In time for cherry blossom season, join local author Natalie Anna Jacobsen as she takes audiences through Meiji Era in Japan, the timed period and setting for her debut novel, GHOST TRAIN, a historical fantasy that blends true events and folklore. Learn how she approached writing about a complex era marked by transformation and technology, who she relied on for their expertise in translating and transcribing dense historical texts, and how her experience in Japan shaped the book, told through the eyes of a samurai’s daughter. Plus, hear about the real-life folklore, superstitions, and yokai that inspired the book — and how their stories survive today!

The event will include a talk, audience Q&A, and book signing — plus the chance to take photos with the author. A variety of sake, beer, and other non-alcoholic beverages will be available. Food will not be provided.

Click Here To Register

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
Place: JASWDC office
1819 L Street NW Suite #800, Washington DC 20036
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM (ET)

Tickets:

JASWDC Member price: $15 – Includes a copy of “Ghost Train”

Non-Member price:  $30 – Includes a copy of “Ghost Train”


It’s summer of 1877 in Kyoto and samurai daughter Maru Hosokawa is thrust into Emperor Meiji’s rapidly-changing world. Her father has surrendered his sword and assimilated into a role as a civilian merchant. When his work takes him far from home, Maru is left to help rebuild family wealth by working in a teahouse—and protect herself with a small knife, “just in case,” her father says.

Inspired by historical events and based on folklore, this YA story began taking shape in 2010. It looks at the emergence of Westernization in Japan, and how misinformation can birth rumors—and ghost stories.

With guidance by historians and subject matter experts in geisha, kimono, and samurai life from Japan and the US, Natalie Jacobsen carefully crafted this historical fantasy to accurately reflect 19th century life under the society-altering leadership of Emperor Meiji.

 

About the Author: Natalie Jacobsen is a life-long writer who published her first article at age 13. In college she studied journalism and Japanese media. She subsequently lived in Japan for years, writing and photographing for magazines, television and music studios, which fostered her love of untold stories. In Virginia, she reported on civil rights and defended journalists’ rights in court. The award-winning journalist, writer and marketing director now devotes her time to humanitarianism, inspiring others to take action and change the world. Her first novel, GHOST TRAIN, a folk-horror set in 1877 Kyoto, was published by Select Books in October 2024. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Jacobsen lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, and their hundreds of plants and books.