Saturday night with Rie.
My good friend Anne, sometime contributer to Giant Robot, often times smartest and funniest person I know, suggested I go hang out with Rie, who used to intern at her company Vertical in New York.
She took me to eat in Ginza. On this trip, I lost literally about 15 pounds while I was being active in the ocean nearly every day in Australia. I think I gained it back in five days in Japan. Food here is tremendous. I've been having people order for me, to just dive in. I don't think there's been anything I haven't been amazed by.
Rie studied women's studies at UCLA for a year, and it was very interesting to get her take on feminism especially in regards to modern Japanese society. On the train she pointed out two girls who were dressed like models or something, and said that's how modern Japanese girls feel the pressure to dress up for college. She was really happy to go to the library in UCLA not feeling the need to dress that way. And her observations on UCLA grade point average obsession was funny.
Ginza is in Rie's own words, the fifth avenue of New York. Very similar but the Japanese reliance on beautifully powerful signage adds a lot. But it's not my kind of place.
Afterwards she took me to the end of the Ginza line, to Asukasa. We got there way too late, but it made it better perhaps.
In Asuksasa there is a market but when it's closed all the shutters close and reveal paintings. The particular atmosphere and texture of the place was gorgeous at this hour. The temple nearby empty and silent. I am so glad I got to see this before I left, and an unusual hour. The place felt submerged, dreamy.
This is not a miniature from my favorite Gamera movie. But it looks that way.
Turns out all these gorgeous paper lanterns are pasted with corporate sponsorship.
The best picture I took in Tokyo.
During my trip here I keep asking people where the bad parts of Tokyo are. If you love something you must know the good and the bad; I don't want to see sleaziness, but how a city treats its immigrants and poor can say something about a city. But everyone I've asked has been puzzled by this; because there isn't that much, nor is there a Japanese equivalent for ghetto, really. But wandering at random we came into a part and suddenly realized we were in... A bad part of Tokyo.
The homeless here construct beds for the night out of cardboard that are incredible feats of engineering. But I felt too bad to take any pictures, and we returned to Shibuya.
Barber shop poster.
Rie is scared of heights but braves my hotel elevator. She's pretty tough.
Everyone here says their English is bad but I feel so awful that I cannot speak in their language and it's amazing how many people say their English is bad but I have had very deep conversations about many complicated things. I feel bad only because I misunderstand sometimes. But it works, with patience and empathy.
My favorite memory of the night; cherry blossoms raining petals again, and gracefully without hesitation Rie caught one in her palm. I tried and couldn't do it.
My good friend Anne, sometime contributer to Giant Robot, often times smartest and funniest person I know, suggested I go hang out with Rie, who used to intern at her company Vertical in New York.
She took me to eat in Ginza. On this trip, I lost literally about 15 pounds while I was being active in the ocean nearly every day in Australia. I think I gained it back in five days in Japan. Food here is tremendous. I've been having people order for me, to just dive in. I don't think there's been anything I haven't been amazed by.
Rie studied women's studies at UCLA for a year, and it was very interesting to get her take on feminism especially in regards to modern Japanese society. On the train she pointed out two girls who were dressed like models or something, and said that's how modern Japanese girls feel the pressure to dress up for college. She was really happy to go to the library in UCLA not feeling the need to dress that way. And her observations on UCLA grade point average obsession was funny.
Ginza is in Rie's own words, the fifth avenue of New York. Very similar but the Japanese reliance on beautifully powerful signage adds a lot. But it's not my kind of place.
Afterwards she took me to the end of the Ginza line, to Asukasa. We got there way too late, but it made it better perhaps.
In Asuksasa there is a market but when it's closed all the shutters close and reveal paintings. The particular atmosphere and texture of the place was gorgeous at this hour. The temple nearby empty and silent. I am so glad I got to see this before I left, and an unusual hour. The place felt submerged, dreamy.
This is not a miniature from my favorite Gamera movie. But it looks that way.
Turns out all these gorgeous paper lanterns are pasted with corporate sponsorship.
The best picture I took in Tokyo.
During my trip here I keep asking people where the bad parts of Tokyo are. If you love something you must know the good and the bad; I don't want to see sleaziness, but how a city treats its immigrants and poor can say something about a city. But everyone I've asked has been puzzled by this; because there isn't that much, nor is there a Japanese equivalent for ghetto, really. But wandering at random we came into a part and suddenly realized we were in... A bad part of Tokyo.
The homeless here construct beds for the night out of cardboard that are incredible feats of engineering. But I felt too bad to take any pictures, and we returned to Shibuya.
Barber shop poster.
Rie is scared of heights but braves my hotel elevator. She's pretty tough.
Everyone here says their English is bad but I feel so awful that I cannot speak in their language and it's amazing how many people say their English is bad but I have had very deep conversations about many complicated things. I feel bad only because I misunderstand sometimes. But it works, with patience and empathy.
My favorite memory of the night; cherry blossoms raining petals again, and gracefully without hesitation Rie caught one in her palm. I tried and couldn't do it.
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