Our new issue - our 10th Issue Spring 2022 #outnow In this issue the book by Tsutomu Yamagata “Thirteen Orphans” "In 2008, I was sitting by the Shinobazu-no-ike, doing nothing. Then a man of about 70 years old, in a plain suit and carrying a Boston bag, sat down next to me. We chit-chatted for a while, but halfway through, he suddenly disappeared into the woods behind us. Shortly later, he emerged from the woods dressed in a Furisode Kimono (women’s long-sleeved Kimono), wearing a wig, and in a chalk-white makeup face. Then, with a boom box playing pop songs from the 1950s and ’60s at high volume, he began to dance a traditional Japanese dance fluently on a goza (rug) laid out on the ground. I was stunned and watched him dance for a while. After the dance, he said, I dance here every week. I come here every week because I don’t have much longer to live and I want as many people as possible to see me dance. He introduced himself as ‘Tama’ and told me that he used to teach traditional Japanese dance and his body was suffering from cancer. I became friends with ‘Tama’ and started going to Shinobazu-no-ik every week.” Words by #akiokunisawa #jobarker