Search  for anything...
Grove Press

Kitchen

  • Based on 2,366 reviews
Condition: New
Checking for product changes
$11.49 Why this price?
Save $9.49 was $20.98

Buy Now, Pay Later

As low as $2 / mo
  • – 4-month term
  • – No impact on credit
  • – Instant approval decision
  • – Secure and straightforward checkout

Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.

Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, PayTomorrow, Affirm, Afterpay, Apple Pay, and PayPal. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Free shipping on this product

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

Availability: In Stock.
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Friday, Jun 20
Order within 4 hours and 36 minutes
Available payment plans shown during checkout

Description

"Ms. Yoshimoto's writing is lucid, earnest and disarming. ... [It] seizes hold of the reader's sympathy and refuses to let go." -Michiko Kakutani, The New York TimesWith the publication of Kitchen, the dazzling English-language debut that is still her best-loved book, the literary world realized that Yoshimoto was a young writer of enduring talent whose work has quickly earned a place among the best of contemporary Japanese literature. Kitchen is an enchantingly original book that juxtaposes two tales about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, the heroine, is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, Mikage is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother (who is really his cross-dressing father) Eriko. As the three of them form an improvised family that soon weathers its own tragic losses, Yoshimoto spins a lovely, evocative tale with the kitchen and the comforts of home at its heart.In a whimsical style that recalls the early Marguerite Duras, "Kitchen" and its companion story, "Moonlight Shadow," are elegant tales whose seeming simplicity is the ruse of a very special writer whose voice echoes in the mind and the soul. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press (April 17, 2006)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802142443


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 43


Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 710L


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.5 x 7.25 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #28,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #318 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction #586 in Psychological Fiction (Books) #2,682 in Literary Fiction (Books)


#318 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction:


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Jun 20

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • PayTomorrow Financing
  • Financing through Apple Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Similar Products

Top Amazon Reviews

    • Excellent!
"Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto is a fantastic read. I read it as part of an Introduction to Japanese Culture class at MIT, and I must say it was one of the most entertaining reads I've had to do for a class. The world created by Yoshimoto is mysterious and thrilling. An excellent work of fiction, "Kitchen" tells the a story that is easy to read, but at the same time very profound. "Kitchen" tells the sad story of two young people and how after losing their families they come together to support each other. The story is written in a way that allows you to submerge yourself into it as deep as you want, giving you the amount of details about each scene that allows you to fully understand the setting and what is happening. Banana Yoshimoto's "Kitchen" is a book that must be read by anyone looking for an excellent fiction book, and is a must read for anyone interested in Japan and Japanese culture. Although it might not teach you directly about Japanese culture, the fact that this book has sold millions of copies in Japan is something that will make you wonder what it is about it that the Japanese found so appealing. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2008 by Omar
    • loss and recovery
Not sure about the switch to the Hitoshi story in the end; it’s like two different stories. The magical realism of Tokyo pervades the prose. I liked it; it is deceptively simple.
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024 by K Gray
    • Couldn't put it down!
This is my first book from Banana, and I loved it! It is some of the most heartwarming modern Japanese literature (compared to Murakami...!). I can't wait to read more from this author!
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2024 by Haley
    • Kitchen
Review Image by Miranda Miranda
Interesting book exploring the themes of loss and family. I thought it was ok i didn’t really connect with it.
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2023 by Miranda Miranda
    • Comfort Food
Mikage Sakurai has had an uncertain childhood, losing both her parents while she was very young and being raised by her grandparents. Her grandfather, too, died when she was entering junior high. A few years later her grandmother dies leaving her alone, without any family. As Mikage is contemplating what to do next, Yuichi Tanabe, a classmate who helped out at her grandmother's funeral, visits her. He invites Mikage to come stay with him and his "mother." Yuichi's mother Eriko turns out to be a transgendered former male (Yuichi's father). She works in a nightclub. With no particular plan or direction, Mikage decides to take up the offer and spends long days alone contemplating the ceiling while Yuichi is at class and Eriko away at work or sleeping. Mikage adjusts to life at the Tanabe's and comes to value the friendship of these odd, nonconforming Japanese. Yuichi is moody and depressive, a needy soul who becomes deeply attached to Mikage's friendship. Eriko's style is high camp. She loves making frivolous purchases, especially electronic gadgets. Eriko loves Mikage with a kind of offbeat quasi-maternal affection. The household is shocked when Eriko is killed, murdered at the nightclub where she works. While she is staying at the Tanabe's Mikage purchases a set of instruction books on cooking and immerses herself in a serious attempt to become a skilled cook. After Eriko's death, when she comes back to the Tanabe apartment and spends a few days with Yuichi, she prepares an enormous meal of numerous courses, which they devour over several hours. Not long after Eriko's death, Mikage finds a dream job as an assistant to a well-known culinary author and television personality. She is asked to accompany the sensei and other staff on a trip to Izu Peninsula to sample the local cuisine. Mikage jumps at the chance. Mikage leaves for Izu, but once there she phones Yuichi who has gone to an inn not far from Izu to be alone. He complains about the food at the inn, which consists entirely of tofu dishes. Mikage happens on a katsudon shop where the specialty is exquisitely prepared. On an impulse, she orders an extra portion to go, hails a cab and makes a lengthy trip to Yuichi's inn. He is surprised, eats the katsudon and declares it to be the best he has every tasted. Before she leaves to ride the waiting cab back to Izu, Mikage tells him obliquely that she would like their relationship to grow and deepen. When she returns, Mikage receives a phone call from Yuichi who has gone to great pains to find out where she is staying. He asks her for her time of return to Tokyo and the platform where her train will arrive, promising to meet her. On this upbeat, optimistic note the story closes. Kitchen is a GenX novel, its youthful characters severed from traditional relationships: family, marriage, career. In their place, they form deep, if not necessarily permanent, bonds of friendship, based on mutual help and acceptance between people struggling to get by in a fragmented world. The kitchen serves as a symbol of peace and comfort, a place where Mikage can forget the difficulties that she faces and lose herself in her artistic creation. It also brings together the disparate personalities in a union based on shared enjoyment of food. Banana Yoshimoto handles this with great warmth and sensitivity. Her short debut novel makes for a touching, uplifting read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2009 by Dale Miller
    • A beautiful portrayal of grief
I've seen some reviews that say the book seems childish, but I have to disagree. Simplicity can be exactly right and I think in this situation it worked perfectly. Yoshimoto creates a story filled with beautiful metaphors and musings on life after you lose someone close to you. This version actually includes two stories, not one, the first of which is called "Kitchen." "Kitchen" follows a young woman after the death of her grandmother as she tries to find happiness and direction again. The writing is simple and at times short, but it seems fitting to someone who is grieving and gave the narrator an even stronger voice. I found the narrators love of kitchens especially charming and real. The thoughts and actions of the characters seemed so relatable and normal, like things I would do and say in the same situation. I found the second story "Moonlight Shadow" to be even more touching and graceful. I underlined a good portion of the end, saving it up for my own purposes because the writing was that striking. In this story, Yoshimoto writes about a girl who has lost her boyfriend and thinks back on their memories as she tries to keep living. I'd highly recommend this book. It was an easy read, done in a day, but the content was enough to keep me thinking far longer than that. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2012 by Kindle Customer
    • good price
Son needed the book for college class. The best price found was here. Arrived on time and book was in good condition.
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024 by MJSH
    • a balm for the wounded
A beautifully poignant and dreamy read about grief and loss. This book is a healing presence for anyone struggling with anything, from their own personal losses to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023 by Julie M Duane

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.