KokoroKokoro
Score Classic
What it's about
In Meiji-era Tokyo, a young student befriends an older man he calls Sensei, who lives quietly with his wife and visits a friend's grave every month, refusing to explain why. When the student goes home to his dying father, he receives a long letter from Sensei, which finally tells the story of what happened in his youth, a betrayal and a death that have haunted him ever since.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the best-selling novels in Japan and a classic of Japanese literature. It's quiet, subtle and devastating, about loneliness and a changing world.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Never Let Me Go
The Death of Ivan IlyichGood to know
It's short and restrained. There are suicides.
By the numbers
- Readers51 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #193 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #465 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1612 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
Gone with the Wind
East of Eden
Schindler's List
War and Peace
Augustus
BelovedExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Kokoro worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the best-selling novels in Japan and a classic of Japanese literature. It ranks #1,612 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Kokoro about?
In Meiji-era Tokyo, a young student befriends an older man he calls Sensei, who lives quietly with his wife and visits a friend's grave every month, refusing to explain why. When the student goes home to his dying father, he receives a long letter from Sensei, which finally tells the story of what happened in his youth, a betrayal and a death that have haunted him ever since.
How long does it take to read Kokoro?
About 7 hours (263 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Kokoro?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy.