The Same Moon

by Sarah Coomber

Recently wed - and quickly divorced - twenty-four-year-old Sarah Coomber escapes the disappointments of her Minnesota life for a job teaching English in Japan. Her plan is to use the year to reflect, heal, and figure out what to do with her wrecked life while enjoying the culture of the country where she had previously spent a life-changing summer that included a romance with a young baseball player. The reality? Sarah finds herself the lone English speaker in an isolated rural area, where she is drawn into serving tea to her male coworkers, performing with a koto (zither) group, advocating for her female students and colleagues, and embarking on a controversial romance with a local salaryman. This isn't the Japan Sarah was seeking, but it just might be the Japan she needs.

Genres: Japan

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2020

Reviews

[Books on Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is perhaps the only book out there detailing the JET program (Japan English Teaching) from a female point of view. Any prospective JET teacher coming to Japan to teach should read this book. It is eloquently written and while it focuses on the author's own growth and maturity, it brings up a lot of cultural points and potentially problematic issues for Western women working in Japan. The book is dated in some ways since the author is talking about her experience on the program in the 90's, and it has no doubt changed since then, but many of the issues still endure.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. My only complaint was that I wish it kept going; I wished to know how Sarah re-adjusted to American culture. I felt that the book was very relatable, as I too have studied Japanese, worked at that camp, visited Japan, and have lived in the areas Sarah grew up. It was also quite interesting to read about her experiences as a JET, since I have many friends who have also participated in that program.

[Michelle Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engrossing account of life as a foreigner in rural Japan in the mid-90s, before internet and text messaging made the world smaller. The author’s love for her adopted village, as well as for her life in the Midwestern US, makes this a coming of age story that is a joy to read.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began this memoir, I knew little about Japan. After reading this sensitive, beautifully written memoir about one young woman’s journey to that country—and her own heart—I feel like I have some insight into this culture as well as an appreciation for the author’s tremendous growth during that period. Coomber’s descriptive writing is her greatest strength, and there are many passages in this lovely book that are stunningly poetic, and reflect her affinity for a country that puts a priority on aesthetics. While I will admit I personally had trouble relating to the author’s ruminations on religious faith, I know there are many who will be touched by her honesty about this issue as young person finding their way and their purpose. Well done, and definitely recommended for anyone interested in travel or relocation to Japan.

[Susan Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Same Moon
I want to be twenty again and follow in the footsteps of the adventurous, open-hearted, and vulnerable Sarah Coomber as she explores Japan and absorbs the culture, traditions, and language. Her memoir, The Same Moon, is a big embrace of an exotic land where she tries to bring about a more equitable role for the women she works with and the school girls she cares about so deeply.
Like a watercolor, The Same Moon has no sharp edges. It is a beautiful story with a dream-like quality that infuses the memories of these wondrous years of Coomber’s life including the men she loved, the families that adopted her as their own, and the sights and sounds and feelings she will never forget. After reading The Same Moon, nor will I.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who's experienced the fish-out-of-water feeling of living in a culture different than one's own, Sarah Coomber's memoir of her two years spent teaching for the JET in Japan in the wake of a identity-changing young marriage and divorce is fantastic. Her prose is lovely. The reflective lens through which she approaches and engages with the cultural differences of her new home is thoughtful and honest, while her hopes for new love are tender and delicate. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir and hope she writes a second so I can find out what happened.

[Jill Kandel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed seeing Japan through this young English teacher's eyes. The book was at times travelogue, at times romance, at times critique of culture. Well written and heartfelt, this memoir will take you into life in a small village and give you insights into Japanese culture as experienced by an American woman.

[Katrina Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book, I was swept up in the story of Sarah and her Japan as if she was a character in a novel. Coomber's description of her experiences and the places they happened invoked all my senses. I know this is a true story, but it was also the perfect literary escape.

[Gajkmueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting. A true story of one woman’s two years of teaching in Japan

[Mari Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!!!!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written voyage of self discovery through immersion in rural Japan as an assistant language teacher.

As a past JET Programme participant, my years 1993-95 slightly overlapping with the author’s 1994-96, it was a fun fast read down a familiar memory lane. The experience of the author really captures the feeling of the time and place. Her writing sharing those moments for her readers.

A great recommendation from Books on Asia. Enjoyable for the most part (although as a memoir, it’s not surprising that not everything resonated). I’m definitely passing along the recommendation to my fellow JETs.

[Rachel Asleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Rich with feeling, The Same Moon is a visceral experience of a place I've only imagined. Coomber's memoir has all of the elements of great storytelling with vivid descriptions, well-paced movement and rich language. There is a sweet gentleness that I can't tell is a function of her personality or her skilled expression of openness and curiosity in a place far from home.

[Bahia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful journey — both physically and emotionally — from Minnesota to Japan and back again. This book evoked memories from my own time in Japan and my own emotional journey at a similar age. I enjoyed the glimpses into Sarah’s loves, uncertainties, and growth.