Nihongo Wakarimasen, by Marina Lizio

A move to Japan for love. Or…was it? Alone in a strange country with a broken soul, Marina built a life from scratch—experiencing typhoons, massive earthquakes, and even bicycle vandalism. She traveled widely across the country, learning to appreciate its rituals and oddities, and finding ways to cope with the Halloween crowds in Shibuya. Along the way, she discovered parallels between two cultures—the southern Italian and the Japanese—so far apart, yet surprisingly similar. And she found a home.

When she moved from Sicily to Tokyo, Marina could not have known how rocky her journey would be. But she trudged on, ultimately staying for over a decade in a country that initially confused her but eventually became a place she loved and embraced.

Nihongo Wakarimasen keeps readers engaged with genuine stories of humanity and cultural differences. It offers a unique view on work ethics within the realm of scientific research and provides perceptive, entertaining interpretations of the quirks, behaviors, and habits of the Japanese people. The book is packed with moments of hilarity—Masa’s super jokes, the nosy women of Fukuoka—as well as moments of self-doubt, reckoning, and acceptance.