The Healing Hippo Of Hinode Park

By: Michiko Aoyama, Takami Nieda - translator

Narrated by: Naruto Komatsu, Kenichiro Thomson, Susan Momoko Hingley, Yuriri Naka, Ami Okumura Jones

Brought to you Penguin.

‘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.

© Michiko Aoyama 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critic reviews

If you're after a feel-good tale, this story about a community who find comfort in a stubby hippo statue in a children's playground is for you.