Monday, October 27, 2025

The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper

Japan Book Review: The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories

The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories

ISBN: 978-4-8053-1551-4
Tuttle Publishing, 2020
160 pp; hardback

Short stories that are written about Japan by non-Japanese with decades of experience living in the Land of the Rising Sun are sometimes a mixed bag, but more often than not interesting to read and ponder. Rebecca Otowa's latest work fits in the “interesting to read and ponder” category.

Otowa, the author and illustrator of this book, melds a variety of locales and eras with her own life experiences in telling 13 well-crafted stories. The stories, all of which are set in Japan, range in length from eight to 18 pages.

Most of the stories are set in modern times, although there are stories set in the 1950s, the 1940s and one which is set in the early 17th century. A few of the stories are based on Japanese history and/or Otowa's family history.

Perhaps the reason she can write in such broad strokes covering such ground is her own life story. Otowa was born in America, studied Japanese language and culture in Australia, moved permanently to Japan in the late 1970s, obtained an M.A. in Japanese Buddhism and has been married for 40 years to a 19th generation heir to a Japanese country estate.

The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper and Other Short Stories.

Included in the writing are stories touching on hoarding, suspected murders, regret at helping continue generational family abuse, suicide and a 15-year-old's desperate arranged marriage to a 32-year-old war-ravaged solder suffering from PTS. There are also a ghost or two mixed in some stories. Although it is difficult to narrow her themes to just a few, fears of ageing and hardships for Japanese women are themes readers will see more than once.

Otowa's deep knowledge of and experiences with Japan and its culture and people give her a special insight and allows her to write with such depth. People who know Japan well will appreciate this book most, although knowledge of Japan is not necessary to learn and enjoy. Her readers, with their varying levels of knowledge about Japan, will understand the books at different levels.

The usually-clever endings to the stories will alternately lead the reader to feel surprise, disappointment, sadness and at times, wistfulness. The writing is tight, with no red herrings or superfluous characters.

Review by Marshall Hughes, author of Rural Reflections.

Buy this book from Amazon USA | UK | Japan

Looking to buy Japanese things directly from Japan? GoodsFromJapan is here to help.