The other day, I visited a town in the Kanto region. It is a historic place where a streetscape of old houses and storehouses has been preserved along the river, attracting a fair number of tourists. Since it takes quite a long time to get there by train from Tokyo, real estate prices aren’t particularly high. With that in mind, I had hoped I might an attractive, reasonably priced, pre-owned single-family house.
However, the outcome was… surprisingly to me, I felt I had hit a “dead end” – a dead end in my search for a place to live.
“Ah, this is it. It’s pointless to keep looking. There is simply no place where I want to live.”
On the way back, my mind felt empty. I wondered just how many towns I had visited by now – Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, and even as far afield as Tochigi.
I spent the following week in deep reflection. So, what would I do? The answer gradually became clear. After weighing what I could do and the assets I possessed, the conclusion I reached was…
“Why must I live in Japan at all?”
Since then, I have been taking my time to prepare for the next step.
It’s been five years since I returned to Japan. However, the more I research and learn about the Japanese real estate market, the less inclined I become to buy property. The main reason for this is, above all, the low probability of gaining capital gains. With a declining birthrate and an aging population, the country’s economy as a whole has remained stagnant for decades. Except for central Tokyo, property values are steadily declining in most areas.
Nevertheless, I continued my research, and about two weeks ago, I noticed a certain fact: a plan to extend a certain subway line in Tokyo northward. This plan has been debated for a long time, and it seems that it’s finally at the stage of application. According to the plan, the subway will be extended to a station on another line. The construction is scheduled to be completed in 2041, 15 years from now. Hmm, isn’t this a somewhat positive factor? If I buy a single-family house, even a used one, now, and live in it for 10 years before selling it, the price won’t have dropped that much, right? I was very intrigued and decided to go and see the area around that station.
I visited that area two days ago and walked around the residential neighborhood near the station… Honestly, I was disappointed. The neighborhood seemed quiet, unspoiled, and a peaceful place to live. However, the houses were interspersed with tiny apartment buildings! In other words, the former owners of the large houses, unable to bear the burden of inheritance tax, converted their homes into apartments. It was blatantly obvious in the area. Therefore, areas with good transportation links to central Tokyo have become such ugly environments.
Also, an important point I learned from my real estate research is that “real estate prices are determined by distance from central Tokyo and transportation access.” Wow! How simple and easy to understand!
So, if I were to buy real estate in the Kanto region, and commuting wasn’t a concern, I should choose a good location a little further from central Tokyo! Hmph, capital gains? Forget about it!
Yesterday, I happened to be watching a TV variety show, and a chef from a Japanese restaurant was talking about how he made his restaurant popular. He was confident in his cooking skills, but customer numbers were stagnant. He thought the reason was that his restaurant wasn’t well-known. So, he started promoting his work on social media. He would exaggerate his fish-filleting skill and meticulously showcase his food plating techniques in videos. His efforts gradually paid off. His social media followers increased dramatically at a certain point. And his restaurant began to attract customers. Of course, he was confident in his cooking skills, which is why he decided to do these kinds of performances.
As a promotional method for selling ebooks on Amazon KDP, I sometimes use free giveaways. The trick to this method is to already upload other works besides the one being given away for free. If a reader likes the free book, they might buy another book by the same author… This is a logical tactic, but in my past experience, it only worked with practical books, or how-to guides! I don’t recall if it worked with literary works.
Currently, I’m focusing on literary works. I have many ideas for literary books and have written many works. Just a few days ago, I finally did the first free distribution of my cozy mystery series set in a cafe. First, the Japanese version was distributed, and a few days later, the English version was distributed. Both had a small number of readers, but the English version was distributed in four times the number of copies as the Japanese version… I thought this was a very interesting result. I will be watching with anticipation to see how this result develops, or doesn’t develop at all.
I admire people who run businesses that manufacture and sell goods. They either make the products themselves or source them from somewhere to create their product lineup. But, how much attachment do they have to each item? Or don’t they have any preferences for individual items? If they find that a product isn’t selling well, do they remove it from the shelves without any regrets?
I started thinking about these things after I began to view novel writing as a serious business. What genre should I write? Short stories or novels? What target audience should I aim for? I’ve currently set up at least three plans: Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. For the time being, I intend to pursue these three plans in parallel. I’d be happy if even one of them yields results, but even if I don’t see immediate results, I’ll stick to this approach for the time being. Plan A and Plan B have started. Plan C seems like it will take some preparation time. However, I actually have the highest hopes for Plan C.
Looking back on my past, I often think, “Ah if only I had thought things through more carefully back then, things would be going well now.” But that’s the way things are, I suppose. My turning point wasn’t, unfortunately, a simple, decisive resolution. The reason I’m now able to think up and execute realistic plans is because I’ve achieved “financial stability.” There’s no need to rush, no need to write resumes for job hunting… That gave me peace of mind.
However, the effect didn’t appear all at once. It slowly seeped into my heart. I’m probably just the kind of person who can’t do anything quickly, lol. It can’t be helped, however. Things will happen as they will…
I read an article in which a certain Eastern European ambassador shared insight gained from his long stay in Japan. He noted that Japanese cities are free of litter, ruffians don’t roam freely, and trains run on time. This order is praised worldwide, but he wondered what lay behind it.
His insights, gained from living in Japan for a long time as a foreigner, were that “the Japanese, by not granting themselves freedom, have created an extremely orderly living environment as compensation.” He argued that this was wisdom cultivated by people to survive within the limited habitable area of a small country. While I already understood this point, hearing it pointed out by someone from another country made me re-evaluate it.
It was a long time ago, but I remember hearing my mother confide that she was disappointed about failing the entrance exam for girl’s high school. For girls from poor families at that time, their future was decided in an instant. After several years of bridal training, a woman’s life is one of constant devotion: marrying, serving her husband and in-laws, and caring for her children. A life full of constraints. In fact, that’s how my mother lived and died.
I was critical of my mother’s way of life, and if I had the means, I would have wanted to rescue her. That wish was never fulfilled.
However, all my siblings and relatives say my mother was happy. Now, reading this article by the Eastern European ambassador, I think it’s time for me to accept that “my mother was happy.” This should help to resolve the lingering doubts in my heart.
Yesterday, a powerful earthquake struck the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions of Japan. It was reportedly magnitude 7.7. A tsunami warning was immediately issued for the Pacific coast of Tohoku and Hokkaido. The tsunami reached a maximum height of 80 centimeters, and no damage has been reported. Since April, earthquakes have been continuing in eastern Japan, and many people are worried that a major earthquake may occur soon.
For the past few years, I’ve been thinking about buying a house, even a used one. I’ve been visiting areas I like about once every two months. And I was finally leaning towards choosing a city on the Pacific coast of Kanagawa prefecture. I lived there for a while in my twenties and early thirties, so I’m familiar with the area! I visited there a few weeks ago, hoping this would be my final choice. However… the result shattered all my previous efforts and hopes. I realized that Japan is the same everywhere.
Many aspects of Japan seem to be determined by its geological and climatic environment. 70% of Japan’s landmass is mountainous, leaving a very small habitable area. Yet, 100 million people live in this tiny plain! Surrounded by the sea on all sides, it boasts extremely high humidity and a climate characteristic of East Asia, with hot summer and cold winters. Recent global warming is exacerbating increasingly extreme climate change. Furthermore, typhoons frequently strike from spring to autumn.
How do these environmental factors limit the housing options available to Japanese people? Due to frequent earthquakes, it’s impossible to build sturdy, centuries-old houses like those in Western countries. Japanese single family houses and condominiums are all required to meet strict earthquake-resistant standards, resulting in a landscape of identical, uninteresting copies. Single family houses, in particular, are often cheaply constructed, designed only to be demolished, within a few decades. “Oldness and historical significance” are not respected.
People sometimes express their true feelings online, saying things like, “Living conditions in Japan are poor.” However, they are quickly met with counterarguments.
“It’s wrong to compare Japan to Western countries because Japan experiences many typhoons and earthquakes,” “Japan is safe because it’s surrounded by the sea,” “Japanese people have a high level of civility, so the cities are clean and beautiful”…
Well, well. they are probably right. Their minds are firmly convinced that “Japan is wonderful.” Therefore, I never argue with them. I simply continue searching for a place, somewhere, where I want to live.
I’ve been selling ebooks on KDP for the past few years. Initially, I didn’t think too deeply about stragety; I simply prepared the content, added a cover, and published. Now, I’m reviewing that and adjusting my strategy.
My ebooks broadly fall into two genres. One is a how-to books for Japanese people on “improving English skills.” It introduces American English idioms and jokes I encountered while living in the US, provides explanations, and offers several examples of their usage. I’ve published four books in this series to date, and they’ve sold reasonably well. I also created another series of English books, which also sold somewhat. However, sales have been poor recently. This is likely due to the decline of the Japanese economy, the resulting economic hardship, and the difficulty of traveling to foreign countries, including the US. That’s my guess.
The other genre is fiction. These consisted of legends from rural Japan and short stories with a slightly horror element. I’ve even rewritten and published short mystery stories that were rejected from literary awards. Those books… didn’t sell well. I know, not many people read fiction by unknown authors, lol.
And now, my strategy is…to primarily target sales through Kindle Unlimited. In other words, the goal is to generate a small revenue stream from the pages readers see, even if they don’t download the entire book. It’s about accepting that even if they don’t buy the whole book, I’ll be grateful if they read just a few pages. The books needed for this purpose are…many very short stories.
The strategy is set. Now, I’m fully focused on preparation. Let’s see how many short story collections I can create. I’m secretly excited about this challenge!
This happened several years ago. While reading entertainment news online, I came across an interview with a certain comedian. I can’t remember his name now. I don’t watch much television, so I’m not familiar with most of the currently popular comedians. However, I still occasionally recall the content of his interview. It made such a strong impression on me.
The interview contained advice from the renowned comedian, Ken Shimura, who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shimura apparently advised him, who was struggling with acting and comedy ideas, in this way:
“At first, it’s okay to imitate someone. It could be an imitation of a comedian you like, or even an actor or performer. Steal it. Use that as a starting point, gradually modify it, and make it your own.”
I read that interview and was both puzzled and surprised. First, my initial reaction was, “Wait, isn’t Ken Shimura a comedian who does slapstick comedy? Isn’t that kind of act something you can just do haphazardly and exaggerately?” Looking back now, I realize that was a hugely mistaken prejudice on my part. I still don’t fully understand it, but Shimura’s act must have been meticulously crafted, built upon countless hours of practice. That’s why he was such a popular comedian.
Next, what struck me was Shimura’s advice to “start by imitating someone else.” He didn’t tell the man to painstakingly create material from scratch. Up until that time, I tended to believe that things have to be done the right way, that you shouldn’t steal other people’s work. Now I understand that thing in the world aren’t like that, and that thinking you can create something from scratch is the height of foolishness.
In any case, these words from Ken Shimura are a reminder for me to recall time to time. When I’m creating a work as an amateur writer, I sometimes find myself trying to “create something from scratch.” At times like that, I remind myself, “Hey, I’m going in the wrong direction again!” When I can’t come up with any ideas, it might be because I haven’t had enough input. So I either go back to the database I’ve organized so far, or turn to new reference materials.
About two weeks ago, I received an email from a stranger. Thinking it might be spam, I checked it and found it was a comment on a story I’d posted on a novel submission site several years ago. The story was a short fiction piece about a male student studying English in America, his small challenges, and his experiences encountering reality. The comment read: “I was impressed by this little piece. It made me want to turn it into a comic.”
I was a little surprised by the comment, and then I felt exhilarated. Oh, you liked my little short story? A story about a young man living in modern times, having a small adventure in a foreign country, that would make a good comic? I was delighted by this unexpected comment and immediately replied, expressing my interest in learning more about a comic adaptation.
However, I didn’t receive a reply right away. Over the course of about a week, I gradually felt my enthusiasm waning. I also searched online for similar cases and learned about scams on free novel sites.
A few days later, she replied: “Shall we exchange emails to discuss a comic adaptation?”
But I refused. “I am interested in the idea of a comic adaptation. However, I’ve had this work on a free site for several years now, and nobody has shown me any interest. So I decided to hear the real opinions of readers. I’ll publish it as an ebook.”
Yes, I’ve decided to start selling my past and future works as ebooks. To understand the true value of my own works. I’m no longer content with just releasing them on free sites and indulging in self-satisfaction. I don’t know if this person’s comment was a scam or just a normal comment. But it certainly motivated me.
As I wrote in my last blog post, I was desperately trying to write mystery novels. To that end, I watched a lot of police and forensic science dramas and read a lot of novels about them. Now my bookshelves are overflowing with paperback mystery novels, and I subscribe to paid TV channels to watch mystery dramas. Yet, it hasn’t been very fruitful.
…Well, I did achieve some results. I’ve written about thirty works so far! I’m looking forward to how I’ll publish them in the future; I’ll probably edit them in batches to make a series. I don’t thing all my efforts up to this point have been completely wasted. This step made me realize, “This can’t go on like this.”
I searched for what to do next. “Do mysteries really sell? What format should they be in? How should they be marketed?” I got a lot of helpful, and not-so-helpful advice lol. The most noteworthy piece of advice was, “write short works,” “Readers prefer short, quick reads.” Hmm, yes, that’s reasonable. In fact, I haven’t written anything long in recent years. Writing a 100-page work requires more than twice the effort and time of writing a 50-page work. It probably takes three or four times the effort and time., Is it worth it? No!
So, I’ve been writing short police novels… However, I felt like I had run out of ideas. Simply being short wouldn’t solve the problem. I didn’t think I had much time left. I couldn’t afford to waste time blindly charging ahead.
It was around that time, about ten days ago, that something happened. I’ll write about that next. That incident became the impetus for me to start writing this English blog again.
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