The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi | Book Review

“I find myself wondering what it even means for me to die if I don't remember anything and nobody knows who I was.”

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi is a book that’s basically a therapy session for your soul, but make it aesthetic. Imagine a photography studio where the deads go to curate their best memories. Mr. Hirasaka, our resident guide, helps them pick one core memory from each year to put on a glowing lantern before they move on to the afterlife. Through three interconnected beautiful stories, this book explores grief, redemption, and why human connections are both fragile and beautiful. This book is not just about death, it’s a meditation on what makes a life worth remembering.

(The Lantern of Lost Memories oleh Sanaka Hiiragi adalah sebuah buku yang basically sesi terapi buat jiwa, tapi dibikin aesthetic. Bayangin ada studio foto tempat arwah-arwah memilih kenangan terbaik mereka. Pak Hirasaka, pemandu kita, membantu mereka memilih satu core memory untuk setiap tahun buat ditempel di lentera sebelum mereka lanjut ke alam baka. Lewat tiga cerita yang berkaitan, buku ini mengeksplorasi soal duka, penebusan, dan alasan hubungan manusia yang rapuh tapi tetap indah. Ini bukan cuma buku tentang kematian, tapi renungan soal apa yang bikin hidup layak diingat.)

BOOK INFORMATION

Title                       : The Lantern of Lost Memories 

Original title        : 人生写真館の奇跡

Translator            : Jesse Kirkwood

Author                  : Sanaka Hiiragi 

Publisher             : Grand Central Publishing

Language             : English 

Length                  : 224 pages

Released               : September 17, 2024

Read                     : February 2-9, 2025

GR Rating            : 4.06

My rating            : 4.00

TL;DR: A photography studio for dead people helps them choose their best memories before crossing over. Three heartbreaking stories + one mysterious photographer = a book that’ll ruin your eyeliner but heal your soul. 

⚠️ SIDE EFFECTS

🔺Sudden urge to call your grandma at 2 AM to ask about her youth

🔺Existential crisis while reorganizing your camera roll ("Which 10 pics would I keep??")

🔺Uncontrollable sobbing into your "It’s Fine, I’m Fine" pillow

🔺New fear unlocked: Forgetting your own "lantern-worthy" memories

🔺Inability to explain the plot without sounding like a therapy session

Read if: You want to feel things, question existence, and/or need a new personality trait.

BOOK REVIEW 

Imagine a photography studio that’s not for Instagram pics, but for souls stuck between life and the afterlife. The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi (translated by Jesse Kirkwood) is a dreamy, kinda haunting novel about Mr. Hirasaka, who runs a liminal-space studio where the dead show up with stacks of photos like, one for every single day of their lives. Their job? Pick one memory from each year, put it on a spinning lantern, and watch their whole life flash before their eyes (literally) before they move on to the next world. It’s that kind of vibe, equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking, which makes you low-key question which memories you’d choose.

This book splits into three stories: The Old Lady and the Bus, The Hero and the Mouse, and Mitsuru and the Last Photo, each following a different person who rolls up to Hirasaka’s studio with all the emotional baggage. There’s an old lady, a washed-up yakuza, and a kid with a seriously rough life, and Mr. Hirasaka (who’s basically the afterlife’s version of a trauma-informed therapist) helps them revisit their best and worst moments with his magic camera. He's got his own mysterious past (RIP his memory), but he’s out here guiding others while secretly hoping someone might recognize him. And the last story? Grab tissues. It’s heavy, but in that way that makes you feel something instead of just doom-scrolling.

Mixing magical realism with cozy-novel feels, this book talks about dark heavy themes (abuse, bullying, regret) without being a total downer. Mr. Hirasaka’s studio is like a vibe with warm tea, soft lighting, and a side of existential dread. The whole thing’s named after Yomotsu Hirasaka, the mythical slope to the underworld. It’s got that "what’s the point of life?" energy, but in a way that makes you wanna hug your people and cherish your core memories. Perfect for anyone who’s ever ugly-cried at a Studio Ghibli movie or stared at the ceiling at 3 AM thinking about mortality (but, like, in a chill way).

First, we meet Hatsue, a 92-year-old woman who’s just realized she’s dead, but honestly? The afterlife is kinda underwhelming for her. No floating ghosts, no creepy vibes, just sipping tea in Mr. Hirasaka’s cozy photo studio like it’s a chill café. Then comes the real task: scrolling through a lifetime of memories (IRL photo album vibes) to pick one highlight from each year. But when her favorite memory looks way more faded than she remembered, Hirasaka hits her with his confident "let’s fix your photo" energy. Cue a time-travel trip to post-war Japan, where young Hatsue’s out here fighting boomer system to let kids play instead of making them to be quiet and obey. It’s a nostalgia bomb that will make you wanna call your grandma.

Things take a darker turn with Mitsuru and the Last Photo, think "sad girl autumn" but with a neglected kid surviving an abusive home. Then there’s The Hero and the Mouse, where a washed-up yakuza man confronts his past like a villain in a redemption arc. Heavy? Yes. But Hiiragi writes it with so much heart, you’re rooting for these broken souls like they’re your mutuals. And Mr. Hirasaka? This man is the MVP, helping everyone else heal while low-key screaming into the void about his own forgotten life. The studio’s basically a therapy place and by the end, you’ll wanna hug him and then binge-watch comfort anime to recover.

This book's got magical realism aspects, but also "existential crisis at 2 AM" energy. The big takeaway? When you die, all that’s left are the memories you choose to keep, so make them good ones. Yeah, it’ll wreck you, but in that cathartic way that makes you text your group chat "y’all gotta read this." Perfect for anyone who’s ever ugly-cried over a book, stargazed while overthinking, or just needs a reminder that even messy lives are beautiful. 

(Bayangin ada studio foto, tapi bukan buat feed Instagram, ini studio buat jiwa-jiwa yang stuck di antara dunia manusia dan akhirat. The Lantern of Lost Memories oleh Sanaka Hiiragi (diterjemahkan Jesse Kirkwood) adalah novel dreamy tapi agak haunting, yang menceritakan Pak Hirasaka yang mengelola studio liminal space buat para arwah. Para arwah dateng bawa setumpuk foto, satu foto buat tiap hari dalam hidup mereka. Tugas mereka? Pilih satu memori untuk setiap tahun buat diletakkan di lentera yang muter, untuk menonton their whole life flash before their eyes (literally) sebelum mereka move on ke alam baka. Vibes-nya beautiful tapi bikin heartbroken, sampe kamu low-key mikir, "Kalau aku, bakal pilih memori apa ya?"

Buku ini dibagi jadi tiga cerita: The Old Lady and the Bus, The Hero and the Mouse, sama Mitsuru and the Last Photo. Masing-masing membahas orang yang sampai ke studio Pak Hirasaka dengan emotional baggage mereka sendiri: nenek-nenek, mantan yakuza yang washed-up, dan anak kecil dengan hidup yang berat banget. Pak Hirasaka, yang basically therapist trauma versi akhirat, membantu mereka revisit momen terbaik dan terburuk pakai kamera ajaibnya. Dia sendiri punya masa lalu misterius (RIP ingatannya), tapi dia sibuk guide orang lain sambil berharap ada yang mengenali siapa dia sebenernya. Dan cerita terakhir? Siapin tisu. Sedih banget, tapi sedih yang bikin kamu feels something, ga cuma doom-scrolling terus numb.

Buku ini adalah mix antara magical realism sama cozy novel, membahas tema berat (kekerasan, bullying, penyesalan) tapi gak bikin down terus. Studio Pak Hirasaka itu vibes-nya kayak warm tea dan lampu temaram, tapi ada side dish eksistensial krisis. Namanya aja diambil dari Yomotsu Hirasaka, lereng di mitologi Jepang yang jadi jalan ke alam baka. Novel ini punya energi "apa sih arti hidup?", tapi dalam versi yang bikin kamu pengen peluk orang terdekat dan mengharukan core memories kamu. Cocok banget buat kamu yang pernah ugly cry nonton film Studio Ghibli atau melamun jam 3 pagi mikirin mortality (tapi dalam versi yang chill)

Pertama, kita ketemu Hatsue, nenek 92 tahun yang sadar kalau dirinya sudah meninggal. Tapi sejujurnya, alam baka ternyata biasa aja buat dia. Nggak ada hantu melayang-layang, nggak ada vibe horor, cuma duduk santai minum teh di studio foto cozy-nya Pak Hirasaka kayak lagi nongkrong di kafe. Tugas utamanya? Scroll kenangan seumur hidup (kayak buka album foto jadul) dan memilih satu momen terbaik dari tiap tahun. Pas foto kenangan favoritnya keliatan lebih pudar dari yang diingat, Pak Hirasaka langsung kasih ajakan "yuk kita benerin foto ini". Boom! Kita dibawa jalan-jalan ke Jepang pasca perang, di mana Hatsue muda lagi berjuang menentang sistem kolot biar anak-anak bisa main bebas ketimbang disuruh diam dan nurut. Bikin nostalgia parah sampe pengen nelpon nenek sekarang!

Nah ceritanya makin gelap di bagian Mitsuru and the Last Photo, bayangin "sad girl autumn" tapi tentang anak kecil yang harus bertahan dari rumah yang penuh kekerasan. Terus ada The Hero and the Mouse, mantan yakuza yang berusaha menebus kesalahan masa lalu kayak karakter villain yang pengen berubah. Berat? Pasti. Tapi Hiiragi menulisnya dengan hati, sampai kita jadi mendukung karakter-karakter broken ini kayak temen sendiri. Dan Pak Hirasaka? Dia bener-bener MVP, bantu orang lain sembuh sambil diam-diam berteriak dalam hati soal hidupnya yang dia lupa. Studionya tuh kayak tempat terapi, dan di akhir cerita kita bakal pengen peluk dia terus binge-watch anime healing buat recovery.

Buku ini punya aspek ajaib dari magical realism, tapi juga energi "galau eksistensial jam 2 pagi". Pesan utamanya? Saat kita meninggal, yang tersisa cuma kenangan yang kita pilih untuk dibawa. Jadi bikin yang bagus-bagus deh. Iya, bacanya bakal bikin kita hancur, tapi hancur yang bikin lega sampe bakal kirim ke grup WA "GUYS BACA INI PLIS". Cocok banget buat kamu yang pernah nangis bombay baca buku, melamun ngelihatin bintang sambil overthinking, atau sekadar butuh reminder kalo hidup yang berantakan pun tetep bisa jadi sesuatu yang indah.)

THINGS I LOVE

■ The vibes are immaculate. A photography studio that’s basically purgatory’s waiting room? Where ghosts curate their best memories like a Pinterest board before crossing over? Chef’s kiss. This concept is so original it hurts, like if Studio Ghibli did a collab with a philosophy major. Folklore + magical realism + existential dread = perfection. 

■ Mr. Hirasaka = Best Sad Boy. This man is the ultimate "helping others while ignoring his own trauma" king. He’s out here playing therapist to lost souls while low-key screaming into the void about his missing memories. Not fully alive, not fully dead, just like all of us after finals week. Iconic.

■ Three stories, one emotional gut-punch. We’ve got: 1) a grandma reliving her glow-up era, 2) a yakuza with a redemption arc, and 3) a kid surviving abuse. Different struggles, same vibe check on mortality. The way they weave together? Love that. It’s like that TikTok trend where people show three parallel lives, but make it existential.

■ This book calls cap on our core memories. Turns out even our favorite moments get distorted, like when you retell a story so much it becomes fanfiction. Hirasaka’s magic camera letting people reshoot their past? Genius. 

■ Dark but make it hopeful. Yeah, it tackles heavy themes (child abuse, bullying, death), but it’s not that one friend who trauma-dumps at parties. There’s always light, like Hatsue’s grit, Waniguchi’s glow-up, or Mitsuru’s quiet strength. Proof you can cry and feel warm fuzzies.

■ Folklore = instant aesthetic. The studio’s person name (from Yomotsu Hirasaka) is literally the Japanese underworld’s back alley. The lantern ritual? Stunning. It’s tradition but make it relatable.

■ The final slap in the feels. The message? When you die, only your memories matter, not your job, money, or follower count. It’s comforting and terrifying, like realizing you’re the main character but also an NPC. Hello, identity crisis!

(■ Vibes-nya flawless banget! Bayangin studio foto yang basically waiting room-nya alam barzah? Di mana arwah memilih kenangan terbaik kayak bikin moodboard Pinterest sebelum move on? Chef's kiss. Konsepnya orisinil banget sampai bikin sakit hati, kayak kolab Studio Ghibli sama anak filsafat. Folklore + realisme magis + galau eksistensial = perfection.

■ Pak Hirasaka = Sad Boy Terbaik. Ini bapak mah rajanya "sibuk bantu orang lain tapi lupa healing diri sendiri". Dia jadi terapis buat arwah-arwah lost sambil diam-diam teriak dalam hati soal ingatannya yang ilang. Ga beneran hidup, ga beneran mati, persis kayak kita habis ujian akhir. Iconic.

■ Tiga cerita, satu pukulan telak ke perasaan: Nenek relive masa kejayaannya, mantan yakuza mencoba menebus dosa, dan anak kecil yang selamat dari abuse. Masalah yang berbeda-beda tapi sama-sama bikin mikir: "Kita semua bakal mati ya?" Cara ceritanya berkaitan? Love that. Kayak tren TikTok yang nunjukin tiga kehidupan paralel, tapi bikin galau.

■ Buku ini buktiin kalau memory kita ga reliable. Ternyata kenangan favorit pun bisa berubah kayak cerita yang sudah terlalu sering diceritain sampai jadi kayak fanfiction. Kamera ajaib Pak Hirasaka yang bisa bikin ulang memori? Genius.

■ Dark tapi tetap wholesome. Iya sih bahas tema berat (kekerasan anak, bullying, kematian), tapi gak kayak temen yang suka trauma-dump di tengah party. Selalu ada bagian terangnya, entah itu keteguhan Hatsue, perubahan Waniguchi, atau kekuatan tersembunyi Mitsuru. Ini bukti kita bisa nangis tapi tetep merasa hangat.

■ Folklore = aesthetic instant. Namanya (dari Yomotsu Hirasaka) literally jalan setapak ke alam baka versi Jepang. Ritual lentera? Stunning. Tradisi tapi dibuat relate.

■ Final punch ke perasaan. Pesan terakhirnya? Saat kita meninggal, yang penting cuma kenangan, bukan kerjaan, uang, atau jumlah follower. Nyaman sekaligus ngeri, kayak tiba-tiba sadar kita main character tapi juga NPC. Hello, identity crisis!)

PERFECT FOR:

🔺TikTok philosophers who post "POV: We’re all just ghosts with trauma" over Ghibli edits

🔺Anime fans who live for quiet, bittersweet stories

🔺Anyone who’s ever stared at old photos and gone "…damn, we really out here living, huh?"

🔺People who need a reason to text their group chat "Y’ALL. THIS BOOK. I AM NOT OKAY."

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Can we talk about Mr. Hirasaka’s whole deal? Because when this book finally drops the truth about why he lost his memories, it low-key just made me more confused? Like, before whatever went down, he was probably just another regular soul passing through the studio, right? But instead of getting his own lantern and moving-on moment, he somehow got stuck running the place? Why him? What’s so special about this man that he’s now the afterlife’s unpaid intern? And if he wasn’t the first studio manager, who was holding down the job before him? This book just leaves us hanging with zero answers, and now my brain’s stuck in conspiracy-theory mode. Someone give this man (and me) some closure!

(Btw bisa bahas soal Pak Hirasaka gak sih? Pas buku ini akhirnya mengungkap kenapa ingatannya hilang, malah bikin kita makin bingung. Jadi sebelum kejadian itu, dia kan harusnya cuma arwah biasa yang lewat studio kan? Tapi kenapa dia malah stuck ngurusin tempat ini? Kenapa harus dia? Apa istimewanya dia sampai jadi intern alam baka, gak dibayar pula? Terus kalau dia bukan orang yang pertama, siapa dulu yang ngurus studio ini? Buku ini gak kasih jawaban sama sekali, sekarang otakku penuh teori konspirasi. Tolong kasih closure dong, buat bapak ini dan buat aku juga!

RATING (Out of 5 Lanterns)

🥲 Emotional Damage: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

🌌 Aesthetic Vibes: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

🧠 Existential Crisis Fuel: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

🍵 Coziness Level: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 

🚀 Plot: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE LANTERN OF LOST MEMORIES 

🔺Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray): "How dreadfully morbid, and yet, I do relate. Hirasaka, darling, could you photograph my portrait? For, ah, archival purposes."

🔺Mary Lennox (The Secret Garden): "It’s rather like my garden! But with more ghosts and less radishes. Do you think Mr. Hirasaka could help Colin stop being so dramatic about dying?"

🔺Christine Daaé (Phantom of the Opera): "A man trapped between worlds, helping lost souls? Mon dieu, this is just like—…Never mind."

🔺Mercédès (The Count of Monte Cristo): "Ah, to forget one’s pain. But Monsieur Hirasaka, have you considered revenge as a coping mechanism?"

🔺Boromir (The Lord of the Rings): "A noble quest! Though, if one simply carried a lantern and a sword, they might— [remembers his own mortality] [sniffles] …FOR GONDOR!"

CONCLUSION 

The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautiful story that makes us reflect on life, death, and the importance of memories. It will wreck you, hug you, and leave you staring at the ceiling at 3 AM questioning your entire existence (in a good way). Hiiragi’s writing (shoutout to Jesse Kirkwood’s fire translation) sticks to your brain like that one song you can’t stop replaying. It forces you to ask: What memories would I keep? And when you strip away the power, the drama, the BS, what’s actually left of you? Equal parts tear-jerker and hope-pilled, this is for anyone who’s ever loved hard, lost harder, or just wondered what’s lurking in those quiet moments between life and whatever comes next. Even though I do wish the book had explained more about Mr. Hirasaka’s role, the overall story is emotional and meaningful. Bottom line? Even in the darkest places, there’s always a little light, you just gotta know where to look.

(P.S. Mr. Hirasaka deserves a hug. And maybe a LinkedIn profile.)

(The Lantern of Lost Memories adalah cerita yang bikin kita mikirin hidup, mati, dan betapa berharganya kenangan. Bakal bikin kita hancur, terus dihibur, habis itu melamun jam 3 pagi sambil mempertanyakan semua hal (tapi dalam arti baik). Tulisan Hiiragi (dan terjemahan keren Jesse Kirkwood) bikin ceritanya nempel di otak kayak lagu yang terus kita repeat. Kita bakal dipaksa bertanya: "Kenangan apa yang bakal aku simpan?" Dan kalau kita buang semua gengsi, drama, dan bullshit-nya, sisa apa sih sebenernya dari diri kita? Sedih bikin nangis tapi sekaligus kasih harapan, cocok buat kamu yang pernah cinta mati-matian, patah hati parah, atau sekadar penasaran apa yang ada di limbo antara hidup dan apa pun yang datang setelahnya. FYI, aku sih berharap buku ini jelasin lebih banyak soal peran Pak Hirasaka, tapi secara keseluruhan ceritanya dalem banget dan penuh makna. Intinya? Di tempat paling gelap pun, selalu ada cahaya kecil, kita cuma perlu tahu di mana nyarinya.)