Abstract

Author ASO Kamo wrote short column with 120 letters every single day for 5 years between 2017 and 2022 on DOKONOKO a social media app produced by HOBONICHI, a popular Japanese web magazine, where users can post and communicate through photos of cats & dogs only (no human nor other animals should appear). Naturally, the main topic of this column is about dogs he came across during his daily walk and everyday life with his 4 cats, which he describes with full of humour. But he also responds actively to the things that happened in society while pondering over the joy that the change of seasons can bring about. As the column covers before and during the pandemic, when our way of life changed drastically, this diary/column can be enjoyed as a mini-modern-life-history of ordinary people and their beloved companions.

“The world where cats and dogs can live happily is the one that we humans can live happily as well. I’m aware that we cannot easily say “we’re happy” without reservations. Nevertheless, I do hope cats and dogs can at least sleep peacefully every night.”
Illustrations by SUMITA2022.

Author’s Information

Aso KAMO is a novelist, producer, creative director. Born in 1971, Kobe, Japan. He worked in the various sectors of the entertainment industry, including video game, music, broadcasting & advertising. His writing talent was first discovered through his Tweets for Japanese pubcaster, NHK's official account, then the debut novel "Ebi-kun", published by Gunzo, literary magazine of Kodansha. Ebi-kun was selected for Bungaku 2014 anthology as only newcomer among the seasoned novelists such as Mieko Kawakami & Kei-ichiro Hirano. His other works are sci-fi novels, "Aigneion アグニオン"(Shinchosha) and "The Word According Cats　猫たちの色メガネ" (KADOKAWA) then "The Guide Runner 伴走者”(Kodansha). The latter, which explores the fascinating world of the visually challenged athletes and their guides, brought him both critical and commercial success as it was nominated for prestigious ODA Sakunosuke Award and was adapted for manga comic and TV movie. His current project is 300 Short Stories, where he publishes 2 short stories per week for approx. 3 years.