Thank you NetGalley & DoubleDay for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

‘The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park’ is a short book comprised of five loosely interconnected short stories that follow the residents of a condominium complex who are each dealing with an issue in their lives. Somehow, they all find their way to Kabahiko, a hippo in a playground that is rumoured to have magical healing properties…

The concept here was very sweet - I mean, who wouldn’t want to visit a magical hippo? - and the focus with the characters was on the little things in life. As our characters deal with their problems, they each come to certain realisations, and it’s all thanks to Kabahiko. The stories are very small, but by no means does that make them unimportant. It’s a book about everyday life and the magic we can find within it. I did find some of the stories a little repetitive and I found the messages of each short story to be quite obvious - which is fine - but I prefer a little more subtlety.

Overall, this little book is easy to read with a cute concept and empowering messages.

3 🌟

A fabulous cosy read from the author of “What you are looking for is in the library”

In a similar vein, this book also has characters crossing paths of where they all live in Advance Hill. They all come across Kabahiko in the park when they need him the most.

Legend has it, that Kabahiko has healing powers….

This is a lovely, cosy read of self discovery and healing.

Mini Review: The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park by Michiko Aoyama

Through a variety of different characters from young children to a business owner in her 80's, everyone is searching for and needs healing and connection. Whether friends, lovers, family members or your own mind & body, these connections have huge power to elevate but also hurt us and in the process of healing and beyond, shape who we are and will be.

Here there are stories dealing with anxiety, avoidance, stress and letting go which all throw up mental and physical symptoms affecting each character. But just having a little understanding, listening to our minds and bodies, making small, acheivable changes and seeing things from a different perspective can heal us even more than a hippo can. These stories show how healing is a uniquely unlinear journey of steps forward and back, to the side and upside down. A process where after each stage of recovery you are forever changed into the person that will move into your next chapter.

If you need something light & cosy whilst also being introspective & life-affirming with some practical solutions to shift your awareness of mind & body, this book is for you.

Publishing on: 14/08/25

Thanks to Netgalley, Transworld Publishers & Doubleday for the eARC

A nice translated fiction which fits well with the authors style! I enjoyed how quickly I read and finished this but also how it made me feel! It was joy and a happy place to be

An uplifting novel, comprising a few short stories following a central theme - offering up problems and worries to a model hippo in a play park.
The reader has an insight into the experiences of several different residents in a Japanese suburb, each of who has an emotional, or physical, need which is affecting their well-being.
There is a local belief that by sharing a difficulty, or illness, with the hippo it will be resolved, or healed.
Through the progress of the story the lives of the characters are intertwined and connected as they are all neighbours in the same housing estate.
This is a very simplistic but joyful book, which encourages the reader to believe in the goodness of others, and the importance of living life with a positive attitude - treating others as you would want to be treated yourself.

A quietly profound novel that mirrors the rhythm of life—gentle, reflective, and filled with emotional grace.

Just like What You Are Looking For Is In The Library, I adored this book—but The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park may be even more resonant in its construction and emotional depth.

At first glance, it unfolds as a series of softly linked stories—each centred around someone who visits Hinode Park and its quietly watchful hippo statue, Kabahiko. A schoolboy under pressure. A new mother who feels adrift. A wedding planner who’s stopped listening to joy. A weary editor on the edge of burnout. Each character arrives with their own private ache—and in small, surprising ways, each one finds something beginning to shift.

But the brilliance lies in how these stories build. Taken together, they quietly trace a journey through life—from childhood, to early adulthood, into parenthood, and finally into older age. Aoyama doesn’t just give us individual snapshots; she offers a gentle, unspoken narrative arc that mirrors the rhythms of growing up, losing your way, and learning how to find meaning again in the ordinary.

There’s no melodrama here—just compassion, presence, and the quiet reassurance that even in our loneliest moments, we are never entirely alone.

Perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Strange Weather in Tokyo, and emotionally reflective fiction that lingers long after the last page.

A tender, life-affirming novel that offers comfort without cliché—and reminds us that healing often begins in the quietest places.

I previously read 'What You Are Looking for is in The Library' and loved it, and this one did not disappoint!

The structure of this book was very notable; the plot saw a collection of overlapping mini stories, each with its own heart, yet all quietly woven together by the park's iconic hippo statue.

Each character arrives at Hinode Park carrying their own pain or longing, and in small, often unexpected ways, they begin to heal - not always in big ways, but through simple acts of understanding and shared presence. These characters are each going through their own struggles - grief, loneliness, feeling stuck - and yet the park becomes this gentle space for their reflection, healing, and quiet connection. This story is soft and warm, and full of moments that stay with you.

This book is a perfect reminder that we often have no idea what others around us are going through. It shows how easy it is to feel isolated or misunderstood, even when the person standing next to us might be feeling the exact same way, highlighting just how connected we all are - even in our loneliest moments.

I highly recommend this book for readers who like character-driven, quiet and wholesome stories. Huge thanks to Transworld Publishers (@penguinrandomhouse) for sending me another ARC to review, can't wait until this one comes out !!

Thank you to Doubleday and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park is a quiet and heartfelt read about everyday people, their struggles, and the small moments that help us heal.

Told through a series of loosely connected short stories, it follows residents of an apartment complex who are all working through a personal issue. Be it exam pressure, ageing, loneliness, or anxiety. Each person ends up drawn to the Healing Hippo, a toy located in Hinode Park that’s said to have healing powers.

Though the Hippo is in the title, the book isn't really about it. It’s about the characters learning to see themselves and others a little more clearly.
It’s not quite magical realism in the traditional sense as the hippo doesn't really have magical powers. It feels more like a symbol or a gentle prompt for each character to look inward and begin to change something they’ve been struggling with.

I loved how each story showed someone drawing strength or inspiration from those around them. The healing here isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s slow, honest, and deeply human, which makes the stories relatable.

The tone throughout the book was thoughtful, whimsical in a grounded way, and full of warmth. It’s not the most subtle or complex of books, but it doesn’t need to be. Sometimes, a cosy, comforting, and easy story is exactly what you need.

I finished this in two sittings and felt like I’d just been wrapped in a hug.

A gentle 4 star read. 💖

The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park is a charming, cosy read of interconnected short stories. I picked it up, thinking I'd read a little before bed, only to soon find I was already halfway through! I flew through its under 200 pages.

From the author of What You Are Looking For is in the Library, I think I enjoyed The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park even more. The stories are quietly powerful, showing a window into each character's life, and focusing on community, friendship, and family.

If you love Japanese translated fiction in the vein of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, or healing reads, then this one is for you!

This book was so gentle and comforting—like a quiet little hug in book form. It’s quirky and magical in that soft, Japanese fiction kind of way, where the heart of the story is in its characters and the quiet moments between them.

I loved how the story touched on grief, healing, and community in such a tender, non-preachy way. The magical realism was subtle but meaningful, and the hippo itself felt like a beautiful metaphor for emotional growth and support.

It’s a short read, but it leaves an impression. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, slightly whimsical, and full of heart, this is a lovely one to pick up.

A collection of loosely linked short stories with a theme of hope at their very core. I was instantly charmed by this book and the way in which the characters slowly made improvements to their lives via the unique tale of the worn but lovable hippo. After reading this book, you too will want a healing hippo to bring enlightenment and to soothe away your woes. Michiko Aoyama always leaves you with a warm glow that lingers long after that last page has been turned over.

I absolutely adored ‘What You Are Looking For Is in the Library’ so when I saw that the author had another translation coming out, I knew I had to read it. ‘The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park’ is another entry in the healing, cozy fiction genre in which we meet 5 characters living at the same apartment complex, whose encounters with the titular hippo help them to change their approach to their problems and their outlook on life. The hippo is not a fantastical, magical creature though, instead he is a lens through which the characters can reevaluate their situations- a clever subversion of the magical realism you might expect from the description.

This was a nice read that will leave you feeling warm and cozy but, despite following the same formula as in ‘What You Are Looking For Is in the Library’, it lacked the same depth and did read more ‘juvenile’ overall. The problems faced by the characters in this book were much simpler and less nuanced and the writing was much less subtle with respect to the lessons learned and the advice offered. Part of the issue is that the healing, cozy fiction space is extremely saturated now, so stories aren’t feeling as unique and innovative as they did when the first translations were coming through, but the writing also does feel a little weaker in this book on the whole.

It’s still a lovely read though and I think rounding up from 3.5 stars to 4 stars is the right call here. If you enjoy the genre and want a soft and gentle read you’ll get exactly that with this book.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Doubleday and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

(P.S. I have one gripe with this book that is ridiculous but that I need to get off my chest- all throughout the book the hippo is described as being orange yet on the cover he’s undoubtedly not orange, please do an alternate print so we can see Kabahiko in all his orange glory!)

A wonderful healing journey. I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it calming and relaxing while reading the story. A lovely Sunday afternoon book.
The author has a beautiful writing style.

I just love the books by this author. If you are looking for a quick, feelgood book then "The Healing Hippo of HInode Park" by Michiko Aoyama should tick the boxes. Full of joy, with a child-like innocence this book restores your faith in humanity and I loved that the characters dip in and out of each others' lives with the last chapter coming full circle.

I enjoyed this book, the whimsical magic of the healing hippo was very interesting. This book was definitely a healing book and breath of fresh air from the world we currently live in today.

3 Stars

I really enjoyed the first 2 stories in this book, they were full of heart and had feelgood energy. I did struggle after this as all of the stories were the same premise and I found it to be repetitive.

A wholesome vibe but reads more like a collection of short stories.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I loved “What you are looking for is in the library”. If you enjoyed that book then you will also enjoy this.

The writers style is so gentle and caring, and the translation really captures this.

A beautiful story, and a beautiful hippo!

My thanks to Netgalley and Transworld, Penguin Random House for the advance in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Published : 14th August
Thank you Penguin Random House & Netgalley for the ARC

Tucked at the base of a five-storey apartment building in the Advance Hill community lies Hinode Park, a children's playground home to a unique hippo ride. Local legend has it that if you touch the hippo with the part of your body in need of healing, you'll experience a rapid recovery.

Each long chapter is like a short story of a different, often interconnected character who is dealing with an issue which causes them to visit the locally infamous healing hippo. The question it leaves you, is whether the hippo does have magic powers, or is it a pseudo effect for the character reflecting on their issue and how to solve it.

The first chapter is around a child who is struggling at school after previous academic excellence, she touches the hippos head asking to help ‘fix her brain’, and she lands on figuring out she has stopped trying and needs to make effort as her classmates do.

Each story felt fable like, I read it all in one big sitting by the pool and enjoyed it - my main issue is, I don’t think this will be the most memorable read in the long term - but I did enjoy it and would like to read some of their other works.

Everyone loves a happy hippo. No wonder this book is so popular. It’s the story of a giant hippo statue that is rumoured to heal you if you touch the part of the hippo where you’re hurting. All sorts of people touch him, from a boy with a sore leg to a wedding planner who’s lost her confidence after hearing problems. Several of the stories interlink at the end. Heartwarming.

After reading What You are Looking For is in the Library last year and giving it 5 stars I was eagerly anticipating more from Michiko Aoyama and gratefully my arc request got accepted.
I definitely think that Aoyama's writing style is just that bit more special in comparison to other cosy Japanese short story collections I have read. There is a hint of humour which I appreciate but it just feels very relatable and I highlighted a lot of beautiful quotations in this book. There was also a chapter on running which was certainly the high point of the book for me. I also got very emotional throughout this reading experience, to the point where I actually had to put the book down to reflect. As I took longer reading this, I think it did impact my enjoyment and I would have benefitted from reading it less sporadically.
I feel where this book falls short in comparison to WYALFIITL (love that acronym), is it doesn't have the same charm of the library setting; instead opting for a hybrid between a laundromat and a kids playpark.
Overall, this was a great reading experience and I always recommend this genre of healing fiction which I have grown to adore. I will certainly be on the lookout for more translated work from this author too.
4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Transworld Digital and Michiko Aoyama for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads and Storygraph.