If you are drawn to Yoru Sumino’s books, it’s probably because of the way she writes about emotions and relationships. Her stories often feature young people grappling with life, death, and what it means to connect with others.
If you want to discover authors who explore similar emotional landscapes and character-focused narratives, you might be interested in reading further.
Ichigo Takano is a Japanese manga author known for heartfelt stories filled with emotion and empathy. Readers who connect with the gentle yet profound stories of Yoru Sumino will appreciate Takano’s “Orange”.
The story follows Naho Takamiya, a high school student who receives letters from her future self. These letters ask her to help prevent regrets tied to her classmate, Kakeru Naruse.
As Naho follows the advice from her future self, she faces doubts, friendship, love, and personal growth—all told with simplicity and sensitivity. “Orange” invites readers to reflect on friendship, emotional well-being, and how small decisions can shape lives.
Readers who enjoy Yoru Sumino may find a similar depth and quiet emotional power in the novels of Aki Shimazaki. Shimazaki is a Japanese-Canadian novelist known for delicate, insightful explorations of personal history and family secrets.
Her novel “Tsubaki” tells the story of Yukiko, a woman in post-war Japan who has built a peaceful life with her husband and son. Yet everything begins to shift when Yukiko’s past resurfaces after decades of silence.
The discovery of hidden truths stirs emotions and memories she once hoped to leave behind. Shimazaki carefully reveals the connections between personal choices and larger historical events, making the novel resonate deeply without overpowering the reader.
If you enjoy Yoru Sumino’s thoughtful storytelling and focus on complex emotions, Kanae Minato could be a great author to discover next. Minato’s writing explores dark, unsettling themes beneath everyday life, often revealing the hidden sides of human nature.
Her novel “Confessions” is a perfect example. After the tragic death of her daughter, middle school teacher Yuko Moriguchi calmly addresses her class, revealing she knows two of her students were responsible and describing how she sets out to exact her revenge.
The novel shifts between multiple perspectives, each one peeling away layer after layer of secrets, guilt, and shock. Minato creates tense narratives from ordinary settings, making readers question just how deep human cruelty can run.
Hiro Arikawa is a Japanese author known for gentle, emotional storytelling and characters who stay with you long after the last page. If you enjoyed Yoru Sumino’s heartfelt novels, you might really appreciate Arikawa’s “The Travelling Cat Chronicles.”
This story follows Satoru, a young man who embarks on a road journey across Japan with his cat Nana. Each stop along the way reveals layers of Satoru’s past, friendships, and the bittersweet beauty of life’s simple moments.
Warm, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking, the narrative shines with quiet wisdom and tenderness, making it a perfect choice for readers who loved the emotional depth of Sumino’s work.
Books by Keigo Higashino often explore the mysteries hidden within everyday life, effortlessly blending suspense and emotional depth in narratives that linger long after the final page.
For readers who appreciate Yoru Sumino’s sensitive storytelling, Higashino’s novel “The Miracles of the Namiya General Store” is a gem worth discovering.
In this book, three young friends stumble upon an abandoned general store famed for the unusual letters its owner used to answer, offering guidance to people’s troubles.
As the timelines weave together beautifully, letters exchanged decades apart connect characters in surprising and heartfelt ways.
Higashino skillfully crafts a story filled with warmth, regret, and human connection, capturing themes of kindness and redemption that fans of Sumino will surely value.
Fuminori Nakamura is a Japanese author known for intense psychological stories often centered on morally ambiguous characters. His novel “The Thief” is a quick-paced narrative about a skilled Tokyo pickpocket who navigates life in the shadows.
Nakamura builds suspense through subtle tension and clear language, similar to Yoru Sumino’s thoughtful portrayals of complex inner lives.
The thief’s solitary routine shifts dramatically after he encounters a young boy in need, forcing him to confront challenging decisions about fate, morality, and responsibility. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after you read the final page.
Readers who enjoyed Yoru Sumino’s thoughtful and emotional storytelling might find Banana Yoshimoto’s work equally engaging. Yoshimoto is a Japanese author known for writing heartfelt stories about loss, love, and everyday human connections.
Her book “Kitchen” centers around Mikage, a young woman who finds comfort in cooking after experiencing deep loss. The story explores themes of grief and healing through her relationships and simple daily pleasures, such as preparing food.
Yoshimoto’s quiet, sincere style offers readers an insightful glimpse into life’s delicate moments.
Sayaka Murata is a Japanese author known for her honest style and sharp portrayal of characters navigating social pressures and isolation.
Her novel “Convenience Store Woman” follows Keiko Furukura, a woman who feels out of place in society but finds comfort in the structured routine of her convenience store job. The book offers thoughtful reflections on conformity, identity, and the quiet struggle to belong.
Readers who appreciate Yoru Sumino’s careful examination of loneliness and everyday life in “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas” may find similar depth and insight in Murata’s portrayal of Keiko’s story.
Mitsuyo Kakuta is a Japanese author known for sensitive portrayals of human relationships and everyday life. Readers who enjoyed Yoru Sumino’s emotional and thoughtful novels may find Kakuta’s storytelling equally appealing.
In “Woman on the Other Shore,” Kakuta follows the lives of two very different women whose paths cross unexpectedly. Sayoko, a housewife feeling trapped in mundane routines, meets Aoi, a dynamic, independent entrepreneur with a complicated past.
Through their unlikely friendship, the novel explores the subtle bonds and deep emotional complexities connecting women as they navigate personal freedom, identity, and loneliness.
Kakuta’s vivid characters and relatable themes resonate deeply, creating an authentic emotional experience.
Hiromi Kawakami is a Japanese novelist known for her subtle storytelling and thoughtful explorations of human relationships and emotions.
If you’ve enjoyed Yoru Sumino’s heartfelt characters and themes, Kawakami’s “Strange Weather in Tokyo” offers something similarly tender but from a fresh perspective.
The story revolves around Tsukiko, a woman in her thirties who unexpectedly reconnects with her former high school teacher. Through leisurely evenings sharing sake and quiet reflections about life, their bond slowly grows into something deeper.
Kawakami beautifully portrays everyday moments and gentle interactions that hold unexpected meaning.
Her writing carries a quiet charm with emotional depth, making “Strange Weather in Tokyo” a great read for anyone who appreciates Yoru Sumino’s sensitive portrayals of connection and solitude.
Books by Natsuki Koyata share the heartfelt sensitivity and quiet introspection readers find appealing in Yoru Sumino’s novels. In “The Little House by the Sea,” Koyata introduces us to a young woman named Ayumi who returns to her seaside hometown after many years away.
She reconnects with childhood friends, revisits old memories, and slowly confronts unresolved feelings about family, friendship, and love.
The seaside setting helps create a calm yet emotional atmosphere, much in the way Sumino uses locations to mirror the emotional landscape of his characters.
Readers drawn to Sumino’s gentle, relatable storytelling might appreciate Koyata’s sincere exploration of themes about nostalgia, personal growth, and the subtle complexities of human relationships.
Readers who enjoyed Yoru Sumino may find a similar connection with the novels of Shion Miura. Miura is known for thoughtful storytelling and emotional depth, often exploring the subtle experiences of everyday life.
Her novel “The Great Passage” follows Majime, an introverted editor who unexpectedly receives the massive task of compiling a comprehensive Japanese dictionary. Through his journey, readers experience the quiet passion and dedication behind choosing words carefully and deeply.
The story beautifully captures ordinary life’s warmth and humanity, resonating with those who appreciate literature centered on genuine relationships and personal growth.
Yoko Ogawa is a Japanese author known for quiet, thought-provoking stories that linger softly in your mind, blending themes of memory, personal loss, and the subtle mysteries of human bonds.
If you’re fond of Yoru Sumino’s gentle explorations of emotions, Ogawa’s “The Housekeeper and the Professor” might resonate with you deeply.
It’s a story about an elderly mathematics professor whose memory resets every eighty minutes, and the humble housekeeper who cares for him.
A genuine bond takes root when the professor passionately shares his fascination with numbers, connecting himself, the housekeeper, and her young son through the surprising beauty and warmth of mathematics.
Ogawa’s delicate and graceful storytelling helps readers discover quiet joy even in everyday moments.
Miyuki Miyabe is a Japanese author known for stories that blend mystery, suspense, and deep emotional themes. If you enjoy Yoru Sumino’s emotional depth and thought-provoking storytelling, Miyabe’s “Brave Story” would likely appeal to you.
This novel follows a young boy named Wataru whose life takes a painful turn due to family struggles. To change his difficult reality, Wataru embarks on a journey into a magical realm called Vision, a world shaped by quests, friends, courage, and sometimes loss.
Miyabe skillfully explores friendship and personal growth through Wataru’s vibrant, imaginative adventures. Readers who appreciate stories full of emotional honesty and imaginative worlds will probably find “Brave Story” both heartwarming and engaging.
Yoko Kamio is a Japanese manga author known for emotionally intense stories with engaging, relatable characters. Readers who enjoy Yoru Sumino’s thoughtful exploration of friendship and complex emotions might also appreciate Kamio’s “Boys Over Flowers.”
The story follows Tsukushi Makino, a strong-willed girl from a modest household who earns a scholarship at an exclusive high school. When Tsukushi defies the school’s elite group known as the “F4,” she finds herself at odds with their leader, Tsukasa Domyoji.
Despite initial hostility, Tsukushi and Tsukasa slowly begin to understand one another, transforming tense conflict into unexpected connections. The series vividly captures the struggles of navigating class differences, peer pressure, friendship, and first love.