Autumn in Kyoto

Last weekend I went to Kyoto for a day to see the fall colours. These three pictures were taken at Renge Temple in the northern part of the city. The temple was constructed in 1662 and is part of the Tendai sect of Buddhists. Travelling to Kyoto to see the fall colours is its own tourist season here and millions flock to the city with their cameras in order to capture the beauty of the leaves. This particular temple was nice in that it wasn't crowded since it is off the beaten path. So I had the chance to sit down and take in the view which was very soothing after being on crowded trains all day.

Magritte Part 2

I should also add that Magritte is probably better known for his painting The Treachery of Images which Michel Foucault used on the cover of his book, This is not a Pipe.

Or is it....


Of course the question that Foucault asks is what connection can we make between art (language) and the physical realm? We naturally understand that this is not a real physical pipe, only an image of one. And yet, it begs us to ask who is this directed at? Where is it coming from? Perhaps this actually points to the functioning of ideology acting on the subject as we are not entirely interpellated by this image and its statement. We know that the statement is true and yet there is an element of doubt which forces us to ask why are we being presented with this knowledge? As Zizek says,“ideological identification exerts a true hold on us precisely when we maintain an awareness that we are not fully identical to it, that there is a rich human person beneath it.” Thus, it is our cynical distance from ideology which allows us to be interpellated by it to even a greater degree.


I think Rodrigo understands.

Rene Magritte





I noticed that Google is celebrating Rene Magritte's 110th birthday today. I can't say I'm too familiar with his work, however, I did use one of his paintings as an illustration in my thesis. I used his painting titled Not to be Reproduced (La Reproduction Interdit, 1937), as an example of how the modern nation state allows the impossible gaze into its own past.





" In this painting a man looks into a mirror but his image is not reflected back. As if to answer our doubts whether it is really mirror into which the man is gazing, Magritte places a book in the bottom-right corner of the mirror to prove that this is not an illusion. The only visual problem with the painting is that the reflected image of the man who is gazing into the mirror is the same image as the view from the observer’s perspective. That is,
from the position of the Other we can see the back of the man and in the reflected image we are presented with the same viewpoint. The only visible clue as to what is happening is the book, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, which is the tale of an imaginary journey despite being presented to the public as an authentic travelogue. Thus we are presented with an image that signifies an imagined journey between two points which are the same. The point that I want to make is that this is essentially what Japan as a modern nation state has done in articulating its own past. It has positioned itself as a subject with an eternal essence using the symbolic figure of the emperor as the overlying proof of its analogous existence. This allows the impossible gaze of the Other to form the object of our desire, which, in this situation, is the notion of an eternal Japanese polity. "

Baby It's Cold Outside...

Well I guess you can only escape winter for so long. Today it was 9C outside which meant it was time to get out my winter coat. It was 20C just a few days ago! But I think the weather has changed for good. In Japan people always say that the seasons change very quickly (as opposed to back home where seasons can't quite decide when to begin or end). So once we get one cold day then winter has arrived.

It won't get that cold here (only -1C or so) compared to back home. However, Japanese homes aren't made for cold weather. I'm in a new apartment building and still the windows are not quite winter friendly. So I think I will need to keep the heater running while I'm at home this winter. Tonight I did treat myself to something special after work though. I went to my favorite Curry house (CoCoIchi) for some spicy and hot food to warm me up.

Cell Phone

So yesterday I was finally able to purchase a cell phone. Without having a proper work visa or job, phone companies were unwilling to offer me a contract until I got my Alien Registration Card. Thus, after waiting for five weeks to get my card, I'm now able to function as a normal person. That is, I can open a bank account, get a phone, and not worry about being caught on the streets without my passport on me.

Cell phones in Japan are still way ahead of those in Canada in terms of technology but it seems that the price of cell phones here have skyrocketed. New, top of the line models easily cost over $500 CAD but come with very advanced features including a very good digital tv service and a 5 Mega pixel camera. And then there is the new Softbank 823SH Tiffany model which is Japan's respsonse to the world economic crsises. It comes with 537 diamonds and costs 13 million Yen (which is roughly $160,000 CAD).




Needless to say, my phone is not in that class. However, I was able to get a pretty good plan which includes unlimited texting (although in Japan it is actually emailing) for under $30/month.

Still, getting the phone was no easy task. Not only was I required to have my Alien Registration Card (instead of simply the certificate that shows I'm getting my ARC), but I also needed a phone number of a family member or, what they call, the "head of the household". Now I've been caught in this trap before. Technically, I am in the head of my household, however without someone else living in my household to prove I'm the "head", I'm simply just a head in need of a body, so to speak. This inevitably leads to the salesman/clerk to ask me if I have any relatives in Japan that could vouch for me. So, if you are planning to come to Japan on a working-holiday visa without a job in place be prepared to deal with this or you can try to pull off a wedding within your first month. Either way it's a headache.

Anyways, now that I have employment my company was able to 'sponsor' my cell phone purchase so there was a happy ending to almost two hours of 'language training'.

The Japanese Obama

Courtesy of "anenglishmaninosaka" I bring to you the story of a man named Nocchi who is told that he looks like President Elect Obama. Thus he embarks on a mission to meet the 'other' Obama and tell him that HE is also Obama.

A tear jerker from the start, the story follows Nocchi from Japan to America where he tries to visit Barack's home and office in hopes of meeting him in person. After failing in both attempts he decides to visit Obama's area of town including the barber shop where he is treated to the "Obama Special". Finally, Nocchi finds Obama at a large rally. But will he get to meet the 'other' Obama? Watch the video and find out.

Pictures of Osaka

Since I've had some free time here I've been able to bike around the city and see some of the sights. Here are a few pictures of the city:


Every major city in Japan needs to have a ferris wheel.


This is the new Kabuki Theater near Nanba Station.



Osaka Dome where the Orix Buffaloes play baseball.

Part of the Yodo River looking towards Kyobashi.

Welcome back to Japan

I already wrote one entry for today but this story has to be told.

About 30 minutes ago I had a salesman (maybe two or three years younger than me) come to the door trying to sell me a water filter device for my tap (apparently the water in Osaka is not really drinkable). He explained everything to me and I told him that actually I was planning to buy a filter but preffered the much cheaper one that is being sold across the street from me. After a few minutes the conversation turned to me. He wanted to know why I was here.. yada, yada. Then he says that he really wants to learn English and wants to be my friend. So he gave me his phone number and I promised that I would contact him once I get my own phone.

But it doesn't stop there.

I guess with the confirmation that I would contact him later he felt our friendship had already progressed pass all the stages that come before BFF. Thus he showed me his tattoo on his stomach and explained that he was in a band. His girlfriend is also in the band and the two of them are getting married in December, which of course, I'm now invited to.

This guy must make a ton of sales.

Bling Bling

Well I might as well get my rant out now.

A week before leaving Canada I went to the bank to get a new debit card and I decided to ask what the exchange value was for Japanese Yen. They told me it was about par so, thinking that I would be back later that week, I decided to wait and exchange my money later. Well, as things worked out I was in Toronto for the rest of the week finishing up some school stuff and then was delayed on my way home on a Friday which meant I couldn't get back to the bank. I went again on Saturday but they couldn't gaurantee me the money before Wednesday, the day my flight left for Japan. And the rest is history... I arrive in Japan with a wad of Canadian dollars and the value has dropped almost 30% in the last three weeks. I still kick myself everyday for not changing it before I left.


However, on the bright side. Every Yen I make in Japan is now worth a lot more. It means there are some jobs that will pay me roughly $50/hour CAD. While I'm on the topic I should add that I went for an interview today and got one of those jobs. It will be slow at first since I will only have one session/week but they said by the new year I should be working a lot more hours. So my next step is to get some private students who will help pay the bills.

Japan: Round Two

Well for those of you who don't know this already, I'm back in the land of the rising sun. I was fortunate to get a scholarship from U of T which helped me get here this time which means for the time being I'm unemployed. So I've decided to revive this blog for the sake of family and friends who want to stay in contact with me or for those who simply have an interest in Japan. I have lots to tell from my first few weeks here so I will try to add one post a day for the next couple weeks at least. Enjoy!

AAS

As of today I'm now a member of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS). Founded in 1941, it claims to be the largest professional organization for people interested in Asia. I hope it will not only be intellectually stimulating but also a good source for making connections with other scholars of similar interests. If I'm lucky I might have even made the mailing list for my first issue of The Journal of Asian Studies coming out in August.

NOVA CM Superior and subordinate

If only my lessons were like this it would have been a pleasure to teach there. At Nova we did try to encourage all students to work/communicate with each other. However, if you have two young high school students with an older gentleman you can kiss that idea goodbye. There is still a strong stigma towards speaking with your seniors especially if you disagree with them. I'm afraid Nova tomo (friends) to this degree is a little far fetched.

오 나라 오 나라 (oh nara oh nara)

While walking down Bloor street this restaurant caught my eye. It's not like I can read Korean but the roman alphabet version of this restaurant reads oh nara oh nara and it brought a smile to my face. Now, some of you might find this childish but bear with me. Oh nara in Japanese (おなら) means fart... yes, it's a fart pun. Still naming your restaurant fart fart would make just about anyone laugh. For the record, 오 나라 in Korean means "five countries".

Human Tetris

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with this entertaining version of tetris.

Racial Propaganda: Popeye vs. the 'Japs'

This cartoon is a piece of American propaganda made during the war and is a good example of the general representation of Japanese people during that time. As you can see, the Japanese are thin, round-faced people with glasses, who take on sub-human characteristics often likened to that of a monkey (Nazi Germany pictured Jews as snakes or vultures). To see the enemy as less than human was a psychological tactic used by both sides during the war to help people justify violent actions. Today many of these representations still exist but they are more subtle in form--- stereotypes. The cartoon also plays on the attack at Pearl Harbour as the Japanese are always out to trick and deceive the honest, 'peace-loving' American. Of course, American ingenuity and 'produce' win in the end as the Japanese naval flag sinks to the ocean floor.

Turn Right at the Next Election

According to this article, the granddaughter of wartime Prime Minister Tojo Hideki ( a class A war criminal) will be running for a seat in the upper house in this month's election. Tojo Yuko will be running as an independent since the conservative party would not support her-- despite the fact that many in the conservative party hold some of her beliefs. However, with all the negative press Prime Minisiter Abe's party has attracted over controversial issues already, it was probably wise to leave this far right-winger out of the mix.

Tojo Yuko says that if she wins "she will push to strengthen the military, rewrite the history of the Rape of Nanking and move to censure the United States for dropping atomic bombs on Japan." She goes on to say that "the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki went 'beyond all the savage acts that occurred in history up until that time.' Acussing the United States of being racially motivated, she claims the U.S. would not have dropped such bombs on other 'white' nations." After all, Japan went to war to "liberate people of color from the white nations in the world."

She will find some support from ultranationalists and some conservatives but I can't imagine that there are many others who would find her views appealing. Imagine if Tojo Yuko and Fujimori Alberto gain seats in the upcoming election. Perhaps Japan's swing to the far right is closer than most scholars and observers think.

東條由布子（とうじょうゆうこ）, まずは東京裁判について, 戦犯について