Passage to Tokyo

A Novel

By: Poppy Kuroki

Narrated by: Siho Ellsmore

In the second book in the Ancestor Memories historical fantasy series, a young woman finds herself back in 1920s Tokyo as Japan enters a new and dangerous era—and a deadly tragedy awaits her city.

Yui Sanada struggles to raise her twelve-year-old brother, Hiro, while contending with the antics of their neglectful, alcoholic mother. During a trip to Ueno Park, Hiro runs away from his sister into a strange passage beneath a samurai statue. Yui chases after him and soon finds herself in a Tokyo far removed from the familiar world of 1995.

When Yui emerges from the tunnel, she cannot find Hiro but meets a young woman named Chiyo and her family and learns she has traveled back through time to 1923. As feelings between the two women develop, Yui and realizes it’s just weeks before the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake will happen, killing tens of thousands and leveling the city. Will Yui be able to find her brother and save her new family from the coming disaster?

A Good Story With a Few Avoidable Stumbles

(3-11-2026)

I read Passage to Tokyo while listening to the audiobook at the same time, and overall it’s an engaging, heartfelt story with a strong sense of place. But experiencing both formats together also made a few inconsistencies stand out more clearly than they might otherwise.

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📘 1. Chapter 31: 29 Years vs. 30 Years Later

In Chapter 31, the printed book and the audiobook don’t match:

• Printed book: “1953, 29 years after the earthquake.”
• Audiobook: “1953, 30 years later.”


Since the Great Kantō Earthquake happened in 1923, the audiobook’s 30 years is correct.

It’s a small discrepancy, but noticeable when you’re reading and listening simultaneously. It suggests the print and audio versions weren’t perfectly aligned during production.

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🎧 2. Masao… or Maseo? The Narrator’s Pronunciation Slip

Another minor but distracting issue comes from the narrator’s pronunciation of Chiyo’s son’s name.

For most of the story, she says Masao.

Then, in the later chapters, she suddenly starts saying “Maseo.”

For a moment, it genuinely sounds like a new character has appeared — especially since it happens during important scenes.

Then in the final chapter, she switches back to Masao.

It’s not a major flaw, but it’s the kind of inconsistency that can momentarily pull you out of the story, especially when you’re following along in print.

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📚 3. Thoughts on the Book Itself

Setting aside the production quirks, the novel has a lot of strengths:

• The historical sections are atmospheric and well‑written.
• The emotional relationships — especially the bonds Yui forms in the past — are compelling.
• The pacing is steady, and the transitions between eras are smooth.


Some timeline details feel a bit loose if you look closely, but the story’s emotional core is strong enough that most readers will stay invested.

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🎯 Overall

Passage to Tokyo is a warm, engaging read with memorable characters and a vivid historical backdrop. The audiobook narration is generally good, but the Chapter 31 date mismatch and the Masao/Maseo pronunciation slip are noticeable quirks when consuming both formats together. They don’t ruin the experience, but they do stand out.

A solid story with a few production bumps along the way.

The story ended so differently than I expected!

This story not only did I learn more about 1920s-1950s Japan but the hardships and struggles Japanese citizens endured. Wonderful story! The ending was very interesting and took a different turn than I expected. I very much want to know more about Yui’s mother now.