You can see many signs that spring has come in people here as well. First comes the graduation ceremonies followed by the farewell parties(sobetestukai.) Then, new job assignments and High School placements are announced. After this, comes the first day and the welcome parties(kangeikai) and finally, to experience the explosion of cherry blossoms all over the country, there is a mass of flower viewing parties(called Hanami) all over the country. People in Japan take their cues from nature. It’s so timely, you could set your watch by it. This is spring in Japan.
Photo: Cherry Blossoms at Takamatsu pond in Morioka City, Iwate Japan. HDR with three exposures around sunset. Canon 350D 50mm f/1.8 ISO 100.
I went out after work to find some nice flowers that would work well with the setting sun. There was a lot of haze in the air, so I took this set of daffodils and flowers that haven’t even bloomed yet. The haze gave a nice diffusion. It’s difficult to shoot daffodils. They are a bright yellow that doesn’t expose well. What I did hear was turn down the brightness in Aperture and increase the black point until I had the contrast I was looking for. I never actually use the contrast lever in Aperture. It’s just too hard. Happy spring everyone.
It’s funny that I forgot to write about this on my blog. Considering how long I’ve had this site, you’d think I’d remember to do something as simple as letting you all know that I’ve asked the love of my life, Akira, to Marry me. Yes, we’re officially engaged.
You see, last year, I went to this really expensive work party at a local ryokan called “Saito.” A ryokan is a traditional Japanese hotel. Saito was famous for it’s multi course meals and using Maesawa Beef , one of the most expensive and delicious meats in Japan. After I came back from the party, I told Akira about the food, and she instantly wanted to go and try it. I promised her that I would take her at some point, but I wasn’t committal about it. That is, until about three weeks ago.
I asked her if she had and free time during the weekend and I made the plans. She got really exciting about going. What she didn’t know is that I was going to pop the question to her. On Saturday night, after we checked in, we went the baths to freshen up. When she came back to the room, that is what I asked her if she would marry me. I became the luckiest guy in the world when she answered, “Yes.” I think that made the Maesawa steaks just a little more delicious.
So there you have it. Marriage plans are forthcoming. Stay tuned for details, and thanks for reading this blog, depsite the lack of update. I promise you that more is on the way.
Akira at Saito
I’ve noticed an interesting trend in the last few years. It appears more and more people are coming to Japan and using an email address that has, “I think I’m lost” or “lost in Japan” embedded inside. for example: ithinkimlost2530, or lostinjapan23. I am puzzled why they are using this expression and how it came about in the first place.
My first suspicion was that it might be related to a popular Internet forum for English teachers in Japan called(amazingly enough), “I think I am lost.” I was thinking people would visit the site, then take on the title in their email as an homage to their favorite forum. However, I’m pretty sure I had seen it used even before the forum had been created. So I’m left to wonder if this might have originated in a book or something. Either way, I find the entire thing rather cliche.
I’m really not a huge fan of the expression, but I can’t say why it irritates me so when I hear it. The people that use this phrase might actually be scared and alone when they first get here, which would be the most rational explanation, but that doesn’t cover the people create the email months before they even leave their country. I like to imagine that the kind of people that are satirized on “Stuff White People like” are exactly those who would enjoy using this expression. It’s trendy and pertains to a way of thinking that I cannot grasp. As if being in Japan is a Zen experience and they are soul searching while they are here, so they declare themselves fragile or ‘lost’ to show the world how truly spiritual they are.
Japan has never really been like that for me. I enjoy the culture, the people and the everyday conveniences, but I’ve never really thought about being here in a ’spiritual’ sense; as if it were something trendy I’m supposed to do before I return to the “real world.” For me Japan is the real world, and I treat it as such everyday I’m here in the way I interact with the people around me. Sure I’ve been scared, alone and actually lost in Japan, but I’ve never felt the need to declare myself lost.
Perhaps that is why I can say with certainty that I am “not lost” in Japan. It could also be that it’s Monday and Monday’s tend to sour my disposition.
[Update] If you use the “lost in Japan” expression in your email, perhaps you can explain why in the comments. I am truly curious.
The Japanese news has been buzzing with the news that the famous Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo has started to ban tourists from their morning tuna auctions. Apparently, tourists had been ignoring signs warning them not to use flash photography or to disrupt the auction process, so the people who run the auction decided it was best to keep tourists out of the auction area. Flashes can interfere with the bidding process and hundreds of thousands of yen are at stake.
My first reaction to this was that the people at Tsukiji were going too far. How bad could it be? Well, then I saw the videos roll in. People firing away with full flash. People going up to and touching the tuna. One guy even licked a tuna. The men guarding the fish tried their best to warn the tourists, but it was no good. Earlier this week, the signs went up, and it was announced that a month long ban was to go into effect. Many of the tourist who showed up displayed shock with many declaring that Tsukiji was on their list of major venues to visit in Tokyo.
After seeing a video of a guard trying to get two french tourists to stop joy riding one of the trucks near the auction site, I lost it. I have never felt so ashamed to be a foreigner. Many of these tourists were warned over and over again, and refused to behave. When confronted about it, some of them pretended they didn’t speak Japanese and played innocent, despite the fact most of the signs were written in easy to understand English.
I have a strong message for all foreign tourists coming to visit Japan in the near future. Please respect the rules in the tourist areas, and please be on your best behavior. You are guests here and you are being judged. I live in Japan and I work hard everyday to break down the myth of the rude foreigner. Even after five years of living here, local people are still sometimes uncomfortable around me and other foreigners. Sadly, I’m not sure what else we’ll be able to do to reassure them. So please, either act your age when you come here, or don’t come at all. Your actions have ramifications that go was beyond your cushy little vacations. These are people’s jobs that are at stake. Imagine if someone who didn’t speak your language came into your office, took pictures of you and ignored you when you set out some ground rules about what they could do in your office. You would be quite upset, I’m sure. Well, now you how the people at Tsukiji feel.
It seems kind of silly to pic what you thought was the best you took, but I feel it’s an important lesson in understanding your own tastes. If you are a photographer, I’d recommend you chose what your best photo of the year was as well.
During World War II, Nazi Germany was responsible for the murder of over six million Jews. A horrific number, but a number that isn’t easily understood by the human brain. It is so large that people cannot fathom it. The idea behind this group is to gather six million portraits of unique people in one place, so that we can start to understand just how much of a toll the Nazi’s took on the population in general. The group is open to anyone. All they ask is that you submit one portrait of one unique person. So you can submit as many people as you like, as long as there is only one photo of each of them.
I am hoping to place as many people in the group as possible. I hope you do as well. I feel it is important to never forget this tragedy. Here is a link so you can easily find it:
Six Million People (flickr group)
The Six Million People Blog
Also featured is Spotlight Seven: another group that talks about some of the talented photographers that are taking photos for the Six Million People project.
You may remember my photo, “Rainbow of Peace.” I took it during my trip to Nagasaki in 2006. At the time I never thought it would be my most popular photo. I stood over the ground zero point at the memorial area and tried to get as many colors in the photo as I could. Once I got that photo on flickr, it took off and quickly became my most popular photo on flickr.
Well today, over two and a half years after I took it, “Rainbow of Peace” has surpassed the 15000 mark. I never though I would have a photo do that well. It’s certainly not my only successful photo on flickr, but it was the first to make me realize that I can take pictures that make people smile. It was the catalyst that lead to where I am today. On the road to a career as a pro.
I just wanted to thank everyone who helped make this photo the success it is today. I couldn’t get back to all of you, but I appreciate all the kind words you wrote for me and the photo.
This week Iwate just turned into a strange horror film. I could see the signs a couple of months ago, but I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. You see, Iwate has always had a ton of moths in July and August. They range from really small to as big as your entire face (wing span included.) I’ve never minded them before, and I actually found some of them to be quite beautiful, but something was a little different this year.
It all started when I headed out to the grocery store to pick up some, well, groceries. I parked my car and headed toward the main doors. Then I looked up. The entire wall was covered end to end with moths. I had never seen anything like this before. Big ones, little ones. Blue ones, green ones. Some laying eggs, others swarming. I could not believe my eyes. I ran into the store, and saw that many of them had found their way inside as well. Many of the clerks were swooshing them with brooms. But the clerks were outnumbered. I found the entire spectacle almost funny. I just assumed it was a cyle year for moths and that was the end of it, grabbed my groceries and went home. Then things got personal.
Yesterday I had some laundrry drying outside. I folded up all my shirts and put them in my shirt drawer. This morning I went to grab one of the shirt, and when I unfolded it I was greeted with the most shocking thing I’d seen in a while. I huge moth, half crushed, but still moving, was smearing yellow eggs all over the shirt and spewing some sort of webbing around the eggs. Now, I’m a big nature fan, but I’m don’t like it when nature takes it road show to my bedroom. Basically, I freaked, threw the shirt away and my stomach has been upset all morning. All this of course lead me to write this blog post.
As Steven Colbert might put it. I am placing the moths on notice. They’ve crossed a line.
If you are going to visit Japan as a tourist, or even consider living here, there are two really important Japanese characters you need to learn. In Japan, unless you collect all your urine and feces for your own personal composting projects, you will need a use a washroom as some point. Many washrooms have flushes that are not your typical flush, but rather a button on the wall. To complicate this further, many washrooms have a seperate button on the voice designed to page an attendant to help you, should you be old and unable to help yourself. Some washrooms have one, some have both.
Here is the important difference between those two buttons. The first is （流）。 It means “to flush.” The other is (呼）。 It means “to call.” God help you, should you accidentally call out the attendant.
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