Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A really wonderful memoir and history of Japan, I felt both immersed and educated reading this. Japan has always been on my bucket list, and even more so after reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read on Japan. I think a lot of history classes tend to focus on Japan up to about the 1800’s and then the events of World War II, but not as much on the time periods covered by Whiting (the 1960’s onward). I had no idea that Japan had not upgraded to flush toilets by the 1960’s, for example. The involvement of the yakuza in construction and other aspects of society were also previously unknown to me. I thought Whiting did a good job of covering less positive aspects of Japanese society; it was interesting to see that while there is crime and corruption in Japan, it’s much less than NYC like he said. Although I do not enjoy baseball myself, the sections on baseball were still engaging because they gave additional cultural insights. I also enjoyed reading about his experiences as a gaijin working in Japan, from Encyclopedia Britannica to reporting. I think this is a fantastic book on Japan from the 60’s to the present. It’s not all-encompassing, and it’s not a history book per se, but it’s an excellent recounting of one person’s experience in Japan across several decades.

Robert Whiting's autobiographical book "Tokyo Junkie" is more of a laudation to one of the greatest cities - Tokyo. Very interesting and filled with loads of curious information.

Robert Whiting's memoir of Japan was completely absorbing; as someone who has always wanted to visit I felt that I glimpsed an insight in to the country and now I want to visit even more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Try to keep up as the author shares why Tokyo has fascinated him and why it should fascinate you. Part social history, part biography, this book offers a lot of entertainment to a variety of readers. I liked the fast paced writing style which was not overblown in any way. Very enjoyable.

The author shares with us his adoration for Tokyo His devotion to baseball his experiences during the 1964 Olympics.Well written I enjoyed getting to see Tokyo grow and develop through the authors eyes.#netgalley #tokyojunkie

Too bad there will be no real Olympics in Tokyo this time, but it was good to know what the scene was at the previous one. Through the eyes of an American, no less! Decent read although I am not a big fan of Americans explaining an Asian city to me..

Tokyo Junkie is a memoir during a time in Japan I find fascinating- the 1960’s. The author, Robert Whiting, recounts his time living there during the 1964 Olympics, before and after, during a time when Tokyo underwent a massive transformation into the beautiful and safe hub we see today. While told from an American perspective, the author clearly has a deep love for the city and Japan.

As a casual lover of Japanese history and culture, there is much I don’t know about Japan and its history, and I found this time period especially fascinating because I knew almost nothing about it. While the memoir spans 60 years of Tokyo’s growth, the beginning really hooked me- the author tells stories throughout that add a personal touch on top of historical facts, events, and sports. I admit, I am not a big sports fan, but I really enjoyed learning about the impact the Olympics had. I was particularly interested in how history has changed sports and culture, and I felt by the end of this that I learned quite a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for the ARC!

Tokyo is the river that runs through this book, which for large tracts reads like a memoir and at other turns reads like a broad overview of things Japanese. I’ve only been to Tokyo once, for about a two week stay, but it’s impossible to miss the almost alien level of distinctiveness of the city. It’s the largest city in the world, but in many ways feels like a small town. The subways shut down at midnight, creating an alter ego to the city, aptly depicted in Haruki Murakami novels.

Whiting’s Tokyo journey begins with his time posted there in the military, a time which happens to correspond with the city being readied for the 1964 Olympics, through the present day COVID Pandemic challenges (which happens to correspond with the 2020 Tokyo Summer games being delayed -- and it remains to be seen whether these games will ever happen given the fact that the COVID virus is not taking our plans for vaccine-driven herd immunity sitting down.)

As Whiting’s book is part memoir, it gives particular scrutiny to the subjects of his earlier books, in as much as those topics touch upon life in Tokyo. One of these subjects, the more extensively discussed, is baseball and the very different way the game is played and reported upon in Japan. The other key subject is organized crime and the legendary Yakuza. Crime in Japan is a captivating topic because it is both invisible and infamously brutal. I enjoyed the view through these niche lenses because (particularly) the latter is not so conspicuous, but is riveting stuff. [When I was in Japan, I was taken to a bathhouse (not considered strange in Japan as it sounds to an American.) Before we went, I was told that if I had big tattoos, I couldn’t go; and, if I had a small tattoo, I’d need to use a washcloth to keep it covered the whole time. This is apparently because reputable establishments don’t want the taint of Yakuza on their premises. So, this is how much they keep things on the down-low.]

Whiting led various lives in Tokyo, he was an airman, a student, a salaryman, an unofficial advisor to a Yakuza gang, a journalist, and a nonfiction writer. These allowed him to see the changing city from a number of varied perspectives, offering much deeper insight than the run-of-the-mill expat.

In addition to the modern history of Tokyo, Japanese baseball, Yakuza, and Whiting’s various lives in the city, the book makes a lot of fascinating dives into a range of Tokyo topics, such as: sumo wrestling, the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, the city’s distant history, salaryman drinking habits, the demographic crisis (i.e. its aging population has been approaching the point of too many retirees per working taxpayer,) etc. The book offers a no-holds-barred look at the good, the bad, and the ugly underside of the city. It at once praises the city’s politeness, cleanliness, and smooth-running order and rebukes its dark side – dirty politics, toxic workplaces, xenophobia, etc.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It offered great insight into Tokyo, Japanese culture, as well as many niche areas that I probably would never taken the time to investigate, otherwise. If you are interested in learning about Tokyo, particularly modern Tokyo, this is an excellent read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for an advanced copy of this memoir.
Robert Whiting's memoir Tokyo Junkie is a love story to a city that the author has watched grow, change, and grow into the megacity that it is today. For over 60 years Mr. Whiting has lived in Tokyo, with some interruptions in other world capitals, but has since a young man considered Tokyo his true home. Joining the army at a young age, he was assigned to Japan in the early 1960's and fell I love with the culture, the language and the people. He chronicles the changes he has seen to the city from its post-war ruins, to the changes made for the Tokyo Olympics, to its growth as a technological hub, financial crash, and Olympic dreams that have been detailed by a world pandemic.

Mr. Whiting covers crime, the financial world, arts, but its the sports that he loves especially baseball. He found a career writing two books on a the love of the sport in Japan, that opened many doors for him both professionally and socially. There's even a brief section on Japanese wrestling that I found very informative.

This book is a study in both a city and a man, juvenile in some places, wise in others but necessary for the creation of the man he became.

As someone who has lived in Japan for a few years out of every decade since the ‘80’s, Robert Whiting’s book Tokyo Junkie brought back a lot of memories. Even his stories from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s brought to mind stories my father, uncle, and brother told of the times they were stationed in Japan right after the war, and again in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Mr. Whiting has had a front row seat to the resurrection of a nation from the ashes of defeat to becoming to second largest economy in the world. If some of his stories seem outrageous, trust me-they aren’t. Japan, and especially Tokyo has been able to rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, and continues to do so. It is my favorite city in the world, and every time I return it seems something big has changed, but it’s still so familiar. In his stories, Whiting takes you through time, when Tokyo was still rebuilding, when Americans walking the streets were rare, and living there didn’t cost a fortune, to today when many citizen have to take out multi-generational mortgages just to buy an apartment.

If you’ve spent time in this glorious city, you’ll recognize these stories. I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times. Mr. Whiting understands the Japanese and unapologetically upsets the “wa” as only a gaijin can.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received an advanced ecopy of this book courtesy of NetGalley.

Tokyo Junkie is a memoir of the author's time in Tokyo Japan starting after WWII and moving onward. It is an interesting study of what Japan was like and how it has evolved as a country. However this book very much feels like it is written from an older white man and it doesn't feel fully authentic to me. The author is very up front with the fact that he is an outsider's look on Japan which is important but did end up being a DNF for me.

The text is very readable and flows very nicely. Very interesting concept on the whole.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

It’s Robert Whiting at his finest in Tokyo Junkie, which is essentially a memoir largely focused on Whiting’s life in Japan and on Japanese culture, particularly as it relates (or sometimes doesnt) to the way we see the world as Americans.

I’ve been on an All Things Japan kick lately and thus this book came at a perfect time for me. I’m also a huge fan of Whiting’s baseball writing, and there’s plenty of baseball-related content in Tokyo Junkie too.

That said, this one probably isn’t for everyone. There is a LOT of detail on things like Mori architecture and Japanese government corruption. Great if you like these things, a lot to digest if you don’t.

The book is also probably longer than it needs to be and contains a lot of personal “this one time I met this one guy” type vignettes that I greatly enjoyed but that may feel tedious for some readers who aren’t looking for a full immersion experience on this subject.

For me, Whiting is a can’t miss anytime he has a new book out, and this one hit the mark as usual. And while I’ll always love his baseball musings the most, there’s loads of fascinating material in Tokyo Junkie that runs the gamut on life in Japan that delights in equal measure.

Tokyo Junkie by Robert Whiting is a book I highly recommend to people who love Tokyo. This is a book for people who either live or go there frequently. Mr. Whiting 1st arrived in Tokyo in 1962 as a 19 year old GI. He has lived there most years since. I 1st went to Tokyo in 1981 and so there already many changes from his arrival and my arrival. Most years I would travel to Tokyo 8-10 times per year for two week periods up until past Covid year. The only exception was the 3 year period 2006-2008 when my wife and I lived in Tokyo just inside the Yamanote Line.
I have known of Mr. Whiting from his previous book, "You got to have wa" as well as his articles for The Japan Times. But this book is different as it is a memoir of his life and the constant transformations in Tokyo and his own life. He may still be a gain but Tokyo is his hometown.
There are so many interesting stories which I will not spoil. Even I who love Tokyo a s well as Japan learned quite a bit about the city I think of as my home away from home. Great book and reading Tokyo Junkie has me longing to return.

There are parts of this book I really enjoyed, being an ex Tokyoite myself. Some of the information is very clearly over my head as a non lover of baseball (I was cursed, on the few occasions I tried to go the matches were cancelled because of typhoons, torrential rain etc). I was happy to be engrossed in the world of Tokyo again, the book is accessible, well written and and I felt transported back to a city I never loved but now often long for.

To begin the book I was off-put by the use of the term "third world" to describe Tokyo and expected more of this ilk but when into the book it is clear to see the author does love Japan. I think the last few pages really redeem the book- the writing at that end point is humble though at times the memoir lacks that throughout. It's clear the memoir is a love letter to the city and I was glad to read about how Japan has changed parts of the writers personality for the better, being more polite for example. There is discussion of not being American enough, I think the book as a whole still reflects a deeply American perspective, which may be expected.

There are signs of misogyny in the book that don't sit well with me but at times. Again, another book about Japan written from the white, male lens, of which we have seen plenty and the continual privilege continues.

Having lived in Tokyo from 2010-2015, I was very intrigued by the description of Robert Whiting's memoir Tokyo Junkie and was delighted to receive a copy from NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press so that I could provide an honest review.

Whiting writes with an insider's knowledge and the perspective of having lived in Japan for over 60 years. I loved reading about how the country has changed and how the arc of history has impacted cultural institutions such as baseball, yakuza and Japanese politics and using the 1964 and 2020(1) Olympic Games as book ends was an effective way to frame the time period of the personal recollections. Just as interesting as these large topics Whiting tackles, are the stories of his everyday life and the characters with whom he has crossed paths. What an interesting life lived by a man who was obviously open to embracing the adventure. The respect and love that Whiting feels for the country and its people are evident and makes this an absolute joy to read for anyone interested in Japan, who have traveled Japan or the many of us who were so lucky to have lived there. I am eagerly awaiting the publishing date of Tokyo Junkie as I have a long list of those I know will enjoy it and can't wait to get a copy for myself.

Author Robert Whitling’s account of his experiences living and working in Japan’s capital city turned out to be a surprisingly engaging read that is a combination of memoir, history, and love letter to Tokyo. I was both wholly absorbed within its pages and also to keep myself from constantly pausing to look up everything from specific temples and other local historical sites of note, to various aspects of Japan’s criminal underworld, and even Liberal Democratic Party scandals. Even when he's focusing on very specific topics like American athletes playing in Tokyo's professional baseball teams, Whitling’s deep connection and adoration for the city help make it come vividly alive across all the decades he lived and worked there. And as a result, “Tokyo Junkie” felt like it managed to be a book, a plane ticket halfway across the world, and a time machine all at once, leaving me both feeling like I just went for a grand journey, yet also feeling like I have a new location to add to my post-pandemic travel list.

Tokyo Junkie is a memoir of the author's time in Tokyo with a large part of it being devoted to baseball and the criminal world. I found the parts about life in Tokyo in his earliest days to be the most interesting and more of a story of Tokyo than his later years.
Some will find this memoir offensive as it is very much the tale of a white man in Japan at a time when such men were unusual and as such had way more privilege than they deserved. Whiting is very honest about how he comported himself in such an atmosphere.

The memoir reads smoothly, but as a reader, I wanted to know more about Tokyo than the author.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.