The Easy Life in Kamusari

All Japan has been concreted over. The last forests are now discarded chopsticks, the Inland Sea is covered and declared a national parking lot, and where mountains once stood apartment buildings vanish into the clouds. When people reach the age of twenty their legs are amputated and their torsos are fitted with interfaces that plug directly into s

The clear river flows, slides, splashes and rolls downstream rushing between rocks that funnel the water into narrow passages curling into quiet eddies that reflect sky, clouds, and brilliant sun. On a pale spring day the silver-sided fish swim upstream fulfilling their assignment to perpetuate their lives. Look carefully. See how the current somet

Shobashi comes alive at night. From appearances, it’s a dump. And from sundown to sun-up, on the third floor of a building throbbing with karaoke reverb, you’ll find the bar where Makiko works, five nights a week, from seven until around midnight.

but in my thirties I had a period when I thought there was nothing more beautiful in this world than the new green leaves of zelkova trees. It was from that time that I became attracted to plants. Trees are so beautiful. Yet, when I went abroad and thought that some tree was wonderful or beautiful, there was always something different about my feel