Will Ferguson is the author and protagonist of this hilarious road trip journey from Southern to Northern Japan, following the famous and beloved cherry trees' blooming.
From Cape Sata, Kyushu to Cape Soya in Hokkaido, Will is determined to travel only hitchhiking and, relying on Japanese drivers' kindness, he was able to experience Japan with the eyes of the Japanese.
If you lived in Japan for a while, it's easy to relate to the misunderstandings Will had to face in terms of culture and language, not to mention that, even if he is actually Canadian, Will gets often mistaken as an American and there are still a few people who don't see them in a good way...
What I liked the most were the changes between tragicomic situations he put himself into as well as the serious issues that still make Japanese society difficult for foreigners to comprehend.
What I liked the most were the changes between tragicomic situations he put himself into as well as the serious issues that still make Japanese society difficult for foreigners to comprehend.
🌸A toast! To the cerry blossoms. May we never understand them!🌸
Will experienced first hand the perception Japanese have about themselves and outsiders, leading to a series of funny discussions and encounters, like:
- when he ended up in a karaoke bar with a group of salarymen and their company's boss and he apologized for not recognizing him and he promised him a raise the following year.
- all the times he caught a ride, the (Japanese) driver would tell him that he should take the bullet train because the Japanese would never give him a ride...yeah, exactly.
- all the times he caught a ride, the (Japanese) driver would tell him that he should take the bullet train because the Japanese would never give him a ride...yeah, exactly.
There's also a serious side, where Will deals with unsolved issues, taboos, and general misconceptions which make the whole book an interesting 360° vision of the country and its people.
"Hitching Rides with Buddha" isn't a travel guide and the places Will describes aren't on the popular touristic routes so if you don't mind visiting new areas of this beautiful country with a sassy and sarcastic narrator you should definitely give it a try!
"Hitching Rides with Buddha" isn't a travel guide and the places Will describes aren't on the popular touristic routes so if you don't mind visiting new areas of this beautiful country with a sassy and sarcastic narrator you should definitely give it a try!
If you meet Buddha on the road, don't kill him. Hold out your thumb. Who knows, he might just offer you a ride.
My vote: 9/10
Ph: goodreads.com
No comments
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.