December 2017 – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

100 Summits, Plus 1 More: Chemotherapy (Day 1)

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Blog December 28, 2017December 28, 2017100 Summits, breast cancer, cancer, chemotherapy doxorubicin, infusion, OnlyOneNinja, port-a-cath

In 2018, I will attempt to become the first American woman over 45 to climb the Nihon hyakumeizan (100 famous mountains of Japan) in a single year. Given my recent cancer diagnosis and surgery, I believe I’ll also be the only person of any age to climb them within a year of completing chemotherapy. My oncologist described the journey as “100 summits, plus one more.” I started up the first one yesterday – even though I didn’t walk a step. Since I plan to chronicle the entire 100 Summits experience here on the blog, I’m including my “climb” through chemotherapy also

O Tokyo Tree . . .

Susan Spann Blog December 22, 2017December 21, 2017Christmas, Christmas trees, holidays, Japan, lights, Tokyo

Christmas decorations abound in Tokyo at this time of year, and Christmas trees are no exception. It seems every business and professional building, shopping center, and hotel puts up a massive tree display – some real: and some “creative interpretations.”

The Joy of Tokyo’s Festival Foods

Susan Spann Blog December 21, 2017December 21, 2017festival, food, Japan, matsuri, Sensoji, snacks, Tokyo

Last weekend, I went to the hagoita-ichi matsuri (festival) at Sensōji, in Tokyo. I love shrine and temple festivals for many reasons – and festival food is high on the list. On normal days, the wide pathways in Japanese shrine and temple yards offer visitors plenty of space to walk and meditate. At festivals, vendors line the paths. selling a wide assortment of treats.

Sensoji’s Hagoita-Ichi Festival

Susan Spann Blog December 18, 2017December 18, 2017festival, hagoita, holiday, Japan, matsuri, Sensoji

Hagoita are wooden paddles used in the traditional Japanese game of hanetsuki. Visually, the game is a lot like badminton, but without a net – players take turns batting a shuttlecock back and forth, using large wooden paddles (hagoita). The game was traditionally popular during the New Year holiday, and though it’s not as popular now as it once was, decorative hagoita are available for sale throughout Japan. Each December, Sensōji–one of Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temples–is home to the hagoita-ichi matsuri, a festival featuring vendors selling decorative hagoita in both traditional and modern styles.

Remembering The 47 Rōnin

Susan Spann Uncategorized December 15, 201747 loyal retainers, 47 ronin, chushingura, Japan, samurai, Sengakuji

On December 14, 1702, the 47 loyal retainers of Asano Naganori, lord of Ako, avenged his death by killing another samurai, a court official named Kira Yoshinaka–whose behavior caused their lord’s death almost a year before. The event, which became known as the “Ako Incident” (赤穂事件 Akō jiken) remains an influential part of Japanese culture and history. Under the title Chūshingura, the Ako Incident has been fictionalized in numerous Japanese plays, films, and other works of art – and the story has also inspired Western works in multiple genres.

The Gift of Grapes

Susan Spann Blog December 13, 2017December 11, 2017fruit, gifts, grapes, Japan, Tokyo

Fresh fruits and vegetables are popular in Japan–as everywhere–but fruit in particular holds pride of place. It’s more expensive here than in the United States, and often larger, too. The most unique way Japanese fruit diverges from its U.S. counterpart (at least in my opinion) is the presence of gift stores selling specially-packaged fruit. The shops sell only fruit and a small assortment of fruit jellies (both the spreadable kind and the kind that has the texture of Jell-o and comes in small plastic containers). Each piece of fruit is perfect, large and unblemished, and individually packaged in plastic or paper designed

Christmastime in Tokyo

Susan Spann Blog December 11, 2017December 11, 2017Christmas, Japan, light displays, Tokyo

Last Friday, my son and I arrived in Tokyo for business trips. He has a job interview for a permanent position here in Tokyo, and I needed to meet with my immigration representative about my visa application for the 100 SUMMITS project, which I’m hoping to start in early May of 2018. (I originally planned to start even earlier, but now I’ll need to finish my cancer treatment before I move.)

An Exciting Announcement!

Susan Spann 1000 Summits, Appearances, Blog, Top Secret December 8, 2017December 8, 2017

I’m thrilled that I can now announce the secret project I’ve been working on – the contract is signed, and in March I’ll be applying for a visa to spend a year in Japan for this exciting new adventure! Here’s the deal announcement, which my agent submitted to the industry deal news this week:

Hello, Tokyo!

Susan Spann Blog December 6, 2017December 3, 2017Japan, research, travel

By the time you read this, I’ll be on a plane to Tokyo! My son and I are heading over together–him for a job interview and me for a research trip–while my husband stays home and holds down the fort. (I’m lucky to have a guy like that!) I’ve got my trusty roller bag: and my laptop, and in addition to research for the next Hiro Hattori novel (and some preliminary work for the secret project I hope to announce very soon) I’m hoping to visit several–if not all–of the Christmas Markets going on in Japan between now and my return to

The Water Gate at Hakone Shrine

Susan Spann Blog December 5, 2017December 3, 2017Hakone, Hakone Jinja, Japan, paddle boat, sacred, Shinto, shrines, swan boat

Today we continue the virtual tour of Hakone Shrine with a trip to the water gate. In the Shintō faith, torii (the red-orange gate in the images) mark the boundary between the secular and the sacred – though on occasion, it often seems that the areas on both sides of the torii are equally sacred. The water gate at Hakone Shrine is one of those places.

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