The Convenience Store by the Sea

The Convenience Store by the Sea

The international bestseller with over half a million copies sold, for fans of Convenience Store Woman and The Kamogawa Food Detectives.

Welcome to Tenderness!

A quaint seaside town in Kitakyushu, Mojiko is full of hidden delights. And one unexpected treasure is the 24/7 convenience store, Tenderness.

Sure, it’s a bit odd that the incredibly handsome manager has his own fan club. And perhaps the customers are somewhat eccentric, if not entertaining. But there’s a warmth about the store that draws you in.

The truth is, Tenderness is different. Operating only in Kyushu, Tenderness stands firm and proud by its motto “Caring for People, Caring for You”, no matter the cause. And for Mitsuhiko, dishing out delicious food is simply the appetizer to his unsolicited but hearty wisdom on the town’s shenanigans.

An international bestseller with over half a million copies sold between Japan and South Korea, The Convenience Store by The Sea tells the delightfully quirky and heartfelt stories of the store’s customers and employees, offering us all a unique recipe for a good, fulfilling life.

Story Locale: Kitakyushu Moji Port

Biographical Notes:

Sonoko Machida is a best-selling and award-winning Japanese author, born in 1980 in Fukuoka Prefecture. Her masterpiece, 52-Hertz Whales, won the 2021 Japan Booksellers’ Award and became a best-seller with about half a million copies sold in Japan. Her two following novels, Scooping Up the Stars and Sora’s Recipes, were both nominated for the award in consecutive years.

Bruno Navasky is known for his translation of How Do You Live by Genzaburo Yoshino, the book that was the inspiration for The Boy and the Heron, the major new Studio Ghibli film.

Quotes / Reviews:

“The Convenience Store by the Sea makes magic from life’s simple moments. A book about kindness, human connection, and the joy of sharing food with a friend (or stranger!), this story is exactly what the world needs right now. Each chapter unveils a peek at a different character’s life and I loved getting to know them all. Much like Tenderness, this book is an unexpected treasure revealing what’s truly important in life. I will hold it close for when I need a reminder!”

–Laurie Gilmore, bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe

“Utterly charming! A trip to The Convenience Store by the Sea is the uplifting, soul-cleansing experience we all need these days.”

—Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

Title Notes:

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER WITH HALF A MILLION COPIES SOLD: Readers can’t get enough of this delightfully quirky novel. Originally published as Konbini Kyōdai in Japan in 2020, The Convenience Store by the Sea sold over 200k copies. The Korean edition was published in March 2023, and has sold over 300k copies in South Korea. The author has been commissioned to write two further volumes to follow the characters from this book, with the second volume already out in Korea, and Chinese and Thai editions currently in the works. Rights have also been sold in Taiwan and the UK.

A UNIQUE TAKE ON A GROWING TREND: While this novel is on trend in Japanese translation fiction, catering directly to readers still hungry for themes of healing, connection, and friendship, The Convenience Store by the Sea also feels much more expansive in its community focus; filled with delightfully quirky characters and their zany rituals, and centered around a beloved convenience store without being tied to that setting, The Convenience Store by the Sea is the unique amalgamation of the successful Convenience Store Woman and in-house favorite The Kamogawa Food Detectives, and will be sure to stand.

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR: Sonoko Machida is a well-established and renowned author in Japan. She won the Japan Booksellers’ Award Grand Prize for 52 Hertz no Kujiratachi in 2021 and was shortlisted twice more for her two following novels.

STRONG PUBLISHING PARTNER: The Convenience Store by the Sea will also be published by Orion, Hachette U.K. International buzz around this title will appeal to U.S. readers and give additional heft to our publicity, marketing, and packaging plans.