New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- Åsa Ekstrom is a Swedish cartoonist whose works are very popular in Japan. Manga and anime are two of Japan's major industries, but while many foreigners read manga written by Japanese artists, it is rare to find a foreign manga artist whose works are widely read in Japan. Her five-volume manga series Nordic Girl Åsa Discovers the Mysteries of Japan humorously depicts the unique aspects of Japan that stand out to foreigners from a young foreign woman's perspective. Åsa achieved her dream of living in Japan when she moved to Tokyo. We asked her about the charms of various parts of the city.

Åsa became fascinated by Japanese pop culture when she was a teenager after watching the Japanese anime, Sai...