Furari

The title Furari translates to wandering aimlessly or drifting with the wind, yet the protagonist of this story leaves nothing to chance. Inspired by the historical figure Tadataka Ino, who lived from 1745 to 1818, acclaimed creator Jiro Taniguchi crafts a delightful and insightful portrait of life in a long-forgotten era of Japan. The narrative follows an unnamed but deeply compelling retired businessman as he takes leisurely promenades through the various districts of Edo, the ancient predecessor to modern Tokyo. Now free from his professional obligations, the protagonist spends his days surveying, measuring, sketching, and taking careful notes of the world around him. He grants himself the freedom to indulge in simple poetry and embraces an inexhaustible capacity for wonder amid the thousand small pleasures of the city. Much like Taniguchi’s earlier work exploring the inner life of writer Soseki in The Times of Botchan, this manga slips effortlessly into the heart and mind of an early cartographer. Through rich graphic detail, Taniguchi reveals the protagonist's world, inviting readers to fully perceive and understand the quiet beauty of everyday observation.