Scott

A friend of mine, Scott Tsumura, was here in Tokyo for a one man photo show at Yodobashi Camera's Gallery Instance this month. I wanted to see it and since I happen to be in Tokyo on Wednesdays, I decided to stop in, say hello and look at his work.

I've known Scott for about about 15 years. He and I originally made acquaintance through our wives, a common occurrence for me. He is very much the gentlemen, well spoken, kind and generous. He was nice enough to order a calligraphy piece from me a while ago and I was honored to do it. Over the years we have invited each over for dinner at each other's houses. I have thus had the chance to get a glimpse of his interests which have included sharpshooting, music and now photography.

I have the distinct impression that his other interests have had a direct impact on his photography. Sharpshooting requires great technical skill, attention to detail, patience, breathing, waiting for the right moment and focus. Scott also enjoys classical music. Classical music appreciation trains our ears to listen for themes, tempo, emotional tone, sub-themes and how the parts fit together. The bridge to photography is fairly evident.

On the day I went to see his show I was looking forward to seeing his works up close. Here is what I observed. First there was a naturalness in the faces shot. There is a certain serendipity in getting a great shot, but one also has to be ready to take it. This requires a vigilance, an ability to see or anticipate a moment in time. None of his subjects looked "posed", a difficult accomplishment. There was a story in each shot. Of course this story or drama is supplied by the observer, however there was an emotional impact in each shot that went beyond the beauty of the composition itself. There is an expression in Japan, "One gets tired of a beauty
in three days". I can't imagine getting tired of looking at his photos. This element bridges the gap from craft to art. It gives the piece soul. Next was the composition. This requires an astute eye to edit out the unnecessary and keep only the essential. A good editor leaves in enough detail to provide context while taking out enough to let our imaginations supply our own narrative so that the piece becomes ours. Leave in too much and the piece is dull. Edit too much and it becomes opaque. A cipher.

Scott has a real genius for the snapshot. I look forward to his next show.

This Is What Real Healthcare Looks Like

I'm assuming that most of you can't read this, so I'll give you a rough translation. In the upper right in orange is written: 1. specific health exam coupon.  2. contains a cancer examination coupon. (For holders of national health coverage in Utsunomiya city between the ages of 40 and 74). And get this...it's free. I don't remember getting anything for free health wise in America.  On the other hand I don't remember ever paying for health care based on my ability to pay either. That's another benefit I have in Japan. You never realize how good medical coverage can be until you live under a single payer system.

Case in point. I had an MRI late last year that I paid out of pocket. In Japan the government pays 70% and the patient 30%. This would still end up being exorbitantly expensive in the US as the government cannot use its clout to regulate drug prices or fees for services. But Japan is not the US. My bill was a whopping 6,000 yen. (Approximately 60 dollars). And there were no copays. Just the MRI which was done in a very modern, clean, friendly hospital and the consultation to inform me of the results.

The Japanese seem to take their health care service for granted. Some even grumble about how much they have to pay until I tell them how much I pay for my wife's and my health insurance in the US. Their jaws drop. They stop complaining. They ask me how I can afford it. I let them know that a lot of our discretionary income gets sucked into a health insurance black hole.

I'm fortunate to live in a country where I pay what I can afford for health insurance. I look at the cost of living in the States and see how much it has grown in the past few years. I can pay my American health insurance for the time being. I'm just wondering how everyone else is managing. My guess is that they're not. A lot of them are hoping that they don't get sick or they just manage with critical care. Can I afford to return to America? The answer to that question seems less clear every year.

My Sabbath

Thursday is my holy day. It's the day I do what I believe are sacred activities. I work in a field helping things to grow. I am surrounded by wild creatures, their sounds and activities. I get to talk to other human beings. I am reminded of my insignificance. I am rewarded by whatever blessings mother earth has deemed fit to bestow on me that week. Today was an especially pleasant day.

We've had lots of rain and cool weather recently. I haven't been here long enough to know if this is normal or not. It has felt strangely inordinately cool though. Today was different. It has been sunny and warm, a pleasant change from what I've been experiencing. At the field today our task was to set up poles for the beans we are growing. I was not able to come last week so I was stunned by the amount of growth the beans had achieved in that time. I put bamboo poles in along the row about a yard apart and then strung twine around each pole to keep the beans in and train them up. Each week I learn a new technique. I am grateful for the patience my mentor has for me.

While twining the poles we had visitors. We have a pheasant couple that have claimed the field as their territory. ( I told my mentor, Mr. Maeda, that they had it made. Who else gets territory where people grow your food for you?) Mr. Pheasant had been announcing his presence all afternoon from the edges of the field and finally made his appearance with the Mrs. He was beating and flapping his wings protectively while she was bathing in the fine dirt of the freshly plowed field. They both looked very happy and acted as if they owned the place. They are a cute couple. He, so protective, and she, so reliant on him. They seem to show actual affection toward each other.

In addition to the pheasants crying, the frogs were croaking, the bees were buzzing and the nightingales were singing. What a chorus of life!

We left the field a little early today. My harvest was green onions, greens and herbs: italian parsley, mint, thyme and fennel. I'm going to try to make a carpaccio tonight so I bought a spanish mackerel on my way home. Lets see how it turns out.

Back to work tomorrow, but today I'm thankful again for the opportunity to commune with the earth and friends.

Bringing in the Sheaves

handing out sickles

What a fun day today was! I harvested rice for about five hours today with about twenty other people. While that may not sound like fun to everyone, I had a great time.

This adventure started back in May when I was invited to plant rice at Tanakasan's farm. I wasn't able to attend that event, but I did participate in the harvest which he had kindly invited me to. I enjoy doing new things and meeting new people so I was looking forward to harvest day.

Saturday morning I took the 9:00 am train to Mamada station and as always, rode my folding bike. The farm is in southern Tochigi prefecture, about an hour's total time travel from Utsunomiya station to the farm. On the way I pedaled across the Omoi River (思川）and then past rice fields and farms to Tanakasan's farm in Fujioka, a small village of traditional layout; buildings in the center and fields surrounding. I arrived at 10:00 am, starting time, registered to get my rice, and then we were off to the field.

The field

First we got out sickles, then a lesson in how to cut and stack rice. Rice is planted in bunches and so grows in concentrated little groups in the field. We were taught how to cut the rice at the right height which is fairly low to the ground, and then were shown how to stack it. First you cut about four groupings of rice called a kabu, and then  lay it on the ground. You then cut two more bunches of four and lay those on the first in an X. So there were about twenty of us cutting rice plants and stacking them in Xs throughout the field. This took about an hour and a half, after which we broke for lunch.

Lunch was amazing. Everything was homemade and local except the fish. We had new rice made from the last crop that had been dried a few weeks before, simmered Chinese melon, sweet potatoes and squash simmered in soy sauce, cucumber and eggplant pickles, hokke and sanma, which are quite oily  fish, sweet deep fried tofu skins stuffed with new rice, and for dessert, deliciously cold figs, grapes and pear apples. What a treat!

After lunch it was back to the field to tie the sheaves and hang them from a bamboo rack. We were taught how to tie the sheaves with straw which was easier than I thought. I learned first so I ended up teaching a lot of the Japanese how to do it. You take about four or five strands of straw, wrap them around the sheave, tie it in a half hitch, twist the loose ends together as if making a straw rope, and then slip it behind the half hitch. It stays. It works. It's simple. It's ingenious. It's a dying art.

how to stack rice

Everyone got into the act. We gathered sheaves, tied them up and hung them upside down on the rack. Everyone did something. Some tied sheaves, some hung them. The little kids chased frogs and watched the guppies in the irrigation ditches. It was hot, but everyone worked hard. It was fun. We even gleaned so there was not much waste.

figs from the farm

It was impressive that the process had almost no waste. The rice straw will be used to tie sheaves next year and the rice will be eaten, of course. It's a seamless process so different from the agriculture I see nowadays.

We finished up at about 3:00. The people from Tokyo set off home by car. The carless were chauffeured to Nogi station for the train ride back home, and I set off on my bike back to Mamada station. Again, riding past rice fields with tassels heavy, others where harvest was taking place, across the Omoi River again, up a long, but not so steep hill to Mamada station.

hanging rice sheaves

After arrival it was the ritual of taking the bike apart, putting its cover on, taking the elevator to the platform, waiting for the train, strapping it to a bar and finding a seat. I was beat, but happy. A great day being with nice folks. I am a lucky guy.

Boston Bombings

I was at my paper craft class in Tokyo last night and the topic of the Boston Marathon bombings came up. Of course, the discussion centered around how horrible the events were: a little boy was killed among the three deceased and so many others were wounded. I said that I too was saddened by the tragedy, but did they know that the United States kills innocent people, men, women and children by the hundreds in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia and no one seems to care. I told them that you reap what you sow.

Whenever a terrorist event happens in the United States you can always count on: the president consoling the nation, demanding justice for the crime, the media immediately blaming muslims for the act before any evidence is found, a total lack of attention on WHY it happened, only WHAT happened, a rally by the citizenry around the flag, much wailing about why "they" hate us and Congress taking advantage of the situation to institute more draconian laws and restrict our freedom. This time, unusually, there were a number of people out there who actually seemed aware of the possible whys to this incident.

It is understandable that people here in Japan do not understand what happened in Boston. The media here is as focused on the what as is the American media. And for similar reasons. The national broadcasting company is beholden to the government which is not interested in offending the United States, especially now that its nuclear umbrella is giving cover to Japan from the nuclear clamoring of North Korea. Additionally, although the private media is very good at covering the lives of the rich and famous, it is not so good at covering real news other than the weather or crime. Getting informed about what is happening in the world depends on personal responsibility in looking for credible sources that are not in the pockets of corporations.

Their reaction to the event and its cause was very telling of the lack of background most people bring to the issue of terrorism. Sympathy for the victims and ignorance of the cause. While I am appreciative of the sympathy, it would be nice to see more understanding of the reasons behind this tragedy. Not only the tragedy in Boston, but the tragedy in Chechnya where the perpetrators came from and the muslim world in general.

ごぼう

１１月の下旬。ようやく宇都宮市内で紅葉はしていて、日が早く暮れて来たのに実感するようになった今頃。山々のてっぺんがうっすらと雪に覆われている光景も見える。日によってうんと寒かったり、ぽかぽかしたりしている。宇都宮らしい秋だ。

普段あっちこっちへ英語を教えに通勤で何時間も費やしている僕にとって、木曜日はゆっくりする唯一の日だ。そして、もっとも楽しみにしているのは畑仕事。その季節その季節の変化を一番よく伝えてくれるのは自然界だと思う。畑は毎週のようにすこしずつ変わって、いつの間にか新しい変化を教えてくれる。今月は紅葉観賞とともにごぼうの収穫。

ごぼうって、収穫するのはこんなに大変なものとは知らなかった。初めてなので、手取り足取りで先生が掘り方を丁寧に教えてくれる。ごぼうの両脇に深い溝を掘って少しずつ周りの土をどかす。充分柔らかくなったら抜いてみる。ただ、それが出来るまでは結構深く掘らなければならない。途中でぼきっと割れてほしくないからだ。掘れば掘るほど柔らかい表土が固い粘土になっていく。汗が沸き、ごぼうの根っこの長さにおったまげる。「いったいどのぐらいあるだろう？」と思い始めながらも、根っこはいっさい細くならない。抜いてみる。折れてしまう。やばい。でも仕方がない。その日、先生が言ったことは一つ記憶に残る。「堆肥しかやっていないのに、これだけ太くなったごぼうはきっと味がうまいだろう」と。

自然は凄い。ごぼうの力も凄い。土が固い粘土でもちゃんと貫いていく。太く太く貫いてゆく。ごぼうは食べ物でもあり、土をおこす機械でもある。でも、自然と言うもののペースがある。焦らない。めげない

若きサイクリストとの対話

今日、大学の自転車愛好会の一員大木このみさんと対話させてもらった。熱心な若きサイクリストなので、宇都宮の自転車事情を新しい視線から見てもらおうと思い、このインタビューをお願いした。大木さんは宇都宮出身で本格的なサイクリングに取りかかったのは１年半ほど前からだそうだ。

スミス：サイクリングに興味を持ち出した理由は何だったんですか？
大木：高校のときに学校に行く時に全てが嫌になって、家出みたいにちょっと遠くへ言っちゃったんですね。その時に結局１００キロぐらい超えちゃったんですけれど。自転車って結局どこまでも行けるなと思って，なんか無限の可能性を感じた。それからもう自転車に夢中でした。
スミス：宇都宮でサイクリングして，良いと思ったのは何でしょう？
大木：宇都宮には有名なチームがあって、宇都宮ブリッツと言うチームがあるんですが，その自転車のチームがあるおかげで、いろいろ自転車について活性化されていると思います。あとジャパンカップという大きな大会がアジアで一番大きな自転車の大会なんですけど、それが宇都宮で開かれる、毎年。で、自転車に関してはとても賑やかな町だと思います。
スミス：宇都宮の自転車インフラをどう思います？
大木：全国的に見たら進んでいる方だと思いますけど、実際に自転車に乗っている側から言わしてもらえばあまり足りている状況ではないと思います。
スミス：ブルーの自転車専用車線を使います？
大木：あれば使っています。一応、自転車乗るときは車道を走っているので、自動的に青いラインを使うのんですが、見てみると段差があるのに歩道に上がらなきゃいけなかったりとか、そういうところでまだ問題があると思います。
スミス：全国的に見たところ、宇都宮の自転車インフラが結構充実しているとの意見みたいですが、それはどうしてでしょう？どういうところが？
大木：宇都宮で自転車に乗っている人が結構、森林公園と言うところ、ジャパンカップで使われるところなんですけれど、でトレーニングをすんですけど、そっちの方には自転車の人用のコンビニがあったり、で使う人が結構一杯なんで、自転車を置く、他のコンビににないんですけれど，かけるラックがあったりするんです。
スミス：どうして人は割合と乗らないでしょうか？
大木：あれですね。交通機関はあまり発達していないので田舎に行けば行くほど車とか多くなるんです。
スミス：自転車に乗る人達の割合を増やすにはどうしたら良いと思いますか？
大木：やっぱりみんな固定観念がきつい、疲れると言うイメージを持っている人が多いと思うんです。
スミス：危険と言うイメージがあります？
大木：それはあります。宇都宮はよく。。。私はずっと宇都宮なので他の地域と比較することはできないんですけれど、他の県から働きにくる人は栃木の人の運転は怖いと仰っています。私もこの間事故しちゃった。
スミス：緩和対策は何か良い案あります？
大木：自転車って、結局免許とかないんで、交通ルール知らなくても、誰でも乗ることができるじゃないですか。そこに問題があると思います。あまり交通ルールを知らないけれど乗っていると言うことは他の人を危険にさらしている可能性が充分にあり得ると思って、ちょっと問題かなと思います。
スミス：設備にも問題があると思います？
大木：そうですね。基本的に自転車は車道を走ることになっているんですけど、あまり車道を乗っている人を見なくて、歩道を歩行者避けながら結構なスピードで走っている人が結構多いんです。朝とか登校の時間帯になると高校生と学生と社会人も自転車に乗っている人がいらしゃって、急いでいる人とか見たりして、危ないですね。
スミス：歩道を走る一番の理由は何だと思いますか？
大木：車道は危険とか細い。車も結構通っているのに自転車が通る隙間が殆どない。
スミス：じゃ、ある程度、仕方がないと思います？改善されない限り。
大木：そうですね。改善するとどこの道路も殆どその状態なので改善は結構お金がかかっちゃう。でもいつかは変えないとまずいと思います。
スミス：サイクリングを友達に勧めています？
大木：それは勧めています。車より環境にいいとか。乗っていると凄く気持ちいいのを分かってもらいたい。運動は健康につながることも。
スミス：自転車クラブがあります？
大木：宇大には自転車愛好会というサーカルがあって、私はそこに所属しています。ただ、人数はやっぱり少ないですね。２０人位しか。
スミス：どういう催しものをしているんですか？
大木：ま、レースをやりたい人はやっているんですが、殆どはツーリングって、どこかご飯を食べに行ったりと言う方とちょっと遠くにという活動ですね。いろは坂をのぼりにいくとか。
スミス：はい、分かりました。とりあえず、今回はこの辺までですが、また是非宇都宮のサイクリング情報を教えて下さい。