Category: Life in Japan
Abandoned Pachinko Parlor
Kurt Easterwood took some great photos of an abandoned pachinko parlor.
(Kurt’s blog is here.)
Mobile Pics
One of my regrets from this past year is that I didn’t buy a better mobile phone when I arrived in Japan. Instead of going for the latest and greatest, I decided to be frugal (somewhat unusual for me when it comes to gadgets). So I’ve been stuck with a phone that takes kind of crappy pictures. As such, I rarely use the phone’s camera and almost never post pictures from the phone on this site. Wish I’d gotten that fancy, expensive one I was ogling last summer.
The images of Sam on the left and right above were taken on the Nagano Dentetsu line, a small private train line that runs locally in Nagano and the nearby suburb cities. It’s a train line that’s seen better days, and everyone complains about it because it’s so expensive. When riding on it in the late evening, it reminds me of Haruhiko Shono’s beautiful, lonely, haunting game/experience, Gadget.
Two Shades Of Blue From Shiga Kogen
After the mountain clouds blew off around noon, we had spectacular weather for a day of boarding at Shiga Kogen. The above photo was taken from the top of Yakebitai Yama (2000m), looking across a valley to another of the 21 resorts that make up Shiga Kogen. Even though we could see all the way down to Nagano in the distance, I wasn’t able to get a good photo of that view because the sun was shining so brightly from that direction.
By the time we left around 5pm, the sun was just setting behind the resort mountains. The photo below was taken in the parking lot, looking west.
Heading to Shiga Kogen
What a beautiful day. Sunshine and plenty of fresh snow in the mountains. Off to try out a new ski area, Shiga Kogen.
Loud Boys On Bikes
So, we have these motorcycle gangs in Nagano. They’re not dangerous, just obnoxious. These gangs consist of skinny teenage boys who ride around on souped-up noisemakers wearing surgical masks. To prove their outlaw status, they rev their motors to ear-splitting levels, run red lights and impolitely weave as they casually motor through downtown streets. They also ignore mandatory helmet laws. They’re universally detested for the noise and anti-harmony they create. But almost every night of the week, they’re out hoping to scare a little old lady or two.
Where are the police, you might ask? Word on the street is that they are under orders from national law enforcement not to chase these malcontents because to do so would be too dangerous (considering the damage caused during the LAPD’s numerous and infamous high-speed chases, this policy might have some merit). But instead of finding other creative ways to tame the boys and their bikes (talk to their mothers? grab them while they’re having a group smoke outside the convenience store?), the police merely circle the downtown area with their lights flashing (Japanese police cars always seem to have their lights flashing) in what seems to be a slow-motion and never-ending dance.
Well, tonight something changed. Along with the familiar oncoming roar of one of the bikes, a siren filled the air. Then, at relatively low speed, a bike passed, followed by a police car in lukewarm pursuit. Normally, everyone pretends to ignore the boys on bikes. But tonight, everyone turned to look at the “chase.” And the crowd reaction? Everyone laughed.
I wonder why the change? Did word come down from on high that it was finally time to start cracking down? Or did some local cop finally snap and decide he’d had enough?
The Siren Call
Nagano is abuzz with talk about the Starbucks that will be opening this summer near the station. Poor Tully’s (already established here) just doesn’t have the sexy brand power of the green and white siren.
An article in a local paper last week told of a woman who collected 3,000 signatures on a petition asking Starbucks to come to Nagano. Turns out, according to a Starbucks rep, the company already had plans to do so. Hurry up, the impatient fans cried! Hosting the Winter Olympics was so last millennium; in order to be a truly important city, Nagano must have a Starbucks.
Governor Domoto In A Poppy Garden
I really like this photo, which was taken by Joi Ito. I had to crop the original photo to work in this context; unfortunately, the crop doesn’t look as good as the original, full-sized photo (which you can find here).
The woman in the photo is Chiba Governor Akiko Domoto, one of a rare breed of independent, reformist leaders in Japan. Chiba Prefecture borders Tokyo, and appears to have a relationship to that famous city similar to the one between New York City and New Jersey (at least in terms of popular perception).
I like her pose (and poise), and the camera dangling from her neck. And I like that even though I can’t see her face, I can imagine a smile.
Shibuya Photographer
Shibuya. Moments earlier, this famous intersection was packed with people. A man lay on his back amidst the hordes, his legs kicking wildly in the air — Kafka’s Gregor Samsa channeled through a Japanese photographer. He was photographing… what? The sky? His legs? Bits of pedestrians from below? The lights changed and the horns started honking. As he climbed to his feet, his two assistants rushed out of the intersection. I snapped this shot and ran the other way.
Shima Onsen
It took another 48 hours — all of Saturday and Sunday — to emerge from the haze and misery of the sickness. I spent most of both days in the hotel room in Tokyo. And what a waste of a beautiful, warm weekend it was. At least the view from our room on the 30th floor of the Century Southern Tower Hotel in Shinjuku was fabulous.
On Monday morning, the fever broke and my energy returned, though the cough and sinus blockage remain even now.
Okay. Enough about personal health, or lack thereof.
On Monday, Sam and I traveled to Shima Onsen, a small hot springs resort village in the mountains in Gumma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. We stayed at a great ryokan (traditional inn). The outdoor baths were beautiful and the food was very good.