First off I read a book called "Bar flower" about the modern floating world in Japan (think less Geisha more call girl/ bar hostess). It's the true story of how an American English teacher ended up as a high class bar hostess singing karaoke with drunken old Japanese men. The story is riddled with new characters making it almost impossible to follow anyone but the main character. Also the ending is abrupt and only kind of satisfying at best. However if you've ever contemplated running away to Japan to be a quasi "geisha" this book will put you off the idea completely!.
Secondly- how FREAKIN kawaii is this? Wakayama Electric Railway, a nine-year-old female tortoiseshell cat is a station master for Kishi station on the Kishigawa line in the city of Kinokawa, in Wakayama prefecture. She sits on the ticket gate and gets to wear this kawaii ensemble. Business has quadrupled! And who can blame them? I would make the trip just to photograph this cutie.
