--- product_id: 11850138 title: "Kokoro" price: "AED 52" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/11850138-kokoro store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Kokoro **Price:** AED 52 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Kokoro - **How much does it cost?** AED 52 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/11850138-kokoro) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Literally meaning "heart", the Japanese word "kokoro" can be more distinctly translated as "the heart of things" or "feeling." Natsume Soseki's 1914 novel, which was originally published in serial format in a Japanese newspaper, "Kokoro" deals with the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era. Divided into three parts "Sensei and I," "My Parents and I," and "Sensei and His Testament," the novel explores the themes of loneliness and isolation. In the first part we find the narrator attending university where he befriends an older man, known only as "Sensei," who lives a largely reclusive life. In the second part of the novel the narrator graduates from college and returns home to await the death of his father. The third part of the novel recounts a letter that the narrator receives from the "Sensei," which describes the circumstances that caused his loss of faith in humanity and the guilt he feels over the death of a childhood friend which drives him to the reclusive life that he has led. A deeply thematic novel "Kokoro" provides an excellent introduction to one of Japan's most beloved authors, Natsume Soseki. Review: A masterpiece..... - If you don't know this novel or it's author, Natsume Soseki, then read this tremendous novel. Soseki was born in Tokyo in 1867, one year before Japan entered the Meiji period. He is considered to be the first "modern" Japanese novelist. What does this mean? In his forward to another Soseki novel, SANSHIRO, the author Haruki Murakami writes: "Most of his protagonists face real-life contradictions. They experience anguish over how they ought to live, and are confronted with real-life decisions that are being forced upon them. They struggle earnestly to find where they stand amid the competing demands of the pre-modern and the modern, between love and morality, between the West and Japan." The novel focuses on the relationship between two men: one older and one recently graduated from university, making his way in the world for the first time. Sensei, as the younger man refers to his older friend, is a product of a different time. And unlike his older friend, the younger man is entering a period of Japanese ascension towards a more modern way of living. How riveting is this novel, and how masterful a storyteller is Soseki? Consider this: more than half the novel, a full half, is in the form of a letter from one party to another. And for the entire time I read this riveting epistolary portion of the novel, I could not move except to delve further. I could barely take a breath again until I reached it's end. A masterpiece of writing from a masterful storyteller...... Review: Review of the Mint Editions hardcover version of Kokoro - This is a review specifically of the hardcover Mint Editions publication of 'Kokoro.' I love Soseki's writing. The theme of this novel examines the casualties of the rapid Westernization of Japan, an oft underrepresented facet of the Japanese experience, which in the eyes of foreigners is so often buried beneath contemporary pop culture references. I relate to this story even today--of experiencing the feeling of falling through the cracks, getting left behind, and living in a world in which there is no place for me. Some things about the Mint Editions book: 1. I noticed that this translation is different to the Edwin McClellan translation. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I actually prefer this translation, which preserves the meaning and simplicity of the original text but also finds a way to be quietly lyrical with its content. 2. Oddly, the translator was not credited anywhere in the book. In fact, there was very little publication information. Another oddity was that each break in the text was presented as a new chapter, so the book was divided into many short chapters and not just into the three main parts. This isn't necessarily a problem, though, and if you are reader who likes to take frequent breaks from the text, it may actually be a draw. 3. The binding is simple but feels sturdy. The cover is attractive and not overwhelming. 4. The only reason I take off a star is because it could have used one more pass over by a copywriter. There are typos that begin partway through the text and then continue to appear with some frequency. Some of these typos interfere with understanding the text. There was also a small translation inconsistency in the early chapters, which is easy enough to overlook but still something I noticed as a fellow Japanese-English translator. Overall, this novel has my full recommendation, and this Mint Editions publication, in spite of the caveats listed above, has my recommendation as well. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #6,269,513 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,249 in Asian American & Pacific Islander Literature (Books) #2,825 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,851 Reviews | ## Images ![Kokoro - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Eu5M4IlBL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A masterpiece..... *by T***K on March 7, 2011* If you don't know this novel or it's author, Natsume Soseki, then read this tremendous novel. Soseki was born in Tokyo in 1867, one year before Japan entered the Meiji period. He is considered to be the first "modern" Japanese novelist. What does this mean? In his forward to another Soseki novel, SANSHIRO, the author Haruki Murakami writes: "Most of his protagonists face real-life contradictions. They experience anguish over how they ought to live, and are confronted with real-life decisions that are being forced upon them. They struggle earnestly to find where they stand amid the competing demands of the pre-modern and the modern, between love and morality, between the West and Japan." The novel focuses on the relationship between two men: one older and one recently graduated from university, making his way in the world for the first time. Sensei, as the younger man refers to his older friend, is a product of a different time. And unlike his older friend, the younger man is entering a period of Japanese ascension towards a more modern way of living. How riveting is this novel, and how masterful a storyteller is Soseki? Consider this: more than half the novel, a full half, is in the form of a letter from one party to another. And for the entire time I read this riveting epistolary portion of the novel, I could not move except to delve further. I could barely take a breath again until I reached it's end. A masterpiece of writing from a masterful storyteller...... ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review of the Mint Editions hardcover version of Kokoro *by A***. on March 27, 2022* This is a review specifically of the hardcover Mint Editions publication of 'Kokoro.' I love Soseki's writing. The theme of this novel examines the casualties of the rapid Westernization of Japan, an oft underrepresented facet of the Japanese experience, which in the eyes of foreigners is so often buried beneath contemporary pop culture references. I relate to this story even today--of experiencing the feeling of falling through the cracks, getting left behind, and living in a world in which there is no place for me. Some things about the Mint Editions book: 1. I noticed that this translation is different to the Edwin McClellan translation. It was a pleasant surprise to find that I actually prefer this translation, which preserves the meaning and simplicity of the original text but also finds a way to be quietly lyrical with its content. 2. Oddly, the translator was not credited anywhere in the book. In fact, there was very little publication information. Another oddity was that each break in the text was presented as a new chapter, so the book was divided into many short chapters and not just into the three main parts. This isn't necessarily a problem, though, and if you are reader who likes to take frequent breaks from the text, it may actually be a draw. 3. The binding is simple but feels sturdy. The cover is attractive and not overwhelming. 4. The only reason I take off a star is because it could have used one more pass over by a copywriter. There are typos that begin partway through the text and then continue to appear with some frequency. Some of these typos interfere with understanding the text. There was also a small translation inconsistency in the early chapters, which is easy enough to overlook but still something I noticed as a fellow Japanese-English translator. Overall, this novel has my full recommendation, and this Mint Editions publication, in spite of the caveats listed above, has my recommendation as well. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Unusual. *by C***O on April 19, 2026* Easy enough go understand the guilt and the loneliness that is in virtually every word. Had me intrigued to the last word. ## Frequently Bought Together - Kokoro - Naomi - The Makioka Sisters --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/11850138-kokoro](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/11850138-kokoro) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-05-11*