We could see the fireworks rise above the tree line. We couldn’t see the initial upward thrust, but once it cleared the treetops, the full bright burst was magnificent, more so with the extra seconds of unseen suspense.
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What I relish finding there, at spring blossom time, are toads. Their arrival is just as sure a sign of spring as the sakura, and just as amazing.
Read MoreA little about my day job of teaching American Literature.
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The weight of the packets is the first clue this is not the light fare of store-bought instant ramen. It’s the weight of Japan’s food culture is entering your home
Read MoreThe most common image among those adorning the city are surely the Christmas trees. They are everywhere, in videos, on signboards, in front of restaurants, popping up like glittering green mushrooms in the most unexpected places.
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As a novelist, I’m an observer of people and have never minded my commutes for just that reason. Public space was a place to learn. Watching an overworked salaryman dozing, the determined glare of a student pouring over a study book, the day-off indifference of a young couple shopping, were more than observations. They were stories. With everyone masked, I feel cut off not just from other people, but from their stories, too.
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Before the pandemic, a new meishi was clear evidence of entering into a new circle of exchange. I loved that ritual of moving from outside to inside, from not-knowing to knowing, from separate to connected. It’s a way of leaping over differences and distances, to enter another ring. In Tokyo, it’s not what you know, it’s whose meishi you have.
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Here’s a fun interview about writing, Detective Hiroshi, travel, and of course, beer with writer Luke Richardson. It was a very fun interview, despite the time difference, and we managed to cover a lot of topics. Full interview at this link, along with plenty of other interviews.
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“I think that almost all people want to be treated with respect at work and also to succeed. So, those are basic motives. They want to fit in and contribute, which is a strong motive in Japanese culture, but they also want to be themselves, to live freely…”
Read MoreWant to read more about Tokyo?
Here are a few recommendations from me on Discover the Best Books, a nice website on the best books about everything. They asked me to do a post on the best books about Tokyo.
Read MoreIn late March and early April, going out to see cherry blossoms is an obligation that everyone in Japan relishes. It’s one of the most agreed-upon customs, one of the most collective urges, I know of. Newspapers, magazines, and websites publish a ‘maximum blossom’ estimate up and down the archipelago. Everyone plans the best day carefully because one windy, rainy day can dash all plans. “Hope you got out to see some blossoms” is included in every email and text message.
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