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Corner Cow
This is my friend and neighbor, Corner Cow. She lives at the dairy next door and watches over the intersection from her hilltop stall. From the road below, I greet her, talk to her about the weather, and sing her songs. She knows my voice and turns to watch me pass. She sniffs the air…
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Courtesy Call
Our local policeman, Matsuda-san, dropped by this afternoon. He spoke in gloriously slow and clear Japanese to welcome us to the neighborhood and make sure that he had our details for his emergency book. We’ve had these courtesy calls in Tokyo,too, but this one was a little special. “If you ever have any trouble, like…
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Takezawa Demystified
Our questions about the mysterious Takezawa of the abandoned house were answered yesterday by Kawakami-san, who runs the gas station and LP gas business in the village. Takezawa moved down into town and lives in a nice, new house near the barber shop. He truly did abandon the house with no further thought of it.…
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Bus Tickets
Without a car in the countryside, we ride the bus pretty frequently. In fact, I have the schedule memorised now but it is pretty easy because there are only four busses a day that leave from our stop. Tod has invested in “kaisuken” discount bus tickets. They come in different denominations so you can pay…
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Adventure Hiking
A view from the heights above Kozuka According to Open Street Map, up behind the Hackerfarm, past the Kamado no Hi bakery and the site of the Kozuka Art Festival, and there’s a hiking trail. Google Maps doesn’t show it. Akiba said there was nothing but his friend’s house at the end of that road.…
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Unexpected body work
Yesterday in Yoyogi Park I was hula hooping while waiting for a friend when an older man holding some attractive red tasselled ropes walked over to watch. He looked interested, so I stopped and offered him a hoop, “Wanna try?” He shook his head and pointed at his back. “Oh, but it can be…
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Hisashiburi, Kimie!
Me, Kimie Yanagi, and Hanako Murakami. A few summers ago, or maybe more than a few, I was part of Hanako Murakami’s exhibition at the Echigo Tsumari Trienniale in Niigata. It was a great summer of making art and helping out with the festival in the tiny village of Matsudai. One of the residents, Kimie…
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In Front of the Camera
Me & Tod “on set” in our living room For a change, I am in front of the camera in character and in costume. I have a small part in a film project being done by Jesse & Will at Ice Block Films. Their shooting schedule spans a full year and mine are the first…
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Ringing in the New Year
At midnight, we joined the parade of neighbours and worshippers at Denzuin temple and payed our respects. It is a beautiful temple, very rich and recently renovated. Outside there were festival booths selling warm foods and drink. One sold a lucky opportunities to ring the giant bell. The bell started ringing at midnight, pulled 108…
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Weekend in Manazuru
Tod, Rob & I took an impromptu trip to Manazuru, a rocky little cape in Kanagawa, this weekend. We hiked, relaxed, ate a lot of fish, took a lot of pictures, dipped in the ocean, hooped on the pier, played music in the forest, chased butterflies, climbed thousands of stairs, and wandered along mysterious paths…
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