June, July & August 2015; August & December 1991, Etc.

Thinking what to title this post, I at first had a feeling of staring into a cluttered closet and needing to summarize a jumble of half-forgotten contents... and then it suddenly occurred to me that what I had in mind while taking the 2015 material and while editing the 1991 material wasn't the content so much as the time of year and (for the 1991 material) the year itself.  Thus this material - for me - is all about summer in Tokyo (especially the month of August), with the December 1991 views kind of out-of-category, although fitting in historically via being from 1991.  (I wouldn't have found December 2014 material acceptable for this batch...)

That said, a couple of things do stand out when I look over this batch of video views.  The east exit views of Shinagawa Station are important to me (especially of the old east exit pedestrian tunnel), as it shows something that disappeared a bit too quickly for me.  I had a real Rip-Von-Winkle experience some years back when I went to the east side of Shinagawa Station for old-time's sake and was shocked to discover that - save for a tiny remnant of the former (soon to be eradicated) east entrance to the station, there was nothing left of the things I had come to see!  And so the video footage I took in August 1991 is a welcome way of revisiting what is no longer a part of this world.

And then (also in 1991) there's my first visit to Kawagoe, where I just walked out from the station, spent the better part of the day walking around and (amazingly) managed to completely miss all the famous tourist spots of the city!  In hindsight, I feel I'm lucky it worked out that way, as I think I recorded a part of Kawagoe that probably is under-recorded - certainly there are no shortage of visual records of the famous parts of the city, so it's good that I went somewhere else.  This video is also important to me in that I very distinctly remember stopping in the empty park and looking around from the top of a slide - feeling melancholy about things, but (until I came across that scene again while editing that footage) I had forgotten exactly where that experience had taken place.  After being in the back of my mind all these years ("Where was that, anyway?"), now there's the relieved feeling of a solved riddle; "So that was in Kawagoe then!  Huh..."

And... some other things.  As with my last blog post with links to some of my videos (July 25th, 2015), I would really like to go over each of the videos one-by-one and comment on all (or most anyway) of them, but too many things are making demands on my time, so I'll just have to post the titles and links - hoping the titles are up to the task of introducing what each video is.  (A long-held dream is to have a sponsor so I can work on video full-time...).

- Lyle H Saxon
     Tokyo

有楽町駅-東京駅 京浜東北線右側 Yurakucho to Tokyo - Keihin-Tohoku Line 150612
https://youtu.be/Rrtx9Eb3l68

東京駅-有楽町駅-新橋駅-浜松町駅-田町駅-品川駅 山手線の左側 Yamanote Line 150625g
https://youtu.be/jxCw-VpjeWY

夏の大塚 市電が通る Otsuka in Summer - Passing Streetcar 150704
https://youtu.be/bhGXystmYD4

新宿サザンテーラス夕方360 Shinjuku Southern Terrace-360 150630
https://youtu.be/KW243SxHrb4

池袋駅-新宿駅 埼京線の右側 Ikebukuro to Shinjuku - Saikyo Line 150630
https://youtu.be/FhzLUZbe1us

池袋駅の線路工事の機械器械 埼京線 Ikebukuro Track Maintenance Equipment 150630
https://youtu.be/mGkzt5GsyW0

新宿駅 埼京線夕方ホーム Shinjuku Station Evening Saikyo Line Platform 150630
https://youtu.be/c1PrvaW4r60

有楽町駅の出発電車 Trains Departing Yurakucho Station 150619
https://youtu.be/iAXK-KhSybc

銀座奧野ビル階段 150619
https://youtu.be/o7Qfl5MAIII

Station Escalator 駅のエスカレーター 150619n
https://youtu.be/XnQw0PZyYuY

中央線が四ッ谷駅に到着 Chuo Line Arriving at Yotsuya Station 150613n
https://youtu.be/9oHNvAhsyEs

Table Chair and Window at Okuno Building 150613
https://youtu.be/Kq7E_7v1gqg

Main Road with No Cars 150613n
https://youtu.be/v5YiSsqGO_U

Outside Escalator 外のエスカレーター 150619
https://youtu.be/MTqdWgmM1Lg

神田明神の見回り 神社神社 Kanda-Myojin Temple Courtyard 150623
https://youtu.be/5exlxHGi-bc

神田明神前の店 (A) Old Shop Near Kanda-Myojin 150623
https://youtu.be/lOT55xtE9Jk

神田明神前の店 (B) Old Shop Near Kanda-Myojin 150623
https://youtu.be/G2jsgmgVU60

品川駅-大崎駅 山手線の右側 Shinagawa to Osaki - Yamanote Line 150625
https://youtu.be/WBg0awF5GyE

茶ノ水駅 夕方電車の到着 Ochanomizu Station Evening Trains 150623g
https://youtu.be/dbiK6xkYEIY

新宿駅夜ホームの様子 Shinjuku Station Platform Scene at Night 150728
https://youtu.be/6rL2-ovoeVw

新宿駅南口夕方見回り Evening Shinjuku South Exit Street View 150728
https://youtu.be/BAhqVBi895s

夜の有楽町SB (A) Nighttime Yurakucho-SB 150716
https://youtu.be/vWtn2_xqrH0

夜の有楽町SB (B) Nighttime Yurakucho-SB 150716
https://youtu.be/3d-c8rhBzBg

西東京の雨中央線 Rainy Chuo Line Station in Western Tokyo 150716
https://youtu.be/qVfbi2hNBhk

有楽町夜 居酒屋の音 Sounds at Nighttime Yurakucho Izakaya 150716
https://youtu.be/PCiZBWNV1Dk

Gallery Party at Ginza One 150612
https://youtu.be/fdOUvEzBWoc

Park - Summer View 夏の公園 150711
https://youtu.be/ZS2jjbTv-JM

Summer Morning Near Tokyo Tower 東京タワー近くの夏の東京 150722n
https://youtu.be/DZDndOAcE9o

夕方西新宿散歩 Evening Nishi-Shinjuku Stroll 150721
https://youtu.be/dKRU6F4o8Og

中央線 右側 Outbound Chuo Line Window View - Old Type Train 150706
https://youtu.be/16bBwT0zrjQ

高尾山ケーブルカー 清滝駅-高尾山駅 Takao Cable Car - Kiyotaki to Takao 150713
https://youtu.be/AQykHRR9wWc

高尾山ケーブルカー 高尾山駅-清滝駅 Takao Cable Car - Takao to Kiyotaki 150713n
https://youtu.be/Jh-DMqeLhSA

高田馬場駅前 Looking Around by Takadanobaba Station 150704
https://youtu.be/84CEGqtkrJk

高田馬場駅前の壁画 Mural by Takadanobaba Station 150704
https://youtu.be/QpzAX9T2Oq0

Departing Tachikawa Station in Old Type Chuo Line Train 150706
https://youtu.be/CKEvii4TaZM

高尾山のビアマウント近くの眺め Mt Takao - Looking Around Near Beer Mount 150713
https://youtu.be/AdW5eQZkzrE

清滝駅から高尾山口駅までの夜散歩 Walking from Kiyotaki to Takaosanguchi 150713n
https://youtu.be/OvMopKqLaWM

有楽町駅-新橋駅-浜松町駅 山手線 Yurakucho to Hamamatsucho - Yamanote 150722g
https://youtu.be/rj2_QsfKPck

京浜東北線と山手線が同時に出発 夜の駅 Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote 150710
https://youtu.be/xTb0HFxjGLk

神田川と電車 昌平橋からの眺め Bridge View of Trains and Kanda River 150707g
https://youtu.be/Vh1QKr50YqI

神田駅-東京駅 夜の山手線 Kanda to Tokyo - Yamanote Line 150710
https://youtu.be/b8lctfY9XA8

高尾山口駅-高尾山駅 京王線 Takaosanguchi to Takao - Keio Line 150713
https://youtu.be/ebBjncyVKF8

有楽町夜の居酒屋散策散歩 Yurakucho Izakaya Night Walkabout 150716
https://youtu.be/8S7PrCFefGo

東小金井駅で中央線の雨出発 Boarding Chuo Line at Higashi-Koganei Station 150716
https://youtu.be/-YQNUG4xZ0s

有楽町駅-東京駅 京浜東北線の右側 Yurakucho to Tokyo - Keihin-Tohoku Line 150716
https://youtu.be/Q7jGMB6Csx8

夜の有楽町駅前 Nighttime Street by Yurakucho Station 150710n
https://youtu.be/GXanminIQ1s

1991 東京中央郵便局 内部 切手選択など Tokyo Central Post Office 911210n
https://youtu.be/TxMxz23AM7Q

1991 東京駅-神田駅 中央線 Tokyo to Kanda - Chuo Line 911210
https://youtu.be/3lFivxOBktU

1991 有楽町駅-東京駅 山手線 Yurakucho to Tokyo - Yamanote Line 911210
https://youtu.be/L9GWg4wohOQ

1991 ひばりヶ丘駅-池袋駅-川越駅 西武線と埼京線 Hibarigaoka to Kawagoe 911207
https://youtu.be/zDoPZfOeMGA

1991 川越駅-新宿駅 埼京線 Kawagoe to Shinjuku - Saikyo Line 911207
https://youtu.be/9fjm3e-X-g4

1991 日吉駅-渋谷駅-池袋駅-ひばりヶ丘駅 Hiyoshi to Hibarigaoka 911207
https://youtu.be/ytzaRr5p828

1991 ひばりヶ丘駅-池袋駅-銀座駅 西武池袋線と丸ノ内線 To Ginza 911210
https://youtu.be/O3xKIjseXT4

1991 銀座と有楽町の散策散歩 Ginza and Yurakucho Walkabout 911210
https://youtu.be/r62qVOBHt2M

1991 川越市散策散歩 Kawagoe Walkabout - No Tourist Places 911207
https://youtu.be/yEqZSG5sK9U

1991 新宿駅-渋谷駅-日吉駅 山手線と東横線 Shinjuku to Hiyoshi 911207
https://youtu.be/ym6NPYrV6wA

1991 夜西新宿の散策散歩 Nishi-Shinjuku Night Stroll 911207
https://youtu.be/-nyX7Xg8UxU

池袋駅-石神井公園駅 西武池袋線右側 Ikebukuro to Shakujikoen - Seibu Line 150801
https://youtu.be/G2lxFS2L1UU

石神井公園駅-東久留米駅 西武池袋線 Shakujikoen to Higashikurume - Seibu Line 150801
https://youtu.be/-xJGSh9iIVE

所沢駅ホームの見回り 暑い八月の日 Tokorozawa Station Platform in August 150801
https://youtu.be/XBwc9EMYeSc

夕方新宿駅前の南口 Evening Shinjuku South Exit Area 150804
https://youtu.be/7bRPwnyVwrE

国分寺駅前の工事現場 Construction Site by Kokubunji Station 150801
https://youtu.be/c99HxE3uT04

池袋駅前東口 暑い八月の日 Ikebukuro One Hot August Day 150801
https://youtu.be/ekjYGQAN17k

池袋駅内 Ikebukuro Station Concourse 150801
https://youtu.be/5OPIwYst2a0

1991 ひばりヶ丘駅-池袋駅 西武池袋線 Hibarigaoka to Ikebukuro 910801 
https://youtu.be/c-DuBCBdTfc

1991 池袋駅辺りの散策散歩 厚い八月 Ikebukuro Hot August Day 910801 
https://youtu.be/gU7EadrkWjQ

1991 南馬込散策散歩 厚い八月の日 Minami-Magome Walkabout - Hot August Day 910801
https://youtu.be/3fJ0ykqIBz0

1991 新宿駅-五反田駅 山手線 Shinjuku to Gotanda - Yamanote Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/U0lazVGXNCs

1991 新宿駅辺りの散策散歩 厚い八月の日 Shinjuku Hot August Day 910801 
https://youtu.be/HtO-ZR01qak

1991 池袋駅-新宿駅 埼京線 Ikebukuro to Shinjuku - Saikyo Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/O4uW9Lo2BwQ

1991 西馬込駅-五反田駅 都営浅草線 Nishi-Magome to Gotanda - Asakusa Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/N612DXRR4JA

1991 五反田駅-東京駅 山手線 Gotanda to Tokyo - Yamanote Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/4BVt3Zvv0Og

1991 東京駅 雷雨 Tokyo Station Rain Lightning and Thunder 910801 
https://youtu.be/R3WRPzs5unk

1991 東京中央郵便局で切手を買う Tokyo Central Post Office in Rain 910801 
https://youtu.be/2UP_lIKSpfQ

1991 夕方池袋駅など Evening Ikebukuro Station Etc. 910801 
https://youtu.be/IkENzm6mwOM

1991 夕方ひばりが丘 Evening Hibarigaoka 910801 
https://youtu.be/Qd33RFyHhxs

1991 東京駅-池袋駅 鉄の丸の内線 Tokyo to Ikebukuro - Marunouchi Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/59o0Ki0nASo

1991 五反田駅-西馬込駅 都営浅草線 Gotanda to Nishi-Magome - Asakusa Line 910801 
https://youtu.be/TCEdoJei9FI

1991 ひばりが丘 厚い八月の日 Hibarigaoka Hot August Day 910801 
https://youtu.be/5kBHg2VulvQ

1991 中野駅-武蔵境駅 朝一の中央線 Nakano to Musashi-Sakai - Chuo Line 910803 
https://youtu.be/PhKwd9fj40U

1991 午前四時十分の中野駅 410AM Nakano Station 910803 
https://youtu.be/4oHrZ-LwWUM

1991 野方駅からの夜バス Night Bus from Nogata Station 910802 
https://youtu.be/aclo5F7Q6fI

1991 田無駅-鷺ノ宮駅-野方駅 西武新宿線 Tanashi to Nogata - Seibu-Shinjuku Line 910802 
https://youtu.be/TlilISPtqow

1991 夜のバス ひばりヶ丘駅-田無駅 Hibarigaoka to Tanashi Night Bus 910802 
https://youtu.be/5f1d_4PYErI

1991 ひばりヶ丘駅-渋谷駅-渋谷-東横線 Hibarigaoka to Shibuya Etc 910803 
https://youtu.be/2beR5B7kWHM

1991 朝の散策散歩 武蔵境駅から田無駅まで Western Tokyo Morning Suburbs 910803 
https://youtu.be/5rS6_m5msuk

1991 東急東横線渋谷駅 1991年の様子 Toyoko Shibuya Station 910803 
https://youtu.be/4LEQxcckmR0

1991 朝のバス 田無駅-ひばりヶ丘駅 Morning Bus - Tanashi to Hibarigaoka 910803 
https://youtu.be/1Ue7N2eK0N4

1991 東急東横線の車内アナウンス 急行駅 渋谷-桜木町 In-Train Announcement 910803 
https://youtu.be/oyJtRnDfaBU

1991 Big Truck - Difficult Turn 910803 
https://youtu.be/KWhnB7VgQrY

1991 品川駅東口(港南口)横断トンネル Shinagawa Station East Exit Tunnel 910810 
https://youtu.be/9q9jKc5ITqw

1991 品川八月散策散歩 東口(港南口)水辺など Shinagawa Walkabout 910810 
https://youtu.be/L65OaW5NNHo

御茶ノ水駅 暑い八月の日 Ochanomizu Station - Hot August Day 150811 
https://youtu.be/hBi2azmT6sc

湯島聖堂の３６０ 暑い八月の日 Yushima-Seido - Hot August Day 150811 
https://youtu.be/ZfQLSeq8HwU

Yushima-Seido Courtyard - 湯島聖堂 暑い八月の日 150811 
https://youtu.be/rLAStZoUIJ4

神田明神 暑い八月の日 Kanda Shrine 150811 
https://youtu.be/tZpB3OFo32E

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
http://lookback1997.blogspot.jp/
http://tokyoht.blogspot.jp/

"Odds and Ends - June, July, and August"

This is a collection of stuff I wrote by hand while out and about in Tokyo (from inside coffee shops, inside trains, etc.)  It basically covers notes written in summer 2013 - with material from June, July, and August.

June 18th, 2013 - (Tozai Line / 東西線)  That old writing issue - the longer you don't write, the harder it is to start - and the more you write, the easier the words flow.  Looking back at things I've written in years past, I wrote the most often when I carried a laptop around all the time.  Some of that was handwritten, and then typed up (pounded into electrons, as I used to say) later.

In fact, this is being handwritten right now.  It *was* going well, but then a vampire space hog biped sat down next to me...  Anyway, my station approaches - better to stand than to have my energy stolen by a vampire.

15:35 - Ginza side street (銀座) - It's harder to write while standing up, but so much nicer to be standing on a Ginza side street on a warm, but not overly hot day.  "A picture is worth a thousand words" goes the old saying, and "a video clip with sounds is worth 100,000 (10,000?, 1,000,000?) words" Lyle adds (is that original, or just a common expression now?), but some things need words to be expressed - which I guess is all a strong suggestion that I narrate my videos?  Naw... the spoken word interferes with with the pictures.  It needs to be text on paper and/or on the screen.  The trouble with writing by hand of course is that it takes time.  [130824: *Some* narration is good in video, so I aim to do a little more of that.]

Off to see an art exhibition.

2013/06/20 (Chuo Line / 中央線)

"Members Only"

I was recently asked (by an e-friend) what I thought the reason for local resistance to outsiders knowing the local culture was about after they had read something I posted some years ago, specifically this:

   I looked over at him expecting him to be joking, but he didn't smile, and he didn't look at me - so it came across as a bona fide warning more than a joke.  I have often remembered those words, particularly tonight....  The Russian IT guy gave written notice, and the president tore it up - which has a special meaning in Japan that I don't entirely understand myself, but in any case it seems that there's this ritual where someone will submit an intent to quit in writing, and if it's accepted, then that's it - they're out, but if it's torn up (as I've often seen in Japanese movies), then the person keeps working...
   [00/12/20 note: I've been asking around about this, and everyone I've mentioned it to says that letters of intent to quit are not generally torn up - given back, yes, but not usually torn up... maybe Prez has been watching too many television dramas?]
   [10/08/15 note: There's something else too.  In 1984, I mentioned to a woman here about the model "Skyline" car, and she told me "No, there's no such car as that."  Later, I was with her in her car going somewhere, and - lo and behold - a Skyline was right in front of us, with "Skyline" written on the back.  I pointed it out to her and she seemed very displeased.
   Around 1996, I began to notice that young people were dropping the final "i" with words like "samui", "atsui", etc., so they became "samu", "atsu", etc.  I mentioned it to a local friend, and again he said "No, no such thing.  You're mistaken."  Later, I was with him when some friends of his joined us outside, and one of them said it was "samu" instead of "samui".  I basically said "Behold! - It is as I told you!"  Again that displeased look and he claimed it was because they were from Osaka.
   Etc. etc. etc. - I could go on and on with similar examples.  The point is - there seems to be a basic rule that outsiders are not qualified to notice something [outside the tourist routine] about the local culture, and this thing of the resignation letter may well have been just such a situation.  I wasn't supposed to know about that, so it was denied?  It doesn't sound plausible, but if you'll go back with me in a time machine, I'll show you and you can see for yourself.]
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/LL_R/RArchive/LL285a.html#abandon

It baffled/irritated me initially, but I've gotten to the point where if someone - whenever, wherever - doesn't seem to accept that I'm from Planet Earth, I (naturally) still don't like it, but instead of feeling/thinking "What is *wrong* with this person?!" - I think something along the lines of "Oh... this is *that* type of person then..." and do one of a number of things - from heading immediately for the exit, to introducing myself as a fellow Earthling (in a joking way), etc.

Incidentally, I've found racists are sometimes actually more reasonable human beings than hard-core fanatical political people.  Hard-core political people fiercely believe whatever their preferred political organization has told them and just become ever more enraged the more you show them solid evidence that they are mistaken about something.

In stark contrast, many of the racists I've met I've been able to reason with and often they will accept logic, reason, evidence, etc., and change their thinking somewhat when you show them conclusively that they're being wrong-headed about something.

Anyway, when you are willfully shut out, there's only so much you can do.  But back to the question, "Why?".  Well... "Members Only" says it all I suppose.  People like their groups and want to protect them.

2013/07/30 (Seibu Line / 西武線)

"Leaving the Camera Off"

Decided to (basically, but not completely) leave the camera off today.  The ironic thing about taking pictures is that while it can bring so many memories back later, at the time you take the pictures, the machine interferes with your perception of the scene you're in.  I often think it would be great to have a time travel machine, but cameras (especially video cameras) are - in a way - time machines, and it's then a perceived (and real?) connection to the future that ripples the waters of current time and interferes with the here and now.

And so a photographer must be, pretty much by definition, a perpetual outsider - looking back on the present from a future imagined.  ......

While writing this (by hand - ink on paper), I ponder text, which is another kind of recording, but the feeling I get while writing this is that writing (by hand at least, and with machines also?) feels very much a part of the present - in fact, it seems to enhance the present somehow.  An age-old heightening of the senses in order to mentally record things?

....  A man (from across the seas) wearing a bottle or two of some nasty-smelling artificial scent just sat next to me... concentration broken - more later.  Man I hate foul-smelling artificial smells!  I think they should be illegal!

(Shinjuku / 新宿) - It was amazing how one biped with a couple of liters of noxious scent ruined the rest of my train ride!  Speaking of scents ("noxious fumes" would be a more accurate term), recently there's been a barrage (in Japan) of advertising saying that older (50s-up) men smell bad, and - noxious fume bottles to the rescue - "If you just douse yourself in noxious fumes from our company, you won't stink any more!"

A particularly obnoxious form of this kind of advertising shows pictures of attractive middle-aged women (one at a time - with different pictures for different versions of the same ad) supposedly saying "My husband smells nice!".

Prior to that, they had pictures of attractive young women supposedly commenting on the smell of their fathers.  (Nothing is said about the female half of the population by the way.  Apparently it's a male curse to stink past 50.)  I've been here for about 30 years and I don't recall there being a particular problem with older men smelling bad... until now that is, when gullible individuals who have bought into the advertising hype are walking around fouling the air with noxious artificial fumes from the companies manufacturing that horrible stuff.

Gee, I don't suppose the media people who have talked about smelly upper-middle-aged men have accepted advertising money from the noxious fume manufacturers....  You can kind of see the gears turning - Japanese men traditionally don't douse themselves in noxious smells, so they haven't been buying that horrible stuff.  How to get them to start shelling out for it....

August 4th, 2013 - Decided to write something, but after looking over my schedule, etc., I realize I don't remember what I thought I'd write about.

2013/08/07 - (Osaki / 大崎)

"Writing by Hand in Public"

I used to wish my handwriting was more legible, but it's begun to be handy that it's difficult to decipher - I can pull out a piece of paper in a public space and write in front of people, and they have a lot of difficulty making out what the words are.  Not that it really matters if they do read what I'm writing, but still....  The other interesting thing is regarding how ever fewer people are even taught to read/write cursive handwriting.  So suddenly it feels like I have a special skill.  Almost like being able to write in code or something.

I'm in a public space as I write this (by hand) and soon after I sat down, the man sitting next to me (at a long counter in one of the best public spaces in Tokyo that I know of), pulled his laptop closer to himself and re-angled the screen so I wouldn't be able to see it.  I then pulled out a piece of paper and began brazenly writing right in front of him, feeling safe that the tiny cursive script I'm writing would basically be Greek to him.  Whatever.  The one bad thing about this public counter is that it never seems to be cleaned, and what with people eating lunch here, etc., it gets kind of... greasy.  (I wanted to use some other word than "greasy", but that seems to be the most accurate term.)  It's an easy thing to deal with though - you just come with an A3 sheet of paper - lay that over the greasy counter, and you've got a clean space to work on.

Well, that's enough for now.  I do find writing by hand (after not doing so for quite a while) to be quite nice.  There's something profoundly fatiguing about using a computer.  I'm still trying to figure out why that is, but I imagine the stress of thinking about all that is going on with the machine, combined with the multitasking functionality of it, puts a pretty heavy load on a biped's CPU....

Okay - and that brings us back to today - August 24th, 2013.  I've got a load of things I want to get done this weekend, so I'll stop here.  This photo (below) is from March... so it's not related to the text of this post exactly, but I stumbled into it while looking for the pictures I used above and like it enough that I thought it would fit in here at the end.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
http://youtube.com/lylehsaxon
http://lylehsaxon.blogspot.jp/
http://lookback1997.blogspot.jp/
http://tokyoht.blogspot.jp/