Wheww ... you are a better man, or more fit, than I am to walk in this heat.
Good, deep dive into the history of the area (much of this new to me) and a breakdown of the origins of 'manshon'. I've often wondered what they would call a real mansion (not DisneyLand's 'Haunted Mansion') such as Vanderbilt or Biltmore? Maybe the same, but with the correct spelling in romaji?
Glad you mentioned 'Perfect Days' ... a VERY good movie. And yesterday, I tried to beat the heat with yet another gorgeous movie ... Kokuho, (National Treasure). https://kokuhou-movie.com/. Even though I went on a Friday afternoon, the theater was packed, weekends even more so. Recommended, because like Perfect Days, the movie can be appreciated without being fluent in Japanese.
But to be fair and show a darker side (the 'komorebi' of 'Perfect Days'?), those '4ks' appear to be a whitewashing of an earlier 5 k's that were once used to describe work that typical working class Japanese were loathe to do ...
• Kurai（暗い） – Gloomy / Poorly lit / Spiritually depressing ... emotionally taxing or isolating work environments
An extreme example being the Fukushima cleanup which included migrants and asylum seekers, Vietnamese 'technical trainees' (who finally won a court settlement in 2020), overseas workers under specific visa schemes, and transient contractual laborers ("nuclear gypsies"). These groups frequently faced serious issues such as a lack of safety training, low pay, and exploitative working conditions.
Sad to end on such a downer, so when it cools off a bit, let's hit that jazz kissa.
Steve, thanks for your long and nice comment. You made my day!
Of course you are right about work exploitation, sad but true.
When I worked in Shibuya, I used to go to the cinema once a week on average, but now that I spend a lot of time at home, I'm happy with watching films online. It's not the same thing but at least it's cheaper.
To answer your question, a real mansion is called 豪邸 (gōtei) in Japanese.
Please don't worry about me. I actually walked around the Yamanote Line between the end of 2023 and the end of 2024. This particular stretch on November 3, 2023, so it was a rather cool day.
Glad to hear you are human. This heat/humidity is killin'. And I hear you about the movie price. I guess I should be thankful I qualify for an ojisan discount, but even then, I was invited, so I just needed my teiki for the train. At the end of the movie, I was a bit taken aback to see all the little blue-haired ladies piling out of that dark theater ... and they were probably just as surprised to see a little gray haired gaiijin.
I hear you about watching movies from the comfort of home too. I used to hit the jazz clubs and outdoor live shows, maybe my favorite memories were of shaking hands with Herbie Hancock at the old Tokyo BlueNote, chatting with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim at the same place ... and being zonked outta my head at the '90 and then '92 'Select Live Under the Sky' watching the likes of Pat Metheny, Herbie, Wayne Shorter, etc. But now, cost and comfort have me spending some of my favorite moments in solitude browsing through music on YouTube ... though still looking forward to that jazz kissa jaunt with you. Maybe talk you into a fishing trip.
By the way, a new podcaster just popped up in my feed, leaving me a bit confused ... first puzzled, then envious, and then having a laugh at the way of the world ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1tYkIt8rxo.
For 'Truth in Advertising' ... should be retitled, 'Nepo-Baby A.I. Does Japan', or as a Japanese buddy suggested ... 'Japan Does Nepo-Baby A.I.'
I need a beer. And a road-trip.
Maybe a bit of night fishing from the docks of Shimoda.
cafes. Need to visit next time I’m in “town”. And for toilets , Tokyo is definitely one of the world leaders if we look for easy availability. Can’t tell the same about HK or Korea, for example.
We are really spoiled when it comes to toilets. Think about all the convenience stores, department stores, etc. In Italy you have to order something at a cafe for a chance to use the loo.
This was great, Gianni. I can see my local incinerator tower in the distance from my balcony. It's useful to guage the state of the weather (it disappears when the clouds roll in). Apparently, it heats the local swimming pool. It's quite a fine structure.
I like to follow the local rivers in my neihbourhood - they can take you along interesting paths.
Thanks, Jeffrey. Rivers are definitely a great excuse to go out for a walk, though I envy Londoners who can often get very close to the local streams and canals.
Hi Gianni.
Wheww ... you are a better man, or more fit, than I am to walk in this heat.
Good, deep dive into the history of the area (much of this new to me) and a breakdown of the origins of 'manshon'. I've often wondered what they would call a real mansion (not DisneyLand's 'Haunted Mansion') such as Vanderbilt or Biltmore? Maybe the same, but with the correct spelling in romaji?
Glad you mentioned 'Perfect Days' ... a VERY good movie. And yesterday, I tried to beat the heat with yet another gorgeous movie ... Kokuho, (National Treasure). https://kokuhou-movie.com/. Even though I went on a Friday afternoon, the theater was packed, weekends even more so. Recommended, because like Perfect Days, the movie can be appreciated without being fluent in Japanese.
But to be fair and show a darker side (the 'komorebi' of 'Perfect Days'?), those '4ks' appear to be a whitewashing of an earlier 5 k's that were once used to describe work that typical working class Japanese were loathe to do ...
• Kitanai（汚い） – Dirty ... handling waste, grime, or unhygienic environments ... e.g., sanitation work, factory floors
• Kiken（危険） – Dangerous ... risk of injury, exposure to harmful substances, or unsafe machinery ... e.g., construction, nuclear decontamination
• Kitsui（きつい / 苦しい） – Tough / Physically demanding ... hard labor, long hours, or physically exhausting tasks
• Kibishii（厳しい） – Strict / Harsh ... rigid rules, tight supervision, or unforgiving environments
• Kurai（暗い） – Gloomy / Poorly lit / Spiritually depressing ... emotionally taxing or isolating work environments
An extreme example being the Fukushima cleanup which included migrants and asylum seekers, Vietnamese 'technical trainees' (who finally won a court settlement in 2020), overseas workers under specific visa schemes, and transient contractual laborers ("nuclear gypsies"). These groups frequently faced serious issues such as a lack of safety training, low pay, and exploitative working conditions.
Sad to end on such a downer, so when it cools off a bit, let's hit that jazz kissa.
Cheers.
Steve, thanks for your long and nice comment. You made my day!
Of course you are right about work exploitation, sad but true.
When I worked in Shibuya, I used to go to the cinema once a week on average, but now that I spend a lot of time at home, I'm happy with watching films online. It's not the same thing but at least it's cheaper.
To answer your question, a real mansion is called 豪邸 (gōtei) in Japanese.
Please don't worry about me. I actually walked around the Yamanote Line between the end of 2023 and the end of 2024. This particular stretch on November 3, 2023, so it was a rather cool day.
Hey Gianni!
Glad to hear you are human. This heat/humidity is killin'. And I hear you about the movie price. I guess I should be thankful I qualify for an ojisan discount, but even then, I was invited, so I just needed my teiki for the train. At the end of the movie, I was a bit taken aback to see all the little blue-haired ladies piling out of that dark theater ... and they were probably just as surprised to see a little gray haired gaiijin.
I hear you about watching movies from the comfort of home too. I used to hit the jazz clubs and outdoor live shows, maybe my favorite memories were of shaking hands with Herbie Hancock at the old Tokyo BlueNote, chatting with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim at the same place ... and being zonked outta my head at the '90 and then '92 'Select Live Under the Sky' watching the likes of Pat Metheny, Herbie, Wayne Shorter, etc. But now, cost and comfort have me spending some of my favorite moments in solitude browsing through music on YouTube ... though still looking forward to that jazz kissa jaunt with you. Maybe talk you into a fishing trip.
By the way, a new podcaster just popped up in my feed, leaving me a bit confused ... first puzzled, then envious, and then having a laugh at the way of the world ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1tYkIt8rxo.
For 'Truth in Advertising' ... should be retitled, 'Nepo-Baby A.I. Does Japan', or as a Japanese buddy suggested ... 'Japan Does Nepo-Baby A.I.'
I need a beer. And a road-trip.
Maybe a bit of night fishing from the docks of Shimoda.
Cheers Gianni!
I like this type of “oldish”
cafes. Need to visit next time I’m in “town”. And for toilets , Tokyo is definitely one of the world leaders if we look for easy availability. Can’t tell the same about HK or Korea, for example.
We are really spoiled when it comes to toilets. Think about all the convenience stores, department stores, etc. In Italy you have to order something at a cafe for a chance to use the loo.
I would be bankrupt in Italy then as I’m constantly sipping something…
Great piece, so much information! You are well versed in Japanese culture, and it shows.
Thanks, Paul. I'm really have a lot of fun researching and writing this.
What?! You mean the toilet cubicles in Japan are NOT squeaky clean like those in Perfect Days?!
The horror... the horror!!!
This was great, Gianni. I can see my local incinerator tower in the distance from my balcony. It's useful to guage the state of the weather (it disappears when the clouds roll in). Apparently, it heats the local swimming pool. It's quite a fine structure.
I like to follow the local rivers in my neihbourhood - they can take you along interesting paths.
Thanks, Jeffrey. Rivers are definitely a great excuse to go out for a walk, though I envy Londoners who can often get very close to the local streams and canals.