Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"Sometimes miracles do happen…"
Impressions of Japan by Uzi Weil
In the fall of 2022, Israeli author Uzi Weil stayed at an artist-in-residence in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. Talked with Keiichiro Hirano on the occasion of the publication of his collection of works "The day the prime minister was shot". Weil talks about his impression of Japan in a unique style.
—Uzi Weil (Author)
Not always. And certainly not when you expect them. But it did happen to me when I went to Japan for two months, at the invitation of the Israeli embassy, and with the kindness and hospitality of the Air Paradise program in Matsudo. A sort of a gentle, quiet, miracle - but an undeniable one, nonetheless.
And it wasn’t the famous Japanese autumn –
though I did come in October, and nature was in full autumn mode, which sometimes was so beautiful it was strange: in Miyajima, at night, I was almost alone on the beach, darkness falling all around me with gentle deer walking by, while watching the unbelievable floating gate bathed in lightning – it felt like I was in a play, but the play write had disappeared, and no director to be found, with deer for actors. Sometimes beauty can be surreal.
And it wasn’t the famous Japanese food –
though I did encounter many flavors I didn’t know existed, and probably will miss them for the rest of my life. I once ate Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima that was so good, I made the mistake a couple of days later of telling an older lady, who ran a small café in Tokyo, that this was "my favorite Japanese food" - it wasn't, but she asked, and how can one chose? As it turned out, it wasn’t a good choice: her expression went all compassionate and caring, and she immediately wanted to give me free food. She thought I must be very poor, and couldn't afford a decent meal.
And it wasn’t even the culture –
though, to a culture-junkie like me, Japan turned out to be a 24/7 cultural Disneyland. One time I was lucky enough to be invited to Kabuki theatre, in Ginza, Tokyo. Now, I have seen Kabuki before on TV, and in many YouTube clips. But nothing prepared me for the real thing: the amazing precision of the performance, where every movement of every finger was thoughtfully choreographed; the sound of 12 Shamisens playing together on stage; the feeling of an ancient past coming alive right in front of me, with such elegance and necessity that it almost felt contemporary. One side of my brain kept thinking, "well, how do I turn that into a modern theatre piece?" , while another kept whispering, "No, shut up, don't think, just absorb"...
The miracle was the people
But no, these were not the miracle I’m talking about. For me, above all, it was the people.
For two whole months, I got to meet people I never thought I would. This happened mainly because of the amazing work of the culture section in the Israeli embassy, who went out of their way to make the right connections, the right suggestions, and opportunities. But also because of a decision I made two days into my visit: People Before Places.
Amazing countryside will always be there, and great cultural treats come and go, but when will I ever get another chance to have long conversations, and open-hearted meetings, with Japanese people? People from all walks of life, with very different stories to tell, young and old, from Tokyo artists to Kobe sake makers.
So, that’s what I tried to do. Two months of being a stranger in a strange land, completely alone - dotted by one encounter after another, with people I will never forget.
It’s strange, but it seems those two go hand in hand: When you’re a complete stranger for a long time, you start to get a really strong feeling of who you are. And the more you feel at ease with who you are, the more you open up to strangers, and get to know people in ways you never thought you would.
As time went by, I think I developed the opposite of Paranoia: I had the distinct feeling that behind my back, people were contriving to do something nice for me. Even the weather was being suspiciously wonderful. I could get used to that. I did get used to that! What on earth shall I do now?
Well, I don’t know about the weather, but I think I know exactly who made all the rest of it possible, and for that –
dear culture section of the Israeli embassy –
I shall be forever grateful.
Uzi Weil
An Israeli author, a TV writer/creator of drama and comedy series, and a satirical columnist. He has published 10 books, most of them novels and short-story collections. His TV work is varied, and includes comedy shows and thriller-detective series, musicals and drama. He is also a playwright, a translator of American poetry, and for 10 years he has written Israel’s most controversial satirical newspaper column. Weil was born in 1964, in a small Kibbutz (an agricultural commune in Israel), but grew up in Tel-Aviv, which became the background to a lot of his work. He is married, with one grown-up child, and has never owned a car.