Perhaps the greatest pleasure to be derived from shopping at secondhand book stores in Japan comes from never knowing what might turn up between their pages.

Japanese manners are often remarked upon with awe and wonder by visitors, but you seldom hear a word about Japanese courtesy.

It had been sheer chance that propelled the silver-haired woman and that young girl to those particular seats in that particular carriage on that particular Ginza Line train at that particular hour.

The smartphone demands the attention and occupies the mind of its owner, crowding out the random impressions that — were they observed — might just lead to insights, ideas and novel solutions to seemingly intractable questions.