16 Comments
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James Moran's avatar

Thank you for the Black Sun link. Will watch it tonight.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

I heard some readers couldn't watch the film, but being a computer semi-illiterate, I couldn't understand why. I hope you will be luckier.

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James Moran's avatar

To be honest, I just clicked on the link and it started playing right away. I should've gone out and bought a lotto ticket as well, I might have won that, as well.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Glad to hear that! I especially like the first part with the documentary-like scenes. The drama is quite over-the-top, and Lourant was clearly an atrocious actor.

If, like me, you are a movie buff, that website is a treasure trove of big and little gems, both old and very recent.

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Steve Martin's avatar

Hello G.S.

43 years here in the Tokyo area, and other than work, Shibuya used to be the main reason I visited the Yamanote loop ... but for reasons few would guess.

Prior to the recent pre-Covid era construction boom, Shibuya was the home to 'Jumbo' Joshuya ... probably the largest single fishing tackle shop in Japan ... three floors of more than you can study, sift, and buy tackle to catch anything that swims in Japanese waters ... from wakasagi to hon maguro.

There are still small, scattered 'boutique' shops such as Sansui in the area, but as a long-time fisherman (had a string of 7 off-shore boats — 'holes in the water through which you pour money'), Shibuya has sacrificed my church to the altar of 'progress'.

Cheers!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Steve, many thanks for the great memory. So you arrived in Tokyo ten years earlier than me.

I know nothing about your lifelong passion, but last year I worked on a few stories about fishing in Japan and even visited a biggish shop. I shall post them on Tokyo Calling sooner or later.

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Steve Martin's avatar

Looking forward to those stories, and I'll have a few to share (and pics) myself. If you're up for a chat, we could even collaborate. Even back before I came to Japan, my undergrad was in Marine Biology ... but only because I loved fishing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_IfSxMQ7yg

Meh ... Short attention span. I prefer the whistling. 😂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvSXdO7SDCE

Longish ... but a prelude to many adventures to follow ... https://substack.com/@stevemartin1/p-69189107

Cheers Gianni!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Thanks for the links, Steve. I'm always up for collaborations. I'll DM you later.

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Rey Ventura's avatar

This is an interesting project, Amigo.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Thanks, Rey. It's a lot of fun too.

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Emika Oka's avatar

The pandemic upended the grand plans of most corporations yet I can't help but to wonder, what if it never happened

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Gianni Simone's avatar

It did not stop Shibuya's redevelopment, that's for sure. I wish it had.

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Caroline Howard's avatar

The asymmetry of the church and its ghostly pallor make it stand out so strikingly. I can imagine it lingers in the collective memory.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

I like to think so, though I'd be surprised if even the people living in that neighborhood actually knew about the old church.

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Caroline Howard's avatar

In that case, they need to read Tokyo Calling!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Spread the word, girl! Spread it like wildfire! Lots of karma points guaranteed!

Jokes aside, Tokyo is the kind of place that, more than other cities, is made of stories and memories because so much has been destroyed by natural and man-made disasters.

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