ふしぎの国のバード [Fushigi no Kuni no Bird] [Isabella Bird in Wonderland] #9

A confident Western woman in a blue jacket holds up a large, expressive traditional Japanese theatrical mask — its bold, dramatic face a striking contrast to her bright smile — while a lively street scene of Meiji-era Japan unfolds in the background. Volume 9 of Unbeaten Tracks in Japan continues this beautifully detailed manga series from Kadokawa, inspired by Isabella Bird's real-life travels through 19th-century Japan. The cover alone captures the series' warm spirit of cross-cultural curiosity and discovery.