Calebrity Travel: Go Away With Kanae Minato
A former home economics teacher, Kanae Minato rocked Japan's literary world with her 2008 debut novel, "Confessions." A movie adaptation of the psychological thriller was selected as Japan's entry for the best foreign language film at the 2010 Academy Awards. This past summer, the novel was released in English.
An avid traveler, Minato says that some of her trips make their way into her writing. "When I was in college, I took a bike trip all over Hokkaido (Japan's furthest north prefecture) by myself, says Minato, who resides in the Hyogo Prefecture on Japan's Awaji Island. "That trip plays a role in my new novel, 'Mame no Ue de Nemuru' (which translates into 'Sleep on Beans'), which was published this past spring in Japan."
To read an excerpt of "Confessions" ( Mulholland Books, $15), visit http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/. This interview was conducted with translation assistance from Stephen Snyder, Kawashima Prof. of Japanese Studies at Middlebury College.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. Tongariro National Park in the central North Island of New Zealand.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. It was when I was in elementary school. I went on a school trip to Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is in the southwest of the main island of Honshu in Japan. We went to Akiyoshidai Safari Land, a large animal theme park, and to a cave with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. We had a wonderful time. It was also my favorite trip as a child.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. I often like to go to Kobe to shop, which is near where I live. Another favorite place I like to travel to is Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. This is also nearby, so I try to go with my family quite often.
Q. What are some of your favorite cities?
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