The Kamogawa Food Detectives

The first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is perfect for fans of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and Toshikazu Kawaguchi's Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason to stop by . . .

The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers' pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to unlocking forgotten memories and future happiness.

From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love's beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future.

A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, and translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.

Review

The Kamogawa Food Detectives search for the taste of memories. Like sights and sounds, tastes are also deeply connected to one's memories. The depictions of the beautiful scenery of Kyoto and its native dishes, which are like the original landscape of Japan, warmed my heart -- Genki Kawamura, author of If Cats Disappeared from the World

The food writing is truly superb ― Cambridge Edition

'The Kamogawa Food Detectives is an absolute joy; hilarious, emotional, and entirely delicious. Hisashi Kashiwai's tales of love lost, found, grown older and reborn are both striking and comforting ― truly one of a kind. Delectable and delightful' -- Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal

The ultimate cozy, and a glimpse into a world that is at once quieter, more ritualized and seemingly simpler than mine, and yet strangely familiar. I savored every word -- KJ Dell’Antonia, author of The Chicken Sisters

An early contender for my favorite book of the year. For anyone who loves magnificent food writing and great storytelling, this novel is a moving, beautiful, and impeccably detailed tribute to the power of a great meal -- J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Kashiwai’s unique blend of seasonings is more than enough to transform each into a five-star-worthy dish. . . [A] warm memory blanket of nostalgia. Readers [will] eagerly devour each morsel of this miso soup for the soul. . . A nourishing collection of bite-sized stories with a hearty dash of savory flavor ― Kirkus

Outstanding. . . A culinary and cultural exploration of Japanese cuisine. . . The novel includes mouthwatering descriptions of food as well as a nuanced description of life in Japan. . . Readers will take delight in Kashiwai’s exquisite meals and the culinary history that accompanies them ― Library Journal

[An] ode to the magic of food ― People

Charming. . . This book offers more than beautifully crafted stories of life’s challenges and joys. It is filled with glimpses into Japanese culture. . . The kind of book you pick up and savor every page. A brilliant first installment to a series, it is expertly crafted and leaves you hungry for more ― New York Journal of Books

About the Author

Hisashi Kashiwai, the author of The Kamogawa Food Detectives, was born in 1952 and was raised in Kyoto. He graduated from Osaka Dental University. After graduating, he returned to Kyoto and worked as a dentist. He has written extensively about his native city and has collaborated on TV programmes and magazines.

Jesse Kirkwood is a literary translator working from Japanese into English. The recipient of the 2020 Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize, his translations include The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto and A Perfect Day to Be Alone by Nanae Aoyama.