Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin

by Alia Luria

Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin invites readers on a witty, unfiltered romp through 2008 Japan as experienced by Alia Luria, a self-proclaimed "clueless foreigner." Luria dives headfirst into the quirks and challenges of Japanese culture, from decoding onsen etiquette and enduring public embarrassment to exploring the oddities of love hotels and the loneliness of bustling crowds. With laugh-out-loud anecdotes and moments of poignant self-reflection, she unpacks the universal hilarity and humanity of navigating the unfamiliar. Whether she's fumbling through train etiquette, braving bizarre foods, or embracing the messy beauty of cultural exchange, Luria's candid storytelling is blunt, occasionally cringeworthy, and always unapologetically real. This collection is a hilarious and heartfelt reminder of the chaotic, awkward, and transformative adventures that shape us all.


Literary Titan, Silver Award Winner
Great Southeast Book Festival, Memoir Winner

Genres: Memoir, Japan

194 pages, Paperback

Published August 12, 2025

About the author

Alia Luria is an award-winning author. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Tampa, Florida.

She attended Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa. She was a voracious reader from the time she was little, graduating quickly from books like Chronicles of Narnia and The Phantom Tollbooth to the likes of Stephen King. She began writing young, including poetry and short stories, some of which were published in her school's literary magazines.

Ms. Luria attended the University of Florida in 1995, but left school without her degree to become a full-time web designer and developer. After working for start-up companies and freelancing on projects, she returned to school and received her B.S. in Economics from the University of Central Florida with honors in the major. Her undergraduate thesis was published by VDM Verlag and remains for sale.

From there, she attended the University of Florida (again) and received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 2009. She received an LL.M. in taxation from New York University in 2012. She received her MFA in Fiction from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2018.

Compendium won the National Indie Excellence Award in Fantasy, the Readers' Favorite Silver Medal in Fantasy, an IPBA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award, an eLit Gold Medal, and was a finalist in the Independent Author Network Book of the Year in three categories.

Her essay "You Might Eat Organic, but You're Still Full of Baloney" was a finalist for the Malahat Review Open Season Awards in Creative Nonfiction.

Her first full-length book of personal essays. Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin, about living abroad in Japan releases August 12, 2025 from Unsolicited Press. Preorder from Amazon, Bookshop.org, or Unsolicited Press. Geri o Shimasu has already received a Spotlyts Story Book Award, the Atlas of Stories Book Award, a Literary Titan Silver Award, a Firebird Book Award, two Independent Author Awards, and won the memoir category in the Great Southeast Book Festival and the general nonfiction category of the London Book Festival. Learn more about Geri o Shimasu or read early praise and author interviews at gerioshimasu.com.

Alia currently lives in Tampa, Florida with her amazing partner and their managerie of pets.

You can visit her website at alialuria.com and her blog at Still Not a Robot.

Her next novel, Ocularum, is forthcoming in 2026, and her next collection of personal essays, Preposterous Bloodshed, is coming in 2027 from Unsolicited Press.

Reviews

[Roz Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alia Luria brings us a collection of lessons, poetry, and drawings, which capture her experiences of living and studying in Japan in 2008.

This was such a fun book to read. I loved the humour and the situations the author got into. I also really enjoyed learning more about Japanese culture through the authors experience of living in Japan, especially the social etiquette and niceties. Some of the essays had me laughing along as I could imagine them happening to me! The social embarrassment en masse, for a slight faux pas, had me inwardly cringing. Sometimes, I'm very old school, British, so I dread to think of the pressure of getting it wrong!

The layout of the book was also really well thought out. I liked that we got poetry and the authors artwork between the main essays. It is such a pretty book.

Whilst the author does share her exploits and ground opening moments, the book offers so much more than another foreigner abroad memoir. There is real self-discovery within the pages and some poignant moments of reflection. I enjoyed it so much I read it in one sitting!

Huge thanks to the author, Unsolicited Press and Love Books Tours, for providing a copy of the book to review.

[Kate Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I love the honesty of Alia throughout her time in Japan in 2008.

I really want her to go back and do some more stories based on 2025! Is that possible?

There are so many important stories on diversity throughout the book, as someone from the middle of nowhere in 2008 I was completely unaware of! It shows how progressive the US and Japan have been compared to the UK! (In my opinion)

The art work throughout and the poetry just adds another level of beauty to the book and the travel essays! The footnotes are great too, I loved the extra titbits they provided and I loved parts of the chaos of being inside someone else’s brain!

Please read this! Even if like me you’ve never been to Japan! Now I know where to go and where not to go! It’s great to learn about other countries in such a unique way

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin' by Alia Luria

I will start by saying that this isn't my usual chosen genre but I'm an eclectic reader and happy to read most books and with this eye catching cover and intriguing synopsis it would have been rude not to pick it up and give it a read! I must say that if you are the same as me and don't normally read non fiction then don't let that put you off and pick up your copy of this great book today. I can promise that you will not regret it!

This book is very well written and completely absorbs you into Alia's fascinating travel experiences with her fantastic descriptions ensuring you feel right next to her every step of the way through Japan. I must admit that I have never really had any inclinations to travel to Japan prior to reading this book but since finishing I am extremely tempted!! She has managed to weave her travel experiences into a fascinating, intriguing and unputdownable travel memoir that will keep you hooked. This is definitely one of those books that it really does not matter whether you read it while soaking up the sun in the garden or curled up on the sofa listening to the rain as Aria completely transport you to Japan at the turn of the page. i was that absorbed in the book that when I did manage to look up it took me a few moments to work out where I actually was. When I was finished I was actually gutted that I had to "unpack my suitcases" and return to Wales, although at least it is sunny here at the moment so I shouldn't complain! Aria really does ensure that you see the culture, taste the food that she does, see the sights around her and leave your sides hurting from laughing. I absolutely LOVED Alia's stunning sketches that she has included as well as her brilliant Ainote's and haiku's so thank you so much for including them!! I also loved the fact that she started her chapters with titles rather than numbers and titles that gave a small insight into what she includes in the chapters. It is a travel journey filled with adventure, laughter, friendship, community, culture and much more!! There is also lots of mentions of sex toys, Phallus and more. I absolutely loved discovering more about Japanese culture and sex, sex hotels and similar are part of this but I wanted to make potential readers aware as some readers may not wish to know about these. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering and exploring the lifestyle, beliefs, festivals, surroundings, people and culture of Japan along with Alia. I learnt so much and am looking forward to reading more about Japan in the future, hopefully when Alia returns and rights another memoir about her journey, hint, hint Alia! I would love to see her write another book on more of her travel experiences. I always enjoy learning more about other cultures so I would like to take this moment to thank Aria on sharing their experiences with myself and their other readers. Regardless of whether you are interested in Japan and Japanese cultures I would still definitely recommend this book to anyone as it truly is a fantastic memoir!! I I also really liked the chapter titles which I found intriguing in themselves and enjoyed discovering the link between the chapter titles and the chapter itself!! It is one of those books where there is just no point telling yourself you are going to read 'Just one more chapter' as, if you are anything like me, it just will not happen and I ended up devouring it in one sitting of a few hours. It wasn't just Alia's adventures and experiences I enjoyed reading about but I also enjoyed getting to meet the people she met along their journey. Just some of the things you will discover as you take journey with Alia through Japan include criminal activities, about Engrish, anime, how much Japanese photo and video, jealous partners, travelling, what insults the Japanese, what you get for your money at a Love Hotel and much, much more!!This book truly is a delightful, honest, adventurous and open memoir which I just could not put down. I carried my kindle everywhere with me and ended up devouring it in one sitting and then wishing I hadn't read it so fast!! Alia's fantastic writing skills really sucked me deep into their travels where I could see everything come to life in front of my eyes . It is a great read packed with adventures, experiences, friends, culture, humour and much more. I would definitely recommend this book to absolutely anyone looking for a fascinating, intriguing, funny, informative and unputdownable non fiction escapism.

Clear your schedules and get ready to take a journey with Alia through her journey to Japan!!! You wont regret it and you wont be able to put it down!!

Congratulations Alia on a fantastic, intriguing and fascinating read! I absolutely loved learning about the Japan culture and would love to read more about your journeys!

Overall an absolutely brilliant, entertaining, informative, funny and fascinating travel memoir that will sweep you off to Japan at the turn of a page!

#GeriOShimasuAdventuresOfABakaGaijin #AliaLuria #UnsolicitedP #UnsolicitedPress #KellyALacey #lovebookstours #Ad #LBTCrew #BookTwitter #FreeReview #FreeBookReview #Bookstagram #LBTMemoir

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[Spotlyts · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first glance, Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria might masquerade as a series of amusing travel essays. But upon closer inspection, this is not a “foreigner-in-a-strange-land” comedy of errors. It’s a subtle meditation on friction—the emotional, cultural, and even physical resistance we encounter when we leave behind the scaffolding of our familiar worlds. This book is, at its core, a dissection of discomfort as a transformative force.

The Hidden Narrative: Vulnerability as a Self-Imposed Exile
When the author writes about her “baka gaijin” existence, she isn’t merely referring to mispronouncing Japanese or getting lost in Tokyo’s intricate grid. The real exile occurs internally, as Luria steps outside of herself and her familiar Western archetype of competence.

Consider this: the story begins not with triumph but with surrender—bowing to illness, to cultural vertigo, to personal history. The metaphor of her body literally purging itself in the first chapter mirrors the larger narrative of shedding old identities. It is a striking echo of Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey,” where the protagonist must endure dismemberment (often symbolically) before finding wholeness.

Japan as a Mirror: The In-Between Spaces of Identity
Tokyo is not just a setting here; it is an existential force that exposes the fissures in the self. The “Ginza Ripper” anecdote, the labyrinthine bureaucracy, and the reverence for order and ritual aren’t just curious cultural details. They serve as foils to Luria’s internal disorder.

In a city of nearly 37 million people, Luria often seems most aware of the chasm between connection and isolation. Tokyo’s juxtaposition of sacred spaces (like shrines and haiku-worthy gardens) with neon-lit chaos magnifies her own duality—how does one balance their Western directness in a society where the unspoken carries more weight than words?

Literary Mechanics: Fractured Narrative as a Device
The book’s non-linear timeline, often dismissed as quirky or anecdotal, can also be read as a conscious disruption of Western storytelling conventions. Time skips, footnotes, and haiku interludes do not merely serve as stylistic flair. They mimic the fragmented nature of memory itself—how past and present collide in the mind.

There is a boldness in this departure from tidy memoir arcs. Luria’s decision to oscillate between humor, melancholy, and poetic interludes destabilizes the reader’s expectations, forcing them to live in the in-betweenness that is central to her experience as an expatriate.

The Science of Liminality: A Hidden Psychological Blueprint
Anthropologist Victor Turner spoke of “liminality”—the threshold phase in rites of passage where one’s sense of identity dissolves, creating a space for transformation. This book lives in that liminal space. Luria is neither wholly American nor accepted as Japanese. She is both a participant and an observer, an insider and a perennial outsider.

Psychologists might call this “marginal man syndrome,” the unease of existing between two cultural paradigms. Luria leans into this discomfort, using it to question how identity is constructed through ritual (e.g., riding Tokyo’s trains) and rupture (e.g., being the butt of a linguistic blunder).

The Subtext of Gender and Power
While many may read the book as a comedic mishmash of cultural shock and bathroom humor, there’s a quieter thread running beneath it—the silent negotiations of power as a woman in a hyper-structured patriarchal society.

Luria’s anecdotes about being approached by strangers, warned about panty thieves, or feeling objectified in nightclubs subtly highlight the complexity of navigating foreign spaces as a Western woman. She does not sensationalize these experiences; instead, she allows them to hang quietly in the backdrop, letting readers connect the dots.

The Haiku Device: A Meta-Cognitive Reset
Far from being decorative, the haiku in this book are the psychological “white space” between chaotic episodes. Much like the Japanese concept of “ma”—the space between notes in music or moments in a film—these poems create pauses for reflection. Their deliberate pacing forces readers to slow down and absorb the emotional undertones of the previous chapter.

In fact, Luria’s adherence to haiku’s disciplined structure can be seen as her personal act of rebellion against the entropy she experiences day-to-day. It’s an attempt to reclaim control amid narrative chaos.

Final Reflection: Why This Book Is a Trojan Horse
On the surface, Geri o Shimasu offers readers humor, awkwardness, and the schadenfreude of watching someone else stumble through cultural landmines. But inside, like a Trojan horse, it hides profound commentary on memory, gender, personal transformation, and the psychological realities of “outsider-ness.”

It asks readers to reexamine the unspoken question: What happens when you willingly become the fool in someone else’s kingdom?

For Whom This Book Truly Resonates
While casual readers may delight in the cringe-worthy, laugh-out-loud moments, this book will resonate deeply with those who have lived in liminal spaces—immigrants, expats, or even anyone who has felt like a stranger in their own life.

It’s a book that doesn’t give you the comfort of catharsis. Instead, it plants seeds of reflection, long after the humor has worn off.

---------------

This book is a winner of the Spotlyts Story Award. (Reference link that will go live on or after 21 March 2025: https://spotlyts.com/2025/03/21/spotl...)

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a second-year law student at the age of thirty, author Alia Luria spent five months in early 2008 studying for her JD (Doctor of Jurisprudence) at Temple University Japan, and lived in Tokyo. Temple University, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, continues to operate the program through its Beasley School of Law.

When Luria wrote Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin in 2023, she was looking back from the perspective of an additional fifteen years of life experience and added maturity, and she was revisiting a time before the availability of tech tools we take for granted now: before mid-2008 there were no iPhones or Google Maps in Japan. Making her way in a country while having limited knowledge of a very different language written in a completely different format, and with a system of customs, folkways, and cultural rights and wrongs that were very unlike those in the United States, was bound to be challenging.

Her faux pas at the very least were often embarrassing, which is why she refers to herself with the derogatory term “Baka Gaijin,” meaning “stupid foreigner” in the Japanese language – something the people she met might mutter under their breaths or whisper to each other. The first word of the title Geri o Shimasu means diarrhea, and the author, remembering some of her more unfortunate food experiences, translates it more amusingly, though graphically to a pharmacist as, “I do diarrhea” when she meant to say “I have diarrhea.”

The essays are arranged more or less chronologically, interspersed with what the author refers to as ainote (the literal meaning in Japanese is musical interlude) in the form of haiku (Japanese poems, traditionally formatted to 17 syllables in three lines), and Asian-inspired ink and watercolor drawings the author made from her photographs. Luria also includes extensive footnotes, which are useful as background to some of the stories she tells.

Luria was determined to experience all that Japan had to offer, including its food, nightlife, extensive and famed network of train service throughout the country, and deciphering the geography of Tokyo and its unique street address system.

The author writes with humor and insight and has a very personal and direct style which is highly engaging. Through her essays readers find out what it is really like for an American, particularly a young woman, to live in Japan – which she explains is far different than the superficial experience a tourist might have when spending a week or two in the country. She shares her observations of and insights into the very different and unfamiliar behavior patterns she encountered during everyday activities like shopping or dining out – what might be polite and appropriate in the United States may be seriously frowned upon or even offensive in Japan.

It was both an entertaining and profound reading experience, and I felt that I got to know Alia Luria as she learned and shared more about herself. I was fascinated by her portrayals of the diverse nightlife, types of restaurants, and other venues she described, and while I may never get to go to Japan even for a short visit, I learned so much about it. I was also moved by her haiku and beautifully rendered paintings.

Due to the subject matter of some of the essays, Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is most suited to adult and mature older teen readers. It will be of interest to those who would like to learn more about real life in Japan, and to those who plan to travel there.

The author has also published science fiction novels and other non-fiction essays, and I would be interested in reading more of her work. I was also charmed to learn through the “About the Author” section that Luria also designs knitwear patterns she displays on a website – what a multi-talented and creative person she is!

[LitPick Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geri of Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is an adult non-fiction biography that follows 30-year-old law student Alia Luria as she experiences Japan in 2008 as foreigner. The book is written as a collection of essays on her experiences in chronological order with haiku poems and sketches interspaced throughout it. The first chapter covers her somewhat embarrassing bout of diarrhea (geri in Japanese) during her first night in Japan followed by a desperate search for a pharmacy and setting up her housing situation all while coping with her stomach upset. The book is filled with little stories like this that show how hard, fun, and sometimes messy life can be as a foreigner in Japan, yet also how very worth it such an experience can be.

Opinion:
Geri of Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is a well-written memoir that is a must-read for anyone traveling to Japan, especially for the first time as you can learn from the author’s mistakes instead of having to experience them for yourself. The book touches on themes like cultural immersion, personal growth, and schadenfreude. According to the author, schadenfreude is “"a reflexive human reaction to revel in the misfortune of others,” one which she encourages the reader to embrace as they read about her troubles and misfortune. I have to say I found myself embracing schadenfreude as I could not help but laugh at some of the situations she found herself in as she tried to adapt to the difference in etiquette and culture. While her experiences were at times awful, awkward, and even humiliating, she used them as a learning experience to improve herself which I found very inspiring.

I liked the way the author organized the book in set chapters that each had a different focus but occurred chronologically as it made it easy to follow her time in Japan without getting bogged down with the boring everyday things. The pace was perfect as it kept me turning pages wanting to see what would happen next and how she would handle each situation.

The only thing I found a bit tedious was all of the footnotes. Typically, a footnote should be a quick explanation of something from the page that might need further clarification or details, but the author often included long paragraphs as footnotes that I found difficult to separate from the actual book; some pages had footnotes almost as long as the main writing on the page. Formatting aside, I did find the information in the footnotes to be interesting and even helpful. I just would have preferred to have the footnotes integrated into the writing if it was going to be that in-depth.

Overall, I found the book to be a humorous and educational read that made me simultaneously more and less interested in traveling to Japan!

[Literary Titan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin is a wild, irreverent ride through the misadventures of a foreigner navigating life in Japan. The book blends humor, cultural clashes, and absurd situations into a series of short, punchy stories. The author doesn’t hold back, offering brutally honest, often self-deprecating accounts of mishaps, misunderstandings, and strange encounters with the locals. It’s a mix of travelogue, comedy, and a deep dive into the quirks of Japanese society, told through the lens of someone who is clearly both fascinated by and out of their depth in the culture.

One thing I absolutely loved about this book is its sheer audacity. The author has no filter, which makes for some laugh-out-loud moments, but also some cringeworthy ones. The storytelling is raw, and you can feel the pain, both physical and emotional, as they navigate the trials of Japanese cuisine gone wrong. It’s unpolished, sometimes grotesque, but never dull. You can tell the author writes from real experience, and that authenticity gives the book a ton of charm.

Some sections dig into the hilarity of mistranslations and the weird English phrases that pop up in Japan. It’s something any traveler to the country has noticed, but the way the author presents it is both clever and borderline offensive in the best way. Luria takes the humor and pushes it just far enough to be shocking, yet still relatable. It’s this fearless approach that makes the book unique. It doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable moments; it embraces them.

While not every chapter shines equally, the book maintains an engaging and distinctive voice throughout. Some stories echo familiar themes, and at times, the humor reaches a bit too far. “No Soup for You!” had great potential, though it lingered a little longer than necessary on a simple joke. The chaotic energy that makes other parts of the book so fun occasionally slows when punchlines take their time. Still, even in these moments, the book’s charm and wit keep you entertained.

Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin is perfect for anyone who enjoys irreverent humor, cultural observations, and the messy reality of being an outsider in a foreign land. If you’re easily offended, this isn’t for you. But if you love Anthony Bourdain-style storytelling with an extra dose of chaos, you’ll eat this up. It’s crude, hilarious, and unexpectedly insightful, a must-read for anyone who’s ever felt like a total idiot in a new country.

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is a brilliant, ballsy, and wildly unpredictable collection that reads like a love letter to Japan written by someone who knows exactly when to laugh, when to cry, and when to just say, “Geri o’shimasu!”—whatever that means in the moment.

This is not your traditional travel memoir. It’s sharp, fast-paced, and unapologetically personal. Through a series of biting, irreverent, and occasionally heartwarming vignettes, O’Shimasu invites us into her Japan — not the glossy, curated version, but a chaotic, intimate, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-splintering ride through cultural collisions, language mishaps, and moments of deep insight.

This isn’t a book that plays by the rules. And yet, beneath the humour, there’s a steady current of vulnerability such as reflections on identity, aging, desire, loneliness, and belonging. Author Luria knows when to let the absurdity shine and when to peel it back and show us something raw and real.

Stylistically, it reminded me of a cross between David Sedaris and Banana Yoshimoto — razor-sharp observational humour meets quiet emotional resonance. Each chapter’s accompanying reflections serve as both cultural footnotes and emotional pivots, adding layers of meaning to even the most outrageous tales.

As someone who reads across genres and edits with a focus on voice and tone, I found this collection to be an exceptional example of voice-driven non-fiction. Author Luria's writing isn’t just fearless, it’s fiercely hers. There’s nothing performative here; it's messy, it’s real, and it’s electric.

Highly recommended for readers who want to travel, reflect, laugh, and occasionally wince — all in one sitting. Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin is a memoir that dismantles Japan's culture, devours it, and dances in Japan's weird little alleys with a bottle of sake in hand.

[Marcia Vida · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin” is a lively, humorous, and at times heartfelt collection of essays that documents Alia Luria’s experiences living in Tokyo as a thirty-year-old law student. From the opening pages, Luria welcomes readers into her world with refreshing honesty, sharing everything from embarrassing gastrointestinal mishaps to cultural misunderstandings, unexpected friendships, and moments of deep reflection.

The book stands out for its conversational tone and the author’s talent for blending humour with insightful commentary. Whether she’s describing a disastrous night in a shared hotel, navigating Tokyo’s train system while sick, or awkwardly shopping for anti-diarrheal medication (and mortifying a poor pharmacy clerk in the process), Luria brings each scene to life with wit and self-awareness.

What makes “Geri o Shimasu” especially engaging is how Luria weaves her personal growth with her observations of Japanese culture. She doesn’t shy away from exploring topics like loneliness, relationships, shame, and the delicate dance of being an outsider trying to fit in. The inclusion of haiku and watercolour sketches adds a lyrical, artistic touch to the story, offering readers quiet moments of reflection between the often laugh-out-loud stories.

At its core, the book is about finding humour and meaning in discomfort, and about the transformative power of stepping well outside your comfort zone. Mixing irreverence with insight, this is a delightful read that will leave you chuckling—and maybe longing for your own adventure abroad.

Try it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sylvia Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geri O Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is part-memoir, part-travelogue and part-comedy.

The book tells the story of Luria’s time in Japan while she was studying law in her early 30s. She covers things from etiquette to amazing food to cultural differences between her native United States and Japan.

This book was fascinating. I enjoyed the stories that were selected and the author’s unique perspective on living in Japan, being Japanese, and also being a foreigner in such a culturally rich country.

Blurb 
Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin invites readers on a witty, unfiltered romp through 2008 Japan as experienced by Alia Luria, a self-proclaimed "clueless foreigner." 

Luria dives headfirst into the quirks and challenges of Japanese culture, from decoding onsen etiquette and enduring public embarrassment to exploring the oddities of love hotels and the loneliness of bustling crowds. With laugh-out-loud anecdotes and moments of poignant self-reflection, she unpacks the universal hilarity and humanity of navigating the unfamiliar. Whether she's fumbling through train etiquette, braving bizarre foods, or embracing the messy beauty of cultural exchange, Luria's candid storytelling is blunt, occasionally cringeworthy, and always unapologetically real. 

This collection is a hilarious and heartfelt reminder of the chaotic, awkward, and transformative adventures that shape us all.

#Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #FreeBookReview #LBTMemoir 

[Laura J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, a huge thank you to Alia for gifting this humorous work to our lives - I very much needed this! Japan has always been a place of intrigue for me, and now even more so. What makes this such a worthy read is the mixture of haikus, drawings and stories. They paint such a vivid picture of how art can capture the different parts of our psyche - appreciation, love, grief, the present (the list goes on). Very talented! I love how it touches upon elements of politics, law, the economy, gender etc and the cultural similarities and differences between America and Japan whilst being such a fun read. A definite learning journey one has reading it.

I also appreciate the latter half of the book that goes into more detail in footnotes - do not ignore as there lies some factual articles and more detail to Alia's stories. Quite precious! Just this morning I spent ages scouring the Internet to learn more about tokowaka (a belief linked to Shintoism, to the importance of renewal and eternal youth).

I found myself divulging most of what I read to my partner, which is always a good sign when I'm reading. The world has to hear about it! And so, I'm encouraging you all to go and grab a copy. It will not disappoint. And it will give you the urge to explore Japan for yourself (or at the very least educate you whilst giving you a good giggle or two)!

Arigato!

[Alec ⟠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I've always had an interest in Japan but wondered how different it would be for a foreigner like me to get used to the different culture and customs. This book follows the author's journey as she not only stays in Japan but lives there for several months.
I loved experiencing the different aspects of daily Japanese life through the author's writing and thought that the various anecdotes were amusing and sometimes very surprising!
Something I really liked were the haiku interludes throughout the book, separating each chapter as a way to digest the information just read in the previous section, and the accompanying artwork was incredibly beautiful and very inspirational.
The book was a short but very sweet read and I really liked the author's writing style, and it made me really want to go travelling! I would definitely recommend this to any other fans of Japan or travelling in general, as it was a fantastic and very easy read.

[books_by_soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geri O Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria

What a read!

This book had absolutely everything I love in a memoir - hilarious anecdotes, easy smooth writing and a opportunity to learn about things I never knew I needed to know 🤣

I loved the different insight of being an American women in Japan with the stories either making me gawk at the pages or laugh out loud 🫶🏻

I also ended up learning a lot about Japan which was actually really interesting!

Not only was the content great but i loved the way it was written - normally when i read a memoir i get a bit baffled but this was a very smooth journey and very well laid out for the fact this book is only 196 pages - it didn’t feel rushed and that made the experience even better!

Thank you so much @lovebookstours @arialuria @unsolicitedp for sending me an early copy I had so much fun reading it 🥰

#Ad #GiftedBook #FreeBookReview

[Narinder Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin invites readers on a witty, unfiltered romp through 2008 Japan as experienced by Alia Luria, a self-proclaimed "clueless foreigner."

"He was out cold, taking up half a bench, snoring and drooling. Those were all sins on the train, but cardinal among them was that he didn’t have his mobile on silent."

This was everything it said it would be in the blurb! It was insightful snd hilarious. So well written with the poems and drawings at the end of each chapter. A short read that I had to read in one sitting 😍. I feel like I've learned so much about Japanese culture that I didn't know before! I also felt like the authors humour and take on life is very similar to mine which was fun ❤️

"Sometimes it's those minor imperfections that create extra moments to let the happenstance wiggle its way into the picture and create opportunities for flukes of good fortune. So maybe the lesson is to strive for near not total perfection"

[Emma book blogger Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, lovebookstours, @arialuria, and @unsolicitedp, for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Geri O Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin is nonfiction/memoir. I like the front cover; it is very funky, and the title is unusual but cool. Love it. This memoir is set in Japan in 2008 about Allia Lucia's experience there and what she got up to. I loved the watercolor paintings she did at the end of each chapter; they were lovely, and I liked her poetry that followed on after her paintings. Some of her poetry touched me more than others, but they were beautifully written and hit some chords with me. I like how brave and honest Allia Lucia is about her experience there and some of her embarrassing moments. I found Allia Lucia's writing style easy to get into and is very interesting and engaging to read. Furthermore, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir. 5 stars

[Roberta Kime · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a blast to read this book! I’ve absolutely loved it!

We follow Alia on a semester in Japan at law school! This is a memoir of travel essays and stories. It covers anything from culture, faux pas and some down right hilarious situations!

It really opens your eyes to the Japanese culture and customs through the eyes of a foreigner which has been really interesting- especially the gender inequality! Who would’ve thought that in the 2000s this was still going on! It was really eye opening!

My favourite exerts are the faux pas of sending the food back and not being served again- it must’ve been so cringe! And also the bath house incident of the burnt bits- it was just brilliantly built up and described and made me laugh!

Reading this had made me want to visit Japan! It’s definitely on the travel bucket list!!

🌟 5/5

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book. I love to travel and really love learning about new cultures. The best part of it is having adventures in that culture, which sometimes gets a bit messy, and sometimes helps us open up and learn about ourselves. This book took us on a brilliant adventure, where we got to see and imagine Japan in such a wonderful way, that it almost felt as though we were present in the experience.
The author goes to a long series of events, that result in poems, anecdotes, illustrations and wee stories for us to enjoy. Amongst those, we become woven into the feeling of the travel and everything the author learned about the country and about the heir own self.
This is one of those beautiful and completely enveloping books that swallows you up and makes you part of the jourbey. I really enjoy this book and everything it gave us.

[Elizabeth Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I read Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin, by Alia Luria. In her memoir, Luria takes the reader on a comical journey through Tokyo and she does not shy away from sharing her most embarrassing moments. Quite the contrary, she openly embraces them, inviting the reader to laugh at her misfortune. Luria’s essays take the reader into restaurants to vicariously enjoy Japanese meals. We follow her into Karaoke joints, an experience that differs greatly from the American version. And we have the pleasure of participating—vicariously, of course—in festivals that would cause quite the stir in America’s more conservative states.

Luria’s writing is witty and engaging. She brings the Japanese culture alive for the reader. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in travel, memoirs, or foreign cultures.

[The Balcony Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this before bedtime, intending to finish a few chapters to get the flavor of the book. Instead, I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. Equal parts pensive vulnerability, sharp humor, and sobering observations, Luria balances every one of these aspects with effortless precision. Her authentic narrative voice is introspective with notes of satire. I could feel the curiosity, thoughtfulness, and growth with each essay. Poems were interspersed throughout the book, providing a moodier and more poignant feel to the otherwise light and upbeat tone of the book. It was a pleasure seeing Japan and a reflection of the U.S. through Luria’s eyes.

Thank you so much to Alia Luria and LBT for a complimentary copy of this book!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of non fiction books but this one intrigued me as I have always wanted to travel to Japan.
It starts off with an introduction from the author about what the book is about and what to expect from it, it had me giggling straight away at parts so I knew I had to read on.
And it didn't disappoint. I was laughing out loud from the first chapter and I'm pretty sure my neighbours thought I was insane as I was sat in my garden reading. 🙈
I also loved the water colour versions of pictures taken in various locations. It's a shame they aren't in colour but they are still beautiful. I would love to go and see the cherry blossoms in real life.
Reading about all of the different experiences really makes me want to see it all for myself.

[Nicola Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! It made me laugh a lot! The title has me giggling before I even opened the book. I Google translated Geri O Shimasu. Couldn't stop laughing. Don't forget to change it to Japanese!!

I loved the cover. The red is so vibrant. The flowers are beautiful and I liked the drawing of the woman walking through what I'm guessing is Tokyo.

I really enjoyed the Ainote at the end of each essay. They were adorned with the most beautiful sketches of various aspect of Alia's journey.

The essays were great! Not only they give me a good giggle but I learnt a lot about Japan too which was fun. Alia's experiences were enjoyable to read about. I thank her for being so kind in sharing them!

I definitely recommend this book!!

[Peggy Rosina Edmondson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, honest, reflective memoir of the author's experiences in a foreign country.
I really liked the the poetry and artwork "breaks" between each essay. They showcased the author's many amazing talents!
I found this an eye opening account of life in other cultures (Japan and her home country of America), as growing up in a tiny village in the north of England I am quite closed off from the outside world and can forget about everything going on "out there".
There were laugh out loud moments, but also worrying parts that made me glad I am where I am.
I'm afraid that even after reading this I still have no desire to travel to Japan, I'm happy in my little North Yorkshire village!

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geri o Shimasu: A Cultural Collision, A Gaijin’s Gambit, and the Art of Poetic Poop Jokes

What Happens When an Overachiever Collides with Culture Shock?
Imagine stepping onto a stage where the script is written in an unfamiliar alphabet, the props have secret functions only locals understand, and your first grand entrance is punctuated by an intestinal rebellion of epic proportions. That’s how Alia Luria kicks off Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin, a brutally honest, darkly humorous, and unexpectedly poetic retelling of her time as an American law student navigating Japan’s intricate cultural labyrinth.

If travel memoirs are often a romanticized reel of curated moments, Luria’s book is the blooper reel—the part where expectations collide with reality, language fails spectacularly, and bodily functions betray you at the worst possible times. And yet, amidst the awkward missteps and mortifying moments, this is a book that captures something profound: the exhilarating, terrifying, and life-altering experience of being a true outsider.

"A Foreigner in Japan Is Like a Toddler With a Law Degree"
Mark Twain once said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” He forgot to add that travel is also fatal to dignity. Luria, a thirty-year-old second-year law student, arrives in Tokyo in 2008 armed with ambition, a functional knowledge of Japanese, and a stomach that immediately declares war on her. Her first lesson? “Geri” is the Japanese word for diarrhea, and it will be the first real conversation she has in the country—with a horrified pharmacist.

But this isn’t just a book about one woman’s war with Japanese plumbing. It’s about immersion—about what happens when a hyper-competent, overachieving American is suddenly stripped of all competence. One moment she’s trying to navigate Japan’s absurdly complex address system, the next she’s discovering why one should never hang underwear on a Tokyo balcony (panty thieves are real, and they are determined). She learns how the Japanese queue with mathematical precision, why “salarymen” can pass out drunk in the street with their Louis Vuitton briefcases untouched, and how an African bouncer in Roppongi once rescued her from the most awkward club exit in history.

A Haiku Between Mishaps
Amid the chaos, Luria intersperses haiku—a literary device that at first feels like comic relief but gradually reveals itself as something more. Haiku, with its rigid syllabic structure, becomes a metaphor for Luria’s experience: a deliberate, meditative attempt to capture meaning within a system she is still learning to navigate. These short poems serve as lyrical intermissions between her essays, providing moments of reflection amid the absurdity:

Scented flowers drift
Soft petals wafting to earth—
Missing hanami.

By the end of the book, these haiku don’t just feel like poetic asides. They feel like survival mechanisms, a way for Luria to process the joy, frustration, and occasional existential dread of cultural dislocation.

When a “Dangerous” Neighborhood Is Safer Than an American Suburb
The book isn’t just about travel—it’s also a sly social critique. One of the most eye-opening moments comes when Luria learns that her home base in Tokyo, Togoshi Ginza, is considered “dangerous.” The reason? A young man once brandished a knife in a discount store. That’s it. That’s the crime wave.

For an American reader, this revelation is sobering. Luria, who hails from a country where school shootings and armed robberies barely make national news anymore, realizes that Japan’s definition of “crime” is so different from the U.S. that even minor disturbances are considered shocking. Meanwhile, back in America, tourists are advised on how to survive active shooter situations with tactics like “throw something near the gunman and hope for the best.”

The Joy of Schadenfreude: Laughing at (and With) the Author
Luria’s writing embraces the German concept of schadenfreude—the guilty pleasure of witnessing someone else’s misfortune. From the moment she shuffles down a hotel hallway in soiled pajamas, she invites us to laugh—not at Japan, but at herself. She understands that discomfort, embarrassment, and occasional humiliation are integral to travel and personal growth. As she puts it, “Please chortle when I suffer embarrassment. I do!”

And yet, through the laughter, there’s a rawness to her reflections. She reveals the emotional toll of her time in Japan—how 2017, the worst year of her life, changed the way she looks back on her 2008 adventures. The young woman who once embraced radical vulnerability now guards her heart more fiercely. And yet, she acknowledges that there’s a balance to be found—between fear and openness, between self-protection and adventure.

Final Verdict: A Brilliant, Hilarious, and Unexpectedly Moving Read
If David Sedaris, Bill Bryson, and a self-deprecating haiku master co-wrote a book about living in Japan, Geri o Shimasu would be the result. It is equal parts memoir, social commentary, comedy, and poetry—a blend as unique as the author’s experience.

Whether you’re an avid traveler, an armchair adventurer, or simply someone who appreciates a well-crafted tale of triumph and mortification, this book delivers. Just don’t read it while eating sushi. You’ve been warned.

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[BC Cowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alia Luria graces us with a strong and lively voice as she recounts her five months in Japan with wisdom and a charming naivete as she searches for rich experiences and a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. Her filter is set to relaxed, which, for this writer, gives her memoir a vibrant freshness. She engaged me, pulled me from page to page with gusto, and was never disappointing. I look forward to reading her next journey. BC Cowling

[Karimah Aliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Geri o Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin* by Alia Luria is a hilarious and honest memoir about navigating life as a "clueless foreigner" in Japan. With funny anecdotes and moments of self-reflection, Luria captures the chaos and humor of cultural missteps. A must-read for anyone who enjoys candid, witty storytelling and the messy beauty of cultural exchange. Highly recommended!

[Fith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good books,

[Gunter Kinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good one, must read this one.

[Jaemnlov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so nice

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow...