The Healing Hippo Of Hinode Park

Publisher: Penguin Books, Limited
Publish date: 21 May 2026
Pages: 240
Binding: Paperback
Language: English

Subjects: Fiction, Literary, Magical Realism, Animals, World Literature, Japan

The brand new novel by the author of WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIBRARY now available in translation
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Readers adore Healing Hippo:
'I wanted to discover the magical hippo in myself as I read this book' *****
'How does Aoyama depict human emotion so vividly? I imagined myself in this book' *****
'I almost wept on my train home from work' *****
'It gripped my heart. I wish there was a magical hippo near my home' *****
'Whenever I feel hurt, I want to re-read this wonderful book' *****
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'Kabahiko is an amazing hippo. People say that if you touch the area of his body that you want to make better on yours, he'll provide a cure'

Nestling at the bottom of a five-storey apartment block is the children's playground, Hinode Park. If you look to the side, standing on stubby legs, is a hippo. Its upturned eyes give it a teary look, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community.

Meet the neighbours who will reach out to kabahiko:
-Kanato presses his head to the hippo's cheek, hoping to recover the stellar marks he once scored;
- Sawa, a lonely new mother, strokes its mouth, hopes to connect as she once did when she was an award-winning retail assistant;
- Chiharu, a wedding-planner, hopes to be able to listen for the happiness of others;
- Yuya avoids sports day with a fake injury, only to find he really is in pain.
- despite Kazuhiko's fading eyes from too much editorial work, he will learn to see life's everyday wonders.

A quietly powerful story of hope, friendship and connection, Michiko Aoyama's beloved bestseller is a celebration of everyday encounters. Its subtle portrayal of the magic of community will lodge itself in every reader's heart.