Last week I discovered Yamada Zenjido, an artist who pens haiku-like truisms paired with pitch-perfect drawings, and they are SO FUNNY…if you can read handwritten Japanese, that is.
Fortunately, I have a friend who helped me with the more opaque characters (and because no good deed goes unpunished, will be pestered to do so maybe FOREVER), so I can pass a few of these on to you now and bring a little happy embarrassment to your day…
I stop to fix my hair in a window reflection
Then I realize
Someone is watching from the other side.
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In the electronics store
I barely touched it, and it died
So I quickly walked on.
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The automatic door sensor
Doesn’t seem to be working, even though I tried everything
Oh, you have to push the button.
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Those samples look really delicious
I badly want to try one, but that would be uncool
So I pretend I’m not interested.
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On a ground floor balcony where everyone can see him
Shouldn’t that old guy be a little
Less relaxed?
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At the designer clothing shop
I’m shocked by the prices
But I put on an “oh, this is usual” face, then quickly leave.
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Driving by myself
Singing along to my favorite song,
I realize later that the window was open.
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Whenever I wash something
Suddenly
I have to pee.
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For the first time
I hear how my voice sounds to other people
And it’s depressing.
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If you’re a better kanji reader than I am (and that includes just about everybody and their grandmother) I DEEPLY ENVY YOU because you can see a lot more of these gems if you follow the artist on Twitter (@y_haiku) and/or Instagram (instagram.com/y_haiku/).
Eternal thanks to Hiroyuki Otomo, who helped me understand the peskier characters.
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And if you know someone who’s planning a Japan trip, here are all the places I take my friends when they come to town…
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Only In Japan 
These are great, Jonelle. Thanks for sharing. I’m at least as kanji handicapped as you so never would have know. Love the combination of the samurai dude with the modern stuff like auto door openers and karaoke machines.
These are amazing, aren’t they? And he’s made TONS of them. If only I could read better (gnashing teeth) I’d be able to translate them faster and share them!
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
He’s got a gift, for sure! So glad you enjoyed ^^;;
Your translations are spot on! Love it & thanks for sharing.