The year when I was nineteen, I was in Tokyo preparing for the university entrance exam. It was the first time I’d left my hometown and lived on my own, and my parents notified all the relatives and family friends in the area to watch out for me. One of those people was my father’s […]
Inside the parkIn the neighbourhoodThere is a skate rinkThat appears only in winter Five thirtyAfter workI’m standing on the iceWearing my skates, wabbly SlowlyI start movingPushing my left footThen my right foot A little girl arrivesWith her motherThey glide on the iceChasing each other, practicing I hear the girl’s voiceShe is learning how to skateYes,
Separate but shared Read More »
I’m four years old in this memory. One summer day, I’m staring at the kitchen floor of our tiny half-dilapidated apartment. I’d just slithered on my stomach from the living room, and now, half of my body is sprawled on the kitchen floor while the other half remains in the living room. The cool touch
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In this memory, I’m four years old. I’m in the backroom of our tiny half-dilapidated apartment, lying on my stomach with my eyes pressed against the floor. Several shiny green strips mark the gaps between the Japanese straw mats covering the floor, and one of them is right in front of my eyes. These green
The spring I entered junior high school, the whole first year went on an overnight trip to the northern part of our prefecture. It was a trip our new teachers organized for us as a radical icebreaker, giving us a chance to get to know our new friends outside of the school environment. Each class
One of these daysThe old pattern will breakA new pattern will hatchJust like Spring sprouts from WinterAfter all the patient preparation One of these daysA breakthrough will happenA new way will appear before youJust like the light spreads across the skyAfter a long winter night One of these daysIt will happenAll effortlesslySmoothlyAs if taking a
In this memory, I’m nine years old. One hot summer day, I’m sitting in the hallway playing with marbles. Next to me is my father, sprawled on the floor reading a book. We are both waiting for our guests to arrive. Today, my father’s good old friend will be visiting us from Tokyo with his
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When I was about twelve, a solar eclipse crossed Japan including my hometown. Though partial, it was said to be significant enough for people to see the sky darken for a short period of time. That morning, I was studying at my dining table sitting next to my mother when the phone rang. It was
In late 2016, I was staying at my parents’ home in North Japan after a year of study in the UK. Just like I’d used to do in my student flat, every day, I put on my favourite music on my laptop as I worked on my daily task. One day, I was organizing my
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Something unknownSomething unspokenSomething incomprehensibleA mysterious entity it is Chasing it is likeCatching a cloud in the skyGrasping it is likeFinding the end of the rainbow Everybody must have itBut nobody has ever seen itEverybody talks about itBut nobody can explain it Common sense, are you there?Your presence is requestedIt is time you come out of
