Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12. 2024Umeko Tsuda: Meet The New Face On The 5000 Yen Bill by Patrick Hattman
Several years ago, I wrote a biographical sketch for The Tokyo Notice Board about the writer Ichiyo Higuchi, the historical figure pictured on the 5000 yen note since 2004. Now with plans announced to change that currency to a new face after two decades, this seems an appropriate time to pen some words about Higuchi's successor: famed Meiji Era educator Umeko Tsuda.
Umeko Tsuda was born in Edo in 1864 during the waning days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Her father, Sen Tsuda, was a prominent figure in the early Meiji Era. He was an ardent supporter of adopting Western education, science and technology. So when the Iwakura Mission, a delegation primarily of educators and statesmen, was sent to the US in 1871, he made sure his 6 year old daughter Ume was included in a group of five girls to study abroad.
Tsuda initially stayed in the US for a decade, learning various subjects and becoming fluent in English. However, upon her return to Japan, she found few job opportunities and generally worked as a private tutor. She was also dismayed by the status of Japanese women at the time, particularly with non-existent higher education for them. Accordingly, she made it her life's work to promote women's education in Japan.
As a first step, she returned to the US and attended Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia. She excelled at her studies, impressed many friends and future benefactors, and graduated in 1890. Upon her arrival back in Japan in 1892, Tsuda found employment as an English teacher and strove towards her goal of opening a school for women, achieving her dream in 1900 by opening the doors of Joshi Eigaku Juku.
For a number of years, Tsuda was hard pressed to get enough students enrolled because of widespread attitudes in Meiji Japan against higher education for women. It was also challenging to get the financial support and teachers for her school, but she often received help from American friends and supporters. Her perseverance paid off as Joshi Eigaku Juku led the way in Japanese women's higher education as the 20th century progressed.
Renamed Tsuda Eigaku Juku in 1933 after Umeko's passing, the women's college continued to educate women in English, mathematics and various liberal arts majors, to name a few. Now known as Tsuda University, the school continues to be at the forefront of educating women for careers at home and abroad, continually revamping its curriculum to meet the demands of the 21st century. As the Tsuda University homepage says, they have been "empowering women since 1900."
数年前、2004年から5000円札に描かれている歴史的人物である作家の樋口一葉について、東京の掲示板に略歴を書いた。その樋口一葉の後継者、明治時代の教育者として有名な津田梅子について、この機会に書き記しておこうと思う。
津田梅子は1864年、幕末の江戸に生まれた。彼女の父、津田仙は明治初期の著名人であった。彼は西洋の教育や科学技術を取り入れる熱心な支持者だった。そのため、1871年に教育者や政治家を中心とした使節団「岩倉使節団」がアメリカに派遣された際には、6歳の娘・梅を5人の少女グループの中に入れて留学させた。
当初、津田は10年間アメリカに滞在し、さまざまな科目を学び、英語に堪能になった。しかし、日本に戻ると、仕事の機会はほとんどなく、家庭教師として働くのが一般的だった。彼女はまた、当時の日本女性の社会的地位、特に高等教育が存在しないことに落胆した。そこで彼女は、日本の女性教育を推進することをライフワークとした。
その第一歩として、彼女はアメリカに戻り、フィラデルフィアのブリンマー・カレッジに通った。彼女は学業に秀で、多くの友人や将来の後援者に感銘を与え、1890年に卒業した。1892年に帰国した津田は、英語教師として働きながら、女子のための学校を開くという目標に向かって努力し、1900年に女子英学塾を開校して夢を実現した。
明治日本では女性の高等教育に対する考え方が広まっていたため、津田は何年もの間、十分な生徒を集めるのに苦労した。また、経済的な支援や教師の確保にも苦労したが、アメリカ人の友人や支援者からしばしば援助を受けた。彼女の忍耐は実を結び、女子英学塾は20世紀に入り、日本の女子高等教育をリードする存在となった。
梅子の死後、1933年に津田英学塾と改称された女子大学は、英語、数学、さまざまな教養学科をはじめとする女性教育を続けた。現在、津田塾大学として知られる同校は、国内外で活躍する女性を育てる最前線であり続け、21世紀の需要に応えるためにカリキュラムを絶えず刷新している。津田塾大学のホームページにあるように、『1900年以来、女性に力を与え続けてきた』。
Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: FEBRUARY 23. 2018Dream by by Iona Fab
Dream is one person's aspiration or a fancy way of calling it a goal . The other meaning is just some random thoughts when a person is sleeping . Either way of describing it, it is quite interesting .
In ancient history, dreams has meaning (even up until now, and the easiest way of finding out the meaning is through google!) . Infact , through the interpretation of some gifted prophesiers, Kings, Leaders and the likes most likely to believe in it and this would guide them through their decisions. If propheciers nowadays do exist and are as accurate as the old days, would you believe them too? It is a question that is answerable by yes and/or no. I personally respect to those who believes in it and I won’t neither argue to those who do not believe in it.
On the other side of its definition, this is something that I would like to believe in - "goal and aspiration". This is something that we can create and control . Amidst all odds, challenges and daily struggles, is a goal that we aspire to reach ! Dream may sound too fancy and it shall remain as it is if there is no action towards it. I believe nothing is too impossible for someone who is very committed to his/her goal. It would only be unrealistic if you would just sit there, staring at a blank space and indulge yourself in your dream. There is nothing wrong with that, but nothing would also happen.
As Greg S. Reid wrote : "A Dream written down with a DATE becomes a goal. A goal broken down into STEPS becomes a plan. A plan backed by ACTION makes your dreams come true". I'd like to remind myself this, everytime I'd doze off to dreamland because I have so many dreams that I'd like to play in my head whenever I can, yet no actions has been done at all. There were times that I have tried yet failed and I did not have the strength to do it again or due to some circumstances that were way out of my control, but then I have realized dream does not have an expiration date. There are so many successful people out there who has failed so many times even more than we can imagine and yet they remained to be determined until their dreams came true and they did not stop from there , they continue to try and try to make it better . I want to be that kind of person and inspire others too to do the same . Life is short, make it worth every second . Do not be overcome with the failures and obstacles upon achieving your dream, instead, take control . What is so good about life is that we have the control over it . Just believe in yourself that you can . Yes! You have heard me right ! "You can! If you will!"
So to my fellow dreamers/goal-achievers, let me end this with Walt Disney's famous quote : "If you can Dream it, you can do it!"
夢は、人の願望であり、目標とする大志である。他の意味では、人の睡眠中に沸き上がる一連の概念だ。どちらを語るにしろ、夢は興味深い。
古代、夢は意味をもっていた（現代では意味をグーグルで手軽に見つけられる！）。英知ある予言者、王、指導者達は夢の存在を信じており、意思決定の判断としていた。現代にも予言が存在しており、昔と同じように正確だったら、彼らと同じように信じるだろうか？ イエスかノーで答えられる質問だ。個人的には夢を信じる人をリスペクトするが、私自身は夢を信じるか否かは議論したくない。
夢の他の定義で、私は信じたいものがある。「目標と大志」だ。自分で創造し掌握できるからだ。逆風や困難、日々のストレスに負けず、目標に邁進する！ 夢というと現実離れした感じがするが、それに挑戦しなければそれでまでだ。目標にコミットすれば必ず誰でも達成できると信じる。手をこまねいて、物思いに耽るだけなんて現実的でない。それは悪いことではないが、何の進展もない。
グレッグ・S・リード氏は「「日付をつけて書き留めた夢は目標となる。段階ごとに分類された目標は計画となる。行動に裏打ちされた計画は、夢の実現へと導く。」と著作で述べている。私はこれを心がけたい。私はあまりにもたくさんの夢を持っていて、いつも夢の世界でうたた寝しているが、何ら実現したものはない。やってみたがうまくいかなかったり、再度失敗を乗り越える勇気がなかったり、自分の力ではどうすこともできない状況に陥ったりといろいろあったが、夢には賞味期限がないことはわかっている。世の中には成功した人がたくさんいて、彼らは私たちの想像を超えるような失敗もしている。しかし我慢強く夢を実現しようと最後までやり遂げた人たちだ。私はそうした人になりたいし、他人にもそれを推奨したい。人生は短いから、一瞬でも無駄にせずがんばらなければならない。失敗とか障害を乗り越え、夢を実現させるというか、夢を掌握しよう。人生で何がすばらしいかというと、夢を掌握できることだ。自分を信じてがんばってみよう。私の言う事は正しいでしょ！ あなたが望むなら、夢は叶う！
最後に、夢や目標を持っている皆さんに有名なこの言葉を送りたい。「夢があれば、それを叶えることができる！」
Unfinished business
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 17. 2019Farewell to a Japan Jazz Icon by David Gregory
The messages from all over Japan read aloud during the service helped us realize how widely Koyama-san touched lives and how many like us were feeling something newly missing from our worlds. But, although wonderful and sometimes saddening us, they did not trigger crying. That happened next.
Those first few notes of the "'Round About Midnight" Miles Davis version, the cut Koyama-san always used to open Jazz Tonight, performed by a live piano and trumpet duo up front near the coffin, did it: Instant recognition, recollections, sighs around the room, eyes closed, arms crossed, heads dropped back or down, and tears, at least for me. How many times had we heard, after Miles breathed his somber opening, Koyama-san's low, raspy voice welcoming us into the studio with, "Minna-san, gokigen ikaga desho-ka everybody, how are you feeling?"?and never thought that someday we would hear him ask about us no more?
Koyama-san's widow, whom, like him, had never known me, stood alone at the coffin head and bowed in silence to everyone in turn after they placed flowers around his body as the duo continued with another slow number, the trumpet sounding so strong and crisp and unusual in a memorial service hall. After we placed our flowers, she responded to my hand on her shoulder, a touch just meant to console her, by immediately turning and reaching for me?a total stranger?burying her head in my chest, and breaking down. She needed that hug that everybody sometimes needs. She let go after her respite when she was ready to face the coffin and everyone else again, and returned to her position. Going to Kashiwa in a snowstorm was worth it just for those few moments when I could do something for her.
So our Kashiwa day was both sad and good. But, why did I even want to go a funeral for a man whom I only knew by voice, and who, although linked to jazz, was not even a musician?
Koyama-san and his Jazz Tonight program I listened to since at least the early 2000s. For more than sixteen years, while my life in Japan has been filled with huge uncertainties, he has been here Saturday nights on the radio, reliable, keeping me connected to the world's music and opening my ears to music from Japan I would not know without him. Listening to him always made me feel good, no matter what had happened in my life during the week or what was coming up in the weeks ahead. Koyama-san and Jazz Tonight were my respite. How well can I replace that comfort?
Koyama-san, thank you for helping this foreigner feel good in Japan. Please rest well in jazz heaven.
NHK Radio, thank you for giving Koyama-san a way to connect with us. Please encourage other DJs to continue doing what he did so well.
To Koyama-san's surviving family members: Please care well for yourselves now, and thank you for supporting and sharing Kiyoshi with us.
The Smallest Box by David Gregory
She came over to my table and asked if I remembered her.
“That’s my boyfriend over there.”
Their table hugged a pillar blocking the sunny Tokyo Bay view enjoyed by the other customers that afternoon in Chiba’s AquaRink ice skating facility café.
“Maybe we will marry next year.”
On my way out, I stopped to congratulate the potential groom to be. What I later heard happened with Hiromi and Hiroshi that night at another place also close to the bay sounded so too good to be true that I visited that place to confirm it really happened. It did.
Hiroshi had reserved for the course menu that night at OCEAN TABLE, next to Chiba Port, on the second floor, where tables sat by the huge windows facing Chiba Port Tower and Tokyo Bay. No view-blocking pillars there. And they had a wait, even with their reservation, because it was Christmas Eve, which in Japan matters much more than the following day; the Eve is the year’s couples’ night out, and single women without dates that night can feel their whole year was wasted.
Hiroshi had changed into a suit after skating, and had urged Hiromi, against her protests about overdressing, into a plaid one-piece, raising expectations. They had never come to a place this nice, one requiring reservations. Saizeriya was more their speed: fast faux-Italian, cheap, and everywhere.
The unexpected wait made Hiroshi antsy. He relaxed and all was perfect after they were seated.
They talked. They ate the Christmas Dinner courses. They ignored the soft Christmas background music. They admired the gleaming, golden Christmas Tree rising from the first-floor buffet area through the open center space across from their table. They could see outside the sparkling flashes and half the tree in Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination, and beyond, the lights from the ships on and facilities around Tokyo Bay, appearing almost twinkling. Perfect—but not for Hiromi.
She went to the toilet. Still he had not asked. The day was done. The reservation system only allowed them two hours there. They had been together all day. He had remembered her birthday-just by coincidence, also that day-with a necklace at AquaRink. Nice, but was that all? He had pestered her since early December about what Christmas present she wanted until she had finally exploded with, “Nothing! Don’t you know I just want a proposal?!” And had added she wanted it to be a surprise. Here he had the perfect chance, and he was wasting it.
She could try enjoying what was left of the evening. Dessert was next. At least here was better than Saizeriya….She was still stuck when she returned to the table, and had no chance to do or say anything, anyway. It was his toilet turn.
Their desserts came. Hiromi sat and waited and pondered the future. Outside, the tower stood alone against the dark sky and Tokyo Bay’s inky darkness.
Their desserts waited. Maybe his tooth was bothering him again. Maybe he was just tolerating it to make the night go well. Maybe for her. Maybe she should go to check on him. Wait-maybe she just heard his voice across the room.
No, only Santa Claus, posing for photographs with diners at the far table. He then started circling the room, giving a small present from his big sack at each table. She could check after he was done.
Hiroshi still had not returned to his seat when Santa reached their table. He handed Hiromi a big, red stocking, by far the room’s largest gift, accompanied by a squeaky, “Atari! You’re a lucky one!” Yeah. She set it aside and Santa moved on. What was he still doing in the toilet?
Santa finished his round, returned to Hiromi, and pointed at her unopened stocking with squeaky, “Un! Un!” grunts. The other diners had opened their presents. She forced a smile and said she was waiting for her boyfriend to return. “Un! Un!”
When Hiromi still resisted, Santa took the stocking in his white-gloved hands and opened it himself. Out first came a big, pink box, heart shaped. He opened that and pulled out another heart-shaped box, and then, from inside that, another heart-shaped box. Another smaller, heart-shaped box followed. He removed from that an even smaller heart-shaped box, and thrust it to Hiromi with one more squeaky, “Un!”
Still gone. Well, he’d miss it. Hiromi obeyed Santa this time and opened it, the smallest box in the room …and her mind and face went blank.
After that frozen moment passed, Hiromi looked at Santa. The second shock hit, and more followed. Santa Claus had ripped off his gloves, furry hat, sunglasses, and huge, flowing beard. He took the box from her?she was still speechless?dropped onto one knee, held the open box out and up to her in both stretching hands, and said in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “Hiromi-san, boku-to kekkon shite kudasai! Hiromi, please marry me!”
Outside, to anybody looking, Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination still flashed, and the lights on and around Tokyo Bay still appeared almost twinkling. Inside OCEAN TABLE, on the second floor, everything was happening so fast that Hiromi just did not know which was more difficult to believe: Hiroshi and the ring he first tried slipping onto the finger on her right hand, the one he had taken in his before she held out her left hand, or the following PAN! and PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! and PAN! PAN! and PAN! explosions ripping and ribbons shooting around the room as diners at the floor’s other tables popped the party crackers they had found with the notes in their presents from Santa Claus.
Copyright © 2018 David L. Gregory All rights reserved.
I Did It! by David Gregory
She had been here before. But, those were tour-guided or hand-held visits. After living most of her life in white-bread suburban USA, driving everywhere, shopping in giant malls and supermarkets, and needing only one currency and one language, my mother ventured out on her own, within and beyond Chiba, during one trip to Japan. From her notes, here are Dorothy's...
ADVENTURES IN JAPAN
Grocery Shopping in Neighborhood―Walk five blocks...buy only one bag...walk five blocks back. Survived it!
Shopping in City Center―Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus fifteen minutes. Arrive at stores. Walk around. Look. Decide: cookies.
Buying: “Ikura desu-ka how much?” Hmm. “Kakimasu kudasai write please.”
Paying options: give large bill, let clerk figure change, or open change purse, let clerk take out correct amount. Decide to just give some cash.
Clerk shakes her head (“NO! MORE!”), then counts out correct amount needed from register and shows me. I mimic her action from my change purse. Smiles! Deep bows with many, “Arigato gozaimasu thank you very much!”-es.
(My error: thought there was decimal point in Yen price....)
Open cookies, expecting pirouettes with chocolate centers. Instead, peanut butter waffle rolls, no chocolate. No wonder, now I see peanut sketch on package. “Shoganai can’t be changed,” I did it to myself. It could have been worse!
~~~
Travelling to Visit Friend’s Family on Other Side of Chiba―Walk ten blocks to train. Purchase ticket. Electronic lady on ticket machine screen says, “Arigato gozaimasu” and bows. Ride train twenty minutes, watching for correct stop, get off, walk seven blocks to house. I did it myself!
Visiting Hisae Overnight―My Japanese study partner in USA returned to Japan, now lives on other side of Tokyo Bay.
Take large purse and large tote bag with jacket, nightie, toothbrush, cosmetics. Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus to train station. Ride train eighty minutes to Yokohama. Find correct exit from station. EASY. Did not even look at note in pocket explaining route and Japanese signs. And, look! Hisae and three-year old Kei are waiting! “Hello!” they say! Many hugs!
I did it!
Then, still more travel: train together fifteen minutes, short taxi uphill to lovely apartment, sunny and bright.
Returning to Chiba, just reverse process. Next time, we can meet at a station halfway in between. I can do it.
I can do it!
Copyright (C) 2015 David Gregory. All rights reserved. Chiba, Japan
Book Review
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 11 2018Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami
by Rey Ventura Reviewed by Randy Swank video maker and scriptwriter Rey Ventura won the 2015 National Book Award for his third collection of essays, Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami, but for some strange twist of fate you will find very little information on this book. You can’t even buy it on Amazon. This is a shame because Cherry Blossoms... is a beautiful, insightful and thought-provoking book. |
Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami |
In "Miniskirts and Stilettos" we meet Ginto, a young lady who comes to Japan dreaming of making it big as a singer and entertainer but has to deal instead with a much darker reality; while "Mr. Suzuki Tries Again" and "Into the Snow Country" are tragicomic tales of arranged marriages where the dreams and expectations of bride-starved farmers from Japan's Deep North clash with those of young Filipino women who want to escape their poverty and go into marriage "as a girl goes into a convent." Ventura tells these stories with a great eye for detail and manages to find a ray of light even in the darkest corners, or poetry in the midst of a nuclear disaster. The book's first essay is called "The Slow Boat to Manila" and indeed, slowness is the first word that comes to mind when considering Ventura's approach to writing. Everything Ventura does is slow. He is no magazine reporter after all, and will spend days or even months getting to know a person he wants to write about. That's the kind of personal commitment and deep connection with his subject that one feels when reading his essays. |
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12, 2024
WATERBOMB JAPAN TOUR 2024 (TOKYO)
WATERBOMB: Powerful performance of the hottest artists and Thrilling water-fighting!
Get ready for an unforgettable summer with WATERBOMB!
[ESCAPE ENERGY EXPERIENCE]
ESCAPE - Find your escape from the summer heat surrounded by blasting water cannons and chilling live performances
ENERGY - Explode your passion and energy at our epic water battle ground with your team. Gear up and fire away!
EXPERIENCE - Experience a revolutionizing paradigm of music festival where you get to become a player and a creator of the entire experience: entertainment, performances, and water-battle.
WATERBOMB, first held in Korea in 2015, is a large-scale music festival in Korea where audiences enjoy team battles using water guns, and boasts a popularity that sells out tickets on the same day. The festival provides a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience where top artists and audiences work together to create a frenzied stage.
WATERBOMB JAPAN" is the Japanese version of "WATERBOMB" and will be held in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. K-POP artists will gather in one place, just as they did in Korea!
Date：2024.07.27 (Sat) & 28 (Sun) @ Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo
https://www.waterbombjapan.com/
S2O Japan
The "world's most soaking wet music festival," which was held for the first time in Japan in Odaiba in 2018 and sent 20,000 people into a frenzy, is back again this year. The 1st biggest music festival held in Bangkok every April to wish Thailand a Happy New Year, S2O - Songkran festival celebration - started in 2015 and has begun to expand globally, attracting tens of thousands of people to witness the crazy celebration of music and water. The festival has been held in five Asian cities and will be held in Japan for the first time in five years!
After a successful run in Tokyo, this year S2O is bringing the world's wettest festival to Odaiba to help cool off in the blistering summer heat. This is a festival like no other, and ticket holders can quench their thirst for EDM, house, dubstep, and more while they get lost in the towering water cannons.
The complete lineup is out, and headliners such as Creepy Nuts, Yellow Claw/KSHMR, Don Diablo/MADEON(DJ SET)/Vini Vici will shower the crowd with pulsating beats before an intense display of lights, fireworks and water.
Date：2024.08.02 (Fri), 08.03 (Sat) & 04 (Sun) @ Odaiba, Tokyo
Have You Benn To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 14, 2024
Nunobiki Plateau [Koriyama, Fukushima]
Located at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters, it offers a spectacular view of Mount Bandai and Lake Inawashiro, two of Fukushima Prefecture's most famous landmarks. Because of the strong winds, the area is also famous as a wind power generation site, and as many as 33 windmills stand in a row on the hill. In summer, sunflowers bloom all around the area, enveloping the area in a yellow world.
Hirizo Beach [Minamiizu, Shizuoka]
This secluded beach can only be reached by boat in summer, and the clarity of the water is so high that you can see through to the bottom. It is inhabited by precious corals and migratory fish, and is perfect for snorkeling! The beach is also recommended for family trips with small children, as a lifeguard is stationed on the beach. The observatory at Okuirozaki offers a panoramic view of the beach.
Akasaki Promenade [Kozushima Village, Tokyo]
This is a spectacular spot located in the northern part of Kozushima, an island rich in nature. From the observatory on the promenade, you can see the beautiful sky-blue sea as well as magnificent views of the Izu Peninsula and the Southern Alps. The sea is said to be the clearest in Japan and is also famous as a diving spot. At night, the area is filled with a star-filled sky.
Shikisai-no-oka [Hokkaido, Kamikawa]
This is a highly recommended sightseeing spot where you can fully enjoy the great nature unique to Hokkaido. The 7-hectare site is home to a large flower garden and a wide variety of activities for children and adults alike. The best view is from the top of a small hill! The most popular attraction is the colorful striped flower field that has become a hot topic on social media.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: APRIL 28. 2017
Memes or Genes by Mardo
I have come to a conclusion, the purpose of life, is to be, and to continue being. We get jobs to buy food to stay alive, we have kids to keep people being alive, some of us even do public service to keep others alive who are part of our community or bloodline. The purpose of life is to keep life going. I know it’s not very profound or philosophical, nothing about transcending suffering or finding secrets, just going on.
As far as I can tell there are two ways to keep on going, Memes or Genes… ideas or family.
The genes part is obvious, we want kids. Socially and biologically we want to breed. We want a legacy, and many of us can trace our family trees backwards, so naturally we want it to go forwards as well.
Memes on the other hand are ideas. We want our ideas to go on. Karl Marx basically invented what we know as communism today, it is an idea that will come and go in fashion, but with Marxism, Karl marx is every bit as alive as Genghis khan is, a man who is estimated to be related to some 10% of the world’s population.
There are other ways to pass on the Memes or genes though. Rich single relatives leaving money for education to their siblings offspring, allowing the family to thrive that way. Or by making great works that will last for ever, People will read Haiku by Bashou forever. My favourite author, Sir Terry Pratchett, argued the view that as long as our name is remembered or spoken, we still go on. So for me, hopefully in a hundred or so years, Tokyo Notice Board will be an important historical snapshot of post-Heisei Japan, studied in universities everywhere, and people will be reading the words of Mardo in the future. We can but dream.
生きるとは、あり続けることだと僕は結論づけた。生きるため食べ、食べるために仕事を得る。子供を育て、子孫を残す。他人に社会奉仕をする事を生き甲斐にしている人までいる。生きるとは生き抜く事だ。奥深い意味はなく哲学的でもない、苦難を超越するとか秘密を探し出すとかでもない、ただ生き続ける。
僕が言える事は、生き続けるにはふたつ方法がある。ミームとジーンだ...、つまり概念と家族だ。シーンは明白で、誰しも子供を望む。社会的にも生物学的にも繁栄したい。誰しも受け継がれていく事を望む。たいていの人はファミリーツリーで過去を遡れるが、同様に未来の子孫につないでいきたい。
ミームとは概念だ。誰しも生きるための概念が欲しい。カール・マルクスは、現在僕たちが知っている共産主義の祖だ、流行り廃りのある概念だが、マルクス主義という概念によって、カール・マルクスは、世界の数１０％の人口を占めると推定されるチンギス・ハンの子孫の中で生き続けている。
他にもミームとジーンを伝える方法がある。裕福な独身者が、兄弟、姉妹である親戚の子供に教育費を残す事により、その一族は血を絶やさず生きていく事ができる。あるいは後世ずっと崇められるすばらしい芸術を残す事により、永遠に人は芭蕉の俳句を読むことができる。僕の好きな作家であるサー・テりー・プラチェットは、名前が忘れ去られず、語られるならば、その人はまだ生きているのだと彼の見解を述べた。僕に置き換えると、「願わくは、１００年ほど経ち、TNB が平成後の日本の重要な歴史的資料となり、どこの大学でも研究されるようになり、誰もが Mardo の エッセイを読みますように。」 誰にでも夢はある。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12. 2024
Giant Dinosaurs 2024
Giant Dinosaurs 2024" is an international touring exhibition of a special exhibition held at the British Museum of Natural History in London, England. The Yokohama venue will be the first venue. The exhibition will unravel the history of the prosperity of dinosaurs, including theropods, the largest land animals in the history of the earth, and the evolution of gigantic creatures in an enjoyable way.
The main attraction of "Giant Dinosaurs 2024" is the 37-meter-long full-length skeleton of Patagotitan mayorum. It is one of the world's largest dinosaurs among the "theropods. In addition to the opportunity to see firsthand the out-of-this-world size of the dinosaur, there will also be a number of hands-on exhibits that will introduce the ecology of Patagotitan and other giant sauropods in detail. In addition, many specimens will be gathered from Japan. Under the supervision of the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and the Institute of Dinosaurology at Fukui Prefectural University, the exhibition will focus on Euhelopus and other giant "sauropods" and explore the mechanism of dinosaur gigantism and the history of dinosaurs.
Constantin BRANCUSI, Fish,
1924-26 (cast: 1992),
Polished bronze, Brancusi Estate
Specimens of dinosaurs other than "theropods" such as Tsintaosaurus and other non-dinosaur creatures are also on display. Through specimens of huge creatures, including extinct animals such as mammoths and ichthyosaurs, the exhibition traces how creatures became huge and why they needed to become so large. This is an exhibition that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, including not only "dinosaur lovers" but also those who wish to ponder the history of prehistoric creatures. Also on display is a "dinosaur robot" that recreates a Barosaurus. The realistic, life-size dinosaur is a must-see.
Period: 7/13 (Sat) - 9/13 (Fri), 2024
Venue: Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall A
Closed: Mondays
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00 / - 19:00 on 8/10 (Sat) - 18 (Sun) (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: General ￥2,400 / High School and University ￥ 1,800 / Elementary School and Junior High School ￥1,200 / Ages 3 and Older ￥700 *Different prices depending on the day
For more information, please visit
Special Exhibition INSECT
Welcome to the world of diversity that extends just a little further than "everyone knows". Maniacal perspectives from researchers, maniacal insect specimens selected by researchers, and maniacal in-depth exploration of familiar insects! It will also weave in the latest research to pursue the diversity of insects in a deeper and more interesting way. Now, let's open the door to diversity!
Insects are the largest group of organisms, comprising about 1 million species, more than half of all the species reported on the earth. Most of them are small, less than 1 cm in length, but their diversity is astonishingly high and varied, from their body structure to their behavior and abilities. There are countless insects in the world that have yet to be discovered, and even in our immediate environment lie new species and discoveries for the future.
*
This special exhibition, "Special Exhibition INSECT" will mix the maniacal perspectives of researchers at the National Museum of Nature and Science, maniacal insect specimens from researchers' selections, and the latest insect research to explore the surprising and still unknown world of diversity of "insects," including not only familiar insects such as beetles and stag beetles but also spiders, centipedes, and other insects. The "MANIAC" researchers are also involved in the research of insects.
MANIAC" researchers' specialties
In addition to rare insects, this exhibition also highlights the lives of researchers who love insects.
"Passionate about what they love."
"When you are interested in something, you pursue it obsessively."
"I love what I love."
The original research attitude of these maniacal and insect-loving researchers is also a must-see. The exhibition will also offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy the deep world of insect research, where researchers with unique personalities, such as those illustrated in the exhibition flyer, will appear one after another.
Period: 7/13（Sat）－ 10/14, 2024（Mon）
Venue: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
Closed: 7/16, 9/2, 9, 17, 24 & 30
Hours: 9:00-17:00 / -19:00 on Saturdays & 8/11-15 (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults & university students ￥2,100 / Students of Elementary /Junior High / High school ￥600 *Advance booking recommended.
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12. 2024
Some Gold Steak?
A chef who became an internet sensation after his unique style of preparing meat caught the public eye is set to bring his ￡700 gold plated steak to the UK. Salt Bae, also known as Nusret Go¨kce, owns luxury steakhouse chain Nusr-Et but is better known for starring in an image that shows him sprinkling salt on meat with oh-so-much finesse. The image was so popular that it became a meme, reproduced and shared countless times, and even appeared on the back of a road gritter in Munich, Germany. And now, the eccentric chef is set to bring his ￡700 gold-coated steak to his new fancy London restaurant, at the Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel. Salt Bae will be bringing his ￡700 24-carat gold steak to the capitol, so start re-mortgaging your homes now if you want to make repeat visits!
'Gorgeous' Pa^te?!
An elderly couple have hilariously and unknowingly developed a love for eating cat food, after mistaking it for pa^te´. A woman was confused when her mum and step-dad asked her to pick up some more of the 'gorgeous' pa^te she'd given them after delivering their weekly shop. Her mother, 80-year-old, told her they had eaten "a really lovely dinner of absolutely gorgeous pa^te´ and baked bread," and even asked her to pick up some more. However, a very confused woman was left "howling with laughter" after her mum showed her the packet, only for her to discover it was in fact a tin of cat food she had bought for her own pet. Fortunately, her parents didn't face any ill-health from eating the tuna-based feline food, as it was only a small tin.
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo
10 minutes to Ikebukuro.
Interhouse
safe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo.
Sakura House
1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo.
TOKYO ROOM FINDER
Contact our international team that will assist you in finding housing
and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan!
J&F Plaza
Furnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo.
May Flower House
Tokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more.
TenTen Guesthouse
33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students.
GOOD ROOM TOKYO
Share room, Private room, under 50,000yen
MOVE JAPAN
Private furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last!
Tokyomove.com
Hassle free moving starts from 6000yen.
Tokyo Helping Hands
Very flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more!
AirNet Travel
We'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere.
Fun Travel
Discount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn.
No.1 Travel
We go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels.
JR Tokai Tours
Top-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Matsuda Legal Office
All kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc.
Futaba Visa Office
Licensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant.
American Pharmacy
English speaking pharmacy since 1950.
Tokyo Skin Clinic
EU-licensed multi lingual doctors.
Tax-free AKKY
Japanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs
Tokyo Speed Dating
1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC.
Tokyo Spontaneous
Picnic, Parties, Language exchange
TMA
Japanese women & Western men.
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12, 2024WATERBOMB JAPAN TOUR 2024 (TOKYO)
WATERBOMB: Powerful performance of the hottest artists and Thrilling water-fighting!
Get ready for an unforgettable summer with WATERBOMB!
[ESCAPE ENERGY EXPERIENCE]
ESCAPE - Find your escape from the summer heat surrounded by blasting water cannons and chilling live performances
ENERGY - Explode your passion and energy at our epic water battle ground with your team. Gear up and fire away!
EXPERIENCE - Experience a revolutionizing paradigm of music festival where you get to become a player and a creator of the entire experience: entertainment, performances, and water-battle.
WATERBOMB, first held in Korea in 2015, is a large-scale music festival in Korea where audiences enjoy team battles using water guns, and boasts a popularity that sells out tickets on the same day. The festival provides a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience where top artists and audiences work together to create a frenzied stage.
WATERBOMB JAPAN" is the Japanese version of "WATERBOMB" and will be held in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. K-POP artists will gather in one place, just as they did in Korea!
Date：2024.07.27 (Sat) & 28 (Sun) @ Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo
https://www.waterbombjapan.com/
S2O Japan
The "world's most soaking wet music festival," which was held for the first time in Japan in Odaiba in 2018 and sent 20,000 people into a frenzy, is back again this year. The 1st biggest music festival held in Bangkok every April to wish Thailand a Happy New Year, S2O - Songkran festival celebration - started in 2015 and has begun to expand globally, attracting tens of thousands of people to witness the crazy celebration of music and water. The festival has been held in five Asian cities and will be held in Japan for the first time in five years!
After a successful run in Tokyo, this year S2O is bringing the world's wettest festival to Odaiba to help cool off in the blistering summer heat. This is a festival like no other, and ticket holders can quench their thirst for EDM, house, dubstep, and more while they get lost in the towering water cannons.
The complete lineup is out, and headliners such as Creepy Nuts, Yellow Claw/KSHMR, Don Diablo/MADEON(DJ SET)/Vini Vici will shower the crowd with pulsating beats before an intense display of lights, fireworks and water.
Date：2024.08.02 (Fri), 08.03 (Sat) & 04 (Sun) @ Odaiba, Tokyo
Have You Benn To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JUNE 14, 2024Nunobiki Plateau [Koriyama, Fukushima]
Located at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters, it offers a spectacular view of Mount Bandai and Lake Inawashiro, two of Fukushima Prefecture's most famous landmarks. Because of the strong winds, the area is also famous as a wind power generation site, and as many as 33 windmills stand in a row on the hill. In summer, sunflowers bloom all around the area, enveloping the area in a yellow world.
Hirizo Beach [Minamiizu, Shizuoka]
This secluded beach can only be reached by boat in summer, and the clarity of the water is so high that you can see through to the bottom. It is inhabited by precious corals and migratory fish, and is perfect for snorkeling! The beach is also recommended for family trips with small children, as a lifeguard is stationed on the beach. The observatory at Okuirozaki offers a panoramic view of the beach.
Akasaki Promenade [Kozushima Village, Tokyo]
This is a spectacular spot located in the northern part of Kozushima, an island rich in nature. From the observatory on the promenade, you can see the beautiful sky-blue sea as well as magnificent views of the Izu Peninsula and the Southern Alps. The sea is said to be the clearest in Japan and is also famous as a diving spot. At night, the area is filled with a star-filled sky.
Shikisai-no-oka [Hokkaido, Kamikawa]
This is a highly recommended sightseeing spot where you can fully enjoy the great nature unique to Hokkaido. The 7-hectare site is home to a large flower garden and a wide variety of activities for children and adults alike. The best view is from the top of a small hill! The most popular attraction is the colorful striped flower field that has become a hot topic on social media.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: APRIL 28. 2017Memes or Genes by Mardo
I have come to a conclusion, the purpose of life, is to be, and to continue being. We get jobs to buy food to stay alive, we have kids to keep people being alive, some of us even do public service to keep others alive who are part of our community or bloodline. The purpose of life is to keep life going. I know it’s not very profound or philosophical, nothing about transcending suffering or finding secrets, just going on.
As far as I can tell there are two ways to keep on going, Memes or Genes… ideas or family.
The genes part is obvious, we want kids. Socially and biologically we want to breed. We want a legacy, and many of us can trace our family trees backwards, so naturally we want it to go forwards as well.
Memes on the other hand are ideas. We want our ideas to go on. Karl Marx basically invented what we know as communism today, it is an idea that will come and go in fashion, but with Marxism, Karl marx is every bit as alive as Genghis khan is, a man who is estimated to be related to some 10% of the world’s population.
There are other ways to pass on the Memes or genes though. Rich single relatives leaving money for education to their siblings offspring, allowing the family to thrive that way. Or by making great works that will last for ever, People will read Haiku by Bashou forever. My favourite author, Sir Terry Pratchett, argued the view that as long as our name is remembered or spoken, we still go on. So for me, hopefully in a hundred or so years, Tokyo Notice Board will be an important historical snapshot of post-Heisei Japan, studied in universities everywhere, and people will be reading the words of Mardo in the future. We can but dream.
生きるとは、あり続けることだと僕は結論づけた。生きるため食べ、食べるために仕事を得る。子供を育て、子孫を残す。他人に社会奉仕をする事を生き甲斐にしている人までいる。生きるとは生き抜く事だ。奥深い意味はなく哲学的でもない、苦難を超越するとか秘密を探し出すとかでもない、ただ生き続ける。
僕が言える事は、生き続けるにはふたつ方法がある。ミームとジーンだ...、つまり概念と家族だ。シーンは明白で、誰しも子供を望む。社会的にも生物学的にも繁栄したい。誰しも受け継がれていく事を望む。たいていの人はファミリーツリーで過去を遡れるが、同様に未来の子孫につないでいきたい。
ミームとは概念だ。誰しも生きるための概念が欲しい。カール・マルクスは、現在僕たちが知っている共産主義の祖だ、流行り廃りのある概念だが、マルクス主義という概念によって、カール・マルクスは、世界の数１０％の人口を占めると推定されるチンギス・ハンの子孫の中で生き続けている。
他にもミームとジーンを伝える方法がある。裕福な独身者が、兄弟、姉妹である親戚の子供に教育費を残す事により、その一族は血を絶やさず生きていく事ができる。あるいは後世ずっと崇められるすばらしい芸術を残す事により、永遠に人は芭蕉の俳句を読むことができる。僕の好きな作家であるサー・テりー・プラチェットは、名前が忘れ去られず、語られるならば、その人はまだ生きているのだと彼の見解を述べた。僕に置き換えると、「願わくは、１００年ほど経ち、TNB が平成後の日本の重要な歴史的資料となり、どこの大学でも研究されるようになり、誰もが Mardo の エッセイを読みますように。」 誰にでも夢はある。
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12. 2024Giant Dinosaurs 2024 Giant Dinosaurs 2024" is an international touring exhibition of a special exhibition held at the British Museum of Natural History in London, England. The Yokohama venue will be the first venue. The exhibition will unravel the history of the prosperity of dinosaurs, including theropods, the largest land animals in the history of the earth, and the evolution of gigantic creatures in an enjoyable way. |
Constantin BRANCUSI, Fish, |
Specimens of dinosaurs other than "theropods" such as Tsintaosaurus and other non-dinosaur creatures are also on display. Through specimens of huge creatures, including extinct animals such as mammoths and ichthyosaurs, the exhibition traces how creatures became huge and why they needed to become so large. This is an exhibition that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, including not only "dinosaur lovers" but also those who wish to ponder the history of prehistoric creatures. Also on display is a "dinosaur robot" that recreates a Barosaurus. The realistic, life-size dinosaur is a must-see. |
Period: 7/13 (Sat) - 9/13 (Fri), 2024
Venue: Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall A
Closed: Mondays
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00 / - 19:00 on 8/10 (Sat) - 18 (Sun) (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: General ￥2,400 / High School and University ￥ 1,800 / Elementary School and Junior High School ￥1,200 / Ages 3 and Older ￥700 *Different prices depending on the day
For more information, please visit
Special Exhibition INSECT Welcome to the world of diversity that extends just a little further than "everyone knows". Maniacal perspectives from researchers, maniacal insect specimens selected by researchers, and maniacal in-depth exploration of familiar insects! It will also weave in the latest research to pursue the diversity of insects in a deeper and more interesting way. Now, let's open the door to diversity! |
* |
This special exhibition, "Special Exhibition INSECT" will mix the maniacal perspectives of researchers at the National Museum of Nature and Science, maniacal insect specimens from researchers' selections, and the latest insect research to explore the surprising and still unknown world of diversity of "insects," including not only familiar insects such as beetles and stag beetles but also spiders, centipedes, and other insects. The "MANIAC" researchers are also involved in the research of insects. |
Period: 7/13（Sat）－ 10/14, 2024（Mon）
Venue: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
Closed: 7/16, 9/2, 9, 17, 24 & 30
Hours: 9:00-17:00 / -19:00 on Saturdays & 8/11-15 (last admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Admission: Adults & university students ￥2,100 / Students of Elementary /Junior High / High school ￥600 *Advance booking recommended.
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD JULY 12. 2024Some Gold Steak?
A chef who became an internet sensation after his unique style of preparing meat caught the public eye is set to bring his ￡700 gold plated steak to the UK. Salt Bae, also known as Nusret Go¨kce, owns luxury steakhouse chain Nusr-Et but is better known for starring in an image that shows him sprinkling salt on meat with oh-so-much finesse. The image was so popular that it became a meme, reproduced and shared countless times, and even appeared on the back of a road gritter in Munich, Germany. And now, the eccentric chef is set to bring his ￡700 gold-coated steak to his new fancy London restaurant, at the Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel. Salt Bae will be bringing his ￡700 24-carat gold steak to the capitol, so start re-mortgaging your homes now if you want to make repeat visits!
'Gorgeous' Pa^te?!
An elderly couple have hilariously and unknowingly developed a love for eating cat food, after mistaking it for pa^te´. A woman was confused when her mum and step-dad asked her to pick up some more of the 'gorgeous' pa^te she'd given them after delivering their weekly shop. Her mother, 80-year-old, told her they had eaten "a really lovely dinner of absolutely gorgeous pa^te´ and baked bread," and even asked her to pick up some more. However, a very confused woman was left "howling with laughter" after her mum showed her the packet, only for her to discover it was in fact a tin of cat food she had bought for her own pet. Fortunately, her parents didn't face any ill-health from eating the tuna-based feline food, as it was only a small tin.
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo10 minutes to Ikebukuro. Interhousesafe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo. Sakura House1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo. TOKYO ROOM FINDERContact our international team that will assist you in finding housing and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan! |
J&F PlazaFurnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo. May Flower HouseTokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more. TenTen Guesthouse33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students. GOOD ROOM TOKYOShare room, Private room, under 50,000yen |
MOVE JAPANPrivate furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last! Tokyomove.comHassle free moving starts from 6000yen. |
Tokyo Helping HandsVery flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more! |
AirNet TravelWe'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere. Fun TravelDiscount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn. |
No.1 TravelWe go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels. JR Tokai ToursTop-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen. |
Matsuda Legal OfficeAll kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc. |
Futaba Visa OfficeLicensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant. |
|
American PharmacyEnglish speaking pharmacy since 1950. |
Tokyo Skin ClinicEU-licensed multi lingual doctors. |
|
Tax-free AKKYJapanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs |
Tokyo Speed Dating1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC. Tokyo SpontaneousPicnic, Parties, Language exchange |
|
TMAJapanese women & Western men. |
|
50 Shades of Yikess
