A new publication features WiK members, Rebecca Otowa and Ted Taylor….

Blurb – A Passion for Japan brings together the stories of thirty long-term residents of Japan who have, among other things, gained behind-the-scenes access to one of Japan’s most famous festivals; worked as an interpreter and commentator in professional and amateur sumo; been ordained as a female Buddhist priest at a 440-year-old temple in the mountains of Kyushu;become a Master in one of Japan’s oldest schools of tea ceremony; climbed the Nihon Hyakumeizan (“Japan’s top 100 mountains”); represented Japan in the world chess championships; and translated Japanese novels, short stories, film and TV subtitles, manga, and video games.”


A PASSION FOR JAPAN: A COLLECTION OF PERSONAL NARRATIVES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION John Rucynski
1 SHODO: FINDING MY WAY IN THE WAY OF WRITING Karen Hill Anton

  1. ONE YEAR WITH THE GUARDIANS OF THE PHOENIX
    Carmen Sapunaru Tamas
  2. MATSURI MADNESS David M. Weber
  3. WADAIKO: DRUMMING TO OUR OWN BEAT Daniel Lilley
  4. FOLLOW THE SOUND OF THE DRUMS; MY PASSION FOR EISA
    Judy Kambara
  5. A LOVE OF INDIE MUSIC AND A SEAT BEHIND THE GOAL
    Adrianne Verla Uchida
  6. SUMO AND ME Tim Craig
  7. A PUSHOVER FOR SUMO Katrina Watts
  8. BASEBALL, BLOGGING, AND BELONGING Trevor Richura
  9. COMING HOME; THE SEARCH FOR BELONGING IN RURAL JAPAN
    Victoria Yoshimura
  10. LOOKING FOR THE GOOD LIFE: LIVING AS A LOCAL IN A ZERO
    WASTE VILLAGE Linda Mengxi Ding
  11. GAIJIN IN THE GARDEN: WHERE GANBARU IS GOLDEN
    Robert McLaughlin
  12. FROM BRUCE LEE TO THE WAY OF TEA Randy Channell Soei
  13. FROM THE LAND OF THE INDOMITABLE LIONS TO THE LAND
    OF THE BLUE SAMURAI: A PERSONAL STORY Samuel Nfor
  14. THE LONG ROAD FROM CLAY TO POT, AND WHAT I LEARNED
    ALONG THE WAY Irina Holca
  15. THE MAN WHO STEPPED INTO YESTERDAY Edward J. Taylor
  16. KUMANO LEAP – LOCAL HERITAGE ADOPTS A WANDERING SOUL:
    Q&A WITH MIKE RHODES Mike Rhodes
  17. LIFE LESSONS LEARNED IN JAPAN’S MOUNTAINS Wes Lang
  18. “BANZAI!” ON A SPANISH ISLAND: PLAYING CHESS IN
    JAPAN’S COLORS Simon Bibby
  19. WHO, ME? VOLLEYBALL REFEREEING IN JAPAN Greg Rouault
  20. PASSION IN A COMMUNITY: FINDING MY JAPAN THROUGH JALT
    Wayne Malcolm
  21. COME SAIL AWAY: FINDING MY PASSION ON THE SHIP FOR
    WORLD YOUTH John Rucynski
  22. THE INNER GAME OF THE JAPANESE: GOING BACK HOME
    WITH TENNIS Haru Yamada
  23. WHO AM I? IN SEARCH OF MY IDENTITY Margaret C. Kim
  24. MY LOVE FOR TRADITIONAL RULES AND CUSTOMS OF JAPAN
    Hiya Mukherjee
  25. DISCOVERING JAPANESE FUSION OF RELIGIONS ON THE
    PILGRIMAGE ISLAND OF SHIKOKU Steve McCarty
  26. FEELING AT HOME WITH THE GREAT LITERARY MASTERS
    Vicky Ann Richings
  27. TOO MANY NOVELS I WANT TO TRANSLATE: Q&A WITH
    EMILY BALISTRIERI Emily Balistrieri
  28. LITERATURE AND LEGACY: STORIES OF HANSEN’S
    DISEASE IN JAPAN Kathryn M. Tanaka
  29. ROOF SPOTTING IN JAPAN Wendy Bigler
  30. A PASSION FOR THE PLACE: SWEPT OFF MY FEET BY A
    JAPANESE FARMHOUSE Rebecca Otowa