Ruthy Kanagy - Moon Living Abroad Japan

RUTHY KANAGY

Its easy to fall in love with the sheer beauty of Japanrugged mountains and coast, subtle seasonal changes, ancient arts, intriguing cuisine, and, of course, the people. From the cold and snowy north to the balmy southern islands, youre never far from volcanoes, hot springs, and the sea. An efficient transportation network makes traveling a pleasure. You can ski the Japan Alps, hike an 88-temple route in Shikoku, visit pottery villages in Kyushu, and swim Okinawas coral seas. Over the course of 25 years spent in Japan, I have photographed wildflowers on northernmost Rebun Island in view of Russias Sakhalin Island, watched salmon spawn in rushing rivers, cycled over steaming volcanoes, and climbed 12,388-foot Mount Fuji to watch the sun rise over the Pacific.

Japan in the 21st century is also a modern consumer society. As a first-time visitor, judging by the fast-food, fashion, and fads, you may think Japan completely Westernized. You might wonder, Where are the kimonos, samurai, and geisha? The fact is, contemporary Japanese culture is a comfortable blend of wa(Japanese), yo(Western), and other influences. This is not surprising if you consider that Japanese have been eating pan(bread) and castella(sponge cake) since Portuguese ships landed in 1543, and playing baseball with a passion since it was introduced by an American teacher in 1871. Even the countrys writing system combines Japanese kanasymbols with Chinese kanjicharacters and the Latin alphabet.

In Japan you can wear your hair black or bleached blond, don jeans or a yukata(cotton kimono), sip a latte or matcha(powdered green tea), eat French pastries or sushi, play golf or practice kendo(fencing), go to the opera or Kabuki.

fall colors in Hokkaido.

shopping arcade in Asakusa

sashimiwith chrysanthemum garnish

Whether you plan to study, work, or start your own business, unlike a tourist youll have time to delve deeply into your areas of interest. You can observe how Japanese traditions and history are reflected in daily life, how a sense of family and respect for others are cultivated, how teamwork is valued from preschool to adulthood, and how persistence and gambaru(trying hard) are often emphasized over innate ability.

With so many choices, how do you decide where to live? Urban or rural, mountains or coast, north or south? In my case, I formed my identity in eastern Hokkaido in a small town near dairy farms. My missionary parents and siblings were the only Americans around. In my teens, I moved to Sapporo, then Tokyo, to attend American schools. As an adult, I returned to Hokkaido to teach at a university, and later to Tokyo to research Japanese education. While I love Tokyos fast pace and infinite cultural options, the mountains of Hokkaido are still my kokoro no furusato(home of the heart).

I hope that with this book as your guide, Japan will become your kokoro no furusato,too.

shrine in Kansai