Tree

By: Aya Koda, Charlotte Goff - translator

Brought to you by Penguin.

Cherry blossom, hinoki, ezo spruce. Persimmon, maple, cypress. The trees of Japan are wondrous emblems of beauty that cast a spell on those who venture to its unique landscape.

As a child, Aya Koda realized they were more than mere objects of beauty. Gifted a sapling by her father, she discovered that we depend on trees as much as they do on us. Markers of time passing, they clear the air and regenerate our earth – while we are responsible to care for their future.

Following her travels around Japan, as she witnesses landslides, lumber and forests of falling ash, Tree is a beautiful series of essays that contemplate the most distinctive and eternal features of our natural world. A modern classic translated for the first time, Koda’s voice echoes down the generations, to remind us that trees hold a mirror to what we cherish on earth, and what we choose to leave behind.

© Aya Koda 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

Critic reviews

Despite being born over a century ago, Aya Koda's prose remains remarkably fresh today. I believe this is because she never ceased to observe keenly, listen attentively, and think for herself: surely the most vital qualities for a writer and for any human being (Hiromi Kawakami, author of Under the Eye of the Big Bird)

Wise, frank and often funny, Koda's written stewardship of Japan's trees is utterly beguiling. Spruce, Cedar, Cherry, Cypress and more, all shimmer through the pages like leaves in rain. A book to return to, as Koda recommends we do with trees, in all seasons (Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, author of The Grassling)