“A firefly hunt has none of the radiance of a cherry-blossom party. Dark, dreamy, rather -- might one say? Perhaps something of the child's world, the world of the fairy story in it. Something not to be painted, but set to music, the mood of it taken up on piano or koto.” NatureSummerJapanAmbienceFireflies Author:Junichiro Tanizaki; Edward Seidensticker
“Mimaki occasionally spoke to Etsuko, who seemed lost among all the adults. As a matter of fact, she was far from bored. She was a high-strung child, but at such times she would be turning an innocent gaze on the adults around her and studying in detail their gestures, speech, and expressions, and their clothes down to the smallest accessory.” ChildhoodJapanRelatable Author:Junichiro Tanizaki; Edward Seidensticker
“it was concluded that the only parts of Kyoto to be recommended were the Saga plains to the west and the eastern hills around the Nanzenji Temple.” JapanKyoto Author:Junichiro Tanizaki; Edward Seidensticker
“Sometimes they let her sleep in the morning, and when she awoke she looked at the clock by her pillow and began wailing. She would be late for school again. It embarrassed her to be late, she would not go to school at all. If, on the other hand, they awoke her in time for school, she pulled the quilt over her head and pretended that she had not slept a wink. When she awoke again, she would be in tears because she was late.” SleepRelatable Author:Junichiro Tanizaki; Edward Seidensticker