Tokyo Night Parade

by J.P. Takahashi, Minako Tomigahara (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A beautiful blend of the old and new, Takahashi and Tomigahara’s storytelling deserves attention across all ages. After you experience it, you’ll find yourself admiring the stars, delighted by the unknowns.

Spirited Away meets Where the Wild Things Are by way of yokai mythology in this enchanting picture book by debut author J. P. Takahashi and illustrator Minako Tomigahara.

The night parade is about to begin . . . The ground thunders in Tokyo. A gust of wind blows. The pitter-patter of paws and claws draws closer. The air is thick with swirling, swooping demons. It’s Eka’s favorite evening of the year, the one night she refuses to miss. But it’s become harder to travel to Japan now that she’s living across the world in New York.

Unsure of when she can return next to see her yokai friends, Eka tries to forget that this could be her last parade for some time. Instead, she’ll march, sing, dance, hoot, and screech until sunrise. Because on this night, there’s no time to waste—the night parade awaits.

Praise for Tokyo Night Parade:

"This sparkling, Miyazaki-hued story instantly whisked me back to childhood summers in Tokyo." —Kyo Maclear, author of The Big Bath House and Kumo

“An unforgettable story. A remarkable debut that delivers abundantly.” —Antwan Eady, author of Nigel and the Moon 

Two Starred Reviews * A B&N Best Book of 2023 * School Library Journal Best Book of the Year *

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063224964
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/10/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	6,537
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

J. P. Takahashi was born in New York City and raised by a family of readers in the United States and Japan. She loves a good adventure, in real life and in her imagination—especially when it’s as scary as it is magical.

Minako "Tomi" Tomigahara is a visual development artist for animated film by day and a children’s book artist by night. She grew up near Asakusa, Japan, where the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons happens in Tokyo Night Parade. Her favorite yokai is Keu-Kegon. She now lives in Los Angeles. Learn more about Tomi online at minakotomigahara.com.

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2023

In this yo¯kai-studded reimagining of Japanese folklore, a double debut from Takahashi and Tomigahara, a child who has “come home to Tokyo” reunites with fantastical friends on her favorite evening—that of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Since the creatures of the Night Parade can’t cross the ocean to New York, Eka, a brown-skinned child of Japanese descent, is eager to encounter them again, knowing that “New York is expensive and Japan is too far away to keep visiting.” Dressed in a fox costume—a long-ago gift from her grandfather—she awaits the monsters’ arrival, listening for “music and mumbling, hooting, and screeching.” Her longtime friend, the turtle-like kappa, soon leads Eka down a red-lantern-lit path to a place “thick with swirling, swooping ghosts,” where the parade carries her away until dawn. Light-limned, bokeh-dotted illustrations that feel like film stills incorporate gouache, woodblock printing, paper scraps, and digital techniques. Introspective prose touches lightly on the idea of whether spirits—and humans—are “good” in this visually appealing nighttime romp. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. Author’s and illustrator’s agent: Kathleen Ortiz, KO Media Management (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"A magical ode to the In-Between—to the space between homes, between creaturely and human worlds, between what the heart can hold and what it misses. This sparkling, Miyazaki-hued story instantly whisked me back to childhood summers in Tokyo, to far-out fables and night festivals, reminding me: the supernatural is often the best doorway to the true." — Kyo Maclear, author of The Big Bath House and Kumo

“Tokyo Night Parade will leave readers longing for the worlds we’ve known and curious about the worlds we've yet to discover. An unforgettable story combines with a gorgeously illustrated world, reminding readers that our most magical moments can exist in the here and now. A remarkable debut that delivers abundantly.”  — Antwan Eady, author of Nigel and the Moon 

"Melodic and mesmerizing and thrilling yet tender, this book is a lush sensory and emotional experience." — Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, critically-acclaimed children’s book author 

"A glorious night parade through the streets of Tokyo. Offering a glimpse of modern and traditional Japanese culture, this tale will charm a wide audience, including readers unfamiliar with and those enamored of its folklore, fiction, and manga." — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Jubilant and poignant. Cinematic, atmospheric illustrations...look like the stills of an animated film. This deeply felt and nuanced story leaves much for child readers to ponder." — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Eka’s questions about whether the yokai are good or wicked offer intriguing food for thought—like humans, the yokai contain multitudes. With its beautiful night palette, the artwork glows and brings the text and monsters to life. A beautiful tale of friendship and living in the moment." — Kirkus Reviews

"In this yokai-studded reimagining of Japanese folklore, a child who has “come home to Tokyo” reunites with fantastical friends on her favorite evening—that of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. [A] visually appealing nighttime romp." — Publishers Weekly

"An enchanting child’s-eye view of this night when the worlds of humans and demons overlap. In magnificent, flowing double-page spreads rendered in deep jewel tones, Tomigahara conjures a twilight setting both mistily dreamlike and glowingly joyous, perfectly in harmony with this tale’s buoyant celebration of the sweet space shared between two worlds." — Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 09/01/2023

PreS-Gr 4—In Japanese folklore, the Hyakkiyagy , or Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, takes place when the human and supernatural worlds overlap. Eka, a Black and Japanese girl growing up in Tokyo and New York City, relishes tales of y kai, or supernatural creatures. On the eve of her return to the U.S., she imagines taking part in a glorious night parade through the streets of Tokyo. Accompanied by her faithful dog and friendly kappa, a froglike spirit, she dons her kitsune, or fox-spirit costume, and joins the singing, prancing y kai parading through the moonlit streets. Digital illustrations in gorgeous hues of lavender, mauve, and turquoise animate the hordes of fierce and endearing creatures. Based on Takahashi's own experience of growing up amid two cultures, this lively tale grows pensive as Eka wistfully thinks of the distance between her two homes, family, and friends. For more magical realism, pair this title with Sunny Seki's The Last Kappa of Old Japan and Sanae Ishida's Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet. VERDICT Offering a glimpse of modern and traditional Japanese culture, this tale will charm a wide audience, including readers unfamiliar with and those enamored of its folklore, fiction, and manga.—Marilyn Taniguchi

School Library Journal

2023-07-26
Eka makes the most of her last night in Tokyo.

Dressed as a kitsune (or fox spirit), Eka, a brown-skinned child of Japanese origin, listens for the sounds of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, when the human world overlaps with that of the yōkai, supernatural creatures such as monsters or ghosts. This is her first time returning to her grandfather’s home in Tokyo since she and her family moved to New York, and she’s determined not to miss her favorite night of the year. As she walks the streets with the yōkai, they ask about her new home. Given how far away New York is, Eka doesn’t know when she’ll return to Tokyo, and no one seems to understand or care about yōkai in her new home. Though her heart aches, for now she’ll sing, hoot, dance, and enjoy herself. This is a sweet, whimsical story of a young immigrant who’s uncertain when she’ll see her beloved family and former home again. Eka’s questions about whether the yōkai are good or wicked offer intriguing food for thought—like humans, the yōkai contain multitudes. With its beautiful night palette, the artwork glows and brings the text and monsters to life. In an author’s note, Takahashi discusses her own experiences growing up African American and Japanese in both the United States and Japan. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A beautiful tale of friendship and living in the moment. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews