Tom Scotti

Italian author in Japan

A non-linear trajectory across scientific research, technology, and culture.

THE SHORT STORY

I was born in Rome, but I have been living and working in Japan since 2012. I earned a PhD in applied mathematics in Tokyo in 2015, after which I started working in the world of financial and advertising technologies. I also like writing, and in 2021 I published my first novel The Emperor’s Umbrella (Longanesi). I have played the piano since childhood, and I have practiced martial arts since the late 1990s. In my free time I do calligraphy, ride my motorcycle, write, read, code, take photos—and I probably forgot something.

I was born and raised in Rome, a city where I spent the first twenty years of my life, balancing an early passion for music and sports with a steady dedication to studying—carefully supervised at home.

It was during the summer of 2007, while visiting a friend on Erasmus in Spain, that I realized how flexible the expression “studying abroad” can be. As I was about to complete a master’s degree in mathematics, I decided I wanted to try that kind of “study” myself.

Spain, however, did not feel far enough—at least in terms of temperament. So I chose Finland, and in January 2008 I moved for a semester to the University of Oulu, a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle. It was a formative experience in many ways: not only academically, but also because I learned what it means to live in a radically different context, deal with new languages and habits, and develop real personal independence. Finland was a first step, but certainly not the last.

After graduating in 2009, I took a break from academia to pursue another long-standing passion: martial arts. With over ten years of practice behind me and a basic knowledge of Chinese, I moved to Beijing. The impact was far from easy: cultural shock was significant, and the first months required a good dose of adaptation and perseverance. Once the initial phase passed, however, China became an extraordinary experience—made of encounters, music, martial practice, and contact with very different cultural environments—which decisively broadened my perspective on the world.

It was during my time in China that I visited Japan for the first time. A few days were enough to understand that the country would play a central role in my future. In 2010 I moved to Tokyo with the idea of staying longer, despite not speaking Japanese and without real professional experience. The outcome was, predictably, uncertain: after a few months I had to return to Italy. But giving up never really took shape. I went back to the academic path and, after a long period of applications and procedures, in 2012 I obtained a scholarship that allowed me to move permanently to Tokyo, where I still live today.

In 2015 I earned a PhD in applied mathematics, conducting research on reaction-diffusion equations. After completing my academic path, I started a professional career in financial technologies and later in advertising technologies, working in international and highly interdisciplinary contexts. This gradually led me from theoretical mathematics to programming and data analysis, allowing me to develop organizational, project, and coordination skills in complex environments.

In parallel, I have always cultivated a consistent commitment to arts and culture. I have played the piano since childhood, practiced martial arts since the late 1990s, and for years I have studied and practiced Japanese calligraphy (shodō) as a linguistic and aesthetic way to deepen my understanding of Japanese culture. In 2021 I published my first novel, The Emperor’s Umbrella (Longanesi), followed by other works of fiction set in Japan. Through writing, I also engage in cultural outreach for an Italian audience, with the aim of portraying contemporary Japan in its nuances—far from simplifications and stereotypes.

Looking back, my path has unfolded along a non-linear yet coherent trajectory: from scientific training to cultural production, through a long experience of living and working in Japan. Living in the country since 2012 has allowed me to understand from within its cultural codes, institutions, and social dynamics, building over time a deep and everyday relationship with the Japanese context. I believe this combination of academic, professional, and cultural experience can provide a solid foundation to contribute—responsibly and with a spirit of service—to the promotion of Italian culture and to strengthening cultural dialogue between Italy and Japan.

THE LONG STORY...