A new publication features WiK members, Rebecca Otowa and Ted Taylor….
Blurb – A Passion for Japan brings together the stories of thirty long-term residents of Japan who have, among other things, gained behind-the-scenes access to one of Japan’s most famous festivals; worked as an interpreter and commentator in professional and amateur sumo; been ordained as a female Buddhist priest at a 440-year-old temple in the mountains of Kyushu;become a Master in one of Japan’s oldest schools of tea ceremony; climbed the Nihon Hyakumeizan (“Japan’s top 100 mountains”); represented Japan in the world chess championships; and translated Japanese novels, short stories, film and TV subtitles, manga, and video games.”
A PASSION FOR JAPAN: A COLLECTION OF PERSONAL NARRATIVES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION John Rucynski
1 SHODO: FINDING MY WAY IN THE WAY OF WRITING Karen Hill Anton
- ONE YEAR WITH THE GUARDIANS OF THE PHOENIX
Carmen Sapunaru Tamas - MATSURI MADNESS David M. Weber
- WADAIKO: DRUMMING TO OUR OWN BEAT Daniel Lilley
- FOLLOW THE SOUND OF THE DRUMS; MY PASSION FOR EISA
Judy Kambara - A LOVE OF INDIE MUSIC AND A SEAT BEHIND THE GOAL
Adrianne Verla Uchida - SUMO AND ME Tim Craig
- A PUSHOVER FOR SUMO Katrina Watts
- BASEBALL, BLOGGING, AND BELONGING Trevor Richura
- COMING HOME; THE SEARCH FOR BELONGING IN RURAL JAPAN
Victoria Yoshimura - LOOKING FOR THE GOOD LIFE: LIVING AS A LOCAL IN A ZERO
WASTE VILLAGE Linda Mengxi Ding - GAIJIN IN THE GARDEN: WHERE GANBARU IS GOLDEN
Robert McLaughlin - FROM BRUCE LEE TO THE WAY OF TEA Randy Channell Soei
- FROM THE LAND OF THE INDOMITABLE LIONS TO THE LAND
OF THE BLUE SAMURAI: A PERSONAL STORY Samuel Nfor - THE LONG ROAD FROM CLAY TO POT, AND WHAT I LEARNED
ALONG THE WAY Irina Holca - THE MAN WHO STEPPED INTO YESTERDAY Edward J. Taylor
- KUMANO LEAP – LOCAL HERITAGE ADOPTS A WANDERING SOUL:
Q&A WITH MIKE RHODES Mike Rhodes - LIFE LESSONS LEARNED IN JAPAN’S MOUNTAINS Wes Lang
- “BANZAI!” ON A SPANISH ISLAND: PLAYING CHESS IN
JAPAN’S COLORS Simon Bibby - WHO, ME? VOLLEYBALL REFEREEING IN JAPAN Greg Rouault
- PASSION IN A COMMUNITY: FINDING MY JAPAN THROUGH JALT
Wayne Malcolm - COME SAIL AWAY: FINDING MY PASSION ON THE SHIP FOR
WORLD YOUTH John Rucynski - THE INNER GAME OF THE JAPANESE: GOING BACK HOME
WITH TENNIS Haru Yamada - WHO AM I? IN SEARCH OF MY IDENTITY Margaret C. Kim
- MY LOVE FOR TRADITIONAL RULES AND CUSTOMS OF JAPAN
Hiya Mukherjee - DISCOVERING JAPANESE FUSION OF RELIGIONS ON THE
PILGRIMAGE ISLAND OF SHIKOKU Steve McCarty - FEELING AT HOME WITH THE GREAT LITERARY MASTERS
Vicky Ann Richings - TOO MANY NOVELS I WANT TO TRANSLATE: Q&A WITH
EMILY BALISTRIERI Emily Balistrieri - LITERATURE AND LEGACY: STORIES OF HANSEN’S
DISEASE IN JAPAN Kathryn M. Tanaka - ROOF SPOTTING IN JAPAN Wendy Bigler
- A PASSION FOR THE PLACE: SWEPT OFF MY FEET BY A
JAPANESE FARMHOUSE Rebecca Otowa