Easter to Memorial Day 2026 — We Speak in Colors

WE SPEAK IN COLORS DIGITAL JOURNAL

A Life Archive

By Andy Armstrong / April 2026 Edition / Detroit, MI, USA

When I last wrote, Easter was a week in the rearview. And within days, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom on Detroit’s beloved Belle Isle.

From there the long trudge began.

But along the way I finally got out to Novi, a suburb about 30 minutes outside the city. Detroit’s de facto Japantown.

The Detroit-Japan exchange is more complex than I can explain. But it’s clear that automobiles played a part. Through the decades, entire ecosystems of makers, suppliers, engineers, and businesses from Japan settled here.

So I headed to Novi with a mission to check out two spots in particular: One World Market and Book Off.

One World Market is a Japanese grocery and diner in one. Shelves of imported noodles, rice, sauces, frozen foods (like the classic wafer ice cream sandwich), vegetables, pastries, teas, and all sorts of things you'd find in an Osaka neighborhood market.

Inside the little dining area, there’s classics like curry rice, udon, beef bowls, sushi, miso soup, green tea, and all sorts of bentos.

I enjoyed some miso soup, rice, and green tea (hit the soul). Then strolled across the street to Book Off, the beloved Japanese bookstore chain with a superb collection of used books, CDs, movies, and random finds.

All meticulously organized and labeled.

Here are a handful of photos from the venture: