The door of spring sometimes open quietly now. When it opens, the warm breeze rush in and that is the time weaklings like me would take off some covering layers. This in-between periods low-immune humans like me would succumb easily to nature' power. Now, I feel the arrival of the virus that attach my nose and throat.
Watching TV very early this morning by myself, I saw this hotel in Taiwan offering authentic Japanese dishes with unchallenged Japanese services. Staffed by the local Taiwanese with their kimono and tatami room. Sitting on the floor with their bended knees. Those waiting staff were given some regimented training, not missing any loose hair (pun intended).
But people like me with an eye that looked at the Japanese sky for almost 3 decades and the original Japanese-shaped slant, those table-waiting girls would never reach our target.
No matter how regimental their training, no matter how perfect the achievement, one thing always gives way.
Gait.
One sure thing, if you are not born a natural Japanese, your gait will surely be a non-Japanese. You see, only the Japanese girls walk with a Japanese gait. Its how they are brought up to be. They have small, regular step. Not those bulky heavy elephant walking space. Worst still and to be most precise, ti is most ugly, to see those "elephant walk" in kimono! It never match.
Yes Sir, Japanese gait and no non-Japanese can do it naturally.
Similarity of image (or none of it) that comes with natural gait or a copy gait of the Japanese is also found in writing the Japanese culture.
I observe there is a trend among the up and coming novel writers in Malaysia to pick title with Japanese image. Take for example "sakura". To put "sakura" on the cover is catchy, in-trend and very Japanesy. This has got a lot to do commercial value.
It is of course absolutely justifiable to put "sakura", "Gunung Fuji" or "kimono" on the title when the subject is sakura or kimono. But more often there is NONE, whatsoever. Maybe just 3 lines (as a matter of obligation) by mentioning the main players flying over Japan en route USA!
There are some very bold writers who even write about sakura without ever holding one as such. Of course these writers see sakura on papers, pictures every where and they assume like all other flowers, sakura withers in blooms and all. I still remember a cerpen in BH that goes something like, "sakura jatuh berkuntum-kuntum"
I almost spit my coffee out.
I take that as a joke. I don't mind jokes, it lightens up my day. So, I let the innocent remains innocent. People like me are so, so very unkind.

Who actually are the writers tricking? Don't they know that readers nowadays are well read people? What image do these writers create?
At the end of the day, when the book remains too long and gathering dust on the shop shelf, don't ever point fingers at readers and accused them of bibliophobes!

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