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50 Years of Bullet Trains

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Something I wrote for the Asahi Weekly back in 2002. (I am now aware that The Little Engine that Could is an American book, and said “I thought I could, I thought I could” on the way down.) Trainspotting Most English and Japanese people like trains. Both countries have an extensive rail network, both have groups of avid trainspotters, and both countries love Thomas the Tank Engine. Possibly the two most famous fictional trains in Britain are The Little Engine That Could and The Hogwarts Express. The Little Engine That Could said “I think I can, I think I can,” as he struggled to the top of the mountain and then, “I knew I could, I knew I could” all the way down the other side. The Hogwarts Express left platform nine and three-quarters and took Harry Potter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If these fictional trains actually had to deal with the real British rail system, then the stories might be a little different. The Little Engine That Could would have decided …

Ryukyu-inu

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Ryukyu-inu a.k.a. Ryukyu-ken is a rare breed of dog endemic to Okinawa. My friend Roy who owns Musashi said he had to have an interview before he could get a Ryukyu-inu. Roy had to agree to numerous conditions including not neutering the dog and allowing it to be used for stud if needed. Very much on the wolf end of the domestic dog spectrum, it’s an impressive animal.

Pentax 645Z for Wedding Photographers

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The Pentax 645Z may be the perfect camera for high-end wedding photographers. Of course it may seem like an unusual choice in an industry now dominated by Nikon and Canon, but the 645Z has some advantages over the competition. Can it get the job done? Shooting inside a gloomy church, a makeup room, or at the reception are now possible with ambient light. The new CMOS sensor in the 645Z means that you can use higher ISOs when required. This has been an issue with many other medium format digital cameras including its predecessor the 645D. Rain, no problem. Weather sealing on the body and lenses means you can keep on shooting no matter how “ironic” the wedding day is. Dual memory card slots, giving you redundancy in case of card failure. The “weaknesses” of the 645Z compared to the top of the line DSLR’s in terms of focusing speed and frames per second may be an issue for sports photographers, but unless you have an actual runaway bride it shouldn’t be an issue at …

Koenji Awa Odori, Tokyo

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Koenji Awa Odori, held in Koenji at the end of August, is Tokyo’s version of the Tokushima City Awa Odori dance festival. The dances are similar, but the overall feeling is very different. The performers at the Koenji Awa Odori  wind their way along narrow streets, the sidewalks packed with spectators. Only in certain section are they on larger roads where they can spread out. Taking photographs was easy enough as the dancers awaited the start. Things were trickier when the dancing began as the number of spectators make it difficult to move from one position to another. Overall, an interesting event, especially for those who can’t make it all the way to Shikoku.

Ryukyu Dancer Portraits

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Ryukyu Dancers wearing flower-shaped bamboo hats and Bingata kimono prepare for the Yotsutake dance as part of the performance of “a Cirque ~ Clown Macbeth” at the National Theatre Okinawa. I have just realized it’s the National Theatre Okinawa not the National Theater Okinawa. Usually in Japan, the American spelling of words is more common. Does the use of theatre rather than theater show that the Japanese performing arts see themselves closer to British rather than American traditions.

チャーン – Okinawan Chickens

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While taking Bear for a walk, I saw an Okinawan man feeding his chickens. I stopped and had a little chat with him. A couple of  hours later, I returned with my camera  to get a few pics. Iha-san is 60 and his hobby is looking after his chickens. Many of them are breeds that are only found in Okinawa and called Chan ( チャーン ) Some of his chickens have won awards at the local singing competitions. He showed me photos of him standing with a chicken under one arm, and a trophy in the other. I’ve never been to a singing competition for chickens, but I’ll add it to my list of things to do. Which reminds me, Japanese chickens say kokekoko rather than cock-a-doodle-doo.