story. First, I must say it is one of the most compelling and true to life stories I have read regarding the years before, during, and after the war. The style is also more than one could hope for in trying to understand unfamiliar words. Rather than having one refer to a glossary or footnote, which to me is time consuming and also annoying, she has followed Japanese words with an immediate translation. This is a quite unique approach and rather convenient. The fire bombing of Tokyo is as true to life as if the writer were there herself experiencing first hand the horror of that tragic event. I lived in Japan for a number of years and long before I read this novel a friend told me "those who ran in one direction died and those who ran in the other direction escaped death." I did not need Ms. Tsukiyama's book to learn that. I have just returned from two months in Japan so I am aware that one of the great yokozunas of the past is facing some legal issues. However, that matter is far removed from the story put forth in the novel. It is a novel and not a history book and one should keep that in mind when trying to grasp an understanding of Japanese life in those days and not attempt to equate it with modern day Japan. Just go over there and watch the robots playing Christmas music at the Toyota museum and you will understand what I mean. Ms. Tsukiyama has given us a story that can be enjoyed while at the same time giving us an understanding of Japanese society. Not many will find fault with this book and I believe that if they do it is because they have searched to find fault rather than enjoyment. Ms. Tsukiyama has written a novel from her heart and I have enjoyed it as I have all of her previous novels. Yet, I think she has exceeded the expectations of her admirers. I say thanks to Ms. Tsukiyama for giving us the hours of pleasure and I look forward to her next accomplishment. She is truly one of our best writers and five stars is not enough.

Gail Tsukiyama's "The Street of a Thousand Blossoms" centered around two brothers in pre World War II Japan, Hiroshi and Kenji who lived with their grandparents as their parents died when they were young. Hiroshi and Kenji were as different as night and day; Hiroshi, the stronger of the brothers was talented in sumo wrestling while Kenji's interests lie in the art of mask making for Noh actors. The author skillfully portrayed the intersection of their lives with others in this difficult period prior to the war. This was a wonderful read for me as the author was able to bring to life the different characters in this book. The characters were well-developed and she was able to display their complexities. It was also interesting to read about Japanese who were left behind while the men were involved in the wars abroad. For those interested in learning about the Japanese culture and history, this would be a great read too. Highly recommended.

I have enjoyed all of Gail Tsukiyama's books, and she did not disappoint me with this one. I felt as if it was not only thoroughly researched for period details (life in Japan during WW2) but also a moving story with vividly-drawn characters. Don't miss it if you would like to read a novel that is beautifully written, compelling, and poignant--with the added benefit of being a "page turner."

Gail Tsukiyama's latest novel is a gorgeously rendered work, steeped in politics and ancient Japanese tradition. Spanning three decades during World War II and beyond, this engrossing tale captures the lives of two ripped-apart Tokyo families as they struggle to make ends meet after losing nearly everything during the war. With fortitude and grace, Tsukiyama weaves a meditative story full of love and loss that will weigh on readers' consciences long after the last page is turned. Tsukiyama begins by immediately introducing readers to her main characters --- two young brothers, Hiroshi and Kenji, who lost their parents in a boating accident. Hiroshi, the older boy, is a visionary. Unlike Kenji, Hiroshi is both outgoing and strong. He commands respect from his peers and strives to bring greatness to his family. Kenji, on the other hand, is more subdued. A gentle spirit, he spends more time alone and in his head than with others, and prefers the quiet solitude of the mask shop down the street or his grandparents' garden. The two are a perfect pair, polar opposites yet fiercely devoted to each other and their grandparents, whom they live with in their parents' absence. Hiroshi and Kenji's home environment is a solid one, run by their wise ojichan (grandfather) and their obachan (grandmother). From the onset, it is clear that while the boys are without their natural guardians, they are not lacking in love and support. Despite being vastly different people, their grandparents' healthy and committed marriage is what keeps the family strong and provides an anchor for Hiroshi and Kenji as they mature and become young men. Unfortunately, the luxury of learning how to find their way in a peaceful, carefree world is disrupted by tragedy on a global scale. As World War II erupts onto the world stage, life becomes harder for Hiroshi and Kenji's family and their neighbors. The lack of food weighs on their grandparents, and the nagging interruption of air-raid sirens cloud their peace of mind. Then, when much of the town is destroyed in a firestorm, followed eventually by Japan's surrender, everyone must figure out how to pick up the pieces and start again. As Hiroshi and Kenji grow older, the effects of the war never quite leave them. Hiroshi embarks on a sumo wrestling career with utmost determination, while Kenji abandons his studies to follow his passion and continue the work of one of the greatest living Japanese mask makers, a man he had apprenticed as a child before the war. Although the death of their grandfather is a major emotional setback, his legacy is always close at hand, and the two (and their grandmother) work to rebuild their lives and prepare for a more positive future. Before long, Kenji falls in love with a beautiful woman, Mika, whom he eventually marries. Never far from his brother, Hiroshi --- now the top sumo wrestler in Japan --- captures the heart of Aki, a girl he knew during his childhood (their union is somewhat fated, as Hirosh