Sure, it's a bit odd that the incredibly handsome manager has his own fan club. And perhaps the customers are somewhat eccentric, if not entertaining. But there's a warmth about the store that draws you in.

The truth is, Tenderness is different. Operating only in Kyushu, Tenderness stands firm and proud by its motto "Caring for People, Caring for You", no matter the cause. And for Mitsuhiko, dishing out delicious food is simply the appetizer to his unsolicited but hearty wisdom on the town's shenanigans.

An international bestseller with over half a million copies sold between Japan and South Korea, The Convenience Store by The Sea tells the delightfully quirky and heartfelt stories of the store's customers and employees, offering us all a unique recipe for a good, fulfilling life.

Portrait

Sonoko Machida is a best-selling and award-winning Japanese author, born in 1980 in Fukuoka Prefecture. Her masterpiece, 52-Hertz Whales, won the 2021 Japan Booksellers' Award and became a best-seller with about half a million copies sold in Japan. Her two following novels, Scooping Up the Stars and Sora's Recipes, were both nominated for the award in consecutive years.

Bruno Navasky is known for his translation of How Do You Live by Genzaburo Yoshino, the book that was the inspiration for The Boy and the Heron, the major new Studio Ghibli film.