Manga
Description
In East Tokyo, three strangers meet by chance and begin exploring the city together. Sarah is a twenty-one-year-old Muslim college student majoring in urban studies, Selam is an eight-year-old Ethiopian Japanese girl whose father runs a small restaurant, and Haruta is a thirteen-year-old homeschooled boy fascinated by Tokyo’s history. Their shared walks take them through the quiet neighborhoods of Katsushika Ward and beyond, uncovering layers of the city that are often overlooked. They visit the Tokyo Skytree and compare the modern skyline with an Edo-period artwork of the same area. They trace the site of the Venice Market, a postwar black market built over a drainage canal that has since become a street lined with international eateries serving immigrant communities. Along the way, the trio meets longtime residents who share local memories and documents, revealing how the formerly depopulated northeastern parts of Tokyo have been revitalized by waves of immigration. The manga unfolds as a series of illustrated essays, blending history, urban geography, and gentle slice‑of‑life encounters. Story arcs are defined by each new destination—a riverside path, a mosque, a retro shopping street—and the quiet revelations that emerge from walking and listening. The narrative emphasizes that these three characters, though different in age and background, are all native Japanese, and their friendship remains uncomplicated. Through their eyes, the city emerges not as a static backdrop but as a living archive shaped by migration, memory, and everyday use.
Information
Higashi Tokyo Machimachi
東東京区区
Type: Manga
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Staff
  • Story & Art
    Keita Katsushika