My trivial thinking

Akira Yoshimura’s novels are not widely known in the United States, but I’ve heard that Shipwrecks and On Parole are relatively familiar to American readers. Although the author never specifies the exact time or setting of Shipwrecks , I imagine the story takes place in a small, impoverished fishing village in northern Japan—probably in the Tōhoku region—during the Edo period (17th–19th century). The village is completely isolated. It takes two days to cross the mountains to reach the nearest settlements. The tiny plots of farmland are filled with stones, yielding only a small amount of millet. Women and children gather seaweed and shellfish along the rocky shore, while the men fish for saury, sardines, and octopus in small boats. To avoid starvation, families are forced to sell their daughters, wives, and even the heads of households into bondage. Isaku, a nine‑year‑old boy, becomes the head of his household after his father sells himself into three years of indentured servitude. I...

Today, Senshu International City Marathon was held. Many runners ran through my town. I didn't run, of course.    When I was a child, I was not good at any sports. I learned judo for two years when I was twenty-four years old. After that, I went around Shikoku by bicycle with camping gears, a sleeping bag and a tent. When I was in my early 30s, I ran a marathon once. The time was about four hours and thirty minutes. I also ran a mountain running race for 35 kilometers. I began walking in mountains in my mid-30s. But more than ten years ago I hurt my knee in a mountain. Now I can go jogging or walking but I can't go to steep mountains or run for long distances anymore. I go to the library instead of going to the mountains.

 I’m not really a birder, and I used to think bird‑watching would be easy. But it turned out to be much harder than I expected. Still, I’ve recently become interested because I realized there are so many different kinds of birds around us.    Yesterday, I rode my bicycle to Tonbo‑ike Park by myself. It took a little over an hour. The weather was beautiful—not hot at all—and many families were out enjoying the day. Magamo / Mallard There were lots of wild ducks on the pond, and watching children play with them along the water’s edge was very relaxing. I took a few photos of the ducks.     Seguro Sekirei / Japanese Wagtail Yamagara / Varied tit However, I couldn’t find any other birds besides ducks and wagtails. I climbed the hill and searched along the path. I heard birdsong, and eventually I spotted a varied tit.    Tugumi / Dusky thrush Jyobitaki / Daurian Redstart (female) I also found some dusky thrushes and a daurian r...

In 1913, a four‑year‑old girl from London was found sitting alone on a wharf in Maryborough, Australia. She had nothing with her except a small white suitcase containing a book of fairy tales. Hugh, the port master, took her home, and he and his wife, Lil, raised her as their own child. In 1975, Nell—the little girl from the wharf—returns to England to discover her real name and uncover the truth about who she was. In 2005, after Nell’s death, her granddaughter Cassandra inherits a dilapidated cottage in Cornwall. Taking up Nell’s unfinished search, Cassandra travels to England with a handful of clues: the mysterious Authoress, the fairy tales, the cliff‑top cottage, and Nell’s notebook. The mystery spans three generations. The story moves back and forth between 1913, 1975, and 2005, weaving in haunting fairy tales as the author skillfully draws you deeper into the narrative. Eliza is portrayed as a brilliant and unforgettable woman, while the male characters are far less striking. Th...

Shin-Imamiya Station in Osaka - where the Nankai Line, the JR Loop Line, and the Hankai Line intersect - is relatively busy, yet surprisingly few people actually exit the station. Recently, however, I often see many foreign tourists and backpackers in the area.      Long ago, during Japan’s period of rapid economic growth, this district - known as Kamagasaki - was the country’s largest slum, home to many day laborers. In the early mornings, buses would arrive one after another, competing to pick up workers. When I was young, I worked here as a day laborer for a few days, though not out of necessity. In fact, labor riots occurred twenty-four times between 1961 and 2008. Because of its old reputation, some people still avoid the area even today.  Times have changed. The era of high economic growth ended, and most of the laborers disappeared. The cheap doya hotels that once served day laborers now cater to foreign tourists and backpackers looking for inexp...