Audible to Start Streaming 'On the Way Home from the Café,' the 174th Naoki Prize-winning work, from March 27th
Audible will begin streaming the 174th Naoki Prize-winning work, 'On the Way Home from the Café,' on March 27th.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 00:01
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (21h 57m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 01:22 (411h 23m after Collected)
Amazon Audible (hereinafter, Audible), one of the world's largest audiobook and audio content production and distribution services, will begin streaming the 174th Naoki Prize-winning work, 'On the Way Home from the Café' by Teru Shimazu, narrated by Rinka Kawai, from Friday, March 27th.
'On the Way Home from the Café' is the talked-about work that won the 174th Naoki Prize. It is a collection of short stories set in the unpopular "Café Saigyo" in a corner of Ueno, Tokyo, depicting the lives of waitresses living through the transition from the Taisho to the Showa era. At "Saigyo," which serves as a gathering place for local residents doubling as a diner and coffee shop, the "story of us from a hundred years ago" is carefully woven through the unique waitresses who entertain the guests.
The story begins in the 14th year of the Taisho era, two years after the Great Kanto Earthquake, and progresses across the early Showa period, wartime, and postwar years, depicting the days of women making their own choices as they navigate an unstable era. The characters' wishes and perplexities are surprisingly relatable, evoking deep empathy across time. The figures of these women, who find small happinesses and continue to walk on amidst a harsh reality, light a warm glow in the hearts of us living today.
The exquisite character descriptions, unique to Teru Shimazu, which convey the very breath of each character, stand out even more when heard in audio. Furthermore, Rinka Kawai's narration delicately captures the subtle emotions and conversational rhythms of the waitresses, bringing the atmosphere of the time and the feel of the city to life. Please enjoy the audiobook version of 'On the Way Home from the Café' on Audible, where you can experience an immersive feeling as if you have stepped into "Café Saigyo" and are living in the same era with the characters.
**【Work Details】**
**On the Way Home from the Café**
Streaming Date: March 27th
Author: Teru Shimazu
Narrator: Rinka Kawai
URL: https://www.audible.co.jp/pd/B0GFN1C8NH
In a corner of Ueno, Tokyo, lies the unpopular "Café Saigyo." This gathering place for local residents, also a diner and coffee shop, had unique waitresses who entertained the guests. Take...
'On the Way Home from the Café' is the talked-about work that won the 174th Naoki Prize. It is a collection of short stories set in the unpopular "Café Saigyo" in a corner of Ueno, Tokyo, depicting the lives of waitresses living through the transition from the Taisho to the Showa era. At "Saigyo," which serves as a gathering place for local residents doubling as a diner and coffee shop, the "story of us from a hundred years ago" is carefully woven through the unique waitresses who entertain the guests.
The story begins in the 14th year of the Taisho era, two years after the Great Kanto Earthquake, and progresses across the early Showa period, wartime, and postwar years, depicting the days of women making their own choices as they navigate an unstable era. The characters' wishes and perplexities are surprisingly relatable, evoking deep empathy across time. The figures of these women, who find small happinesses and continue to walk on amidst a harsh reality, light a warm glow in the hearts of us living today.
The exquisite character descriptions, unique to Teru Shimazu, which convey the very breath of each character, stand out even more when heard in audio. Furthermore, Rinka Kawai's narration delicately captures the subtle emotions and conversational rhythms of the waitresses, bringing the atmosphere of the time and the feel of the city to life. Please enjoy the audiobook version of 'On the Way Home from the Café' on Audible, where you can experience an immersive feeling as if you have stepped into "Café Saigyo" and are living in the same era with the characters.
**【Work Details】**
**On the Way Home from the Café**
Streaming Date: March 27th
Author: Teru Shimazu
Narrator: Rinka Kawai
URL: https://www.audible.co.jp/pd/B0GFN1C8NH
In a corner of Ueno, Tokyo, lies the unpopular "Café Saigyo." This gathering place for local residents, also a diner and coffee shop, had unique waitresses who entertained the guests. Take...