Inside Mirror in the Woods #7: “A New Canvas in Tokyo”

"From superstition to self-discovery, Miho dives into a world of fearless expression and thrilling independence."

Results day arrived. Scanning the posted panel intently, Miho finally spotted her exam number among hundreds of passersby. Clapping her hands joyfully alongside her senior companion, she was relieved—the old superstition about failing if you fall beforehand had not applied.

Months later, Miho stood on the campus of the prestigious Tokyo art university. Observing the students crossing her path, she encountered a diversity of fashion unimaginable during her school uniform days: an artsy couple who looked like models, the son of a celebrity exiting a sports car in designer brands, a rugged man with a twisted headband and work clothes, a Mohawk punk rocker, a male student dyed entirely pink…

These youths, gathered from across Japan, asserted their artistic individuality with intensity. Having only ever known school uniforms, Miho was slightly bewildered but thrilled by this newfound freedom of expression.

Student groups actively recruited new members. Utterly clueless, Miho gravitated toward the Sculpture Club, where an upperclassman from Teacher Abe’s studio belonged. The club proved ruggedly adventurous. Members singed their hair with burners into baldness or narrowly avoided losing toes to hatchets. Though intimidating at first, Miho quickly adapted, wielding chainsaws and even transforming logs into award-winning art.

Miho’s student days were busy and exhilarating. On weekdays, she attended classes and worked restaurant jobs after school to fund art supplies. Over weekends, she joined spirited discussions about art during drink-fests, forming friendships with like-minded peers. She threw herself into every activity, often begrudging time for sleep.

Barely a year after leaving her hometown, the gloom of her past was already fading. Miho was fully immersed in the vibrancy and possibilities of youth.