Minor expedition ~ libraries feel like home to me… When I first arrived in my new home city, this was a frequent sequestration but it’s been well over a year, so i felt a bit dizzy from all the possibilities (plus I just finished some medical treatment which spins me out).
Anyhow, I didn’t bring anything home – got kind of too much on the go right now – but Ryoko filled up a satchel including topics around horticulture, charcoal making, vinegar, bamboo, various food things and plant things, the usual.
We also had a small snack at the embedded café – They have a really nice curved couch however it was occupied.
PS Noticed a bag for sale saying “you are absolutely necessary“ which, obviously you are.
Backtracking: Sept 30 was hospital check-in day so that means I put on the fancy shoes and take a snap to share… The van Gogh starry night socks aren’t necessarily the best color match but I think the pen ties it all together. Thoughts?
And yes, did get an egg salad sandwich variety pack from the embedded 7-Eleven while we waited.
Just another payphone I didn’t make a call from. I don’t have the cards nor do I know any phone numbers – however, I do appreciate that these devices exist and are well-maintained, clean and magnificent. The industrial design on them is so fantastic. It’s a sort of “peak Japan“ mixing digital and analog, materials & lines.
This photo sparked some reminiscence from other Japan residents in times past when payphones were critical utility, i.e.:
GL says, “Yeah handy too use as a guitar tuner back in the 1900’s. The dial tone is a F . Not the most convenient reference tone but it works to get you tuned up with the rest of the world 🎸”
MB says, “An international Japanese pay phone! The Rolls Royce version compared to their lesser green domestic call only cousins. These grey phones and their locations were coveted and noted when I was a student in Japan though I couldn’t afford to phone card pay for many calls back to Canada where a short call would cost me 1000 yen.”
JW says, “Yeah, I still remember in the early 90s when I first visited here, an international call could cost as much as 500 yen per minute. Later callback services became popular where you would ring a foreign trigger number and hang up (no charge) and the service would call you back and you’d dial the real number you wanted to call, without paying NTT for the privilege, at a much lower rate. Then I could call Los Angeles cheaper than a domestic call from Kanto to Kansai.”
I offer, “Plus having to trudge through the snow to a pay phone at some strange hour to try to contact a friend in another time zoneNow such luxury to blab on endlessly in pyjamas, from home, no cost (with video) seems 25 years changed a centuries worth.”
++ In general (I’ve been meaning to do a video spiel about this) Japan is so different than what I showed up 25 years ago on the mushroom farm and hitchhiked around, I mean, of course places change but there’s a few foundational things that are very different (as well as the massively impactful overarching demographic and economic trends).
I think the next 20 years as my little guy grows up here are really going to be incredible to watch and be part of.
Riffs about home reform with new rooms, woodstove and tea ceremony area (thoughts of Ichiro and pals coming home from school) heat pump for humidity control for responsibly curating and collecting books for a legacy library.
And a rundown of recent new/used records including acknowledgement of Shred Kelly, Nice Horse, and (Buffalo Tom’s) Bill Janovitiz’s community building in times of tumult + musical memories in tangible form with David Bowie Let’s Dance picture disc, Hüsker Dü covers, Dead Kennedys, Sonic Youth’s Dirty (Europe 92), War on Drugs (comfort foods), literary keeners The Weakerthans from Winnipeg, and importantly pal Pat WOOD on Awesome Death’s “To Be Determined.”
Thanks to postcard club participants and folks mailing stuff my way and Casa Rosa for safe haven for library staging.
Fondly, dvo at Giggling Piglet Atelier and Consulate
Over the wall, observed the following (sequentially below):
* compass to sibling cities * pleasing canal (w/ public art) * (another) library * hello! a bird with yellow eyes * such a nice bicycle & set-up * Ramen is Not Fashion * ramen is for eating (done)
compass to sibling citiespleasing canal (w/ public art)(another) libraryhello! a bird with yellow eyessuch a nice bicycle & set-upRamen is Not Fashionramen is for eating (done)
Library Dudes – Dave & Ichiro lost in the stacks at “old” central library Okayama, Japan (a Showa-era beauty)
Items: Library, assorted vols. 1~5, ergo:
Dudes
Technologies
Dispensers
Environments
Rooms
For the record: Okayama City Central Library (map) 56 Futsukaichimachi, Kita Ward, Okayama, 700-0843, Japan
Items: Observed, at library / various technologies, vol. 2Items: Observed, at library / various dispensers, vol. 3Items: Observed, at library / various environments etc, vol. 4Items: Observed, at library / rooms and such vol. 5
Redux:
Library, patrons of sorts
Annotations Hat: cheap Thamel, Kathmandu Mask: hemp, also from Nepal via Japan Glasses: broken, from Bali Shirt: (my design) Ambassador, Chiang Mai Belt: brown, Fossil Trousers: uniqlo (also boxers & v-neck) Socks: (not seem but stripey), Buffalo, cheap at Ross in Montréal Shoes: (not exactly Team Zissou) Adidas Baby carrier: made in Japan (name escapes, update later)
Books are my pals, even since a kid – and sometimes books (by circumstance or convenience) are stashed at mysterious locales around the world.
Sometimes, i snap pics of the cache for future reference, sometimes they go to little /free libraries, sometimes into my “Liberated Literature” program.
Regardless, sometimes, the bookcases and/or contents are captured for memory of spending time with friends in a still-life of sorts. As such, this dossier of evidence.
Here are a few covers which happened to get snapped, as such, sharing for the amusement and edification of anyone who happens by and include: Soseki Natsume, Lafcadio Hearn, Tanazaki and a punk rock oral history.
Not comprehensive by any means but sometimes raise their hand and say “i wanna spread some fcking joy” as they arrived by post.
Note this Lafcadio Hearn book was before he came to Japan (and changed name to Koizumi Yakumo) and was working/writing/rambling around New Orleans and later Caribbean islands.
Books are my pals, even since a kid – and sometimes books (by circumstance or convenience) are stashed at mysterious locales around the world.
Sometimes, i snap pics of the cache for future reference, sometimes they go to little /free libraries, sometimes into my “Liberated Literature” program.
Regardless, sometimes, the bookcases and/or contents are captured for memory of spending time with friends in a still-life of sorts. As such, this dossier of evidence.
In this case, the growing bookcase at Tsuchida Cottage in Okayama, Japan with a stash of new treats obtained by mail order, special delivery by folks coming to wedding or by kind gift, ergo:
Robbie Robertson’s auto-bio, Testimony (thanks Naoki), Aaron Chapman x 2, Eve Lazarus BC crimes, Grant Lawrence’s hilarious tour diary, David Wills’ riffs about Ginsberg’s travels, Lookout records’ honcho’s rise and meltdown, Neruda’s romantic poetry, the usual Kerouac, a few Lafcadio Hearn, Ed Abbey’s postcards, Jerry Kruz’s Afterthought poster collection, Brian Hassett’s JK riffs, a few more punk rock (Please Kill Me and Our Band Could be your Life, Kim Gordon’s memoirs), various Japanese classics (Tanizaki esp) and more more – oh and Shiv’s renegade Woodstock>Nepal-made poetry.
Displayed here with a stash of a scrapbooks and diaries, a few of my publications, and with our household shrine on the top.
Books are my pals, even since a kid – and sometimes books (by circumstance or convenience) are stashed at mysterious locales around the world.
Sometimes, i snap pics of the cache for future reference, sometimes they go to little /free libraries, sometimes into my “Liberated Literature” program.
Regardless, sometimes, the bookcases and/or contents are captured for memory of spending time with friends in a still-life of sorts. As such, this dossier of evidence.
In this case, a case from Nusa Ceningan (made from an old canoe) from Summer 2019 reading, including usual assortment of Tolstoy Kerouac, plus an assortment of Vancouver-centric treats by Eve Lazarus, George Garrett and Grant Lawrence, a few Bali-specifics, Rumi’s romantic poetry, Ginsberg’s India Journal (1st edition, 1970) etc.
Note the canoe bookshelf is decorated with various insta-photos and travel / hotel luggage tags and a few paintings.