“Memoirs of a Geisha” is set in Japan in the 1930s and ’40s. It tells the story of Chiyo Sakumoto who becomes Sayuri Nitta, one of the most famous geisha of her day. Chiyo is sold by her ailing parents to an okiya (essentially a geisha house) in the Gion area of Japan. She works for the Nitta “family” – Granny, Mother, Auntie and the house’s sole geisha, Hatsumomo. In an okiya, the “family” isn’t a real family at all; Granny, Mother and Auntie are all former geisha who now live and work together in the okiya. Chiyo is chosen by Granny because of her unusual eyes, which are a strange mix of blue-grey.

Hatsumomo immediately realizes that Chiyo will grow up to be a very famous and successful geisha because of these unique eyes and her natural beauty and sets out to ruin Chiyo’s chances of becoming a geisha. For years Hatusumomo tortures Chiyo while she works as a maid in the okiya and even convinces the Nitta’s to pull Chiyo out of geisha school, cementing her future as a maid. Chiyo hates living in the okiya and feels trapped in her life as a maid until she meets the Chairman. She meets him when she is only a girl, but she is completely infatuated with the Chairman and this infatuation drives her to become a great geisha. Perhaps if she becomes well-known enough, the Chairman will one day take her as a his mistress, which is the most a geisha can ever hope for.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” completely rocked my world. Not only is a heart-breaking love story, but Chiyo’s determination is inspiring. Golden creates a beautiful creature with Chiyo and really utilizes the geisha’s transformation from apprentice to full-fledged geisha to show Chiyo’s development into a mature woman. Reading Golden’s style was also a treat. His writing is amazingly poetic, but not pretentious. I imagine that “Memoirs” took him years and years to write because all of his metaphors are so clever and well thought out. I’m usually not one for description, but Golden’s was wonderful and only added to the elegance of the story.

But this book is about more than the story. The reader also passively learns so much about Japanese culture! I love to travel, but have never really been into Japan. All I used to associate with Japan was big buildings and technology, but now that I have learned about its history, it has definitely made my shortlist of must-see destinations.

If you appreciate a good, intelligent love story, then “Memoirs of a Geisha” is a good choice. It’s a beautiful book and story that will totally capture you.

There’s a great many things to do and places to see in this world of ours.  As humans, our lives are pretty short (and if you party like I do, it’s probably going to be even shorter).  So we have to prioritize!  We have brains for a reason and that reason is…reasoning (well, at least some of us use them for that purpose: see comment about partying above).  Let me be your voice of reason as I show you all the things you should be doing right here, right now.

Let’s look at the facts – our economy is bad, everyone is cutting back, no one has money (maybe that’s just me), and even the weather is bad.   If there was ever a time that vacations were needed, it’s now.  Whatever happened to the glory days of the traditional random college backpacking trip or the “I need to find myself” adventure to who-knows-where?  Well, go find yourself!  Actually, I already found you – you’re in Japan. And you’re having the time of your life.

Here’s just a few of the reasons why you should go to Japan:

Hot Guys – Scoff if you must, but Japanese guys are very good looking.  High cheekbones, sweet lips, fabulous hair, impeccable style, etc.  They also tend to be edgy (underground music scene and such) and they know how to party (think long nights stomping around the different bars, clubs, and karaoke rooms of Tokyo).  But they’re not all play – these guys know how to put their pretty noses to the grindstone and they come out all sexy and intelligent on the other end (having a job doesn’t hurt, either).

Fashion – If you want new fashion and edgy style, then Tokyo is your city.  They are unafraid to try new things and you’ll see some things walking around that you’d never have thought of…until you saw it next year on a runway in Milan.  Luckily, most of the cool stuff is pretty cheap because they love a good deal in Japan.  Find your way to Harajuku or Shibuya (both parts of Tokyo) and you’ll come out with bags upon bags of happy.  Just expect some serious stares when you get back to the US.

Food – The immediate thought is, of course, “sushi.”  Sushi is amazing in Japan, but much the same as the good-quality sushi restaurants that we have here in the US.  If you really want good food, get yourself to the countryside or some city street vendors.  Can you say “yakitori”??  Well, you will after a couple glasses of plum wine.  Don’t forget – Japan is the place that Kobe beef come from, so you can never go wrong with a beef dish.

History -  If you’re a history buff (or you’re just looking to give some validation to your random trip to Japan by visiting castle and whatnot), then you probably are already aware of all the amazing things that are packed into that tiny little island.  Monuments are a favorite of Japanese people and you will probably notice the massive amounts of schoolchildren in cute little uniforms blocking your view of the giant wooden Buddha or whichever monument you choose to see.

Scenery – To start, the architecture is amazing.  Tokyo is arguably the most beautiful modern city in the world, filled with lights and shiny objects (yayyy shiny objects!).  Kyoto is another amazing city, filled with equal parts old-school temples and buildings as well as the technological wonders you find in Tokyo.  Venturing beyond cities, you’ll find mountains and rolling fields of awesomeness, not to mention the seaside and even a big inland freshwater lake!

Culture – From tea ceremonies to karaoke, you’ll never want for an interesting cultural experience.  More often than not, you’ll feel like a fish out of water, hopelessly opening and closing your mouth while you gape at whatever is happening in front of you.  But don’t worry!  Japanese people are, for the most part, very friendly and warm and they will do all they can to include you in their culture…even if that means pushing a prayer stick  in your hand and then making you walk across a pile of burning logs.  But I digress…

When you come back from Japan, you’ll be stylish, experienced, well-traveled, and sporting a couple of hot Japanese boy toys.  And, if you were a good little traveler, you’ll be able to impress your friends with some sweet Japanese phrases (“Watashi no nihongo wa heta desu!”) while you make them look at all your photos.

I mean, in America, the stereotypical retiree will move down to Florida to spend their time lounging by the pool in a gated community or playing a few holes on the golf course. Lame. In Japan, adult films for senior citizens, aka “elderly porn” is growing into quite the profitable franchise, according to porn producing giant Ruby Productions.

While America’s economy is declining, many entertainment venues (including golf courses) are taking a hit. In Japan, at least one retiree is cashing in on the entertainment biz. Shigeo Tokuda, 73, is the Ron Jeremy of elderly porn.

CNN correspondent Kyung Lah describes Tokuda as “the star of his movies in every way, romancing his co-stars, no matter their age, no matter their needs.” And apparently, his films are no-holds-barred, much like anything Jenna Jameson has appeared in.

This human interest story might come as a shock to American citizens, but as a nation, Japan is home to the world’s highest percentage of people over 65. Who says the greater populace can’t have a little fun? Tokuda isn’t some pervy old man, either. He’s been married for forty-four years, and his wife supports his new career path. Lah reports that he’s a polite and humble man, and though it’s not easy to watch Tokuda’s raunchy scenes, “it’s a little like watching your grandfather in a situation you never dared to dream.” Aww, that’s sweet. Or creepy.

In any case, Tokuda can be considered a retirement legend. I’m sure there’s plenty of guys half- or one-third his age who would love to achieve such celebrity status. And if he can chase his dreams at 73, I can’t wait for my own retirement.