Reading Japan

A junior high school girl living in a small town doesn't have any self-confidence. She can't say what is on her mind at school or at home due to concern about what people will say. She doesn't fit in and constantly feels lonely. But she has 1 prized possession. It is the promotional flyer for a movie featuring a certain foreign actor. In grade school she happened to see one of his movies and was captivated by his lonely and somehow sorrowful demeanor. She will certainly never meet him, but his very existence gradually helps her relish life.

A junior high school girl living in a small countryside town visits her big sister, who lives in an apartment on her own. She gets her sister to take her to a rental video store and gets a movie starring the actor she adores. She hears "his" voice for the first time. She becomes enthralled with the world "he" inhabits and devours novels from "his" country, losing herself in unknown worlds. She still feels self-conscious at school and keeps to herself, but one day something unexpected happens.

Shota is a young man who feels desperate after having lost his job. He randomly finds a smartphone in the park that displays the phone number for "mom." On an impulse he places a call imitating the "it's me, send money" telephone scam. These scams extort money by pretending to be a son in distress. Shota gets a promise that he can pick up the cash. When he arrives at the apartment, "mom" suddenly embraces him, and the shock throws out his back and he goes inside.

Shota goes to pick up cash from "mom," who mistakes him for her long-lost son and showers him with affection. After experiencing her kindness, he can't just run away with the money, and ends up visiting her on a daily basis after he gets a job and wants to share the news with her. They live in peaceful happiness watching TV, eating dinner and chatting together. He works in earnest and begins paying her back in small installments. Then a sudden incident threatens to bring their fake mother-child life to an end.

Fumiko, Ichiko, Saaya and Eimi are childhood friends. They've been floundering at the dating game and hatch the idea of teaming up to find a marriage partner. Their strategy is to channel their individual areas of expertise into the beautiful Eimi and have her behave like the perfect woman. This marriage-hunting dream team is ready for their first date, but an unforeseen situation awaits them. Since debuting in 2013, author Hiiragi Sanaka has released numerous works featuring female protagonists in mysteries with a heartwarming twist. This charming short story uses vivid storytelling to depict female friendship and struggles involving marriage and romance.

A girl visits Grandpa's home every summer for the Obon holiday. He's going to take her to his favorite coffeehouse in the evening. She gets dressed up in her fanciest outfit and arrives at a mysterious place. The walls are adorned with photographs of the cosmos and decorations include bear and swan figurines. She feels all grown up when she drinks iced coffee from the Perseid Meteor Shower with milk drawn from the Milky Way. In the next instant, outside the restaurant she sees Toro Nagashi, the paper lanterns set afloat on the river to send off departed souls. Then, customers leave the coffeeshop one by one.

The protagonist is tired from traveling and randomly stops at a small-town public bath. The ticket machine has rather odd names that might refer to private bathing rooms. Puzzled, he pushes one of the buttons and goes inside, only to encounter a bizarre scene, unlike anything he's ever seen. He pretends that he's not a first-timer and ventures into the bath without getting any explanation. He has embarked on a big adventure. Kumozome Yuu, "The Out-to-Sea Bathhouse" (from Short Short Treasure Box V, Kobunsha paperback)

It is the middle of the night in October, and Kannazuki, or "the month without gods," has just begun. A deep boom awakens two brothers from bed, and they climb onto the roof and peer into the distance. They see lantern-like lights along the horizon. The younger brother climbs down and calls out to his brother to follow, but the older brother keeps staring at the horizon. Just then, they hear another boom and a gust of wind stirs up a dust cloud. The boys raise their arms to shield their eyes from the dust particles, but the next morning the older brother has something that looks like a sesame seed in the white of his left eye. Day by day, more of these strange specks appear in his eye...

A small village tucked away in a valley has a legend about taking in people who were defeated in battle long ago. Now, the village has become a place that welcomes children with no home and nowhere to go. Children visit the village in the summer for three days and two nights to help out with an event called "welcoming of the insects" that involves placing over three hundred lamps on footpaths in-between the rice terraces. The custom originally warded off harmful insects with fire and smoke, but this village has turned it into a ritual to welcome insects with light. Children spend time in this village that abounds with compassion. Are you interested in paying a visit?

A girl working parttime at an ice cream shop falls for a guy who comes every other day and always orders the same thing. One day, she invites him to walk with her to the train station. She peppers him with questions, but his replies are always cool. Then, she promises to make him ice cream at his place. This tale depicts the everyday life of a girl who struggles with work and romance.