In striving to understand Japanese books and comics, I’ve adopted the habits of a weightlifter: I find my comfort zone then push beyond it
I’d been learning Japanese on and off for years when, on New Year’s Day 2022, I realised I could still barely master the sushi bar menu. Three years on I’m now reading my ninth book, having finished a few hundred comics and a videogame – all in Japanese.
I’m still amazed at my achievement. My biggest breakthrough? Learning to embrace ambiguity and finding comfort in incomplete understanding.