As I hold the sunglasses, they are surprisingly light and flexible. "Using a three-dimensional measurement system, it was made to fit the shape of the face," he tells me. No doubt about it?the professor’s face has a ruggedness not usually found among the Japanese. He said it is hard to find just the right fit from the goods on the market. "I requested a design in which the lens goes from the eyebrows to the cheekbones but the lens does not actually touch the cheekbone. Comfort is crucial."

The sunglasses were made by Eyemetrics Corporation. This company is well known as the company that made the favorite glasses of Atsuya Furuta, the former baseball team manager of the Yakult Swallows. “Have these sunglasses been your favorite for a long time? “ No, he replies?the ones he bought first were Ray-Bans. That was when he was a high school student. For a professor who grew up in Florida, sunglasses were necessary to protect his eyes from the intense sunlight rather than just being used as a fashion item. "Reflected from the sea and the snow-white sandy beach, the strong sunshine can trigger headaches, so I have worn sunglasses since I was a child."

"My Ray-Bans made me think “Hey, this is it!" They were the type that are pretty conspicuous when they reflect the light. When I was a high school student, they seemed pretty cool,” he laughs. “However, I had some strange looks from people around me when I first visited Japan. At that time, no one except yakuza wore sunglasses. People were scared of me and everyone avoided direct eye contact. (laughter)"

He has been wearing these favorite sunglasses for ten years. "Throughout the year, I wear them almost every day for 10 months. It is only during the rainy season and for a while round midwinter, when it’s too cold to go out,　that I don’t wear them." For the professor, they are an essential part of life. "When someone talks to me outside, I always take off my sunglasses. I must make eye contact while talking to others."
But, he smiles, as if he’s playing a trick. "Once I remove my sunglasses with their special lenses, my eyes get blurred and actually I can’t see anything! (laughter)"

*As an advisor, Professor Vardaman takes charge of supervision of "English Waseda Weekly"