What do you think?
Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories
"Otowa has woven a series of delightful vignettes of life in Japan, from a true historical story of feuding villages to a man who steals shoes at temples…and some highlighting the cultural differences between Japanese and American sensibilities, especially for women." — Ginny Tapley-Takemori, translator of Convenience Store Woman
From the unique standpoint of an American woman who married into a Japanese family and has lived in Japan for more than thirty years, Rebecca Otowa weaves enchanting tales of her adopted home that portray the perspective of both the Japanese and the foreigner on the universal issues that face us all—love, work, marriage, death, and family conflict.
The collection includes: A Year of Coffee and Cake—A young American wife in the Tokyo suburbs suspects her next-door neighbor of murdering an elderly relative. Rhododendron Valley—An elderly man decides to commit suicide to deal with his terminal illness and to spare his family pain. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper—A reclusive young Japanese man enjoys the strange hobby of stealing shoes from temples, but it gradually consumes him. Genbei's Curse—A downtrodden woman loses her temper with her demanding, sick father-in-law. Years later, old and sick herself, she can now empathize with him. Trial by Fire—A true story passed down through the author's family of a gruesome trial to settle a land dispute in 1619. Love and Duty—The Japanese custom of "duty chocolates" (chocolates gifted by women to men on Valentine's Day) has repercussions for an American and a Japanese woman. Uncle Trash—Told in the form of newspaper articles, this is the story of an old man, his hoarding addiction, the annoyance it brings his family, and his eventual revenge. Watch Again—A man starts stalking his ex-wife and learns something about himself in the process. Three Village Stories—A tea ceremony teacher, a vengeful son, and an old man ostracized by his community are the protagonists in three vignettes of village life. The Rescuer—After meeting his death in a train accident, a young man finds himself in the position of rescuing others from the same fate. Showa Girl—Based on a true story from the author's family, a girl of fifteen has an arranged marriage with an older man just back from a POW camp in Russia in 1948. Rachel and Leah—An older American woman reflects on her long and not always happy marriage to a Japanese man. The Turtle Stone—Going from the 1950s to the present, this is the story of one man's efforts to keep the family cake shop alive in a Kyoto that is constantly modernizing.
Illustrated throughout with the author's own black-and-white drawings, this captivating volume offers a unique and lovingly rendered insight into everyday life in modern Japan.
From the unique standpoint of an American woman who married into a Japanese family and has lived in Japan for more than thirty years, Rebecca Otowa weaves enchanting tales of her adopted home that portray the perspective of both the Japanese and the foreigner on the universal issues that face us all—love, work, marriage, death, and family conflict.
The collection includes: A Year of Coffee and Cake—A young American wife in the Tokyo suburbs suspects her next-door neighbor of murdering an elderly relative. Rhododendron Valley—An elderly man decides to commit suicide to deal with his terminal illness and to spare his family pain. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper—A reclusive young Japanese man enjoys the strange hobby of stealing shoes from temples, but it gradually consumes him. Genbei's Curse—A downtrodden woman loses her temper with her demanding, sick father-in-law. Years later, old and sick herself, she can now empathize with him. Trial by Fire—A true story passed down through the author's family of a gruesome trial to settle a land dispute in 1619. Love and Duty—The Japanese custom of "duty chocolates" (chocolates gifted by women to men on Valentine's Day) has repercussions for an American and a Japanese woman. Uncle Trash—Told in the form of newspaper articles, this is the story of an old man, his hoarding addiction, the annoyance it brings his family, and his eventual revenge. Watch Again—A man starts stalking his ex-wife and learns something about himself in the process. Three Village Stories—A tea ceremony teacher, a vengeful son, and an old man ostracized by his community are the protagonists in three vignettes of village life. The Rescuer—After meeting his death in a train accident, a young man finds himself in the position of rescuing others from the same fate. Showa Girl—Based on a true story from the author's family, a girl of fifteen has an arranged marriage with an older man just back from a POW camp in Russia in 1948. Rachel and Leah—An older American woman reflects on her long and not always happy marriage to a Japanese man. The Turtle Stone—Going from the 1950s to the present, this is the story of one man's efforts to keep the family cake shop alive in a Kyoto that is constantly modernizing.
Illustrated throughout with the author's own black-and-white drawings, this captivating volume offers a unique and lovingly rendered insight into everyday life in modern Japan.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2020
About the author
Rebecca Otowa
8 books14 followersRebecca Otowa has been the chatelaine of a 350-year-old farmhouse in rural Japan. She left her original home in California in 1967, and her adopted home of Australia in 1978, to strike out in a radically new life direction. She and her husband Toshiro have raised two sons and now live in a rural village near Kyoto, in a farmhouse that has been in the family since it was built in the 1600s. As well as writing and teaching English, Rebecca loves growing vegetable and roses, reading (with one of her four cats pm her lap), sewing, cooking and voraciously watching English-language movies. Her social life is divided between local volunteer groups and "the stage" - music, amateur theatricals and country line dancing. Her happiest days are when her sons return home with their families and everyone is together again.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 1, 2020
Looking for a stuck-at-home read?
This is a good one for anyone missing Japan. About a dozen short stories, varied in subject, but all centered on Japan and/or Kyoto, and hitting on the themes of aging and generational connection, life and duty, and is reminiscent of Sawako Ariyoshi, in being the best kind of a work of feminism, one that sees the possibilities for women, as well as the hindrances, examines how that works in reality, and strives for growth and betterment for all. More to come in my full review linked when up.
Recommended!
This is a good one for anyone missing Japan. About a dozen short stories, varied in subject, but all centered on Japan and/or Kyoto, and hitting on the themes of aging and generational connection, life and duty, and is reminiscent of Sawako Ariyoshi, in being the best kind of a work of feminism, one that sees the possibilities for women, as well as the hindrances, examines how that works in reality, and strives for growth and betterment for all. More to come in my full review linked when up.
Recommended!
April 6, 2020
I really did want to enjoy this collection of short stories, and whilst some of them were interesting enough to keep me reading, I'm afraid the whole feel of the collection just let it down. Most, if not all, of the stories involve some sort of 'epiphany', where the central character comes to realise something about their life, or reaches a decision which will alter their life. But it is all a little too contrived (on more than one occasion using the plot device of a heart attack, stroke or death).
What I was looking for was an interesting collection where the tension of being a non-native Japanese living in japan would give life to the stories, but in those in the collection where this played a part I actually felt that either I missed an ironic tone that the author intended, or they were actually just about rather nasty Western wives who just either didn't get it or actively didn't make an effort on purpose. I'm afraid I struggled to have much or any sympathy with most of the characters in the whole collection.
I applaud the endeavour, and am glad that this will reach a wider audience outside of Japan, but this just wasn't a set of stories I enjoyed at all, I'm afraid.
What I was looking for was an interesting collection where the tension of being a non-native Japanese living in japan would give life to the stories, but in those in the collection where this played a part I actually felt that either I missed an ironic tone that the author intended, or they were actually just about rather nasty Western wives who just either didn't get it or actively didn't make an effort on purpose. I'm afraid I struggled to have much or any sympathy with most of the characters in the whole collection.
I applaud the endeavour, and am glad that this will reach a wider audience outside of Japan, but this just wasn't a set of stories I enjoyed at all, I'm afraid.
November 11, 2021
the first story and then a year of coffee and cake were enjoyable. the rest was just repulsive, especially the stories about white women. you know you have the privilege to choose to stay in the global north right?
April 20, 2020
Rebecca Otowa brings touching stories of Japanese life, traditional and modern, and the people who populate them, foreign and Japanese, into our consciousness. Her gift for detail and her observation of the subtle and intricate ways of the Japanese is a treasure. Some of these stories touched me deeply while others still haunt me. This is Otowa at her best, presenting both sides of the same Japanese coin.
Read a sample story with interior art here https://booksonasia.net/2019/12/15/re...
Read a sample story with interior art here https://booksonasia.net/2019/12/15/re...
February 9, 2025
Very light read! A Year of Coffee and Cake def my favorite!!
January 3, 2021
From the unique standpoint of an American woman who married into a Japanese family and has lived in Japan for more than thirty years, Rebecca Otowa weaves enchanting tales of her adopted home that portray the perspective of both the Japanese and the foreigner on the universal issues that face us all—love, work, marriage, death, and family conflict.
The collection includes:
A Year of Coffee and Cake — A young American wife in the Tokyo suburbs suspects her next-door neighbor of murdering an elderly relative.
Rhododendron Valley — An elderly man decides to commit suicide to deal with his terminal illness and to spare his family pain.
The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper — A reclusive young Japanese man enjoys the strange hobby of stealing shoes from temples, but it gradually consumes him.
Genbei’s Curse — A downtrodden woman loses her temper with her demanding, sick father-in-law. Years later, old and sick herself, she can now empathize with him.
Trial by Fire — A true story passed down through the author’s family of a gruesome trial to settle a land dispute in 1619.
Love and Duty — The Japanese custom of “duty chocolates” (chocolates gifted by women to men on Valentine’s Day) has repercussions for an American and a Japanese woman.
Uncle Trash — Told in the form of newspaper articles, this is the story of an old man, his hoarding addiction, the annoyance it brings his family, and his eventual revenge.
Watch Again — A man starts stalking his ex-wife and learns something about himself in the process.
Three Village Stories — A tea ceremony teacher, a vengeful son, and an old man ostracized by his community are the protagonists in three vignettes of village life.
The Rescuer — After meeting his death in a train accident, a young man finds himself in the position of rescuing others from the same fate.
Showa Girl — Based on a true story from the author’s family, a girl of fifteen has an arranged marriage with an older man just back from a POW camp in Russia in 1948.
Rachel and Leah — An older American woman reflects on her long and not always happy marriage to a Japanese man.
The Turtle Stone — Going from the 1950s to the present, this is the story of one man’s efforts to keep the family cake shop alive in a Kyoto that is constantly modernizing.
Illustrated throughout with the author’s own black-and-white drawings, this captivating volume offers a unique and lovingly rendered insight into everyday life in modern Japan.
Out March 2020
160 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a easy reading adult book. I’ve always wondered about life in Japan. I have a young nephew who married a Japanese woman and he now lives in Japan. I found the stories Otowa writes are both endearing and enlightening, especially about how different things are for women there in comparison to American women.
It was really interesting to read about modern life in Japan compared to traditional and that not all people living in Japan are Japanese but rather, from many foreign countries. Japan is a beautiful place to live and Otowa’s attention to descriptive details and appreciation of Japan and life in Japan shows through her writing. Many of her stories will remain with me for some time.
I think Otowa shows some of her best writing by writing about something she obviously knows and loves. The book is full of provoking details that conjure up moments of empathy and amusement engaging the reader completely. She uses references from her own family life and experiences endured while living in Japan and you can see the compassion she feels about her family in her writer’s voice, full of heart. She adds her own artwork to complete the package.
She has great insight and a remarkable ability to write about Japanese culture. Her delivery of knowledge and experiences is stunning and delightful leaving this reader fulfilled. I highly recommend this book to older teens and adults alike.
The collection includes:
A Year of Coffee and Cake — A young American wife in the Tokyo suburbs suspects her next-door neighbor of murdering an elderly relative.
Rhododendron Valley — An elderly man decides to commit suicide to deal with his terminal illness and to spare his family pain.
The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper — A reclusive young Japanese man enjoys the strange hobby of stealing shoes from temples, but it gradually consumes him.
Genbei’s Curse — A downtrodden woman loses her temper with her demanding, sick father-in-law. Years later, old and sick herself, she can now empathize with him.
Trial by Fire — A true story passed down through the author’s family of a gruesome trial to settle a land dispute in 1619.
Love and Duty — The Japanese custom of “duty chocolates” (chocolates gifted by women to men on Valentine’s Day) has repercussions for an American and a Japanese woman.
Uncle Trash — Told in the form of newspaper articles, this is the story of an old man, his hoarding addiction, the annoyance it brings his family, and his eventual revenge.
Watch Again — A man starts stalking his ex-wife and learns something about himself in the process.
Three Village Stories — A tea ceremony teacher, a vengeful son, and an old man ostracized by his community are the protagonists in three vignettes of village life.
The Rescuer — After meeting his death in a train accident, a young man finds himself in the position of rescuing others from the same fate.
Showa Girl — Based on a true story from the author’s family, a girl of fifteen has an arranged marriage with an older man just back from a POW camp in Russia in 1948.
Rachel and Leah — An older American woman reflects on her long and not always happy marriage to a Japanese man.
The Turtle Stone — Going from the 1950s to the present, this is the story of one man’s efforts to keep the family cake shop alive in a Kyoto that is constantly modernizing.
Illustrated throughout with the author’s own black-and-white drawings, this captivating volume offers a unique and lovingly rendered insight into everyday life in modern Japan.
Out March 2020
160 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a easy reading adult book. I’ve always wondered about life in Japan. I have a young nephew who married a Japanese woman and he now lives in Japan. I found the stories Otowa writes are both endearing and enlightening, especially about how different things are for women there in comparison to American women.
It was really interesting to read about modern life in Japan compared to traditional and that not all people living in Japan are Japanese but rather, from many foreign countries. Japan is a beautiful place to live and Otowa’s attention to descriptive details and appreciation of Japan and life in Japan shows through her writing. Many of her stories will remain with me for some time.
I think Otowa shows some of her best writing by writing about something she obviously knows and loves. The book is full of provoking details that conjure up moments of empathy and amusement engaging the reader completely. She uses references from her own family life and experiences endured while living in Japan and you can see the compassion she feels about her family in her writer’s voice, full of heart. She adds her own artwork to complete the package.
She has great insight and a remarkable ability to write about Japanese culture. Her delivery of knowledge and experiences is stunning and delightful leaving this reader fulfilled. I highly recommend this book to older teens and adults alike.
April 13, 2020
Opettavaisia tarinoita Japanista 1600-luvulta tähän päivään. Monissa novelleissa päähenkilöinä naisia, iäkkäitä ihmisiä, maahanmuuttajia. Teksti oli helppolukuista, mutkatonta ja ennalta-arvattavaa, harmaan sävyjä näkyi varsin vähän. Olisin antanut kokoelmalle 3 tähteä, mutta yksi ylimääräinen tähti hyppäsi mukaan Japanin kuvauksen takia. Vaihtuvat säätilat, tuoksuvat ruoka-annokset, sandaalien kopse kaduilla, "ystävänpäivän" giri-chocot, kaikki yksityiskohdat toivat mieleen omat aikani Japanissa. Kuumuus ja ramune! Tatamille pötkähtäminen! Junien kuulutukset!
November 17, 2020
I enjoyed these stories overall, some more than others. I found this to be a nice collection to jump in and out of over a few days time, what I would consider to be light reading, as the stories read like vignettes. I appreciated the female and foreign perspectives in many of the stories, which reflect the authors' real life experiences and encounters.
September 8, 2023
Picked this up on a whim. Collection of short stories all set in Japan. Some I liked, others not so much. On the whole enjoyed it for a change between novels and for easier reading on my way to work and back but wouldn’t really say it’s a memorable read for me.
October 26, 2020
Fantastic collection to dive in and out of.
December 30, 2021
A pleasant light read. I enjoyed the stories taken directly from the author's life, or that of her family most.
December 18, 2024
I enjoyed most of these stories, but there was nothing that stood out to me as especially amazing. I kept waiting for a showstopper, especially because the eponymous story was the final one in the collection. Instead, I'd say this is a comfortable, gentle read, easy to pick up and put down one story at a time. But it's not light-hearted, or especially hopeful- the mood is often sombre.
There's good breadth to the settings, characters, relationships, and themes, but all of them were only mildly to moderately interesting. The patriarchal underpinnings of Japan might be their own character in the collection, reappearing over and over; the entitlement of men and the performative drudgery expected of women. Foreign wives crop up regularly, probably because the author is one herself, and because these characters are best placed to notice and explore the innate sexism of Japanese culture that those immersed in it can't see. The other pervasive theme is foreignness; this sense that no matter how long you live in Japan, how well you learn/understand the language and customs, you will never truly be part of it if you were born an outsider.
Ms Kikuchi was not at all flustered. She looked exactly like any Japanese person receiving the news that Christmas was actually not about eating strawberry shortcake, but about the birth of Jesus. Her look said, 'Yes, but this is Japan.'
Masatoshi heaved himself up with a grunt to refill his rice bowl. The grunt was for her, she knew. He disliked her 'self-service' policy, but had given up lecturing her about his own mother, who, to hear him tell it, had never sat down once during his entire childhood.
Overall, the writing is good, with moments of particularly good expression here and there, but it's not a collection that you would read purely for the author's turn of phrase. The breadth is probably the best part of the collection.
There's good breadth to the settings, characters, relationships, and themes, but all of them were only mildly to moderately interesting. The patriarchal underpinnings of Japan might be their own character in the collection, reappearing over and over; the entitlement of men and the performative drudgery expected of women. Foreign wives crop up regularly, probably because the author is one herself, and because these characters are best placed to notice and explore the innate sexism of Japanese culture that those immersed in it can't see. The other pervasive theme is foreignness; this sense that no matter how long you live in Japan, how well you learn/understand the language and customs, you will never truly be part of it if you were born an outsider.
Ms Kikuchi was not at all flustered. She looked exactly like any Japanese person receiving the news that Christmas was actually not about eating strawberry shortcake, but about the birth of Jesus. Her look said, 'Yes, but this is Japan.'
Masatoshi heaved himself up with a grunt to refill his rice bowl. The grunt was for her, she knew. He disliked her 'self-service' policy, but had given up lecturing her about his own mother, who, to hear him tell it, had never sat down once during his entire childhood.
Overall, the writing is good, with moments of particularly good expression here and there, but it's not a collection that you would read purely for the author's turn of phrase. The breadth is probably the best part of the collection.
April 21, 2020
The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan is an anthology of thirteen short stories written by Rebecca Otowa. It is a collection of short stories of enchanting tales of Japanese nature that portray the perspective of both the Japanese and the foreigner on the universal issues that face everyone such as love, work, marriage, death, and family conflict.
This book serves as an entry (A book of short stories or essays) in the Toronto Public Library Advance Reading Challenge 2020. This was the first book that caught my eye when pursuing my parents' bookshelf that fit the above criterion.
For the most part, it is an uneven collection of thirteen short stories. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan contains thirteen short stories, which are written mediocrity well. Otowa's piercing collection give a wonderful insight of a foreigner's look into Japanese society, which spans 17th-century Edo to the present day. At first, this collection seemed rather unconnected, but two themes recur throughout the anthology: women's hardships and the fears of ageing, which becomes clear how the Japanese view these two themes as closely related.
Like most anthologies, there are weaker contributions, and The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan is not an exception. The only outstanding short story is the titular story, while the rest was written rather well and none was really terrible, but it gave the anthology a mediocre satisfaction.
All in all, The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan is a good, albeit uneven collection of short stories and vignette of Japanese culture through the eyes of a foreigner trying to find universal issues that anyone faces.
This book serves as an entry (A book of short stories or essays) in the Toronto Public Library Advance Reading Challenge 2020. This was the first book that caught my eye when pursuing my parents' bookshelf that fit the above criterion.
For the most part, it is an uneven collection of thirteen short stories. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan contains thirteen short stories, which are written mediocrity well. Otowa's piercing collection give a wonderful insight of a foreigner's look into Japanese society, which spans 17th-century Edo to the present day. At first, this collection seemed rather unconnected, but two themes recur throughout the anthology: women's hardships and the fears of ageing, which becomes clear how the Japanese view these two themes as closely related.
Like most anthologies, there are weaker contributions, and The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan is not an exception. The only outstanding short story is the titular story, while the rest was written rather well and none was really terrible, but it gave the anthology a mediocre satisfaction.
All in all, The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories from Japan is a good, albeit uneven collection of short stories and vignette of Japanese culture through the eyes of a foreigner trying to find universal issues that anyone faces.
July 13, 2026
A selection of short stories written by an (American?) expatriate living in Japan, this is an easy to read book with relatively short stories. There's a distinctive Japanese flavour and slant on all 13 of them, most being relatively simple tales with no major twists or tricks to trap the casual reader. There is a simpleness and directness to many of them, but (to my mind) others seem absolutely unfathomable in the motivations and constraints of the characters. Perhaps that's the Japanese-ness to it all, or perhaps an implicit understanding the author has that never quite makes it off the page, but to myself as someone not used to the Japanese mindset it makes the stories less enjoyable. I had the distinct and troubling feeling that I continually missed something in all the stories.
One thing that I did not miss, and that comes through clearly, is that to be a woman in Japan is (if I could put it bluntly) closer to bonded servitude than anything else.
An Ok read, one I'll have to shelve for a while then come back to.
One thing that I did not miss, and that comes through clearly, is that to be a woman in Japan is (if I could put it bluntly) closer to bonded servitude than anything else.
An Ok read, one I'll have to shelve for a while then come back to.
April 11, 2020
I bought this book on an early March trip to Manhattan at Kinokuniya USA. Fabulous bookstore!
The first things I noticed when I opened up this book were the illustrations, both inside the front and back covers and periodically throughout the book. I was not expecting illustrations in this collection of stories, and they were always a delightful contribution. The stories are a mix of time--from the 1600s to current day. The different times lent themselves well to different styles for the stories, and I enjoyed that. Some stories struck a chord more than others, but none disappointed. Otowa showed good character development. I'm not sure that I gained as good a sense of setting, something I would have really appreciated in a book set in Japan.
The first things I noticed when I opened up this book were the illustrations, both inside the front and back covers and periodically throughout the book. I was not expecting illustrations in this collection of stories, and they were always a delightful contribution. The stories are a mix of time--from the 1600s to current day. The different times lent themselves well to different styles for the stories, and I enjoyed that. Some stories struck a chord more than others, but none disappointed. Otowa showed good character development. I'm not sure that I gained as good a sense of setting, something I would have really appreciated in a book set in Japan.
November 6, 2021
Rebecca Otowa has created a beautiful book of stories. It is the kind of book where you find yourself drawn back to it after putting it to one side, wanting to escape back into the wonderful descriptions and twisting tales. My favourite two were Trial by Fire, and The Rescuer. The former is a true story, so well written that you feel as though you are there, transported back in time among the feuding clans. The latter is a more modern affair, slowly revealing the protagonist`s predicament before we find out how this will impact their `life`.
In short, I really can`t recommend this book highly enough. Not just for anyone with an interest in Japan, but for anyone looking for a fine collection of stories that will transport the reader to another world.
In short, I really can`t recommend this book highly enough. Not just for anyone with an interest in Japan, but for anyone looking for a fine collection of stories that will transport the reader to another world.
January 23, 2025
13 short stories all centered in Japan across different tike periods centered around themes of aging, death, war, suicide, unhappy marriages, finial obligation, and other depressing topics. Also anytime foreigners were mentioned it was quite negativity- foreigners sitting on a revered statue, military men harassing a young girl, a foreigner teacher that couldn't be bothered, and busy body wife. It went on and on.
Out of the 13 stories, I enjoyed only one or two. The stories are not badly written. The view points were just painfully outdated and cliche. Some people said this book made them feel nostalgic about their time in Japan. I didn't get that feeling at all, and I'm glad I never encountered people like the ones on these stories.
Out of the 13 stories, I enjoyed only one or two. The stories are not badly written. The view points were just painfully outdated and cliche. Some people said this book made them feel nostalgic about their time in Japan. I didn't get that feeling at all, and I'm glad I never encountered people like the ones on these stories.
March 30, 2025
WHEN AN OUTSIDER LOOKING INSIDE
kumcer ini bisa dibilang tak se'sepi' kumcer jepang pada umumnya mungkin krn ditulis oleh seorang foreigner yg sudah puluhan tahun tinggal disana. Namun tetap saja dia bukanlah japanese walo mungkin jiwanya sdh jauh lbh jepang drpd org jepang sendiri. Dia melihat semuanya dari dalam, sebagai bagian dari kehidupan Jepang yg terkadang sepi namun juga bs 'mematikan'. Seperti halnya di cerita The Coffee and Tea dimana memiliki tetangga yg nampaknya kesepian namun di akhir justru ia mengerti kenapa si tetangga kesepian. di cerita Genbei yg bagi saya sangat asian value ini tetap saja it's going extra when in japan. Perihal menghormati orang tua dan ketika dirinya lah si orang tua yg dulu ia keluhkan itu.
mixed feelings.
kumcer ini bisa dibilang tak se'sepi' kumcer jepang pada umumnya mungkin krn ditulis oleh seorang foreigner yg sudah puluhan tahun tinggal disana. Namun tetap saja dia bukanlah japanese walo mungkin jiwanya sdh jauh lbh jepang drpd org jepang sendiri. Dia melihat semuanya dari dalam, sebagai bagian dari kehidupan Jepang yg terkadang sepi namun juga bs 'mematikan'. Seperti halnya di cerita The Coffee and Tea dimana memiliki tetangga yg nampaknya kesepian namun di akhir justru ia mengerti kenapa si tetangga kesepian. di cerita Genbei yg bagi saya sangat asian value ini tetap saja it's going extra when in japan. Perihal menghormati orang tua dan ketika dirinya lah si orang tua yg dulu ia keluhkan itu.
mixed feelings.
November 23, 2025
Finally I finished this book, thank God!
I almost dnf-ing this book, but some stories are good while others are bad. Here's the list (in my opinion):
1. The Rescuer ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. Genbei's Curse ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Trial by Fire ⭐️⭐️
4. Love and Duty ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. The Turtle Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. Rhododendron Valley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Uncle Trash ⭐️⭐️
8. Watch Again ⭐️⭐️
9. Showa Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. A Year of Coffee and Cake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
11. Three Village Tales ⭐️
12. Rachel and Leah ⭐️
13. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper ⭐️
I read this book as a break between thriller books I had read previously, so I need light book. But unfortunately I feel sooo boring, even I couldn't finish one story for one day. Now I need read a thriller book immediately!
I almost dnf-ing this book, but some stories are good while others are bad. Here's the list (in my opinion):
1. The Rescuer ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. Genbei's Curse ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Trial by Fire ⭐️⭐️
4. Love and Duty ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. The Turtle Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. Rhododendron Valley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Uncle Trash ⭐️⭐️
8. Watch Again ⭐️⭐️
9. Showa Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. A Year of Coffee and Cake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
11. Three Village Tales ⭐️
12. Rachel and Leah ⭐️
13. The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper ⭐️
I read this book as a break between thriller books I had read previously, so I need light book. But unfortunately I feel sooo boring, even I couldn't finish one story for one day. Now I need read a thriller book immediately!
August 19, 2026
Why I love this book?
- The writing. I love when author have a way with words. Simple, poetic but natural.
- A great collection of stories. You learn a little bit about Japanese culture while also looking a bit at differences and clashes with other culture (in this case from the US). I enjoyed reading a lot of it, though of course there were few that didn't quite hit the mark.
The first story was my favourite along with the Genbei Curse, Trial by Fire, Watch Again and Showa Girl.
I got this book at a bargain and didn't expect too much of it. However, I do love anthology :) It was a nice surprise that it became a good and enjoyable read!
- The writing. I love when author have a way with words. Simple, poetic but natural.
- A great collection of stories. You learn a little bit about Japanese culture while also looking a bit at differences and clashes with other culture (in this case from the US). I enjoyed reading a lot of it, though of course there were few that didn't quite hit the mark.
The first story was my favourite along with the Genbei Curse, Trial by Fire, Watch Again and Showa Girl.
I got this book at a bargain and didn't expect too much of it. However, I do love anthology :) It was a nice surprise that it became a good and enjoyable read!
December 14, 2024
Really enjoyed this short story collection set in Japan. Short stories are often hit or miss for me, but I think there was only the one that I didn't enjoy. Uncle Trash and A Year of Coffee and Cake were probably my highlights, but overall, the majority of these are at least good if not really good.
The author has a really good grasp of Japanese culture, having lived there for many years and it reads that way. I also personally liked Rachel and Leah as it dealt with identity for an older woman.
The author has a really good grasp of Japanese culture, having lived there for many years and it reads that way. I also personally liked Rachel and Leah as it dealt with identity for an older woman.
December 13, 2023
Rebecca Otawa provides an nteresting glimpse into Japanese sensibilities through stories that are highly influenced by her own family. While this lends greater credence, note that it's more of family lore / lived experiences (and a foreigner's incredulousness) vs a working out of cultural clashes. The themes that came through for me were about adulting and aging in Japan in different time periods. Didn't quite see such a strong feminism theme that other reviewers wrote about.
May 30, 2020
I typically don’t like short stories, but I really fell in love with this book. I especially like the mix of modern and traditional stories in this book, yet when you finish the entire book, you do see a central theme common in the Japanese society, old or new. What’s more, personally, these themes are the things we do not often see as an expat or visitor to Japan.
October 20, 2020
I actually quite enjoyed these. They are short and simple, each one with an obvious message. I think I enjoyed the true stories more than the others, since it is fascinating to read about family stories that have been passed down.
October 1, 2020
Great collection of short stories, some laugh out loud funny, some unsettling, some moving. It subtly shows many facets of modern life in Japan.
January 4, 2021
delightful and unique short stories. My favourites are the first chapter and the last chapter. hope to find another books like this book.
February 18, 2021
overall it was very enjoyable read! however, i think they need to put a trigger warning on some chapters because the story that follows a man's journey to suicide is really triggering.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2021
This illustrated collection of Japanese short stories weren't very engaging. A Year of Coffee and Cake was the most interesting, a simple mystery with an epiphany.
WSU library
WSU library
October 18, 2021
Forgettable stories.
February 6, 2022
It can be finished within a day if you are enterprising enough.
Several short stories , some which makes you think more about human nature.
Several short stories , some which makes you think more about human nature.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews