The Roads to Sata

This book is going straight to the top of my list of favorite travel narratives. What a story! What amazing people he met! And what a writer Booth is!

In the early eighties, Booth decides to travel from the tip of Japan in the north to the tip of Japan in the south. On foot. Along the way, he meets perplexing Japanese person after perplexing Japanese person. Here's a sample:

‘I recognized the turnoff to the lodging house...by a brightly lit electric sign glowing an effusive welcome...The doors of the lodging house were curtained and locked and it took five minutes of rattling them to rouse the white-shirted custodian, who bustled out finally to tell me that they were closed.
“But you've got a sign all lit up down on the highway.”
“Yes. We always keep it lit.”
“What for, for goodness' sake?”
“To make people feel welcome.”
“But you're closed.”
“That's right.”

If you like travel narratives, you will love this one. Side note: I wish you luck trying to find a copy. I've had this on my wish list for at least five years and I only found a copy this summer.

A wonderfully crafted tale of Booth's journey through a fascinating and culturally unique country. Whimsical and strange adventures lie behind each page.