#Things to see in Kanazawa

[teatreeoilll]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 (𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

˚• . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . •

w/c - 1.2k content - fem!reader, hurt/comfort??, ain't nobody really gonna divorce this man i mean, please

• . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° . • . ° .•

For the past two months, once every two weeks on Thursday afternoons, Higuruma Hiromi finds himself on a leather chair in the stifling offices of Hayashi Divorce Law. Hayashi himself is a walrus-looking man with nicotine-stained fingers and an expensive wristwatch, who leans back in his chair across the desk from Hiromi, unbuttons the top button of his Italian blazer, and eyes him with a grin that says “I’ll clean you out before you can finish saying divorce.”

The worst of it comes when you enter the room. You sit down by Hayashi, getting trapped by the scent of the walrus’s sour cologne and stacks of papers on the desk, without so much as a glance in Hiromi’s direction.

Hiromi’s throat dries up the more he sits and nods along to Hayashi’s words. He doesn’t remember much about equitable distribution from law school and he doesn’t care to - the only thing he does is tug on the wrinkled fabric of his suit and mutter variations of “Alright” and “You can have it”.

After the first meeting was over, and you left the room leaving nothing but a whiff of perfume that soon dissipated into nothing, Hayashi turned to him and furrowed his bushy brows “Didn’t your ex-wife say you’re a lawyer, Mr. Higuruma?”

To which Hiromi replied “My wife,” while clinging to the last unsigned papers that would make this statement false.

By the fourth meeting, he’s a wreck. While he sits and nods along, Hiromi notices you’re looking at him with a hint of concern in your eyes. As you open your mouth his mind fills with hope. He’d drop to his knees without a second thought for a “It’s a mistake” or just a simple “let's go home” - even though it’s your home now since he’d forfeited it a month ago.

But when you finally open your mouth, after two months of silence, the only words he hears are “What about the car?”

Hiromi looks up at you. The car. A navy blue Ford Sedan with it’s best years behind it much like himself. A Ford Sedan which only four years prior got its old wheels stuck in the wet sand of a Kanazawa beach, causing the both of you to stay the night in a nearby motel.

He remembered the motel room's crumbling ceiling and the scale models of ships that lined the shelves - below them a bed with azure sheets - which you collapsed on with a grumble, cursing out both the damn Sedan and its fucking wheels. All he could think of was how beautiful you looked with that shade of azure surrounding your skin - and by morning you’d called out his name so many times he forgot it had a meaning outside of your lips.

He’s silent for a long time. So long your confidence wavers a bit, “We can sell it,” you say, “take half of the money each.”

Hiromi awakes from his mind trip to Kanazawa and reality knocks the wind out of his lungs. “You can have it.”

“I mean it,” you shoot a look at Hayashi who looks displeased with the sudden display of kindness, “we can sell it and split the money.”

“You can have it.” Higuruma says, and Hayashi grins.

It’s already dark by the time Hiromi steps out in the hall. It takes him a few steps towards the elevator and a squint of his tired eyes to see you standing by it. It’s alright - he’ll just take the stairs.

“You don’t have to do that,” you tell him when he passes behind you. You press on the elevator button again. It’s been stuck on the 17th floor for a while now.

“It’s alright.” He assures, continuing his path to the stairwell.

“No. It’s not alright. Nothing’s been alright for a year now. Now wait here for the goddamn elevator.”

By the tone of your voice he knows he hasn’t got a choice. He takes his place next to you, shifting his gaze between the silver elevator doors, and the little screen that keeps showing “17” without any sign of movement.

A few minutes go by and there’s still no sign of the elevator. Your leg bounces on the marble floor and your lips purse before you let out a silent “What’s wrong with you?”

“Huh?” Hiromi blinks. The elevator doors ding open. The man and a woman inside move to make room for you, but you motion to them to go down, mouthing ‘we’ll take the next one’. The elevator closes.

“I said ‘what’s wrong with you.’” You turn to him. “I’m robbing you blind and you don’t say anything. So what the hell’s wrong with you?”

“You can have anything you want.” He says, noticing you haven’t pressed the button to call the elevator again.

“That’s not what I asked -”

“You can have anything you want,” He repeats. “Just don’t make me come and listen to which bits of our life you’d like to sell and which to split. Take what you like, really - Whatever’s left will remind me of you anyway and I don’t think I’ll be able to stand looking at it without -” Going insane, he wants to say, but when he sneaks a look at your face he swallows the words. The crease he got used to seeing between your eyebrows vanishes.

“I’m not making you come, you know.” You say, “If you signed it all away after the first meeting we wouldn’t have to go through this.”

He can’t make himself tear his gaze off of your face, “I know.” His fingers press down on the fabric of his suit, “But if I did that I wouldn’t have a reason to see you again.”

“Don’t say things like that.” You press the elevator button again. This time, it arrives in a flash. You step inside, and Hiromi follows. The doors slip shut.

“Then don’t divorce me.”

The floor numbers change, a rapid countdown - 12 - 11 - 10. Hiromi’s mind races. He really pushed it this time - and even though he doesn’t have anything left to lose - his heart plummets together with the elevator.

“Fine.”

“Huh?” Hiromi’s eyes stick to the numbers still, 10 - 9 - 8. He’s not sure if it’s an auditory hallucination that’s speaking.

“I said ‘fine.’”

His hand finds the emergency stop button and smashes it in. The elevator rattles before it halts.

“Did you say -”

“I won’t repeat it again.”

And you really don’t need to. A moment later you’re pressed between his warm body and the cool metal lining the elevator car. His kiss is a desperate one - open-mouthed, all teeth and tongue - with his hands running under your blouse to relish in the warmth of your skin. You tangle one hand in his hair while the other’s clinging to a fistful of his suit jacket.

Hiromi detaches from your mouth, only for a second - which is enough for you to catch a glimpse of his flushed face - before leaving a trail of gentle kisses down your neck. Unlike his lips, his hands aren’t gentle in the slightest, they hold a tight grip on your waist under your blouse - as if he’s afraid you’ll disappear the moment he releases it.

Hayashi stands by the elevator, looking at the screen that shows “7” without any sign of movement. His face grows tomato red. Two interns stand at the edge of the hall, looking at him.

“What’s he so pissed about it?” One asks.

“It’s the elevator.” The other motions to the number on the tiny screen, “If it’s stuck too long on one floor it means a couple’s doing it inside. If they’re doing it inside they’re not divorcing - and if they’re not divorcing Hayashi’s not getting paid.”

[maleyanderecafe]

A story about how the kind senior who lives next door is actually a dangerous person (Oneshot)

Created by: Amamiya Akuta

Genre: Smut

Back with my debut with more male yandere translations. This one is very similar to It's All About Love where the premise is very simple and jumps right into the smut pretty much right away. If you like what I translate, consider supporting me on ko-fi.

The story starts out Kanazawa stopping Shinoya to give her a drink and walk her home, to which she obliges. She reminices how the two met in college, with Kanazawa helping her study for tests and tutoring her. While walking back, Kanazawa is able to steal Shinoya's keys while distracting her. Kanazawa after drinking, really needs to pee and can't find her keys, leading to her begging Shinoya to help her open the door. Kanazawa promises on the condition they have sex, which Shinoya has no choice but to agree with. After finally getting into the apartment and relieving herself, Kanazawa jumps on her. Shinoya rejects him and when Kanazawa asks if she hates him, she admits to liking him. Kanazawa ends up kissing her afterwards, and as Shinoya tries to run, he pins her down and ties her up. He admits to her that he stole her key and took pictures of her in the bathroom which freaks her out. They basically have sex, with Kanazawa jumping to the conclusion that since they kissed they are now dating. At the end, Kanazawa ends up keeping her keys even stating that they will live in a big apartment together.

So as I said, pretty short, though I was seriously worried that this oneshot might have piss in it given the nature of her really needing to pee before going to the apartment (which is...a strange thing to happen, I mean are there no other bathrooms nearby the apartment). At least Shinoya did try to leave the situation, though unfortunately Kanazawa was already one step ahead of her. It's too bad we never see why Kanazawa actually liked Shinoya since I think that would have been pretty fun to see. In terms of yandere actions, blackmailing, stealing her keys, possibly drugging her and of course forcing everyone to stay together at the end. He seems to be at least a little delusional given he thinks that one kiss means that they're already dating and he wants to buy them a giant house at the end.

Overall, short yandere story that's pretty good, though could be expanded on. If you liked It's All About Love, you'll probably like this one too.

[tenjin-no-shinja]

供物・奉納物・神宝: Offerings, Votives, and Sacred Treasures

神饌・御神酒とは

There are many ways to worship the kami, but the most basic is kumotsu 供物 (offerings).  Among the various kinds of kumotsu, food is the most common, there are two ways to offer food, first is to cook it (called jukusen 熟饌), the second is to offer it as the raw ingredients (called seisen 生饌).  These are called shinsen 神饌.  Some festivals offer extravagant cooked meals, but after the war the number of shrines offering the raw ingredients increased.

What is considered food offerings differs between shrines, but rice, sake (called omiki 御神酒), and water are essential.  Also mochi (rice cakes) are emphasized at festivals.

初穂と直会

The first harvest, or catch of the year (hatsumono 初物) was thought to be filled with special vital energy, and was therefore offered to the kami.  In the case of rice this was called hatsuho 初穂 (lit. first ears).

The hatsuho are offered to the kami in order to increase their spiritual energy, and protect the region.  Those who participated then partake in eating the offerings after the festival is over.  This is called naorai 直会, because the offerings contain the spiritual power of the kami, it was believed that eating the offerings would keep people healthy, and ward off evil.

Diagram of Offerings (神饌）

At the top you’ll see the sacred mirror called a shinkyō 神鏡, below from left to right, top to bottom labelled in blue are

♡ 餅 Mochi: rice cakes (typically they’re both white, but in the picture you can see a pink and white one, which is associated with the Kanazawa region)

♡ 酒 Sake: rice wine, the tall white containers are called heishi 瓶子, usually in a pair 

♡ 米 Kome: rice, usually uncooked (cooked rice is typically called ご飯 gohan)

♡ 魚 Sakana: fish, in the picture the fish is a red sea bream or Tai (yes the same tai as in taiyaki) which is a particularly auspicious fish

♡ 野菜 Yasai: vegetables, featured are daikon, carrots, cucumbers, and I think a radish and onion

♡ 水 Mizu: water, this is held in a short round jar called the mizutama 水玉

♡ 塩 Shio: salt, sometimes you’ll see outside of restaurants or stores little piles of salt to ward off misfortune.

♡ 果物 Kudamono: fruit, features are pineapple, bananas, pear, apple, and oranges

玉串・御幣とは

Not all offerings are offered before the kami.  Since large quantities, huge or immovable objects like land, cannot be offered, an inventory of the items is offered, or a priest will report on the donations with a congratulatory prayer, called a norito 祝詞.

In addition, since modern times, the number of people who are making monetary offerings instead of offerings of objects has increased.  Because of this sort of thing, tamagushi 玉串, which symbolize various offerings are used during the ceremony where visitors to the shrine enter the prayer hall. By dedicating it to the kami, the worshipers show their gratitude and respect for them. (More on etiquette on page 53).

Gohei 御幣 are another offering.  At first offerings of cloth etc… were made using sticks,, but gradually they became more formalized, with white, silver and gold, and five-colored paper streamers on a staff.  Since it was placed before the kami, it came to be believed to be the dwelling place of their spirit, and became viewed as their goshintai 御神体, sacred body, and was used during purification rituals.

One Way to make Shide

The diagram in the above photo shows an example of how to make the white zig-zag streamers

① Fold the paper in half

② Make 3 incisions about 2/3 of the length as shown above.

③ Hold the left edge and fold back to the front, starting from the left cutout.

紙垂について

Shide 紙垂 paper streamers are attached to tamagushi, gohei, and shimenawa.  Nowadays most shide are made of paper, but in the past cotton (made from mulberry fibers used to make washi paper), and hemp fibers were used.  Although it is not known why the shide were originally attached to tamagushi and shimenawa, they’re believed to have been used to invite, or be possessed by the kami.  The “kezurikake,” a ritual tool used in the “little new year” (festival held on January 15th), is also thought to have a similar meaning, as one end of a stick is made into a tassel by shavings thin layer of skin.

The above is a general way of making shide, but there are many other ways to make them.  In some places, shide unique to each region are handed down, and they are sometimes used in different ways depending on the ritual.

神宝とは

When one thinks of treasure, they often assume gold, silver, and wealth, but shinpō 神宝, or sacred treasures, are inherently different from those.  The three kinds of sacred treasures are: spiritual treasures related to the kami, various tools prepared for the kami, and valuable objects offered to the shrine.

“Spiritual treasures related to the kami” in the narrowest sense of the term, are sacred treasures, and are sometimes used as sacred objects in shrines (goshintai).  It also believed that many of them were once symbols of ancient tribes’ royal authority (also called regalia).  The typical example of these are the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan (Sanshu no Jinki 三種の���器).

三種の神器と十種神宝

The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan are the 3 spiritual treasures of the imperial family: Yata no Kagami Mirror, Yasakanino Magatama, and Kusanagi no Tsurugi Sword(八咫鏡・八尺瓊勾玉・草薙剣).  The Yata no Kagami mirror and Kusanagi no Tsurugi sword are currently enshrined as the goshintai at Ise Jingū Naikū and Atsuta Jingū, with the divided spirit of them enshrined at the imperial palace (a process called bunrei 分霊).

Among the sacred treasures representing the royal authority of the imperial family, are the Ten Sacred Treasures (Tokusanokandakara 十種神宝). These are said to have been brought by the ancestor of the Monobe Clan, Nigihayahi no Mikoto, to earth from Takamagahara, and were said to have the miraculous power to bring the dead back to life.

The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan

The pictures above show the 3 treasures: Yata no Kagami, Yasakanino Magatama, and Kusanagi no Tsurugi.

♡ Yata no Kagami: at Ame no Iwato, in order to lure Amaterasu Ōmikami from the cave, Ishikoridome no Mikoto (伊斯許理度売命) crafted it.  Outside the cave, Ame no Koyane no Mikoto (天児屋命) and Futodama no Mikoto (布刀玉命) put the mirror up.

♡ Yasakanino Magatama: is several large magatama (comma shaped beads) linked in a necklace. Like the Yata no Kagami, it is also a sacred treasure to try and lure Amaterasu Ōmikami from the cave, and was crafted by Tama no Oya no Mikoto (玉祖命).  Both Yata (八咫) and Yasa (八尺) mean large.

♡ Kusunagi no Tsurugi: when Susano’o no Mikoto slayed the serpent Yamaha no Orochi, it is said this sword appeared from his tail.

Diagram of the Ten Sacred Treasures

In order from left to right, top to bottom

♡ 沖津鏡 Okitsu Kagami

♡ 辺津鏡 Hetsu Kagami 

♡ 八握剣 Yatsuka no Tsurugi

♡ 生玉 Ikutama

♡ 死返玉 Makarukaeshi no Tama

♡ 足玉 Tarutama

♡ 道返玉 Chikaeshi no Tama

♡ 蛇比礼 Orochi no Hire

♡ 蜂比礼 Hachi no Hire

♡ 品物之比礼 Kusagusa no Mono no Hire

さまざまな神宝

The diagram above is a reproduction of an ancient drawing of the Ten Sacred Treasures, but it is just a representation of their function, not their form.  What is noteworthy of the Ten Sacred Treasures is that they are composed of a mirror, a sword, a jewel (magatama), and a hire.  Of these the mirrors, swords, and jewels are common to the Three Sacred Treasures.  As mentioned previously (p.19), these three are often regarded as sacred objects, and it is clear that they were the most important spiritual treasures to ancient Japanese people.

The “hire,” which is not included in the Three Sacred Treasures, similar to a scarf today.  In the myths regarding Ōkuninushi no Kami, there is also a hire with the spiritual ability to repel snakes and bees.

On the other hand, sacred treasures prepared for the kami include  clothes, decorations for shrine buildings, daily necessities such as cosmetic tools, swords and other weapons, musical instruments, and stationary. 

遷宮のたびに作り直される神宝

Every 20 years, during Ise Jingū’s Sengū ceremony, the shrine buildings within the grounds are rebuilt.  Not only that but the 714 types of sacred treasures, numbering to 1,576 are rebuilt exactly as they were before.  This is so the kami can use the brand-new items. 

Other shrines do not have the same tradition as Ise Jingū, so this is not possible, but new treasures are sometimes dedicated for commemorative events. 

Many of the treasures donated by worshippers are works of art.  In the Middle Ages, samurai who prayed for long-lasting military fortune dedicated swords and other kinds of armor to the shrine.

The cat says: “Shinpō were transformed from a spiritual tool, to a daily necessity for the kami.”

Whoa boy this was a long one, 4 whole pages of information translated for your convenience. Once again a minor disclaimer that I’m not a native speaker, I do these to help myself learn more vocabulary, but also practice my translation skills every now and then.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I love BTS and their in-group dynamics they are all so precious and adore each other and it's all 100% genuine it's one of the things that made me an instant fan. But there's something about JM and JK that stands out in a unique way. they are special (or what they have is special) and I see some type of commitment between them that goes beyond even in the context of the band commitment if it makes sense. it's sad that they receive so much hate but I think it's because even the haters see it

*

Ask 2:

Jikook in Tokyo again😭❤️

***

Not all the haters see it. In fact, a big chunk of them certainly don’t see anything significantly special about jikook’s relationship. Understandably, since they don’t even like looking at them. We’re talking about people who deliberately choose to boycott music and content because it has other members on it. They’d go as far as not supporting Jimin or Jungkook’s content simply because they don’t want to see another member. Has this member actually committed any crime? No, his crime is that they hate him for whatever reason. That’s the thing about hate, it causes such insane but predictable behaviours in certain types of people that the outcome is expected but no less sad.

A lot of the people who hate Jimin actually do hate him. They’re obsessed, yes, most stans in this space are, but they’re fundamentally twisted in that they get their dopamine hits by being awful, sadistic, conspiratorial people to the members and to other fans. This latest hate campaign against Jimin reminds me of November 2018, but that incident was even worse than this believe it or not. Celebrity isn’t always worth much in the military, but in BTS’s case, it is worth more than zero. And that’s good enough. The military would be beyond stupid to let something happen to the leader of BTS and to any of the members under their watch. The military has already suffered the embarrassment that was Jin’s nurse incident, so I doubt they’d be keen to repeat their display of incompetence again so soon after that one.

This is exactly the sort of issue that should be quietly reported and brigaded. In a way I’m doing that effort a disservice by talking about it here, but the point is this isn’t the time for gotchas. Jimin and Jungkook are the priority.

*

I know they’ll have fun in Japan. This is a lovely time to be in Tokyo, Kanazawa too is lovely this time of the year, right when things are just crisp and it isn’t yet too cold. I don’t know what their plans are there but I know they’ll have a good time.

Jimin eats very well. That’s one of my favourite things about him. He eats like someone who enjoys good food. I love that for him, the spicier the food is the better, because that’s how it is with me too. Jung Kook too likes to eat. So yeah I think this jikook travel show is a match made in Heaven.

They’re a good match in so many ways. In their own words, they “click”. Their temperaments complement each other perfectly. Seeing this happen time after time, year after year, has been such a joy. I’m eagerly looking forward to this show.

[kfkr1ze]

Vividly Colored Imagination - Chapter 7

Characters — ✈︎ Akuta, Kiroku, Nanaki, Muneuji, Ushio, Sakujiro

Location: Hotel Room

Kiroku: Ah… It’s around… time to… get going… the ele…vator… will get crowded and… we might be late……

Nanaki: Ah, you’re right. Let’s get packed.

Akuta: I’m gonna brush my teeth real quick!

Kiroku: Mm……

Nanaki: (Those things… I wonder if he’s going to pack them in that bag.)

(In order to remake the song for the HosLive, I need to know more about Kiroku.)

(And to do that… I need to learn about those finger puppets. I have a feeling they’re the root of Kiroku’s personal life.)

Kiroku: …W……What is it?

Nanaki: Ah, no, it’s nothing…

Kiroku: ?

Nanaki: (However, if I suddenly asked him, “Hey, did you bring those finger puppets? ” I’m sure he’d shut down…)

(If that happens, all the understanding we had with each other would go right out the window.)

Kiroku: Are you…done?

Nanaki: Huh!? Sorry, yeah I’m done, let’s go.

Kiroku: Y-Yeah. Isotaーー

Nanaki: No, wait. 

Kiroku: ?

Nanaki: (Akuta takes a while to finish brushing his teeth. Considering the fact that we’re doing a lot of group activities later in the day, the best chance I have to talk would be now, while we’re alone… But, it’s not the kind of thing we should talk about so early in the morning…)

Um… Uh…

(Ah, this is bad. I’m starting to get nervous…)

Kiroku: (Nanamegi… is wearing a very serious expression… Maybe… he’s mad at me… for some reason…?

Nanaki: Soーー

(Knocking)

Nanaki & Kiroku: !! Y-Yes?

Sakujiro: It is about time for us to meet up, so I would appreciate it if you all got yourselves ready to depart.

Nanaki: O-Okaay!

Sorry. Let’s go, Kiroku. Akuta, it’s time to go already.

Akuta: Kaaay!

Nanaki: (It’s no use. I’ll just have to find the perfect chance to get the both of us alone somewhere…)

Kiroku: ……?

Location: Kenroku-en

Kaede: And when you’re talking about the Kenroku-en[1], you have to visit the Kotoji Toro lantern!

Akuta: Apparently. the map of the park says there’s some sorta… scenic view? It looks interesting, so I wanna go there to take some shots!

Nanaki: (Okay, it seems like we can split off without raising any flags now…)

Kiroku, could the two of usーー

Sakujiro: Now now, everyone. We need to take pictures for the company newsletter, so please gather with your backs facing away like so.

Nanaki: Sorry, later is fine.

Kiroku: O-Okay…?

Ushio: ………?

Nanaki: Hey, Kiroーー

Kaede: Y’know, this pond is really interesting, because the scenery can change depending on where you’re standing. Over there is an island in the shape of a turtle.

Kiroku: A turtle island……? I wanna… see…

Nanaki: Ah…

Ushio: ………

Nanaki: (I-It’s no use…)

(I can’t find the perfect chance for us to be alone at all!)

Ushio: Looks like you're having fun with your little switch up.

Nanaki: ……What switch up?

Ushio: I’m just talking about how you’re switching from Chief to Buddha Statue now. You’ve been fidgeting this whole time, like a middle schooler who’s about to confess their feelings on a school trip.

Nanaki: Hah? You’re wrong though.

About the switching up thing… I don’t have any particular feelings about anyone to really switch from anyways…

Ushio: Huuh, is that so. Well, I don’t care anyways.

Nanaki: If that’s the case, then leave me alone alreaーー

Muneuji: What’s going on, you guys?

Nanaki: Muneuji…

(Right. If it’s Muneuji, maybe he could help me out…)

Actually, I’ve been meaning to get some alone time with Kiroku to talk about the tour that we’re hosting, but I can’t seem to find any…

Muneuji: I understand. Then, I will help you out.

Kaede: Everyone, let’s go to the nextーー

Muneuji: Chief. I would like to go and see the Kanazawa Castle that was built by the Maeda Clan.

Kaede: We’re planning to go to the Kanazawa Castle after we finish visiting all of the Kenroku-en, so if you can please hold on a little longer.

Muneuji: I’ve been really looking forward to seeing the castle. I’ve been preparing myself mentally to see just a glimpse of it, so I really wanted to go. 

Kaede: Maybe we can see the outside of it from inside the park…? Should we go check?

Akuta: Then I guess I’ll just stay with Kiroku andー……

Muneuji: Wait, Isotake. My BPM is getting higher. I feel as if I’m going to faint from excitement, so I would like it if you were to help me out.

Akuta: Leave it to me!

Muneuji: Please help me out too, Karigane-sensei.

Sakujiro: I feel as if I have been roped into this far too quickly, but I do not mind. 

Kaede: Then, have fun I guess…?

Akuta & Sakujiro: Grab!

Muneuji: Hm. This position makes me feel like I am trapped by an alien, so it’s quite comforting. 

Chief, I would like you to show me the way, Let us go!

Ushio: Take your time～ I’m gonna take a break at the tea shop.

Kiroku: Eh… I… um……

Nanaki: (Muneuji… That was kinda forceful, but you got the two of us alone together!)

Kiroku, do you wanna sit over there?

Kiroku: Ah, sure……

Kiroku: ……

Nanaki: ……

Kiroku: ………

Nanaki: Ah… Nice weather… we’re having.

Kiroku: ……………

Nanaki: The air feels nice and fresh too. It makes it feel like it’s easier to breathe.

Kiroku: ………………

(It’s just like I thought… He’s definitely mad at me for some reason……)

Nanaki: (Aaghh～ Why the hell am I dragging this out…! This is just like Ushio said, I’m acting like a middle schooler who can’t confess to their crush…!)

Ahem. …Sorry for the sudden change in topics. The truth is, um…

There’s something I need to talk to you about. I talked to Muneuji and got him to get us both alone together. 

Kiroku: Eh…?

Nanaki: It’s about the okiagari doll that you made for me.

Kiroku: (So he hated it after all…!?)

Nanaki: After I saw it, I thought there was no way that I can keep things as they are.

Kiroku: ……? What… are you…

Nanaki: The HosLive song that I wrote for you. If I made something like that, barely scratching the surface…

That wouldn’t be good. I want it to resonate more deeply and move you to your core.

I wanna do my best to make something that matches your level of work…!

Kiroku: Nana…megi…

Nanaki: In order to do that, I need to know you on a deeper level.

For example, um… those finger puppets that you cherish so much… and stuff.

Kiroku: ……!

Nanaki: I’d be happy if you told me about them. Only if you want to, of course…

Kiroku: ………

Nanaki: (Maybe I went too fast…?)

Nanaki: I’m sorry, just forget this conversation happenedーー

Kiroku: Youーー might… think it’s… weird.

Nanaki: Eh?

Kiroku: I know that you might, but…

Nanaki: If you think that’s weird, then…

That goat plushie you see on my bed in the dorm room? I actually can’t sleep well without it. Even at my age.

Kiroku: ……!

Nanaki: Maybe you already had somewhat of an idea about it… Akuta already knows too.

Kiroku: … Well, that plushie… is cute, so. I can understand… depending on it…

Nanaki: A…Ahaha…

Kiroku: My friends are… also cute… to me though.

Nanaki: Your friends…

Kiroku: Apparently they are… called imaginary friends… I read it… in a library book.

Ever since… I was an elementary schooler… on my way home from art school… I met them for the first time… in a tunnel.

Ever since then, those five were… always… with me. Whenever I was in trouble… I’d talk to them.

Nanaki: ………

Kiroku: Whenever I have… trouble speaking… it feels like I can’t breathe… Talking to them… feels like my ribs are… expanding… and it helps me.

Nanaki: Your ribs?

Kiroku: Mhm… Just like… everyone in the Day Squad helps… me feel like my… lungs are inflating…

Nanaki: …So that’s how it is.

Kiroku: Here.

Nanaki: !

Kiroku: The one on my thumb is Rouzel… He’s like an angel… who encourages me…

Nanaki: Wow really?

Kiroku: The one on my pointer finger is Dewawa… He has a bit of… a bad mouth.

Nanaki: Haha, just like Ushio.

Kiroku: … You could… say that.

Nanaki: (Ah, he smiled.)

Kiroku: On my middle finger is KB… He’s always level headed… On my ring finger is Pinfu… He always does what he desires to do… And on my pinky finger is Ripris… Talking to him makes me… feel sleepy.

That’s everyone… for now…

It’s… weird, right…?

Nanaki: No, not even a little bit. Thank you for introducing everyone to me.

Kiroku: … A-And thank you… for listening to me… Nanamegi.

Nanaki: Can I shake hands with your friends, Kiroku?

Kiroku: … Go ahead.

Nanaki: They’re handmade too huh. You must take really good care of them…

Kiroku: Yeah. When I first met them… everyone only… existed in my head…

Nanaki: (This is… Kiroku’s own worldーー)

Akuta: Whatcha doing?

Nanaki & Kiroku: !!

Previous — ✈︎ Masterlist — ✈︎ Next

Notes — ✈︎

Kenrokuen is this park ! you can see the lantern they’re at in the map on this site.

[yridenergyridenergy]

Do you have a travel blog/page on instagram documenting your travels in Japan, where we can see your experience, specially that you go to lots of concerts, and it might be helpful to plan a full travel around that? What do you do other than seeing the concerts, and do you have a list of cool trusted places?

I have a personal Instagram account on which I share local and travel highlights irregularly, but I don't even specify where most of those things were, so good luck using that to guide your trip...

That being said, if you want any tips for some locations, I can help with anything other than restaurants, so feel free to ask!

So far, I visited the following Japanese areas:

Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Itsukushima, Kouchi, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, Shizuoka, Tokyo/Kawasaki/Yokohama, Yokosuka, Kanazawa, Nagano, Sendai and Sapporo.

Had/have plans for Tottori, Wakayama, Utsunomiya, Hita and more. I guess that the main area that I never visited where Dir en grey tours is Niigata.

[fromtraveldiaries]

Notes from the land of the rising sun

If you think the Paris subway is a marvel, wait until you step into Tokyo's intricate underground labyrinth. The Japanese subway system is an experience that best reflects the essence of Japanese culture and efficiency.

The first thing you notice when you step into a Tokyo subway station are the orderly queues - on the escalators, at ticket counters, at entry and exit gates, and while boarding trains. The Japanese have transformed queuing into a well-organized and methodical art form, much unlike the Indians for who queueing is a rather abstract and a largely inscrutable exercise. This queue discipline extends beyond transportation to restaurants, take-away counters, and billing counters, where you find patrons patiently waiting their turn for service.

Another striking feature of Tokyo's subways is the pervasive silence. Compared to the prattle on the Paris metro or the pandemonium on the Indian metros, the Japanese subway is a quiet sanctuary. The Japanese are a quiet people who keep to themselves during public transit, their animated conversations are reserved for meal times. Food, often accompanied by drinks, is a more communal experience that's filled with lively discussions and noisy chatter. On buses, trains, and the subway, one finds commuters reading novels, manga, news, diaries, or watching anime or otherwise engaged on their phones. This quietude carries onto the roads, streets, and other public places. There's no honking and people talk in whispers in most places, except of course in eateries. Most Japanese folks like to go out with their friends and colleagues or have social gatherings in eateries. They love to take their time during such meals, which are almost always accompanied by drinks. The conversations are loud, full of banter and laughter.

At every station, you also have a helpdesk that actually works. We used these at many stations and were very impressed by the service we got. While returning from Kanazawa to Tokyo, our Shinkansen (bullet train) developed a snag. We were informed on board about this by the railway staff. They dropped us off at Nagano, where more railway staff were waiting to assist us. They put us on a train to Matsumoto, where more staff were waiting to help. We were put on a train to Shiojiri, where another set of helpful staff put us on a slow Azusa train to Shinjuku. During the whole time, everyone was apologetic and insisted that we collect our refund for the Shinkansen from the Shinjuku station. We had booked our tickets through Klook, so weren't really sure if we were eligible for a refund and how and when (if at all), we would get any refund. To our surprise, the lady at the helpdesk counter gave us an almost complete refund in cash, no questions asked. She said that they had been informed of the Shinkansen glitch and were expecting passengers such as us to alight at Shinjuku. She also profusely apologized for the inconvenience. At how many Indian stations can you expect this service?

In contrast to India's metro stations, where photography is 'strictly prohibited', one is free to click away in Japanese subways. We didn't find a single place where photography wasn't allowed or one had to pay extra charges just to click.

Respect for individuals is on display everywhere and in everyone. Courteous gestures greet one at every turn and we were quite surprised to find people bowing to us even for trivial interactions. We also learnt to bow in return with gratitude. Starting from clearly designated 'foreign friendly taxis' to courteous strangers going out of their way to assist you, you feel truly welcomed in Japan. You also feel as if you are a celebrity when you step into an eatery, for as you step in, the staff, including the chefs and the kitchen staff, boisterously greet you with a loud shout. Google what this means and you'll see what I mean.

At restaurants, you are invariably served ice cold water with ice cubes in long tumblers. This is the way of life even in cold winters. You can, however, also order warm/hot sake that really fires you up on wintry nights. While Tokyo offers a plethora of culinary delights, vegetarians might feel the need to seek out specific eateries. The cuisine draws heavily on raw food, mostly seafood, with minimal oil and spices. This is where the super helpful convenience stores like 7-11 and Family Mart offer a variety of options, including liquor. Japanese convenience stores have more variety of liquor than one finds in the regular wine shops back home.

That the Japanese are punctual is well known, but their service levels are at a different level altogether. At Kanazawa, we requested for a taxi at the hotel reception which was on the first floor. The receptionist made a call to a local cab company and informed that a taxi would arrive in three minutes. True to their word, by the time we descended the stairs and reached the ground floor, the taxi was already waiting for us. In both Kyoto and Tokyo, we noticed many shops displaying merchandise outside their doors and well out of their sight. In several grocers' vegetables were left unattended with price boards. People leave their umbrellas outside when entering shops. We also observed most households leaving their stuff outside at night.

Despite the absence of dustbins, Tokyo remains remarkably clean. Littering is a rare sight, thanks to the civic sense instilled in its residents. Further, there's no expectation of a tip for any service that you hire. Taxis and restaurants return you the exact change and you are expected to pocket your change before leaving. In fact, tipping might be considered offensive in many places. Should you run out of coins, there are machines installed in most public places that take your notes and provide you with coins. To help you tender exact change, these machines are also installed in all buses. By the way, the Japanese bus drivers are smartly dressed, polite, and greet you when you pay and get off. Compare that with the Indian buses and our drivers.

An ubiquitous presence throughout Japan are the vending machines. The offer everything, from beverages to snacks, and refreshments to souvenirs. Game arcades are also quite popular, lined up in most tourist locations. We spent a fortune on the vending machines, collecting souvenirs that are quite cheap but of exquisite quality. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa are filled with rows and rows of these vending machines stretching on for blocks altogether.

Tokyo is unbelievably busy at all times of the day and night. The trains are always filled and the stations are always crowded. Folks are either going to work or returning from work at all hours. Whether the well-groomed crowd of Ginza, the diverse crowd of Shibuya, the aloof funky of Shinjuku or the dignified crowd of Monzennakacho, the residents of each district have their own way to go about their lives. School kids, even when returning late, show impeccable discipline, immersed in their phones, reading manga, playing games, or watching anime. There were many places in the US and in France where we felt unsafe during our travels. The less said about India, the better. In comparison, we never felt unsafe throughout our visit in Japan, not even for a moment.

This trip to Japan has been a revealation to say the least. From the land of the rising sun, arigato gozaimas.

[aoyama-division]

Tomi's Thoughts on Niigata Division

Seiji Tsukimoto

"The Chief of the Japanese Police Department, if I'm not mistaken, which I'm usually not. My parents have frequently tried to invite him over to many of our galas, but he always refuses, citing that, 'He's too busy', or 'On an important case', or some other excuse. Truthfully, I think that's just his way of trying to avoid being associated with our family. Peh, more's the pity for him, I suppose. There's much that could be done if he had my family backing him..."

Lyall Shiba

"Ugh, I remember this young man. Before he was an "officer of the law", he used to be a handsome model; the most popular one in Japan, if memory serves me right. Truthfully, I don't know why that was warrant enough for him to attend our parties, but my parents always stressed to make as many connections as I could. Peh, I could gladly do without this one. Him and his sister knew next to nothing about high society."

"Speaking of which, that sister of his is banned from attending any soiree here in Aoyama again, after the stunt she pulled the last time she was here. That wench threw a very rich glass of chardonnay in my face after she misinterpreted a compliment I had given her! Peh, I suppose that's what happens when we let peons associate with the rich."

Ayumu Hayami

"Ah, Hayami-san. I know of him because he used to attend several soirees here in Aoyama, along with his wife. However, after the scandal that arose when it was discovered she was cheating on him... it was all that we here in Aoyama would speak about for several months. I suppose it's no surprise we didn't see either him or his wife after that. His younger sister attends in his place. However, I try not to associate with her unless necessary. She obviously dislikes these parties and just attends them out of necessity. Peh, she and Luis would get along fabulously if they met one another."

"Speaking of his wife, did you know that woman is actually in charge of the department that my mother works for? I'd thought my mom would be upset about working under someone younger than her, but she seems to have nothing but good things to say about her, which is odd since I know my mother doesn't care for anyone in Chuohku. How strange..."

Valor Guard

"The Chief of the Police teaming up with a homicide detective and a paramedic. I suppose it wouldn't be too far-fetched to say that they may have something to do with that team from Kanazawa, correct? I wasn't aware crime was so low that the police needed to get involved in a rap tournament. ...But I suppose that's none of my concern. So long as they do not bother me or my cohorts, we've no need to get involved with them."

[kanazawa-division]

The clock was ticking closer to midnight, the city of Kanazawa wrapped in the quiet of the late hour. Kyler Aaron sat in the dim light of his apartment, the day's fatigue weighing on his shoulders. It was his birthday, but the life of an FBI agent left little room for celebration. As he glanced at the clock, noting that only twenty minutes remained of his special day, a faint noise outside caught his attention.

Instantly on alert, Kyler moved towards the door, his trained senses scanning for any sign of danger. The night was still, the only movement a gentle breeze that played with the fallen leaves. He opened the door cautiously, peering into the darkness. There, on his doorstep, was a package, nondescript and unassuming.

With a mixture of curiosity and caution, Kyler brought the package inside. The weight of it suggested something substantial, and as he tore open the wrapping, his eyes fell upon what was inside.

It... it was a beer mug. One featuring his favorite beer company, Budweiser. The intricate design and the nostalgia of the collectible piece brought a rare smile to his face.

Tucked beside the stein was a note, the handwriting familiar and warm. Picking it up, the FBI agent read it:

"Dear Kyler,

Happy Birthday! I bet you didn't expect to find this little treasure waiting for you, did you? I can just picture it now: the great 'Pierce', always on high alert, jumping at the sound of a leaf hitting his doorstep. But don't worry, your secret's safe with me.

I found this 1981 Budweiser Holiday Beer Stein and thought, who else but you would appreciate a classic like this? It's got that old-school charm, just like some of your methods. And before you say anything, yes, I do remember that time I had to pull your butt out of the fire. You can thank me by not letting it collect dust on a shelf.

But all jokes aside, Kyler, I know we're both here in Japan on serious business. We've got our missions, our personal vendettas, and a whole lot of baggage that would give any airport a run for its money. I see the way you work, with that unwavering focus and determination. It's admirable, really.

As we stand shoulder to shoulder in this fight, I want you to know that I've got your back, just like I know you've got mine. We're in this together, and I believe in us. We came here for justice, for truth, and for closure. And while the road ahead is uncertain, one thing's for sure: we're going to see this through to the end.

So, here's to another year of kicking ass and taking names. To finding the answers we're looking for and to the peace we both deserve. Happy Birthday, Kyler. May this year bring you one step closer to the truth.

Stay sharp,

Alexis"

Kyler let out a disbelieving laugh, examining the beer mug with curious eyes that held just a tiny bit of excitement. Leave it to Alexis to always bring up that incident even while complimenting him but he really was grateful to her, not just in that situation but as a friend and comrade, someone who understands what he went through and his supports his goals, not only for defending their country but for his own personal mission.

He suddenly frowned as he remembered the entire reason he was even in this country in the first place, while he was working on gathering intel on “The Commission” he felt as though he was nowhere near as close as he wanted to finding his mother wherever she may be, the anonymous person who gave him the tip to her location had never contacted him since and not only that…

He placed the mug on his shelf and walked over to a nearby drawer, opening it up, he pulled out a file labeled “Confidential” on it. Opening said file, he was immediately greeted by notes and a picture of a scruffy brunette boy with the most piercing yet absolutely dead green eyes that he had ever seen, they looked…so much like his own but at the same time, they couldn’t be any more different, Kyler frowned even harder, a myriad of thoughts going through his mind but one thing was for sure.

“Max Soukoku…just who the hell are you...”

Thank you for the gift!

[longingpolaris]

a quiet moment

pairing: asakiku | word count: 538

"So, when can you come by?"

"Hmm..." The sound of dishes clattering against each other as they were placed to dry echoed through the call, punctuating Kiku’s musings. "I'll have to check, but I think I'll be free next week. Is that okay with you?"

"I think next week is fine, yeah," Arthur replied, quickly glancing at his calendar. There were days circled in the following week– he was actually busy, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be rescheduled. Surely. "We should do something. If the weather is nice, that is."

Kiku chuckled softly as he took notice of the antsy edge in Arthur’s voice. "Do you want to go to that restaurant again?"

"No, I was thinking of something more... outdoorsy. It's almost spring."

"お花見とか?"

"Maybe, I don’t know…” Arthur hummed as he absentmindedly twirled his fork around his food. Looking through the window, all he could see was grey– both the sky and the buildings, an almost shapeless grey mass. It was all so dull and depressing… and suddenly going out to see flowers seemed truly appealing. “Actually, that's brilliant. You stay there and I'll go. There's nothing to do here anyway."

"Don't be mean to yourself," Kiku jokingly scolded, "There's plenty of things to do at your place. But if you want to come, that's fine."

"I'll be there on Monday."

Kiku nodded, and although Arthur could not see it, he imagined it when no verbal answer came, and with that, they fell into silence. Arthur ate and mindlessly scrolled through social media while Kiku washed the rest of his dishes, as if they had simply forgotten to hang up once the conversation died out.

But they definitely did not forget.

It may seem wasteful to spend hours on the phone not talking, but they only ever hung up when it was absolutely necessary. That's because, even through the phone, the comfort of a silent presence was always welcome.

The opening and closing of kitchen cabinets and the sound of cutlery scratching against the plate filled the otherwise silent, cold space around them, and it felt as if they weren't really alone.

It was as if their houses were neighbouring apartments, separated only by thin walls instead of the ten thousand leagues of clouds and waves of reality. Momentarily, the longing eased and gave way to a numbing sense of tranquillity.

“Tokyo is too crowded, we should go somewhere else,” Kiku suddenly said, having just remembered how unpleasant a busy metropolis could be.

"True… Why don't we go to your house? The one in Kanazawa."

"That would be nice. I haven't been there in a while."

After minutes passed without either of them saying a word, the dreaded moment that had been creeping up on them finally arrived. Kiku finished washing the dishes and Arthur finished his lunch, which meant that they would have to hang up.

As much as they would like to spend the entire afternoon/night talking to each other, they had matters to attend to, especially if they wanted to have free time next week.

Goodbyes were little more than quiet, loving mumbles, questions about what the other would be doing the next day followed by a soft “see you soon...”

[stuff-diary]

Teasing Master Takagi-san

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

Teasing Master Takagi-san (2024, Japan)

Director: Rikiya Imaizumi

Writers: Rikiya Imaizumi & Tomoki Kanazawa (based on the manga by Sōichirō Yamamoto)

Mini-review:

This is the cutest, sweetest thing ever! It really manages to capture the awkwardness of that weird moment in life, when you're neither a little kid anymore nor a teenager yet. The directing, the writing and the cinematography are all top-notch, but the real reason Teasing Master Takagi-san works so perfectly well is its two leads. I have no doubt Rui Tsukishima and Soya Kurokawa will become huge stars in the Japanese film/tv industry; I've known since Monster that he would have a bright future, but she's also a huge discovery. There's something so natural and genuine about their performances, to the point I wondered if some of the scenes were improvised, and that is hard to achieve for actors of any age. Also, I can't wait to see the sequel with the adult version of the characters, since they will be played by two of my favorite Japanese stars, Mei Nagano and Fumiya Takahashi.

[uenodivision]

Aranai's Thoughts on Niigata Division

Seiji Tsukimoto

Aranai groans at the picture of the police chief. "Oh great, the Chief of the fucking police, himself. As if having that cop from Kanazawa in this tournament wasn't bad enough!" Aranai sighs. "Thankfully, unlike that cop, this one doesn't know me, I don't think. I've done some work in Niigata, but I don't go there since most of my customers in Chubu hail from Nagoya, where that monk and his clique reside. Still, I suppose I'd better watch myself since another cop is snooping around. Ugh..."

Lyall Shiba

"Ha, this guy makes me laugh. Mainly because, for a cop, he's not too bad. And I'm not just saying that because Kaoru in Edogawa has got a thing for him. ...What? Surprised I know about it? Don't be! I mean, it's kinda obvious! Whenever the girls and I are out, she'll sometimes get a call on her cell phone. If it's this guy, Spider Girl's eyes will light up, she'll suddenly get red in the face and then excuse herself for a while.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not making fun of her anything! It's actually kinda cute seeing the resident hacker trip over herself for a guy! For a while there, I was worried I was going to have to do what I do to Sumire and find an excuse to get her and this guy a reason to meet each other. Thankfully, she's not as clueless or brainless as Sumire is and isn't afraid to take a leap!"

Ayumu Hayami

Aranai frowns at the photo of the paramedic. "I'm going to say this right now: I really don't like this guy. Why? Because more than once I've seen him here in Ueno. And it's not because somebody's sick or in danger of dying. No, the reason this guy is here in Ueno is because he's got a thing for Shisuta! ...Yeah, you heard me right! The paramedic is who a year away from being four decades old has a crush on a woman who is f'ing 13 years older than him! What the hell kinda shit is that? I'm not a lawyer like Boss Lady is, but I'm pretty sure dating someone who is a decade older than you is breaking some sort of rule. And if it isn't, then it needs to be! I'm telling you now, I'm keeping a close eye on this guy. If he does anything to Shisuta, they're going to have call a paramedic for him when I get through with him!"

Valor Guard

"Ugh, is Boss Lady asking more and more cops to join this rap tournament or something? Or do they just not have enough to do at the f'ing police station? Because there shouldn't be a reason for so many cops to be joining some rap tournament! I know not every team here is full of law-abiding citizens, but I didn't realize that meant that every cop and their brother needed to form a rap team to arrest them!

"Ugh, and knowing Boss Lady, she's gonna wanna form an alliance with these guys like the ones from Kanazawa. Ugh, hopefully, someone deals with them quickly. Either that, or they become too preoccupied with whomever they're chasing to deal with us..."

[ystk-archive]

▶ capsule MORE! MORE! MORE! Tour Party Report by MARQUEE editor MMMatsumoto ▷ originally published in MARQUEE vol.71 (2009.02.10) translation by ystk-archive

It was crazy packed, about 3200 people showed up. The place opened at 11 P.M., but no matter how much time went by, the line outside stayed long. There's no question: it was sold out. With the venue's industry-leading speaker system, capsule sounded incredible.

None other than capsule could close out the electro year of 2008, and at no other location than Tokyo's club ageHa. Although they seldom do official shows, the MORE! MORE! MORE! tour began on December 12th in Kanazawa and will visit twenty-one venues across the country until the finale in Okinawa on March 19th. And at this show, Nakata Yasutaka seemed different from usual.

As ☆Taku Takahashi worked the decks, the floor heated up. The walkways on the second level were already so choked with people that it was dangerous to dance — suddenly, the piercing electro noise of "FLASH BACK" rang out. Their set kicked off at 2 A.M. and in that exact moment, the crowd surged together towards the source of the sound (I say that, but it was so cramped that they were actually stuck). I looked up, and there was Nakata Yasutaka. The crowd was dizzy with excitement; the atmosphere was on fire. Nakata was tearing it up — it was the first time I'd ever seen him in that kind of state. He was definitely on the offensive, as if he was trying to send all the heat generated by the dancefloor right back at them. The way the music infiltrated the room, it seemed more intense. Just as I started feeling like I was at a hardcore punk show instead of a club gig, Koshijima Toshiko at long last made her appearance to "Starry Sky." The venue descended into pure madness, even up on the second floor. Koshijima started jumping around; unlike the cramped makeshift DJ booths at other area clubs, she had plenty of room to move around here. The music suddenly shifted into a killer medley going from "Starry Sky" to "Sugarless GiRL," and capsule and their audience had no choice but to go crazy.

While Koshijima started chatting up the crowd in her typical manner, for some reason Nakata kept repeating the "X" clip from "MUSiXXX," getting a laugh out of everyone. There was also a moment where Nakata and Koshijima stood with their arms around each others' shoulders. It really was a show that felt more casual than usual but also more intense: the temperature on the floor rose with the tremendous, rumbling bass of "JUMPER," and some people had to be carried out. By around 3:30 A.M., capsule finished their set with "Pleasure ground," but the two stayed behind onstage to hand things off to RAM RIDER.

Throughout the show, there were countless times where I got the feeling that capsule was warmly received by the crowd. The audience may have been a little intimidated, but they had a great time. I got the impression it was many peoples' first time seeing Koshijima in action, so that's also part of it. Nevertheless, that day I was particularly impressed by Nakata during the initial part of the show — it was the first time I'd ever seen him DJ like that, with so much passion. During the second half he was definitely on the turntables getting everybody hyped up, but I guess that first half was it for me.

Notes:

The date is mistyped on the first page; the ageHa performance written about here took place on December 29th, 2008!

Select photos in the collage were taken at the show at Zepp Osaka.

The third track in the setlist is Stress by French house duo Justice.

[wetcatspellcaster]

Top five trips you've taken/places you've visited (near or far)? (If you're still doing this)

oh, that's a lovely question tbh!

Japan - my best friend and I did a 3 week trip in Japan before I started my masters, she'd already been so basically let me plan it! We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, the Shinonami-Kaido bike trail, Hiroshima, Takayama and Kanazawa. I am in a constant state of wanting to go back.

New Zealand - I don't really remember this much, but my parents took me on a month long holiday when I was 11 after my dad got a payout from his job. I remember climbing a glacier, and seeing penguins. 10 out of 10 would go again, especially now I actually know LoTR.

Venice, Italy - this is the closest I think I've ever got to a fantasy city in real life.

New York City - much more fun when I couldn't comprehend capitalism, but still one of my favourite cities I've visited, particularly the times I've stayed in Brooklyn.

Isle of Mull, Scotland - this was the first trip I went on post-pandemic and at the end of the first day of fresh air and walking I slept for 13hrs straight. I was very ill with depression at the time and I remember feeling that holiday make me better. Mull is an insanely beautiful place!

ask me my top 5 things!

[setagaya-division]

Mina's Thoughts on Kanazawa Division

Wataru Sasaki

"...Is it bad to say that I know this police officer? I mean, I don't know him personally, but I have seen him, and he's seen me. Usually, he is working with that lawyer lady from Ueno, which I don't find all that surprising. But anyway... I know him because... I unintentionally helped him capture some criminals that he was chasing after. Apparently, they were a group of thieves responsible for... stealing cars or something. Anyway, the police had lost track of them, but I didn't."

"After I cornered them, I... proceeded to eat. Apparently, I wasn't careful enough, though. Somehow, this officer had managed to track down the thieves and that's when he and I... spotted each other. He ordered me to put my hands up, but I just jumped up onto the rooftop and fled. I heard gunshots, so I think he may have fired at me. Thankfully, none of them hit."

...

"Huh, that bastard. He should count his blessings that none of those damn things hit me! If they had, Japan would have been short one cop! I basically did his job for him! Where the fuck does he get off shooting at me like that?!"

Kyler Aaron

"A... foreigner? ...I know I shouldn't be all that surprised. He's not the first foreign person I've come across. But I think he might be the first American I've seen. I think I've seen him with two other Americans, but I can't really picture them right now. But anyway, this guy seems a little... stern. I've heard rumors that this man is searching for... someone. ...Or rather, someone(s). They call themselves "The Commission". I know next to nothing about them, save from what I've heard from thugs that I was about to consume. Apparently, they are a notorious group of killers. I hope he is careful pursuing them."

Joey Kurusu

"I think this may be the only cop that I don't feel threatened by. I often see him at crime scenes examining dead victims. ...Most of them are my fault, I'll admit. But, despite his easygoing appearance, when he is at work, I see a fervency you don't see in many cops these days. In his eyes, I see something. Determination, yet... also longing. I'll admit, it's a feeling I'm a bit familiar with myself."

Justice Shield

"I wasn't aware that a team of police officers had joined the D.R.B. But if they have, that, unfortunately, makes staving off my hunger more difficult. I should probably visit areas where there isn't a lot of law enforcement. Besides that, I'm curious behind the reason for this team. Are there here to search for someone? If so, I hope it isn't me or my siblings. If it is, then... I'm afraid Japan will be losing three good men..."

[kfkr1ze]

Vividly Colored Imagination - Chapter 6

Characters — ✈︎ Akuta, Kiroku, Nanaki, Muneuji, Ushio, Sakujiro

Location: Crafts Teahouse in Kanazawa

Kaede: This is… the okiagari doll that Kiroku made of Nanaki…

Akuta: This is so crazy, no matter what angle you look at it at, it looks so high quality!

Kiroku: ……If you don’t… like it… you can throw it away……

Nanaki: (Amazing… this is definitely a high quality piece of work…)

Muneuji: Hair and skin color… There’s a sense of freedom in not limiting yourself to the things you can see with your eyes.

Sakujiro: Indeed. The use of animal metaphors is very bold, and yet the brushwork is extremely precise and delicate!

If one were to describe the way these seemingly contradictory elements coexist with one another, it could only be likened to that of the brilliance that is seen in Van Gogh’s japonisme!

Ushio: But it’s crazy that you can still tell that it’s Panda.

Kaede: Also, the addition of the headphones that the okiagari doll is wearing is so cute. It’s very Nanaki-kun like!

Nanaki: (This is… one of the designs I’ve been using lately. He can even remember the small details of something like that so well…)

Akuta: It’s kinda like, if you were to be able to look at Nanaki’s songs?

Muneuji: That is a very fitting description. It’s as if Nanemegi's music had been rendered into a visual. 

Kiroku: Ah… Um… Nanamegi’s music looks like… this color… to me…

Nanaki: (My words… they’re something that are invisible to the naked eye, but to Kiroku, this is how they look like…)

…It’s really moving that you put this much thought into this and painted this for me, Kiroku. Thank you.

Kiroku: Ah…

(Thank… god…)

Kaede: Everyone else’s dolls were very cute too. They were all unique and creative.

Akuta: So this is what I look like in Sensei’s eyes huh… Somehow, it makes me feel kinda uneasy…

Hey hey, speaking of, am I allowed to keep this?

Kaede: Do you want to? I want to keep the doll Akuta-kun made for me and display it in my room too.

Muneuji: Let’s exchange ours too.

I’ll display the one that Uu-chan made for me in the entrance hall.

Ushio: Absolutely not.

Kiroku: Nanamegi… if you want, you can… have this.

Nanaki: Ah… Yeah, of course.

(When you compare my work to Kiroku’s… The difference is like night and day. The amount of depth and detail that oozes from this work… you can tell he put a lot of his attention into this.)

(My okiagari doll… doesn’t have that.)

Then… Mine too. Here. It’s… childish compared to yours, though.

Kiroku: No… It’s really… good… I’m so happy. I’ll cherish… it.

The okiagari doll and… the HosLive song… too.

Nanaki: ………!

… Yeah. Same here. It’s nice to hear that…

(ーーKiroku was observing me closely.)

(He managed to take all that is “Nanaki Nanamegi” and chewed, digested, interpreted, and remade it in such a way… it’s extremely cool.)

(Compared to me, who keeps looking away…)

………

Location: Hotel Hallway

Kaede: Well then, now that we put our luggage away, let’s go to the communal bath!

Akuta: Agreed～ I saw a vending machine that had Seventeen ice cream on the way here, so after we have a bath, let’s have an ice cream party!

Kiroku: I hope they have… mint chocolate chip… flavor…

Kaede: Right. What about you, Nanaki-kun?

Nanaki: Ah… I’ll have some later.

Kaede: (Hm? Nanaki-kun… seems kinda down…?)

Nanaki: ………

Kaede: Oh right. How about you two go get Muneuji-kun and Ushio-kun and go on ahead?

Kiroku: Mm……

Akuta: Try to keep up with me Kiroku! I’m using my special technique taught directly from Renga-san, the avoiding reporters ・ speed walk!

Kiroku: Ah, the opposite one…! Their room is… the opposite one…!

Kaede: Keep it down, you two!

Akuta: ‘K!

Kiroku: Okay…

Kaede: Nanaki-kun.

Nanaki: Ah, yes…

Kaede: What flavor of ice cream is your favorite? I’ll get it for you.

Nanaki: Eh…?

(Aah, he noticed I was feeling down and was worried, I think?)

…… Ah, nah it’s fine.

Chief? Could I talk to you for a bit?

Location: Hotel Room

Nanaki: I want you to listen to this song.

Kaede: Um, is this the demo of the song you showed at the museum to the producer?

Nanaki: No, this one is different. It’s the demo of the song I made for the HosLive. To sing with Kiroku. 

Kaede: (He’s already done with the demo!?)

I see. Then, I’ll be borrowing these earbuds for a sec.

Nanaki: Okay… here.

Kaede: ……Ooh, this is…

Nanaki: …………

Kaede: Hmhm.

Yeah, this is a really good song!

Nanaki: …Thank you. But, the song is nothing like Kiroku.

Kaede: Like Kiroku-kun…

Nanaki: This was a song designated with him in mind.

Kaede: (Aah, so this is why the Day Squad was talking about “designated” stuff earlier…)

Nanaki: I can’t accept this interpretation at all. It’s not something I made after I carefully observed him. It’s not something I chewed up, digested, and remastered. It feels like I was just scratching the surfaceーー At least now.

Now that I’ve seen his okiagari doll.

Kaede: (That’s Kiroku’s image of Nanaki in an okiagari doll…)

Nanaki: An unfinished lantern, a portfolio of projects, and an okiagari doll he made on a trip…

There has to be an infinite amount of passion inside of him that can’t be contained within one being.

If he found out I only knew such a small part of him…

I feel so embarrassed that I was so confident earlier in showing him this.

Kaede: (Aah… I see now…)

Akuta: Hey Nanaki, you said that this song was still a WIP, right?

Nanaki: (That's what he meant by that…)

That guy could probably tell purely on instinct. He probably knows so much more…

Kaede: That guy?

Nanaki: It’s so… frustrating…

Kaede: ………

Nanaki: I have to understand Kiroku on a deeper level.

I lacked the observation and understanding of my subject in order to accurately interpret him and make a successful output. In other words, I was just forcing my bad habit onto others.

My bad habit of being afraid of falling in love with people and avoiding them. It’s even gotten to a point of affecting the depth of my work.

Kaede: But that’s… I think the song is good enough as it is.

Nanaki: That’s not good enough. That’s whyーー I have to remake it. Without a doubt.

Kaede: !

(Nanaki-kun… He’s wearing such a serious expression. I guess he figured it out on his own.)

I see. I’m looking forward to that new song, then!

Nanaki: Eh? Ah…!

I’m sorry, I made you go out of your way to listen to what I’m saying just to vent and do my own thing in the end…

Kaede: No, it’s okay. I get that sometimes, you just need to vocalize your thoughts to someone in order to clear your head. I’m glad I was able to help out, Nanaki-kun.

Nanaki: …… T-Thank…you……

Sorry for interrupting. You can take a bath and relax now.

Kaede: Okay. Go and get some rest too, Nanaki-kun. If you have any more problems, feel free to talk to me again at any time.

Nanaki: ……Chief.

Kaede: Yeah?

Nanaki: It’s coffee flavored.

Kaede: Eh?

Nanaki: My favorite ice cream flavor.

Kaede: ……Okay. I’ll keep it in mind.

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