Trnité cesty do říše Nippon – Langer Pavel (2014)

Japan – a distant and perhaps somewhat exotic land for us – remains shrouded in a veil of mystery. The author, a young doctor and budding researcher, had the exceptional opportunity in the early sixties to get to know his Japanese counterpart and almost simultaneously an American professor through written correspondence, resulting in a lifelong friendship and occasionally a collaborating triangle. Over the span of thirty years, he visited Japan three times, having to navigate the 'thorny path' of obtaining permission for foreign travel during communism. He had the chance to work in Japan and learn about many surprising and still little-known aspects of everyday life, including the unusual conventions governing interpersonal relationships in life and at work. He introduces readers to some peculiarities of the Japanese language and writing, the almost superhuman effort of each individual to maintain their face or 'giri', and includes descriptions of trips into Japanese nature and national parks, as well as several memories of wandering around Tokyo. The book concludes with recollections of a final shorter trip to an international conference, where he meets many friends one last time and which he could finally attend with his wife.