A Note on Japanese Names  ix

List of Illustrations  xi

Preface  xiii

1. Seeing and Being Seen  1

2. Foreigners  9

3. After School  21

4. From the Best Families  37

5. Typical Japanese Women  49

6. Night Moves  69

7. Sacred Places  83

8. Accident  105

9. Going Home  123

10. Sea of Japan, Oki, 1987  139

11. Tatami Room in Cedar Grove  155

12. Festival of the Dead  169

13. Photo Album: The Fourth Journey  185

14. The Practice House  205

15. House Guest  217

16. Climbing the Mountain  227

Afterword (2005)  233

Acknowledgments to the First Edition  241

Acknowledgments to the Second Edition  243

Glossary of Japanese Words and Expressions  245

“Davidson’s memoir, shimmering with poetic insights and poignant observations, stands out from the rest. . . . [A] compelling read for anyone considering a trip to Japan—or who has recently returned from one.”—Corrie Pikul, Bust

“American professor Davidson’s luminous memoir of her initial four trips to Japan transports readers there through her intelligence, clarity, wit, and passion.”—Jeri Lynn Crippen, Lovin’ Life After 50

“No one could have tried harder to fathom Japanese culture [than Davidson]. The result is a series of illuminations not unlike the sudden break in the clouds that finally lets her glimpse Mount Fuji from the window of a bullet train.”—Francine Prose, New York Times Book Review

“Intelligent, sympathetic . . . and quick-witted.”—Elizabeth Ward, Washington Post Book World

“Luminous . . . Nuanced and passionate, [Davidson’s] book achieves what many travel writers can only aspire to: the sense of being both inside and outside of a culture at the same time.”—Booklist

“Davidson is a droll guide and a questing soul.”—Elle

“Davidson is inquisitive and careful: observations serve as prompts for thoughtful appraisals of her native US, and stereotypes of Japan are questioned. . . . [I]t’s when Japan is clearly in focus – especially when revealed through the author’s experiences and conversations with locals – that the narrative is most engaging.”—Laura Crawford, Lonely Planet

“Davidson’s memoir, shimmering with poetic insights and poignant observations, stands out from the rest. . . . [A] compelling read for anyone considering a trip to Japan—or who has recently returned from one.”—Corrie Pikul, Bust

“American professor Davidson’s luminous memoir of her initial four trips to Japan transports readers there through her intelligence, clarity, wit, and passion.”—Jeri Lynn Crippen, Lovin’ Life After 50

“No one could have tried harder to fathom Japanese culture [than Davidson]. The result is a series of illuminations not unlike the sudden break in the clouds that finally lets her glimpse Mount Fuji from the window of a bullet train.”—Francine Prose, New York Times Book Review

“Intelligent, sympathetic . . . and quick-witted.”—Elizabeth Ward, Washington Post Book World

“Luminous . . . Nuanced and passionate, [Davidson’s] book achieves what many travel writers can only aspire to: the sense of being both inside and outside of a culture at the same time.”—Booklist

“Davidson is a droll guide and a questing soul.”—Elle

“Davidson is inquisitive and careful: observations serve as prompts for thoughtful appraisals of her native US, and stereotypes of Japan are questioned. . . . [I]t’s when Japan is clearly in focus – especially when revealed through the author’s experiences and conversations with locals – that the narrative is most engaging.”—Laura Crawford, Lonely Planet

“A delightful read, offering insight not only into Japan but into the adventure of living in a foreign culture anywhere in the world.”—Mary Catherine Bateson, author of Composing a Life

“Beautifully written. . . . I did not want to put it down.”—Susan Allen Toth, author of Blooming: A Small-Town Girlhood

“Brilliant, wise, and witty . . . as enjoyable a read as Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provençe.”—Louise DeSalvo, author of Vertigo: A Memoir

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