The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Jean, Emiko. Tokyo Ever After. Flatiron Books, 2021.

The novel begins with Izumi hanging out with her best friend Noora at her own house. Izumi lives with her mother Hanako in Mount Shasta. When they snoop through Hanako’s things, they uncover a love poem addressed to her by a man called Mak. They presume that Mak is Izumi’s father. All that Izumi knows about him is that he met Hanako at Harvard.

The next day at school, Noora shows Izumi a photo of Mak on the internet, whom she managed to find by looking through Harvard’s archives. He is the Crown Prince of Japan. After school, Izumi confronts Hanako, who admits to the truth. She gives Izumi the email of a mutual friend of theirs. Soon after, the Japanese ambassador shows up to their door to tell them Mak invites Izumi to visit him in Tokyo. Hanako agrees to let Izumi go.

On the plane, Izumi spots an attractive boy her age. He turns out to be Akio, her bodyguard, who is quite impatient and rude to her. He helps her off the plane and ushers her into a car where she meets Mr. Fuchigami, a chamberlain and Izumi’s designated mentor.

Izumi is mesmerized by the Togu Palace in Tokyo. She has her own lady-in-waiting named Mariko. Izumi’s first meeting with Mak is awkward. He shows her around the garden where orchids are found in abundance. Orchids are Hanako’s favorite flower.

Izumi struggles to fit in with her royal family. She feels especially threatened by the beautiful and talented twins Akiko and Noriko. Her cousin Yoshi welcomes her and even takes her out for a night. They get drunk at a karaoke bar. Izumi nearly gets assaulted in the alleyway, but Akio arrives in time to rescue her. In the car ride home, the two bond over their discomfort in their roles. Akio dreams of entering the Air Self-Defense Force. He only joined the imperial guard because his father had to retire in order to care for Akio’s mother, who has dementia.

Izumi attends several official gatherings with Mak, each with varying degrees of success. On her day off from her royal duties, she helps Akio bring some medicine to his mother. He is deeply grateful to her.

At the prime minister’s wedding, Izumi makes a horrible mistake. As per the twins’ advice, she tells the prime minister that she is sorry his sister could not attend. The prime minister is furious. Everyone knows that he and his sister are on bad terms. Izumi flees the wedding.

The next day, Mak tells Izumi to be careful in front of the press. He asks her to extend her stay in Japan. He suggests that she go to Kyoto for a break. Izumi interprets this as a punishment but accepts his offer.

Izumi falls in love with Kyoto and its people, who are welcoming to her. Yoshi even comes to visit. One night when Izumi cannot sleep, she goes to the kitchen, where she finds Akio. The two take a walk. Akio asks if they can ignore their difference in rank for one night. They kiss.

Back in Tokyo, Izumi and Mak have an awkward reunion. He confesses that he plants orchids for Hanako. A few days later, he takes Izumi to Edo Castle to meet her grandparents, the emperor and empress. They are kind to her and even invite her out onto the balcony to greet the crowds. Afterwards, Izumi and Akio meet in an empty ballroom. They dance and kiss.

Izumi makes an official visit alongside the twins to a local hospital. When they hear a gunshot go off, Akio protects her. Izumi shields a baby from harm. The gunshot turns out to be just a trolley kicked over. Izumi receives praise in the press for her protective instincts.

An article comes out about Izumi and Akio’s romance. There are photos of them kissing. Akio loses his job. Izumi gives Yoshi a note asking Akio to meet her. Akio never shows up. Izumi flees to America, certain that the twins betrayed her secret.

Back in Mount Shasta, Izumi feels out of place. A week after her arrival, Mak shows up, announcing that he will stay with her and Hanako until Izumi’s graduation. The three of them spend three blissful days together. At the end, Mak invites them both to Japan. They decline. As Mak drives off for the airport, Izumi and Hanako realize that they made a terrible mistake. They follow him and end up pulling over in the middle of the road to tell him they want to go to Japan.

Izumi decides to stay in Tokyo for good. Hanako soon returns to America. She and Mak are taking their relationship slow. Izumi details her experience in Japan in an exclusive interview with a progressive women’s magazine. The article gains her much popularity. One day, she confronts the twins about leaking the photos of her and Akio. They deny it. Izumi realizes that it is Yoshi who betrayed her. When she confronts him, he admits to leaking the photos for money. One day, Izumi finds a note from Akio among her fan mail. When she exits the palace, she finds him standing among the crowd. She invites him in and they each apologize. Akio explains that he was not fired from his job. He quit to join the Air Self-Defense Force. He loves Izumi and vows to spend his life trying to be worthy of her. They kiss.