Post Office on the Tokaido

Post Office on the Tokaido is part of the Gemma Open Door for Literacy series.

In Japan, nothing is more familiar than the neighborhood post office, with its big red box in front and bright, welcoming windows. The post office has been Siya’s favorite place since she was a child. Now as a young woman, Siya is delighted to have a job at the Shindori Post Office in Shizuoka City, even though it is temporary. But her boss is a jerk. Born in Japan of a Japanese father and an Indian mother, Siya looks just a little different. The boss won’t believe she is a native speaker and gives her a hard time every day! Adding to her worries, a motorbike bandit is stealing money from elderly customers who use post offices to do their banking. Shindori Post Office is right on the Tokaido Road, an ancient path that follows the sea. As Siya explores her new home in Shizuoka City, she finds history hidden away in this modern city. Siya is strong, and she notices things. One day, as she stands on the old road, with modern cars zooming by, the motorbike bandit strikes. And what Siya does next surprises everyone ... even herself!

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