Hika Harada Delivers a "Heartwarming Story of Daily Life": "#ThePlaceWithAKitchen" Launched Today, May 13th (Wednesday)! Over 130 Enthusiastic Reviews from Booksellers Nationwide.
Bungeishunju Ltd. has released Hika Harada's new book, "#ThePlaceWithAKitchen," today, May 13th. The book portrays the everyday lives of women grappling with various concerns, depicted through the setting of a kitchen, and has garnered significant attention, including over 130 moving testimonials from booksellers nationwide even before its launch.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 05:51 (19h 19m after Collected)
Bungeishunju Ltd. announces the release of Hika Harada's latest paperback novel, "#ThePlaceWithAKitchen," today, May 13th (Wednesday).
It's a story about six women, each burdened with their own troubles: a full-time housewife left alone in a house after her children have grown and her husband has gone overseas for work; a 27-year-old feeling stifled by life with a boyfriend who prioritizes cost-performance and time-performance; a single mother raising four children... These women share a common thread: they are all viewers of the 30-minute late-night drama "The Place With a Kitchen." "#ThePlaceWithAKitchen" gently affirms the often-unmanageable daily lives that emerge from the kitchen.
The cover illustration, depicting a kitchen bathed in warm light, was specially drawn by Chiaki Ida, an illustrator whose works on the theme of "home" are immensely popular worldwide. When the cover art was revealed prior to the launch, it received many excited comments from readers on social media, such as "A collaboration of loves!" and "I can't wait to imagine it lined up in bookstores!"
## About the Work: Comment from Hika Harada
There seem to be negative opinions about television, but I believe watching dramas and movies at the same time and discussing them on social media is a new way to enjoy them that hasn't existed before.
When my own novel was adapted into a drama, I followed the comments using "#". As I watched, I realized that while everyone enjoys the same thing now, behind that lies separate lives and separate destinies. My desire to look deeper into that led to this work.
## Over 130 Touching Comments. Introducing Testimonials from Booksellers!
Furthermore, we received over 130 enthusiastic comments from booksellers who read the book ahead of its release. Here are a few of them.
### "A Poignantly Warm Home Novel" (Atsuko Muneoka, Kinokuniya Bookstore Fukuoka Main Store)
The "kitchen" has supported family life.
It is not just a place for cooking, but a sanctuary where time spent with beloved family members accumulates.
My heart trembled with the changes in life that unfold from this stage of the kitchen.
A poignantly warm home novel, where feelings accumulated over time slowly seep into your heart.
After finishing it, I felt a sense of relief, as if an invisible burden had been lifted.
### "It Made Me Want to Think About My Own Future Life" (Yuko Yoon, Miraiya Shoten Kasaihojo Store)
I hope it gets a 30-minute late-night drama adaptation!
Unmanageable lives, lives that aren't sparkling – even such daily routines have their own stories.
"We must search for the best path within the destiny given to us, and live within it." The women who started moving towards a life for themselves felt refreshing, and it made me want to think about my own future life.
### "Impressed by Harada-san's Depth and Meticulousness" (Kaori Nagao, Junkudo Bookstore Nagoya Store)
I deeply felt each woman's kitchen and way of life, including those that resonated with me and those that didn't. I feel that cooking and eating meals in the kitchen, even if they're not elaborate, is life itself. I felt things that had never been put into words before being articulated, and I was impressed by Harada-san's depth and meticulousness. It was very interesting.
## Signing Event also Held on May 23rd (Sat) 14:00-15:40 @ Yurindo Atre Ebisu Store!
Additionally, to commemorate the publication, a signing event with Hika Harada will be held at Yurindo Atre Ebisu Store.
Click here for details and reservations.
## Bibliographic Information
Author: Hika Harada
Price: 1980 JPY (tax included)
Release Date: May 13, 2026
Publisher: Bungeishunju Ltd.
Format: 4-6 size, softcover, paperback with cover
ISBN: 978-4-16-392099-3
Book URL: https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784163920993
It's a story about six women, each burdened with their own troubles: a full-time housewife left alone in a house after her children have grown and her husband has gone overseas for work; a 27-year-old feeling stifled by life with a boyfriend who prioritizes cost-performance and time-performance; a single mother raising four children... These women share a common thread: they are all viewers of the 30-minute late-night drama "The Place With a Kitchen." "#ThePlaceWithAKitchen" gently affirms the often-unmanageable daily lives that emerge from the kitchen.
The cover illustration, depicting a kitchen bathed in warm light, was specially drawn by Chiaki Ida, an illustrator whose works on the theme of "home" are immensely popular worldwide. When the cover art was revealed prior to the launch, it received many excited comments from readers on social media, such as "A collaboration of loves!" and "I can't wait to imagine it lined up in bookstores!"
## About the Work: Comment from Hika Harada
There seem to be negative opinions about television, but I believe watching dramas and movies at the same time and discussing them on social media is a new way to enjoy them that hasn't existed before.
When my own novel was adapted into a drama, I followed the comments using "#". As I watched, I realized that while everyone enjoys the same thing now, behind that lies separate lives and separate destinies. My desire to look deeper into that led to this work.
## Over 130 Touching Comments. Introducing Testimonials from Booksellers!
Furthermore, we received over 130 enthusiastic comments from booksellers who read the book ahead of its release. Here are a few of them.
### "A Poignantly Warm Home Novel" (Atsuko Muneoka, Kinokuniya Bookstore Fukuoka Main Store)
The "kitchen" has supported family life.
It is not just a place for cooking, but a sanctuary where time spent with beloved family members accumulates.
My heart trembled with the changes in life that unfold from this stage of the kitchen.
A poignantly warm home novel, where feelings accumulated over time slowly seep into your heart.
After finishing it, I felt a sense of relief, as if an invisible burden had been lifted.
### "It Made Me Want to Think About My Own Future Life" (Yuko Yoon, Miraiya Shoten Kasaihojo Store)
I hope it gets a 30-minute late-night drama adaptation!
Unmanageable lives, lives that aren't sparkling – even such daily routines have their own stories.
"We must search for the best path within the destiny given to us, and live within it." The women who started moving towards a life for themselves felt refreshing, and it made me want to think about my own future life.
### "Impressed by Harada-san's Depth and Meticulousness" (Kaori Nagao, Junkudo Bookstore Nagoya Store)
I deeply felt each woman's kitchen and way of life, including those that resonated with me and those that didn't. I feel that cooking and eating meals in the kitchen, even if they're not elaborate, is life itself. I felt things that had never been put into words before being articulated, and I was impressed by Harada-san's depth and meticulousness. It was very interesting.
## Signing Event also Held on May 23rd (Sat) 14:00-15:40 @ Yurindo Atre Ebisu Store!
Additionally, to commemorate the publication, a signing event with Hika Harada will be held at Yurindo Atre Ebisu Store.
Click here for details and reservations.
## Bibliographic Information
Author: Hika Harada
Price: 1980 JPY (tax included)
Release Date: May 13, 2026
Publisher: Bungeishunju Ltd.
Format: 4-6 size, softcover, paperback with cover
ISBN: 978-4-16-392099-3
Book URL: https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784163920993