Staying in a city means sharing both its space and its time. Yet the way we see that space and time changes depending on who is there with us.
사진 확대 Tokyo, Japan / Photo = Pexels
Book Travel Book introduces a book that follows the life and emotions of a young person growing up in an unfamiliar city. It is “The Sky of Tokyo Is White,” a work that invites readers to understand Tokyo in a deeper and quieter way.
The Sky of Tokyo Is White by O Da-yun | Sena Books
사진 확대 Photo = Sena Books
Life in a strange city always demands courage. “The Sky of Tokyo Is White” is the record of a young person who carried that courage to Tokyo and grew alongside the city while writing down their days.
A city that at first felt nothing but unfamiliar gradually turns, over five years, into a landscape of familiar memories. In the end, it becomes a place to which the author returns and looks back on life. This process is portrayed with a calm, steady tone. The book is more than a simple travelogue; it is a record of one person’s relationship with a city and reads almost like a coming-of-age memoir.
For author O Da-yun, Tokyo is a blank white canvas on which anything can be drawn, and a city that resembles a white sky filled with dazzling light. The time spent there as both student and office worker is layered directly onto the space called Tokyo.
사진 확대 Photo = Sena Books
Shibuya, Kichijoji, Marunouchi, Shinjuku, Ginza, Roppongi, Odaiba, Asakusa and other familiar places do not appear as tourist attractions. Instead, they become stages of everyday life, soaked with the author’s emotions and memories.
Tokyo Tower glimpsed on the way home from work, Shinjuku at night seen from the JR lines, and the streets of Ginza where the author first truly felt the weight of money amid all the glitter—these cityscapes are always intertwined with the author’s inner world.
Another charm of this book is that it portrays Tokyo as a city to live in, not just to visit. Nezu Museum, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Yoyogi Park, Inokashira Park and other pockets of nature in the city appear as resting places that let people catch their breath in the midst of a busy daily routine.
사진 확대 Photo = Sena Books
Stories of short trips to Kamakura, Enoshima, Hayama, Kanagawa and Atami show another face of Japan outside the vast metropolis of Tokyo. The sea and hot springs, old buildings and quiet alleys blend with the heat of youth to create scenes that feel like a film.
Food, coffee and desserts also play a key role. From restaurants recognized by the Michelin Guide and Tabelog to a coffee culture steeped in Japan’s unique craftsmanship, and the deep flavor of matcha, Tokyo’s food scene is depicted as both a joy of life and a source of comfort.
On top of that, the book adds realistic stories learned firsthand by actually living in Japan: studying Japanese, job hunting, office life and the transition to freelancing. Because of this, it goes beyond a sentimental essay and serves as a practical reference as well.
사진 확대 Photo = Sena Books
What leaves the strongest impression is the author’s honest self-reflection. The frustration felt at the limits of a foreign language, the suffocation within the framework of a company, the emotional depth learned through love and separation, and the process of coming to understand oneself are all revealed without embellishment. Tokyo is not simply a city that made the author shine; it is a space that allowed them to waver, struggle and gradually grow stronger.
“The Sky of Tokyo Is White” is a book that will stir long-buried memories for those who already love Tokyo, and offer a fresh perspective on the city for those who have never paid it much attention.
As readers follow the story of a young person searching for their own stage between travel and everyday life, between dreams and reality, they too may one day find themselves recalling a sky that belongs only to them.
※ “Book Travel Book” carries an ambitious vision: to gather and introduce all the world’s “travel books,” which are scattered here and there across places like Yeogijeogi. It welcomes titles from established publishers as well as books by individual travelers. Anything is welcome, from travel guidebooks to travel essays and photo books. If you want to spread the word about a book themed around travel, knock on the door of “Book Travel Book.”
Reporter Jang Juyeong, Travel Plus
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
AloJapan.com