Roll up that Map of Europe! (And unroll the one of Asia)

[steepholm]

There's not a lot of good news about just now, what with the imminent rolling back of Roe vs. Wade in the States, atrocities in Ukraine, and various anti-trans bigotries given free rein in the UK (the latest, touted by the Health Secretary, is that people who accept trans children's identities are essentially groomers). So, here's my attempt at something more positive - albeit the positivity doesn't really extend beyond myself, which makes it a rather selfish variety. But hey, I'm inviting you along for the ride!

I've not said much here for fear of tempting Fate (I know Fate is subscribed to this journal), but it's looking increasingly as if, at the fourth time of trying, I'll be able to go to Japan next month.

The country's still not open for tourism, but trips for work and education are allowed, and mine ticks both boxes, since I'll be staying (as I did five years ago) at Tokyo Joshidai and using the time to put the finishing touches to my forthcoming book, tentatively titled British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses. I already have a draft, but there are some materials I can only consult in Japan, a few places I'd like to visit (e.g. Kushiro in Hokkaido, setting of Ghibli's adaptation of When Marnie Was There) and several people - academics and otherwise - whom I need to meet. Getting the visa was no simple process, but both visa and a ticket are now in my possession. It will be my longest ever trip, to Japan or indeed out of the UK, just shy of seven weeks.

I'm nervous and excited. Most of the nerves are about the necessity of not catching COVID in the next few weeks, especially I suppose the last two before departure, because that could put the kibosh on the whole thing. Basically I'll be going into Howard Hughes style germaphobe mode for that period.

Meanwhile, I'm planning and booking things. Yesterday, for example, I reserved a seat on a tourist bus (the 'Acorn and Mountain Cat' bus) that goes round Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture, visiting the various places immortalised by Kenji Miyazawa in his poems and stories. I strongly suspect that I will not only be the sole non-Japanese passenger but the only one less than 70 years old. I'll let you know if that premonition checks out. I'll also be staying in Kobe University for a few days with my friend Sarah, and meeting up with various Kansai bods (including my former tenant Ayako and Moe, who both featured in these pages when they lived in Bristol), and trying to snag a sumo ticket at the Summer basho in Nagoya. (They're hard to come by, but if I fail I can cry into my miso katsu.)

At the end of it all, I'll catch a plane in Tokyo in the morning and be in time for my daughter's graduation ceremony in Bristol the same afternoon, all being well - such is the magic of time differences.

Will these audacious plans succeed? Stay tuned to find out.

Comments

[cmcmck]

We both managed to catch the plague after going down south for my father's funeral at the and of March.

The Tories seem to think being transphobic is a vote winner. They could be in for a nasty shock!

Hope it all goes well!

[calimac]

Very best of luck. (That's not entirely disinterested friendship speaking: I want to read your book!) I hope I'm not the first to suggest that you keep very tightly masked during the part of the trip between home and the plane taking off (and verse visa at the other end), because that's where risk of infection is highest.

Good lord, you'd think that Health Secretary was from Florida.

[shewhomust]

This sounds like a wonderful trip, and I am looking forward to it!

[heleninwales]

I do hope all goes well this time. I really enjoyed your previous accounts of your travels in Japan. You were obviously enjoying the experience as well as doing useful research.

It was interesting to note this morning that while the percentage of people wearing masks in our local Co-op is now much reduced, those who are wearing them are wearing better quality ones.

[jadelennox]

oh I hope so much your trip happens!

[steepholm]

They could be in for a nasty shock!

Let's hope so!

[steepholm]

I will definitely be masking to the max at every opportunity. And I'm delighted you want to read the book - I've put a lot into it!

The Health Secretary, it shames me to say, was originally from Bristol...

[steepholm]

There will be photographs!

[steepholm]

That's an interesting observation! I may well invest in some high-quality ones myself.

[steepholm]

Thank you! More here as it happens!

[sovay]

Will these audacious plans succeed? Stay tuned to find out.

I hope so!

[asakiyume]

That's wonderful! I like the Miyazaki theme to some of your destinations.

[thistleingrey]

Best wishes for the trip!

[steepholm]

Miyazaki/Ghibli gets its own chapter!

[steepholm]

Thank you!

[ashkitty]

Oh, good news! I hope you finally get to go!

[steepholm]

Thanks! I've got everything crossed.

[intertext]

Oh I do hope you are able to go! I want to read that book, too, especially having been privy to tantalizing little bits of it (such as your presentation at the IRSCL conference). I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[steepholm]

Thank you! Since I wrote this entry, my lodger Rei has actually got COVID, so I'm now isolating from her (or she from me - it amounts to the same thing when there are only two people the house). Part of me thinks it would be better to catch it now and 'get it out of the way' in time for the trip, but another part thinks that's fucking insane...

I'm really looking forward to showing all the stuff I've found to the world! (That said, I know the world won't be as interested as I am, but a few people may be.)

[intertext]

I certainly will be - adaptation is kind of one of my things, and of course I've read most if not all of the originals.

I wouldn't risk catching Covid and maybe getting "long Covid" especially when they still don't seem to know why that happens. Good luck!!!!