Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
A few years ago, I checked out a book from the library called The Flower Master by Sujata Massey. It was a novel that chronicled a half-Japanese, half-American named Rei Shimura as she joined an ikebana class at a famous flower arranging school and subsequently assisted in helping to solve the murder of one of her instructors.... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, a package arrived from Tuttle publishing with a new book to review entitled Once Upon a Time in Japan. Not only is this a collection of multiple tales, perfect for short stints and bedtime reading, but it also comes with an audio CD (which is what took so long to get around... Continue Reading →
A visit to the library the other month landed me with a Japan-related book I'd never heard of (I always love stumbling across surprises like that). Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being had an intriguing premise. A lunchbox washes up on a Canadian beach, filled with the diary of a young Japanese girl. What... Continue Reading →
An art theft, a trip to Japan, a rural Kyoto ryokan, a talented teen with a love of manga ... bring it all together and you have one of the latest offerings on the YA reading scene for those who love Japan-based fiction. This novel by Diana Renn opens in coffee-crazy Seattle with Violet, a talented... Continue Reading →
Sorry for the rather sporadic posting on here the past few weeks. Since moving to Tokyo, I feel like life is moving at warp speed. Especially since it's foliage season, I hate to spend my days in front of the computer. I'd like to think that when winter really rolls around, I'll be happier to... Continue Reading →
Several years ago, when I was sequestered on Okinawa with a brand new baby, I took to visiting the local library with increasing frequency. Inspired by the recent Sherlock Holmes movies and the BBC television series Sherlock, I took it upon myself to read the entire canon of works featuring the good detective. While I... Continue Reading →
Since moving to Tokyo, I've had the pleasure of connecting with many people who share my interests, particularly in the food and garden category. One of those new acquaintances is Anika, who is part of the team behind Real Japanese Gardens. After exchanging numerous emails and bonding over our mutual love of gardens (though her... Continue Reading →
It's always a happy day when a book arrives in the mail. My doorbell rang the other morning with one of Tuttle Publishing's latest offerings, The Peace Tree from Hiroshima. While we've just missed the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and the end of World War II, the message in this book never goes... Continue Reading →
I made the mistake of heading up north two weeks ago with only one novel. I am not a kindle owner (I know, I know) and I should have known that within a few days, that sole tome would be consumed and I would be looking for more reading material. Luckily, my traveling companion loaned... Continue Reading →
If there is one thing I love to do in a city, it's take a walking tour. You get a completely different feel for a city when you are literally pounding its cobblestones (or pavement) and having a guide to point out the things you wouldn't even think to notice can make a visit seem... Continue Reading →
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