Audible to Distribute Riku Onda's Masterpiece 'Honey and Distant Thunder' from April 24, and Spin-off 'Festival and Premonition' from April 30
Audible will begin distributing audiobooks of Riku Onda's acclaimed novel 'Honey and Distant Thunder' and its spin-off 'Festival and Premonition' on April 24 and April 30, respectively. Popular voice actors and actors will provide the narration, offering a new reading experience.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 19:00
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Amazon Audible (hereinafter, Audible), one of the world's largest audiobook and audio content production and distribution services, will begin distributing Riku Onda's 'Honey and Distant Thunder' (upper and lower volumes), narrated by voice actors Nobunaga Shimazaki and Ayane Sakura, from Friday, April 24. Its spin-off work, 'Festival and Premonition,' narrated by actor Oji Suzuka, will be available from Thursday, April 30.
'Honey and Distant Thunder' is a representative work by Riku Onda, which won both the 156th Naoki Prize and the 2017 Honya Taisho. It is an ensemble novel set at an international piano competition, depicting young talents from diverse backgrounds earnestly confronting music while grappling with their individual histories and conflicts. Central to the story are Jin Kazama, a 16-year-old boy who doesn't own an instrument at home; Aya Eiden, a 20-year-old who debuted as a child prodigy but stopped playing after her mother's sudden death; Akashi Takashima, a 28-year-old salaryman working at a musical instrument store; and Masaru, a 19-year-old with perfect technique and musicality, a favorite to win. The work portrays their journey of discovering their own music while competing and influencing each other, drawing the reader into the excitement and tension of the competition.
'Festival and Premonition' is a collection of six spin-off short stories connected to the world of 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' focusing on the time after the competition and the characters' pasts. It offers a different perspective on the lingering musical impressions and character relationships depicted in 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' quietly delving into the behind-the-scenes and untold events, as well as the inner lives of each character.
The narration for 'Honey and Distant Thunder' will be handled by Nobunaga Shimazaki and Ayane Sakura, leading voice actors who have voiced main characters in numerous popular works. They will portray the tension of confronting music and delicate psychological descriptions with the rich expressive power characteristic of skilled voice actors.
For 'Festival and Premonition,' actor Oji Suzuka, who made his screen debut in the 2019 film 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' will take on the narration. Leveraging his experience playing Jin Kazama in the film, he will deliver a narration that allows listeners to feel the characters' emotional shifts and the world of the story more deeply.
Audible also distributes many other works by Riku Onda, including popular titles like 'The Other Side of the Moon,' 'Discontinuous World,' and 'Q&A,' as well as newly released titles in March such as 'Vanishing Point' and 'Coffee Ghost Stories.' Please enjoy the world of Riku Onda's works on Audible, including the newly released 'Honey and Distant Thunder' and 'Festival and Premonition.'
Audible Riku Onda works distribution titles: https://www.audible.co.jp/author/B003UW4BO6
Comment from Riku Onda:
"Narration is a completely different medium, and I believe it's a new form of reading. Whether you've read the book or not, please experience it with your ears."
Comment from Nobunaga Shimazaki, Narrator of 'Honey and Distant Thunder':
"While recording 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' I felt as if my inner self was being carved out, and there were many aspects I resonated with as a performer. What is depicted in this work is the reality of human beings, and that's why I think anyone who reads it will find something that 'pierces' them somewhere. Even when I usually play a role, I value treating that character as a single human being, and this work gave me the feeling of experiencing exactly that through its text. I would be delighted if you could experience its charm through audio."
Comment from Ayane Sakura, Narrator of 'Honey and Distant Thunder':
"Because 'Honey and Distant Thunder' meticulously portrays the theme of 'expression' itself, I felt a desire to handle it delicately. Before recording, I discussed with Mr. Shimazaki what tone to use, but once we started reading, there were many moments when I couldn't resist the urge to read it 'this way' rather than 'this is how it should be read,' as if pulled by the power of the work. It was a mysterious experience to become immersed in the world of the work while narrating. I hope everyone listening to this work on Audible can feel the same sense of immersion."
Nobunaga Shimazaki and Ayane Sakura Recording Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y5wlkF--Sg
Comment from Oji Suzuka, Narrator of 'Festival and Premonition':
"I was 18 when I participated in the film 'Honey and Distant Thunder.' It's very special to be involved in this world again through the narration of 'Festival and Premonition,' and although it was my first audiobook narration, I was genuinely happy to receive the offer. I have a special attachment to the character Jin Kazama, whom I played in the film, and the part where he meets Professor Hoffman in this work was particularly impressive. There were many overlaps with my own experiences and time spent, and nostalgic memories came flooding back while narrating.
'Honey and Distant Thunder' is a representative work by Riku Onda, which won both the 156th Naoki Prize and the 2017 Honya Taisho. It is an ensemble novel set at an international piano competition, depicting young talents from diverse backgrounds earnestly confronting music while grappling with their individual histories and conflicts. Central to the story are Jin Kazama, a 16-year-old boy who doesn't own an instrument at home; Aya Eiden, a 20-year-old who debuted as a child prodigy but stopped playing after her mother's sudden death; Akashi Takashima, a 28-year-old salaryman working at a musical instrument store; and Masaru, a 19-year-old with perfect technique and musicality, a favorite to win. The work portrays their journey of discovering their own music while competing and influencing each other, drawing the reader into the excitement and tension of the competition.
'Festival and Premonition' is a collection of six spin-off short stories connected to the world of 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' focusing on the time after the competition and the characters' pasts. It offers a different perspective on the lingering musical impressions and character relationships depicted in 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' quietly delving into the behind-the-scenes and untold events, as well as the inner lives of each character.
The narration for 'Honey and Distant Thunder' will be handled by Nobunaga Shimazaki and Ayane Sakura, leading voice actors who have voiced main characters in numerous popular works. They will portray the tension of confronting music and delicate psychological descriptions with the rich expressive power characteristic of skilled voice actors.
For 'Festival and Premonition,' actor Oji Suzuka, who made his screen debut in the 2019 film 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' will take on the narration. Leveraging his experience playing Jin Kazama in the film, he will deliver a narration that allows listeners to feel the characters' emotional shifts and the world of the story more deeply.
Audible also distributes many other works by Riku Onda, including popular titles like 'The Other Side of the Moon,' 'Discontinuous World,' and 'Q&A,' as well as newly released titles in March such as 'Vanishing Point' and 'Coffee Ghost Stories.' Please enjoy the world of Riku Onda's works on Audible, including the newly released 'Honey and Distant Thunder' and 'Festival and Premonition.'
Audible Riku Onda works distribution titles: https://www.audible.co.jp/author/B003UW4BO6
Comment from Riku Onda:
"Narration is a completely different medium, and I believe it's a new form of reading. Whether you've read the book or not, please experience it with your ears."
Comment from Nobunaga Shimazaki, Narrator of 'Honey and Distant Thunder':
"While recording 'Honey and Distant Thunder,' I felt as if my inner self was being carved out, and there were many aspects I resonated with as a performer. What is depicted in this work is the reality of human beings, and that's why I think anyone who reads it will find something that 'pierces' them somewhere. Even when I usually play a role, I value treating that character as a single human being, and this work gave me the feeling of experiencing exactly that through its text. I would be delighted if you could experience its charm through audio."
Comment from Ayane Sakura, Narrator of 'Honey and Distant Thunder':
"Because 'Honey and Distant Thunder' meticulously portrays the theme of 'expression' itself, I felt a desire to handle it delicately. Before recording, I discussed with Mr. Shimazaki what tone to use, but once we started reading, there were many moments when I couldn't resist the urge to read it 'this way' rather than 'this is how it should be read,' as if pulled by the power of the work. It was a mysterious experience to become immersed in the world of the work while narrating. I hope everyone listening to this work on Audible can feel the same sense of immersion."
Nobunaga Shimazaki and Ayane Sakura Recording Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y5wlkF--Sg
Comment from Oji Suzuka, Narrator of 'Festival and Premonition':
"I was 18 when I participated in the film 'Honey and Distant Thunder.' It's very special to be involved in this world again through the narration of 'Festival and Premonition,' and although it was my first audiobook narration, I was genuinely happy to receive the offer. I have a special attachment to the character Jin Kazama, whom I played in the film, and the part where he meets Professor Hoffman in this work was particularly impressive. There were many overlaps with my own experiences and time spent, and nostalgic memories came flooding back while narrating.