Bookstore foot traffic put Mariko Hayashi's essay collection at No. 1 on Billboard Japan Book Hot 100

Mariko Hayashi's essay collection on ageing topped the Billboard Japan Book Hot 100 on Aug. 20, driven by physical bookstore sales. It ranked No. 1 in brick-and-mortar shops, No. 78 in online retail and No. 91 in subscriptions. The chart aggregates physical sales, e-books, library loans, subscription data and social media. Hayashi, 72, reached the summit in the chart's 11th week.