Outskirts Press, INC.

DO NOT VISIT JAPAN (UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS BOOK)

Are you chopstick-impaired? Perhaps Japan is not the place to visit without first mastering the art of manipulating those twin sticks. Never fear. The Japanese are a warm and welcoming people. They will gladly supply forks, spoons, and knives and do so with a polite bow. The only chopstick-shaming will come from your fellow travelers. Chopsticks aside, Japan will be a delight and a surprise. Sayonara Chopsticks: An Outsider’s View of An Insider’s Japan provides insights into a country seen as exotic. Indeed, it is to Western eyes, but the true allure of being in Japan has more to do with the Japanese people. They understand how to transform a landscape to a place of peace and serenity amid the chaos of urban existence. They understand the importance of slowing down to appreciate the finer things in life amid the hectic pace imposed upon them. They understand the value of being polite. The Zen gardens, the tea ceremonies, and the ritual bowing all exemplify the best of their culture and the lessons they can teach all of us. Sayonara Chopsticks is a humorous but informative take on the best Japan has to offer including cherry blossoms, geishas, sumo wrestlers, ninjas, Godzilla, and baseball. Enjoy!