I read this courtesy Berkley and NetGalley. Vignettes of passengers on a train line, their lives, and how they occasionally interact. This lovely book reminded me a lot of The Bridge on San Luis Rey and Canterbury Tales, and the characters are distinctive and made me want to tag along in their lives. The couple who meet first at the library when she takes out a book he was reaching for, and then they meet again on the train; a stunning woman wearing a bridal dress board the train, but she is alone; a young woman who’s finally getting the courage to leave her bully of a boyfriend; a grandmother considers adopting a dog with her granddaughter (and why she’s only deciding now), and others. This book made me want to sit on a train station and people watch, dreaming about their lives.
#ThePassengersontheHankyuLine #Berkley #NetGalley

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of The Passengers on the Hankyo Line by Hiro Arkiawa.

I was attracted to this book because I’m in the middle of planning a trip to Japan and love the insight into the culture and people I can gain by reading a novel that was originally written in Japanese and published in Japan. The book cleverly uses the device of a small commuter train line to connect the lives of several otherwise unrelated characters.

We meet the characters all traveling in one direction and 6 months later, meet them again traveling in the opposite direction. Each of their lives has changed. It’s a delightful, quiet book about mostly likable characters living their lives and making life decisions. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I did struggle at times with the translation. It sometimes got wordy and overly descriptive when discussing certain characters thoughts and motivations. I think this was due to the differences between Japanese and Western norms, but this could be smoothed over for a cleaner reading experience.

I’m rounding this one up from 3 1/2 to 4 stars.

This was a quirky and cute Japanese story. It was a quick and easy read. I found it a bit hard to follow and get into. The characters were often unnamed or referred to with only subtle references so it was hard to follow the story lines and connect with the characters. I would have preferred if each story line was fully developed in its own section, rather than broken up and interwoven with the other story lines throughout the book.

Along Japan's Hankyu Line, we're introduced to a number of characters from various backgrounds, in different stages of their life. The Passengers on the Hankyu Line shares their interactions with one another (oftentimes as complete strangers passing through on a train or in a train station) and demonstrates how seemingly simple acts or words can have profound impacts on others. This was exactly the kind of gentle, feel-good book I needed to remind myself of the importance of kindness when things feel overwhelming and dark. While there's certainly some insight into Japanese society and cultural norms throughout the book, the relationships and the ways in which we can be generous with others are universal. 4.5/5

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the e-arc translation.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it’s released! I really had a good time read The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa! Each character stayed with me through each chapter! It was a very cozy, heartwarming and powerful read. The Hankyu Line takes you through the scenic countryside of Kyoto and Osaka and that’s where you’re introduced to all of our characters! Your introduced to 6 different people all at varying stages of their lives and all dealing with something different. I loved reading about what each character was going through and finding out what happens with them! At first it was a little confusing to keep up with each character but once you’re introduced to all of them its pretty easy to follow along! Each character is struggling with their own emotional dilemmas. The novel explores themes such as kindness, connection and personal growth. I truly believe you’ll feel connected to at least one of these characters. I can’t wait to read more books from Hiro Arikawa!

Five main characters from all different walks of life and ages have nothing in common except they ride the same train as it travels from one end of the Hankyu line to the other. Each carries their emotional baggage with them as they stare out the windows at the beautiful country landscape or busy themselves with whatever they can so they don’t have to interact with the other passengers. Yet circumstances cause them to do just that and as time goes on the strangers become friends and help each other discover the real purposes in their lives. A satisfying ride that ended all too soon. 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sort of book that is perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon. A collection of braided lives brought together by the Hankyu Line.

Unlike other sort of lighthearted Japanese literature, this one had moments of serious discussion: domestic violence, age gaps, death. I kind of feel like it was a little bit awkward but I think that’s because the book and the cover felt so lighthearted. It was a bit of a shock to discover these topics.

I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t my favorite. I felt that it was a little bit too long and too many characters. I wish that there had been a main character to cheer on instead of so many peeks into different stories.

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A gentle, tender, and quietly powerful journey through everyday lives.

In The Passengers on the Hankyu Line, Hiro Arikawa invites us aboard one of Japan’s most romantic and scenic railway routes—not just to admire the view, but to glimpse the quiet transformations happening in the hearts of those who ride it. With warmth, subtle humor, and a keen eye for emotional nuance, Arikawa delivers a cozy, interconnected story that celebrates the small, serendipitous moments that shape us.

Each character’s story feels like a delicate thread, woven into a tapestry that stretches across two train rides—six months apart. A missed library book leads to a sweet connection. A woman in a wedding dress carries sadness rather than joy. A grandmother considers adopting a dog. These vignettes are at once ordinary and deeply touching, showing how brief encounters can ripple across time and lead to unexpected healing, growth, and change.

And yes, there’s even a dachshund who’ll steal your heart.

What makes this novel shine is its gentle pacing and the way it finds meaning in the everyday. It’s not about grand twists or high drama—it’s about people quietly moving forward. Perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold or The Little Paris Bookshop.

Final thoughts:
This book is a warm cup of tea on a rainy day—a reminder that even the smallest acts of connection can carry us through. Thoughtful, charming, and deeply human.

Unfortunately I think a lot got lost in translation. The novel focusing on short snippets of interweaving lives between people commuting on a passenger line in Japan. I wanted to love the characters and stories but they were missing depth and fell slightly flat.

I think this could have been so much better and I wonder if I had read it how the author intended (in Japanese) if it would have resonated deeper with me.

This was a wonderful book ! A slice of life for people on a train in Japan. Romance and minor conflicts arise. The people are very relatable.
I found myself looking up a few Japanese words. I like a book that gives you words to research. It’s translated and works very well. Very much enjoyed it.
Thanks for the opportunity to read

This was my first book by Hiro Arikawa, and I was drawn in by the premise and the quiet charm it seemed to promise. I’ve read Before the Coffee Gets Cold before, and while I found that one slow but magical and emotional, The Passengers on the Hankyu Line delivered a similar quiet emotional resonance—just with a different kind of journey.

That said, I did struggle a bit with the writing, or rather, the translation. Some of the vocabulary felt oddly formal or unfamiliar, with phrases like “teetotaler” and “objet d’art” that pulled me out of the story. I’m not sure if this was a UK-style translation, but words like “innit” or “y’all’ve” also threw me off. It’s not that I couldn’t figure them out, but they didn’t always flow naturally with the tone or setting. I sometimes wondered if the book was just too advanced for me—or if the language choices created unnecessary distance from an otherwise relatable story.

But the story itself? So good. I absolutely loved meeting each character and watching how their lives briefly intertwined. The non-bride girl? Petty as hell—and I lived for it. The tough grandma? Total badass. She stood up to bullies, supported a young woman in leaving an abusive relationship, and genuinely brought people together in the most unexpected ways. Honestly, every character had something special—it was tough to pick just a few to talk about.

Even though I struggled with the writing at times, the emotional core and the character arcs made it all worth it. If you’re into reflective, character-driven stories about unexpected connection, this one’s worth the ride.

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line follows the stories of various train passengers through, largely, two different time periods set about 6 months apart. During the first half of the book, each vignette follows one train passenger who observes, overhears, speaks to, or comes into contact with the next passenger and provides a glimpse into a life changing moment. Romantic connections are made and broken, passengers make decisions about the course of their future, and small moments of self-discovery occur. The second half of the book checks back in with the passengers as they again ride the Hankyu Line and we see the ways in which their lives have changed since those fateful first trips.

All in all, this book is a tough one to rate. Hiro Arikawa wrote one of my favorite books, The Travelling Cat Chronicles, and with each successive book I hope that they will live up to the splendor of the first, but they don't quite manage to do so. Part of the problem may lie with gap between Japanese culture and Western culture, or potentially with the translation. The style of writing comes across as very formal and removed from the characters themselves. Even their inner dialogue is stilted and adheres to a rigid societal structure and mindset that's difficult to understand as a Western reader. The characters within this book go through interesting changes over time and alter their lives in positive ways, but it all feels distant and unconnected to the reader.

This style of writing worked well in The Travelling Cat Chronicles where the narrator of the tale was a street cat who emphatically did not want to become a house cat. Naturally a rigid and formal narration style fit that speaker immensely (anyone who has owned a cat knows that boundaries must be maintained at times), but it does not work as well with human narrators in this book. The sweet dachshund on the cover of the book made me hope that another animal would narrate, but alas, that was not the case.

At the end of the day, I cared more about some characters than others, but never felt close to or connected to any of them. I would love to feel the kinship I felt in Arikawa's first book again in the future, but it wasn't to be with The Passengers on the Hankyu Line.

3.5 stars for this book and a thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved The Traveling Cat Chronicles, so I was so excited to read this one. Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it was the translation or the writing itself, but I never got into the characters even though I usually love vignettes that intertwine. I think I just flat out disliked most of the people and their casual, subtle misogyny.

I like the idea a lot, and there were some bright spots.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley!

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line is the first book in the "healing fiction" genre that I've had the opportunity (and in this case, the honor) to read, and now I understand why it's classified that way: the book tells us, in a very entertaining way, the emotional drama experienced by a group of passengers whose only connection is that they boarded the same car on a Hankyu Line train, but whose stories, from that moment on, intertwine in a purely casual way, in some cases, and in others, form a relationship that I hope will be lasting.
The kindness and gentleness of our protagonists doesn't just remain in the pages of this book: they also leave a sweet feeling in the reader. It happened to me, and I hope other readers feel the same way.
I thank the author Arikawa-sama and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

I received a copy of the book, "The Passengers on the Hankyu Line" from NetGalley. This book focuses on many characters ranging from children to adults in their sixties. Each character has a story. anywhere from a grandma and grandchild, a woman dressed in a white bride dress for revenge, college aged students and high school girls. The book covers about two years. Some characters are seen over the couple years. each are on the different train lines. I got a bit confused keeping track of the characters. I had hoped the Dog that was mentioned in the storyline would be in more of the book. I liked reading the stories of each character. I would give this book a 3.5.

4.25 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this! This story follows several different characters who all frequent the Hankyu Line in Japan. Each character on the train has their own unique story & I loved how it made me think about how everyone lives different lives around you that you don’t know about. This book is charming, heartwarming, interesting, & emotional at times.

I enjoyed reading about the different characters & each of their dilemmas. I thought that the translation at times seemed like it was a tiny bit off which made the writing less impactful. However, I still really liked this book’s contents & the overall ambience and atmosphere. Reading about the various stations (I’m excited to see the station images once the final edition has them inserted) added a lot to the story too!

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line follows several characters at different stages in their lives as they travel by train along the Hankyu Line. The chapters alternate between the characters who are all in different stages in their lives. As you learn more about them and eventually seeing these characters paths intertwine. I enjoyed learning about each character and seeing how their paths ultimately crossed with one another. I did have slight trouble remembering some of the characters because of how often you jump between perspectives, but overall, this was a fun, enjoyable read.

A slice of life story, without the life. I’m sure a lot got lost in translation, but this felt soulless. Or maybe I’m the soulless one, incapable of receiving a soulful story. Who knows?

I appreciated the premise, and I looked forward to reading a tale of mishmashed, interwoven lives being connected through the happenstance of pedestrian routine. But the way these lives were brought together felt inconceivable at best, and imposed at worst.

One of the biggest challenges with a vignette centered novella is breathing life into characters without much room to build back story. That lack of character depth pulled me out of the story, and made me question every character’s motivations, and made every interaction feel improbable.

This is why I am often wary of reading translated books because I am certain that the translation undermines the author’s true magic. The final product here fell short for me.

I had previously read and enjoyed two of this author's previous novels, The Goodbye Cat and The Traveling Cat Chronicles and looked forward to reading this one. However, the interaction of the various characters repeated in different situations made it hard to remember who's who. While it's an easy and fast read, the English translation often felt stilted.

The style of this book, The Passengers on the Hankyu Line, reminds me of a few of the writings of Stewart O’Nan. He the ultimate observer. In one book he watches a baseball game on TV and concentrates looking at the people behind home plate. In his book Last Night at the Lobster a reviewer said he’s able to “coax poetry from the prosaic". I apologize for the stark comparison but from the first page to the finish I was awed with author Hiro Arikawa’s ability to take everyday occurrences and make them personal to the reader.

The entire books takes place in and around the commuter trains that run in Japan. About a dozen characters are spotlighted. Students, lovers, and ladies who lunch pass in and out of the story line as they go about their mundane everyday tasks. As time passes the reader gets to know the characters and either cheers them on or hope for their exit to arrive quickly.

There is so much subtext in this book yet on the surface it’s a lot like an episode of Seinfeld – a book about nothing. I loved every page of this book. I liked the way the loves of the characters unwound. I liked the style in which it was written. 4.5 stars from me.