Rebecca’s Reflections
Flood of Losses, Mountain of Riches
The ping of a text message drilled into my ear. I was drifting along a wave of dreams, enjoying the sounds of morning gradually overtake my mountain house—the summer insects, the birds, the drip, drip from last night’s rain. If I answered the text, I would have to...
The Mistakes I Made on My First Trip to Japan!
Overheated, overdressed, and definitely over the idea of traveling with my parents, I plopped down on my suitcase right there on the platform of Ueno Station in Tokyo, Japan. My suitcase was a bright red hard vinyl rectangle. It was part of a matching set that I’d...
Winning by Losing: Why I Enjoyed Running Races in Japan
Japan is a great place to run races. People are generally supportive of runners and racers and are eager to cheer even the slowest on the field. Years ago, when I lived in Mitaka, Tokyo, I ran a lot of short-distance road races. Inspired by the encouragement of the...
My Father’s Other Son
When I was born my father’s colleagues sent him condolences. I was the fourth daughter. The year was 1956, long before parents knew about “gender reveals.” Mine had prepared for a son. Of course they’d have a son. How could they have another daughter? But I was...
Beyond the Vanishing Point: Traveling the Map of Memory
I stood on the bridge feeling perplexed. Nothing was right. There should have been a small lane here next to a beauty salon. It was gone. Not just the beauty salon, but the lane, too. Perhaps I was on the wrong bridge. I looked up and down the river and saw bridges in...
Tracing a Kimono’s Story: A Transnational Journey
“I have a kimono that my Uncle brought back from Japan at the end of World War II, as a gift to my mother. I’m wondering if you might be interested in it?” I received an email with this message shortly after my university’s online magazine ran an article on my kimono...