Two girls stood in an alley in a fishing village

As I made my way through the narrow alley, a young boy suddenly called out, "Naruto!" His confidence left no doubt—he was referring to the Japanese anime Naruto. A small smile crossed my face, pleased that he had recognized me as Japanese.

When traveling abroad, I’m often mistaken for Korean or Chinese, even without any particular reason. It’s a common occurrence, so having someone instantly identify me as Japanese—even in such an unexpected setting—felt oddly gratifying. Then again, I couldn’t be entirely sure whether the boy actually associated Naruto with Japan. Perhaps, to him, it was simply the name of a famous character—no different from any other global pop culture reference.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I continued walking deeper into the alleyways. Most of the people I passed responded to my presence with warm smiles. I had expected at least a little suspicion, yet instead, there was an air of quiet hospitality. A young girl standing nearby noticed my camera, and as I raised it toward her, she responded with a natural, unguarded smile.

There was something comforting about the atmosphere here, and without hesitation, I ventured even further into the labyrinth of alleys.

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