I am not into the unrealistic realm of magic realism where birds talk.

You should take a good look at all sides of an issue before making a decision. Put something away in case of an emergency. New neighbors will bring good cheer. A small problem may occur at home base, but you will solve it quickly and correctly. Don't offer smart advice unless you are really asked to comment.

I want to show that the underdog can win. I believe were all the same: you, a slum girl, my mother.

The brain is not an organ we are authorized to use. We are supposed to use only our hands and legs.

And I realized again that real life is different from reel life.

Tokyo may have more money and Kyoto more culture; Nara may have more history and Kobe more style. But Osaka has the biggest heart.

The writer's is an interior world, a world of the mind.