Summer 2026 field reports · Vol. 2: The Many Who Caught Me
The Sacred Rituals
By NOBUNAGA (@japan_nobunaga). Featured in The New York Times · ABC News Live · Press · Book.
Wire came in.
$3,236.88 from X.
I opened the notification, closed the app, opened it again to make sure I hadn't imagined it.
That buys a season of whetstones and still leaves change for tea.
A samurai with silver in his sleeve owes the world something.
So I'll spend it the way I always do: throwing jokes at the tired, hope at the doubtful, and a small vote of confidence at every free country still standing.
Sharpening tonight. Swinging tomorrow.
Cultural FAQs
What are "Sacred Rituals" in these stories?
Everyday American customs that locals treat as obvious and visitors experience as formal rites: who tips, who grills, who brings a dish.
Who is NOBUNAGA / @japan_nobunaga?
NOBUNAGA is an English-language comedy storytelling project: a wandering samurai observes modern American life. Featured in The New York Times (June 18, 2026) and ABC News Live; stories also appear in the book The Samurai Who Discovered Free Chips.
Are these stories fiction or real travel notes?
They are literary comedy postcards rooted in recognizable American customs. Read them as storytelling, not as a guidebook, then check local norms when you travel.
