For Immediate Release
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This is the year of Japan for the SF community, as the excitement builds for Nippon 2007, the first Japanese Worldcon, being held in Yokohama, August 30 to September 3, 2007.
But I especially love Japan in the spring, when the gardens are in glorious bloom, so I welcomed an invitation to speak at SF Seminar in Tokyo in April. This is an annual event, but it was also a practice-run for the Worldcon, where bi-lingual panels and interviews will rely on skilled translators. I regard the humble translator as the hero of the 21st century global village. We have the technology to communicate across cultures, but language remains the great-wall that separates people. So I was very keen to try speaking in translation, as the early-bird of spring.
My husband, Dr. Stephen Davis, and I were escorted by cab from our hotel in the historic Asakusa District to the Labor Union Hall, where the Seminar was held during the spring-break holiday called "golden week," because of the generally fine weather. This is near major universities, so the seminar attracts hundreds of students and fans, as well as writers, translators, editors, and a few dealers to a "readercon" without costumes or media tie-ins.
I was interviewed about the life and work of Avram Davidson, whose literary estate I manage. Davidson's collected stories are popular in Japan, and his story "Sources of the Nile" was nominated for a Seiun Award (the Japanese Hugo) last year. I tried to speak slowly and clearly, for the benefit of the translator and the audience. I was asked about the incident in the 1960s when Avram captured a pair of large iguanas in Belize, and shipped them to our young son, Ethan, and me in San Francisco. I could tell from the laughter that the audience understood a lot of my spoken English, yet the translator's skills were essential during most of the interview.
I chatted with helpful seminar organizer and translator, Yoshio Kobayashi, and a number of pros and fans, about the new collection of Japanese SF stories in translation, Speculative Japan, which I'm co-editing with Gene van Troyer for Kurodahan Press, as a special publication for the WorldCon.
Takumi Shibano, Mr. Japanese-SF, and WorldCon Fan Guest of Honor, contributed an essay for the new collection. We enjoyed an artful and delicious Japanese lunch with dear friends Takumi and Sachiko Shibano, where we talked about Speculative Japan, the upcoming WorldCon, and friends on both sides of the "great water." Shibano-san hopes that all SF readers will come to the first WorldCon in Japan.
During the afternoon break, a young woman fan in a charming kimono escorted us to the nearby electronic district of Akihabara, to inspect the wonderful and exciting new gadgets, amidst the holiday crowds and brilliant displays of neon light.
Then we traveled by cab to the Japanese inn (ryokan) where the evening session was held. There we enjoyed an informal box-lunch supper with seminar members, and good friend and prolific translator Hisashi Asakura, who has contributed a memoir for Speculative Japan. We listened to a variety of speakers, all in Japanese, yet it was easy to understand the humor and conviviality of the Japanese group. We had lived and worked near Tokyo for two years in 1979-80, and enjoyed happy times with the SF Translators' Group, so it was wonderful to observe the new generation of Japanese SF fans and pros. I was especially interested in a feminist group, who spoke about "Sense of Gender." They were planning to attend WisCon, so some of you may have already met them. The evening wound down with separate program items in various rooms, and our dear old friend, Asakura-san, escorted us back to our hotel. Arigato gozaimasu to you all, we were so happy to see you again!
For those who are planning to attend the Japanese WorldCon, I have a few specific travel suggestions: 1) Japan is safe and healthy, beautiful and fun, and everything works efficiently. 2) Despite rumors, we found Japan less expensive than Europe. Prices were similar to U.S. coastal cities. 3) The weather will be hot and humid, so dress accordingly in light cottons, and carry battery-operated fans. Stay hydrated with refreshing chilled green tea from vending machines. 4) We received excellent service from a charter cab company, Tokyo Airporter.com (you can find them on the web). At one point the driver went half an hour out of his way so we could see Mt. Fuji-at no extra charge! 5) Japan has an amazing system of volunteer guides. These are students and housewives, retirees and businesspeople who want to practice their English. Most of our sightseeing was done in the company of these generous, patient, and interesting guides. You can google them at Japan Free Guides.
— Grania Davis
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