Year of the Golden Pig Reading 12: "The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan"

I moved to Japan for the first time in 1987. When I left two years later I was already under its spell. Since then I have been reading as much on that country and its culture as possible. Nowadays I still take refuge from life by reading something interesting about Japan.

In 1992 I had to read "The Tale of Genji," by Murasaki Shikibu. To be honest, I wasn't able to finish it. It was just too long. I think the professor realized that it would be impossible to finish in half a semester, but he still tried to make us.

This book is about the life that existed in Japan during the Heian period. It talks a lot about Japanese concepts such as aware, which roughly translates as the sadness of life. After reading this book I want to go back and finish the novel. I remember the parts I read fondly. So maybe it is something I will have to pick up again. Maybe I will do it when I am in Thailand.

Thailand, in some ways, has become a surrogate Japan for me. I can get all of my favorite Japanese food there (including a new opened Mos Burger and my old favorite Hachiban Ramen), and I can just pretend I am back in time, back when I was in a different part of Asia (I didn't say better, though I wanted to).

So I am off to Asia once again in a few weeks (or days even). I will let you know how it goes after I arrive.