Diary of A Tokyo Teen by Christine Mari Inzer

I am getting ready to go to Tokyo soon, so I am reading books about Japan, and novels written by Japanese authors. "Diary of a Tokyo Teen," by Christine Mari Inzer is a graphic/comic book-style memoir, and a true gem. Inzer was born in Tokyo in 1997 to a Japanese mother and American father. The family left Japan in 2003 and moved to America. The summer before she turned 16, Inzer traveled to Tokyo by herself, to visit relatives and learn more about the country. In this book, she documents her time in Japan, illustrating the fashion, food, sights, and people she encountered. Whether she is eating fantastic sushi in the fish market, shopping for hip clothing in the Harajuku, or hoping for a geisha sighting in Kyoto, Inzer's narrative notes and pictures are fantastic and fun. Quirky things like the fancy toilets seem to stump and amuse her. While Japanese by birth, her eye is through an American lens and her observations about food and culture are curious and charming. Some might think why would I want to read a travel log by a teenager when I am not a teenager? For the same reason I love the comics of Roz Chaz who writes about her family and domestic life. The pairing of words and drawings to form humor is a challenging task, and both Chaz and Inzer are so talented at it. I was happy to see that Inzer continues to write and draw, and you can follow her on Instagram @christinemaricomics She has a new book coming out in 2024, and I'm excited for that, too. To buy this book on Amazon click here.