Hideo Levy’s Tokyo Ueno Station is a somber novel about Kazu, a homeless man whose life and afterlife are defined by a constant weariness. Kazu, born in 1933, the same year as the Emperor, finds his life deeply intertwined with the Imperial family and Ueno Park in Tokyo. This connection is marked by striking coincidences. His life in Tokyo began as a worker preparing for the 1964 Olympics, and tragically, ended in the park’s homeless community. He was traumatized by the 2011 tsunami and outraged by the announcement of the 2020 Olympics. Now, his restless spirit lingers in the same park, forever bound to Tokyo’s Ueno Park.
“I was always tired.
There was never a time I was not tired.
Not when life had its claws in me, and not when I escaped from it.
I did not live with intent, I only lived.
But that’s all over now.” (p.4)
I chose this quotation because it perfectly captures Kazu’s existence. His fatigue isn’t just physical; it’s a deep, existential exhaustion born from a life of hardship and loss. His weariness is constant, whether he’s struggling with poverty, grieving his son, or existing as a ghost. His life was dictated by circumstance, not choice. His “that’s all over now” isn’t a moment of peace, but a final acceptance of his fate. This passage really stood out to me and I found myself thinking about its message for quite a while. Since, at the end of the story, Kazu finally acknowledges and learns that his life was defined by a constant state of exhaustion. He accepts it, and nothing more. Through Kazu’s journey, we can see the books message that life is filled with hardship and some people are never given the chance to truly live.