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aeoki · 11 months

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Sandstorm - Prologue

Location: Desert Characters: Hinata & Kaoru Season: Winter Writer: Akira

TL Note:

Paisen is “senpai” (senior/upperclassman) with “sen” and “pai” swapped. It’s seen as a slang/friendly way of using “senpai”.

Chuugoku can either refer to China or the “central region” of Japan, hence the confusion.

ㅤ< Middle of November. “SS” Qualifying Round, Chuugoku region – Tottori desert (tentative name). >

Hinata: I open my eyes in the morning and I’m greeted with the desert.

You’re kidding~ This can’t be possible~ Even someone like little o’ me would get their heart crushed at the sight of this.

No, no! I’ve gotta stay positive! Nothing’s gonna be solved if I stay all negative and gloomy!

You can do it, Hinata! You’ve got this, Hinata! You’ve always overcome any obstacle that’s come your way in the past!

Just team up with Yuuta-kun, combine your skills and–

Wait, Yuuta-kun isn’t hereeeeee! Great~! Dreams? Shattered! Hopes? Gone like the wind! This is the final resting place for “2wink” at “SS”!

Kaoru: Outta the way, outta the way~!

Hinata: Whahoo!?

Hey, that’s dangerous, Hakaze-paisen[*]! I can’t believe you’d come crashing into me on a surfboar–

Wait, it’s Hakaze-senpaaaai ☆

I like Hakaze-senpai! A lot!

Kaoru: Why’re you breaking up your sentences? The way you’re speaking and stuff is kinda weird. You okay? Let’s take some deep breaths, yeah?

Hinata: Well, anyone would act like this if they were suddenly thrown into the desert!

If anything, don’t you think I’m more on the calm side? Isn’t that amazing? Normally, other people would be way more confused, you know?

Kaoru: Huh? Uhh, you’re Hinata, right?

Hinata: Yup! That’s me! What do I like? Yuuta-kun! What do I hate? Spicy stuff! That’s our official setup!

Kaoru: Okay. Anyway, I’m guessing you haven’t gotten an explanation about what’s going on here?

Hinata: Huh? Is it weird that I haven’t…?

Kaoru: No, not really. Hinata-kun, you haven’t met anyone else, right?

Hinata: Yeah! You were the first person I came across after waking up! I think I’d fall in love with you if I was Sleeping Beauty!

Kaoru: But I didn’t even kiss you?

Hmm~ Okay, I think I get it.

I was also pretty shocked to find myself in the desert after waking up in the morning, but I came across some other idols before meeting you, Hinata-kun.

Hinata: Other idols? Wait, you mean the other idols who were sent out to the Chuugoku region too, right?

Kaoru: Yeah. I don’t particularly care but it’s hard to tell whether you’re in the Chuugoku country[*] or the region just by its name.

No wait, “SS” is a national event so it’s obvious it’ll be taking place in Japan, huh.

Well, putting that aside, as you probably know, there are a lot of powerhouse idols among the ones that have been sent to this region.

A lot of the local idols participated in last year’s “SS” and ES has sent some of their powerhouse idols too. Probably as competition.

Hinata: Yeah~...

“UNDEAD” is a powerhouse unit so you guys have a good chance at winning, though. I was crying about it with Yuuta-kun thinking how our luck hit rock bottom.

And here we thought we could produce some pretty good results in “SS” and surprise the public. We even went into the mountains to train~

Kaoru: Why the mountains? Wait, Adonis-kun and Souma-kun also tend to head into the mountains sometimes too, though.

Anyway, all the strong idols I’ve come across have been trying to pick a fight with me.

I thought I could laugh it off and change their mind about it, but they just wouldn’t listen.

Hinata: Really~? That’s rough. Sounds like a Pokemon battle took place?

Kaoru: A Pokemon battle didn’t happen but they kept pestering me.

Well, they wouldn’t listen to me but they gave me an explanation on some things, so I’ve got a pretty good gist of what’s currently happening.

So right now, that’s probably why I’m calmer than you, Hinata-kun.

Hinata: Ohh, a blessing in disguise!

Kaoru: Yeah. I think I’ve also gotten the short end of the stick, though~ Looks like good things come to you if you live life earnestly.

So…

Hinata: ? Hakaze-paisen, why’re you slowly inching closer towards me? You’ve got a scary expression on your face.

Kaoru: It really looks like I’ve lucked out today…♪

Hinata: Huh…? What…?

Kaoru: It means I can easily get “Desert Coins” from the kids who haven’t understood the rules yet…♪

Hinata: Whaaat!? What’s a “Desert Coin”?

Kaoru: Well, actually, that’s just what I call it. They’re coins you can get from the desert, so a “Desert Coin” ♪

Hinata: Yeah so why are we in the desert!?

Kaoru: Well, you should be able to find out on your own sooner or later.

Hinata: NOOOOOO! I thought I landed on a spot on the board where a kind senior explains things to me, but I’m just getting into a tough spot one after the other…!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤNext Chapter →

#sandstorm #enstars translation

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merpmonde · 1 month

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Tilting Diesels!

In June, we said さようなら to Japan's first tilting electric multiple unit (see that post also for why you'd want tilt in the first place), launched in 1973. For some reason, adding tilt to Diesel multiple units needed a bit more time - my guess is engine vibrations play a part. Nonetheless, in 1989, JR Shikoku did it, launching the 2000 series tilting DMU. The company has continued with the technology, and the latest generation, the 2700 series shown above, is 5 years old this month.

The 2000 series is still in service, but I haven't yet seen any. However I have seen and ridden two derivatives of the 2000: the JR West KiHa 187 above, which reminds me of trains in England with its yellow front, and the streamlined Chizu Kyûkô HOT7000 below.

These trains run intercity services along the picturesque San'in coast - the Super Matsukaze and Super Oki in Yamaguchi, Shimane and Tottori prefectures -, and between the San'in and San'yô coasts - the Super Hakuto and Super Inaba in Hyôgo, Okayama and Tottori prefectures, which is how the HOT7000 got its name.

With these trains, Tottori to Himeji is done in under two hours, a similar time frame to what electric tilting trains can do between Okayama and Yonago. The mountains are also quite scenic, and the HOT7000 has a feature that I don't think I've seen anywhere else: a live cab cam.

Another country worked to develop tilting DMUs: Germany. This culminated with the high-speed ICE T, which I'm yet to encounter, but in the late 1990s, at a similar time to the Japanese examples above, Adtranz built the RegioSwinger, officially Baureihe 612. These yellow and white examples work in the South-West corner of Germany, along the Rhine between the Bodensee and Basel, with a couple of incursions into Switzerland.

Riding a tilting train is peculiar. 8° of tilt doesn't sound like much, but it adds up with the camber of the tracks to produce a visually impressive experience. The tilt is really noticeable, and it does what it's supposed to do, compensating the G-forces so you don't feel the pull to the side through corners. The downside of DMUs is that they tend to be quite noisy - the engines sound like they're giving 110% all the time! On the whole, I really like them.

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kitsuneinjapan · 4 months

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List of castles visited 2023

Yeah, I thought about making a list... a few months ago. You know, when it was still 2023 and not halfway through 2024, but oh well.

Private rating follows.

First, the list of castles that I visited last year; not in that order, featuring personal comments.

1) Hachiouji (Tokyo): no castle, climbed a mountain for 40 mins to think the castle is on top. It isn't.

2) Sunpu (Shizuoka): mainly ruins, but nice park

3) Kokura (Kitakyushu): beautiful castle!

4) Kumamoto: top of the castle restored due to the earthquake, now it's accessible by elevator, nice, detailed history explained!

5) Tendou: just... green and... trees. The sun was going down when I went. Oh, there was a stone. Just that. A stone.

6) Matsushima: not a historic castle, they recently built it lol

7) Nihonmatsu: just ruins on a mountain with hiking paths, but amazing view from the top!

8) Aizu-Wakamatsu: lovely castle! view on mountains

9) Utsunomiya: they restored parts of the castle, fairly new, but they got a nice museum with it

10) Ueda: lovely place with a park, not really a castle but towers, one of them is still original from over 400 years ago, but still nice, view on the shinkansen tracks

11) Matsumoto: geez those stairs, don't go in summer, nice view from the top, but... stairs..., very well organised when crowded! so don't panic about that

12) Toyama: interesting museum and view on mountains, city and... birds, they got lots of these birds there, they feed them, it's fun

13) Kanazawa: they still work on adding more buildings, very fascinating to witness a castle being rebuilt! lots of English explanation too, soooooo many tourists though

14) Nagoya: you can't enter rn because it's not earthquake safe, but it's pretty from outside and the exhibition of the honmaru rooms are so pretty! the park is... weird

15) Gujo-Hachiman: such a nice lovely town and so many lovely mountains!!

16) Gifu: the VIEW

17) Inuyama (Nagoya): like Matsumoto, but nicer stairs lol, be careful on the very top

18) Kiyosu (Nagoya): view on the shinkansen tracks lol, pretty when lit up at night

19) Fushimi Momoyama (Kyoto): the haunted castle, very interesting & creepy history, no tourists, like... at all, went with a friend and it was just us

20) Tottori: lovely place when the sun is setting

21) Matsue: like Matsumoto but with nicer stairs, nice feeling when there's wind if you're on top, view on mountains

22) Okayama: looks pretty!

23) Himeji: I felt history, amazing castle ground, BIG

24) Takamatsu: partly under construction, smol, nice park,

25) Shuri (Okinawa): Interesting to see different structures, nice view from the viewpoint!!

26) Nakagusuku (Okinawa): that was a lovely one! the rocks, the wind, the sea

27) Nakijin (Okinawa): it was already nice when it was raining, probably nice with sun out, BLUE SEA

28) Nago (Okinawa): no castle, just... a mountain you reach after lots of climbing. or maybe I'm biased because i cycled over a mountain and back again, so my legs were very, uh, yeah

29) Zakimi (Okinawa): smol but nice view!

30) Urasoe (Okinawa): such interesting history! There are barely explanations, but I met an old man who told me about it.

31) Ananiya (Okinawa): Yeah. This is a castle. Or a gusuku, as they're called in Okinawa. I only found out after I returned from my trip. Nice place, just a mountain now, but very Okinawan. Hard to explain.

Geez, 31! Whereof I visited all Okinawa castles within a week lol.

So.

What's my favourite now? Tough question, I personally liked these best, not necessarily in that order:

Kokura, Nihonmatsu, Himeji, Nakagusuku, Gujo Hachiman, Aizu-Wakamatsu

#castle #japan 2023 #shhhh #here's a tip for Takamatsu: buy koi feed and you may get a price #;))

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typelikemad · 6 years

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Tottori!!

GUESS WHO GOT THEIR JET PLACEMENT TODAY.

“Welcome to your new home - the least populated prefecture in Japan!” XD

#tottori #tottori-ken #ALT #JET program #still no news on which city #or even how many schools i'll be working with #but I'm super stoked to be in a more rural prefecture #like i'm not thrilled about meeting my first mukade #but i'll be surrounded by mountains and forests and ocean and that's such a blessing #(ps this whole interview/acceptance process is part of why I haven't been posting anything)

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fablecore · 3 years

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can we see more of ur jjk oc? what are they like? they seem so cool!!

YES absolutely! her name is seri and her special power is that she can cut onions without crying! she's a country gal from akatonbo town (fictional) that lies on the border of shimane and tottori prefecture (real) in a mountainous region of western japan. she's a small onion farmer and she can eat ten of them raw in one sitting.

she irresponsibly spends most of her money on kpop merch, but it makes her happy, so... (in the mid 2000's, her favorite bands are Super Senior and Girl's Dynasty!)

seri is a cheerful, spunky, and happy little sprout. she sincerely loves being alive. she composes three poems about the beauty of nature before breakfast, and she loves her onions and she loves her sleepy, boring town! she's the most perfect example of a glass half full kinda gal!

and then she meets gojo and geto.

#jjk #my art #peez #jjk oc #letters

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stanninghigedan · 3 years

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黄色い車 / Kiiroi Kuruma / Yellow Car

So here we are, after the last translation I did last February, I'm back (??) again HAHAHA.

So I actually started translating this a few months ago and was planning to release this during Higedan's 9th anniversary. But obviously that didn't happen because of lots of things - got busy with the anniv project we did (please do give it a watch - we poured our heart and soul onto this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0YFRmPGa_M) so this took a back seat.

Now, you might be wondering - why did I plan to release this during Higedan's anniversary? Well, this song has Higedan's feelings when they left their hometown a few years back to go to Tokyo and become full time artists. These feelings are shown in the lyrics of the song, as well as through the nostalgic vibe the song brings. You can see through this song how much they loved their hometown and how it pained them to leave but they needed to so that they could do what they love to do. So, if they didn't leave their hometown, who knows if we would have known them and loved them now. Well, maybe we still would have found them one way or another, but I think them leaving their comfort zone was a big factor as to how we now know the Higedan we love.

So anyway, like what I always say - this translation might contain errors/mistakes/inconsistencies/inaccuracies - if you do see them, please do point them out to me so I can make the necessary corrections. Feedback will be greatly appreciated as I'm just doing this as part of me studying Japanese, so I'm really bound to have some mistakes. I do also hope that this translation will help in appreciating the song more.

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「行ってきます」　この人生でもう何度口にしたのだろう

「いってらっしゃい」と言われるのも

今日で最後になってしまうんだな

妙に片付いた僕の部屋　もの置きになんかしないでね

窓から見える大山も　ドアを閉めてさようなら

旅立ちの音が窓の向こうから呼んでる

エンジンのくせしてバラードみたいに切なくて

困ってしまうよ

きっとこれから楽しい事たくさんあるよ

大して用がなくても電話して　たまには愚痴って笑おうよ

遠くに行くけど一度も忘れたりしないよ

辛くてもラララ歌って　どうか元気でまた会えますように

庭の端っこでいつだって出迎えてくれた広葉樹の

花が咲くのは見られないまま

出て行くことになってしまった

夕日と君に背を向けて　僕の未来は動きだす

バックミラーに映る街　目の奥に焼き付けた

色んな景色を見せてくれて嬉しかったよ

今度は僕が見せる番だから行ってくるんだよ

期待していてよ

きっとこれから楽しい事たくさんあるよ

大して用がなくても電話して

たまには愚痴って笑おうよ

素敵な思い出を今まで本当にありがとう

遠くからでも届くように　大きな声で歌うよ

ラララ

辛くてもラララ歌って

どうかいつまでも元気で

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"Ittekimasu" kono jinsei de mou nando kuchi ni shita no darou

"Itterasshai" to iwareru no mo

Kyou de saigo ni natte shimaunda na

Myou ni katadzuita boku no heya monooki ni nanka shinaide ne

Mado kara mieru Daisen mo doa wo shimete sayounara

Tabidachi no oto ga mado no mukou kara yonderu

Enjin no kuseshite baraado mitai ni setsunakute

Komatte shimau yo

Kitto kore kara tanoshii koto takusan aru yo

Taishite you ga nakutemo denwa shite tama ni wa guchitte waraouyo

Tooku ni iku kedo ichido mo wasuretari shinai yo

Tsurakutemo rarara utatte douka genki de mata aemasu you ni

Niwa no hashikko de itsudatte demukaete kureta kouyouju no

Hana ga saku no wa mirarenai mama

Dete iku koto ni natte shimatta

Yuuhi to kimi ni se wo mukete boku no mirai wa ugokidasu

Bakkumiraa ni utsuru machi me no oku ni yakitsuketa

Ironna keshiki wo misete kurete ureshikatta yo

Kondo wa boku ga miseru ban dakara ittekurunda yo

Kitaishiteiteyo

Kitto kore kara tanoshii koto takusan aru yo

Taishite you ga nakutemo denwa shite

Tama ni wa guchitte waraou yo

Suteki na omoide wo ima made hontou ni arigatou

Tooku kara demo todoku you ni Ooki na koe de utau yo

Rarara~

Tsurakutemo rarara utatte

Douka itsumademo genki de

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In this life, how many times have I said "I'm going?"

As well as call out "see you later!"

Will today be the last time?

My room's become unusually tidy; please don't turn it into a storage room

Seeing Mt. Daisen from my window, I closed the door (and said) goodbye.

The sound symbolizing the start of my trip calls me from the other side of the window

The engine's (sound is) like a ballad - it's painful

It's become annoying

Surely, from now on, there will be more and lots of fun

Even if there's no reason, I'll call - let's laugh and complain (at each other) every once in a while

I'll be going far away, but never will I forget you - not even once

Even though it's hard, I'll sing lalala's Praying that you'll be lively/healthy/well when we meet again.

At the end of the garden, a broadleaf tree always greets me

I won't be able to see its flowers bloom

(Because) I had to leave

Facing away from you and the setting sun, my future (starts to) move (forward)

This town being reflected in the rearview mirror has been burned in my mind

Bringing me to see many sceneries, that made me so happy

(But) this time, it's my turn to let you see such sceneries, that's why I went away

Look forward to it

Surely, from now on, there will be more and lots of fun

Even if there's no reason, I'll call

Let's laugh and complain (at each other) every once in a while

I'm truly grateful for all the beautiful memories we had (until now)

Even though it'll come from far away, I'll sing in a loud voice, hoping this (song) will reach you

Lalala~

Even though it's painful, I'll sing lalala's

Hoping that you're always lively/healthy/well

---

Translator's notes:

Mt. Daisen - can literally be translated as "big mountain", but Mt. Daisen is actually a famous volcanic mountain in the Sanin region. Located in Satocchan and Chanmatsu's hometown, Tottori Prefecture. (pic from https://www.tottori-tour.jp/en/sightseeing/844/)

#Spotify #official hige dandism #official髭男dism #higedan #kiiroi kuruma #黄色い車

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detshin · 4 years

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So me and my sister are going back and rewatching a bunch of episodes because we officially started a proper watch of Conan when I was like 10 and she was 8 and now I’m 20 and she’s 18 so there are so many episodes we’re rewatching that we haven’t seen in years mainly to tide ourselves over because we don’t read the manga lol and all I have to say is old school Conan is SO GOOD. I love the new stuff obviously but just the older episodes! The Moonlight Sonata case? The Diplomat Murder case? THAT DAMN MASKS COLDLY LAUGH CASE?? The entire Desperate Revival arc? There are so many fantastic cases. Anyway I just love Conan a lot lol and rewatching has made me love it that much more. Also the ShinRan (in general) is just *chefs kiss* impeccable I love them sorry this is so long

Oh!!! I see! Well I’m happy you found the time to watch/read this manga again!

I agree with you, man. Back then, even the anime originals or normal cases were amazing and creepy. The Mountain Villa case remains so scary and good. Moonlight Sonata still gives me war flashbacks everytime I hear the song. The Naniwa murder cases, the Night Baron case, Tottori spider mansion... oof.. I miss these scary cases so much. I would love for the new ones to have more of these vibes because right now I never read the files/watch episodes that don’t have some sort of relevance (be it plot or romance), which to be fair, are not many at the moment.

The vibes are different tho, now it’s definitely more about “there’s a murder, let’s solve it so we can get to the good stuff which is the plot relevant things or the awaited romance scenes”.

#ask me!

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shoku-and-awe · 5 years

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“In Japanese Folklore, Ijuu is a strange beast that lives in the forests. If you are hiking and run into Ijuu, don't be scared. Just offer to split your lunch with it and the beast will most likely repay you by carrying your heavy backpack.”

I didn’t know this yokai before, but wow, what a helpful friend! Its name is one of the more uncreative ones I’ve encountered—異 i literally means ‘strange’ (or ‘different’) and 獣 juu means ‘beast’ (as in 怪獣 kaijuu). Some Japanese websites refer to it as Japanese Bigfoot, but I’m not sure about that... still, I am a sucker for anything that lies at the intersection of food and the paranormal!

The Ijuu is only featured in one story, Hokuetsuseppu (北越雪譜 Snow Stories of North Etsu Province). Here’s how it’s depicted there.

The story is about a man named Takesuke, who was hauling heavy cargo through the mountains. Exhausted, he sat down to rest against a tree and eat his lunch, when from the bamboo emerged a strange creature—larger than a man, like a monkey but decidedly not a monkey. It was covered all over in fur, with the mane on its head long enough to reach its back, and it had bulging, goggling eyes.

Of course, this would be alarming for you or me, but not our boy Takesuke! He had the presence of mind to notice that the creature was eyeing his lunch, and he thought to himself, “Well, whatever it is, it must be hungry.” He split his meal in half and offered up one of the portions.

The Ijuu was delighted and devoured the food. Then, when every crumb was gone, it leapt up, hoisted Takesuke’s heavy cargo like it weighed nothing at all, and waited expectantly. Takesuke started down the path toward his destination, and it followed him happily. Once the town was in sight, the Ijuu gently set down its burden and disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again.

If you’d like to meet an Ijuu for yourself, head to Tottori—incidentally, one of Japan’s least visited prefectures—and check out this statue on Mizuki Shigeru Road. (It really reminds me of these Kodak stuffed animals my brother and I had as kids. Mine was Snap, the orange one, and his was Focus, the deep blue.)

In the spirit of this blog, I did try to look up what it was that Takesuke was eating, but the most detail I could find was “bento.” So while I can’t add to my list of the favorite foods of yokai, to make up for it, I’ll quote my old blog and remind you that a kappa’s almost-favorite food is a cucumber, second only to 尻子玉 shirikodama, a mythical, ball-shaped organ that houses the human soul and that is also located inside of the human anus. So... things could have gone much differently for Takesuke!

(Unless maybe his bento included a cucumber with his name written on it. That will distract a kappa. I don’t think it will convince them to carry your bag or anything, but if you wanna avoid having your soul sucked out your butt, it’s good to know you have options. Remember, if you meet a yokai, offer it food!)

(x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

#ijuu #異獣 #japanese folklore #yokai #japanese food #why you should carry snacks in your purse at all times

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yuuudachi · 4 years

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First

It’s weird figuring out how to start a blog, especially when you expect zero to a handful of people to read it. Most of you who do look at this likely already know me quite well, but in case not: Hello, my name is Brooke, and I have been living in Shimane, Japan for 8 months.

One thing to know is that Shimane is the second to least populated prefecture in Japan, battling on and off for the number one spot with its eastern neighbor, Tottori. Have you heard of either of these places? If you’re not very familiar with Japan, likely not. I live in a very quiet and green village of barely over 3,000 people nestled in the mountain region of Shimane. It’s full of farmers, monkeys, wild boar, tanuki, the occasional bear (or so I’ve been told), and many, many trees and bamboo groves. On particularly warm and clear skied Sundays, the monkeys tend to gather around my apartment and on top of the detached garages in the parking lot and have a heyday. Eating bugs off each other, having random (and very loud) spats with each other, and just taking a nap on our cars. I shake loud plastic bags when I go outside to keep them a safe distance away from me, but despite this, I’ve adopted all of them as my children. There’s a word in Japanese that is “inaka.” It literally translates to “rice field cottage,” but it basically is the word for very rural areas. Now there are no rice fields in my village that I know of due to the mountains, but I am living the extreme inaka life.

Each weekend, I buy all my groceries from the local farmers market for about 2,000-2,500 yen (roughly 18-23 USD) and take frequent walks along the river, weather permitting. There are no trains here. The one and only train that was here closed down a few years before I arrived due to low usage but frequent environmental disturbances (fallen trees on the tracks from what I heard). There are a few sparse buses that go to surrounding towns randomly throughout the day, and most of the high schoolers here are actually recruited in from other prefectures and far away towns and live in dorms due to how low the local student number is. There are a few ma and pa restaurants in the “downtown” (a cluster of about 30-40 houses and small stores by the river), but I’ve only been to two. One was a curry house owned by an elderly couple, and the other is a recently opened cafe, right next to the water. Life here is very quiet, and the town is usually asleep at 7PM. Lights out everywhere, almost all stores closed except for the Lawson on the other edge of town, and silent streets. There are maybe 10 streetlights across the entire village or less, so the skies at night reveal more stars than any area I’ve been back in America. The nearest actual town is a 40-45 minute drive away. The nearest “city” with a mall, movie theater, and many restaurants is 1 hour and 20 minutes away. The nearest real city is Hiroshima, but it’s about 2 hours away by car. I’ve only been once.

I live in the teacher apartment building on the family side despite being a single person, so I have a very roomy apartment with one bedroom (tatami), a living room (tatami), a large kitchen (wood flooring), a bathroom/wash room (wood flooring), and a spare room off to the side (tatami - it gets very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer, so I don’t go in there often). I have a bed instead of a futon because mukade (poisonous centipedes who are aggressive and have bites that hurt more than hornets’ stings and can be dangerous if bitten near vital organs. Fun!) are a frequent guest, and you’d be a fool to think I’d lie on the floor when I’m a first floor apartment next to the woods and many bushes hosting these fellows. I’ve also had a huntsman spider greet me at my genkan (the area to take your shoes off in all Japanese homes by the front door) and a few terrifying venomous spiders chilling nonchalantly on my patio and outside my bedroom window. The huntsman met his maker that day, but I let the other ones stay; I’m living a happy mosquito free life with our unspoken agreement.

So that is a short rundown of what life is like here. I know 3 paragraphs doesn’t seem short, but do understand that it’s briefing over 8 months of life. It covers most of the picture living here, but I’m sure the rest will reveal itself over the next few posts.

I’m starting this blog for one main reason. I am lonely. While what I described above may seem very picturesque and like a dreamy (and sometimes scary-- looking at you, mukade) adventure, it is very isolating. Despite knowing conversational Japanese, I have not had great luck making friends as most of the people here are families or elderly people with their own lives and tasks to attend to. While I enjoy their company when I have it, I could hardly expect anyone to go out of their way to spend time with me when they have children to raise or farms to tend to. So I spend most of my days quietly alone, trying to make the most of it, but ultimately beginning to lose a battle to a reticent sadness that is hard to overcome. I write this blog to not only remind myself but invest myself in the good that I have slowly become a bit blind to amidst the personal struggles I’ve faced.

The name of my blog comes from " 夕立 " , read as “yuudachi.” It means a sudden shower in the late afternoon/early evening, but could be literally translated to "occurrence of the evening (meteorological) phenomenon.” I really love this word. The first time I learned it, there was a yuudachi around 4:30PM as I was leaving work, and my coworker explained the word and its kanji to me. It was a warm and sunny day with sparse clouds, so it was the perfect dictionary description of “yuudachi.” I walked home from work right after it ended during that golden time of the day, and saw a lovely rainbow above the mountains and met a cool little beetle outside my door. It was a very magical moment for me that etched itself into my memories, so when I was trying to decide on a name for this blog, the word 夕立 kept coming back to me. It was a lovely afternoon despite the storm. Grossly sentimental, I know. I’ll let you read into the rest of the meaning before I sound overly dramatic and emotional. For now, look at these cool photos I took on that day.

#blog #japan #japanese #nihon #nippon #inaka #shimane #gaijin #japan life #living in japan #photo #photos

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sparklyjojos · 4 years

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THE SAIMON FAMILY CASE recaps [7/13]

In which we talk with the yakuza side of the family, learn about strange mountain hermits running around, and meet the Obligatory Kodansha Editor Character.

PART 5

Chinese legends speak of a man called Xu Fu. The ruler of Qin Dynasty ordered him to sail to the land to the east and find the elixir of immortality. After a long journey, Xu Fu arrived at a beautiful mountain as wondrous as Mount Sumeru that he called Fushizan, “the mountain of immortality”. One theory claims that it was the same place we know as Fuji-san.

Well, certainly it wasn’t Mt. Fuji he found… although the mountain indeed was located on the legendary Penglai, the Island of Immortals—Japan. On Mount Penglai lived its God, and looking from the top one could see the entire Country of Gods stretching down below...

When Ajiro and Kirigirisu are still up at 4 AM talking about the case, Soga Tensui makes yet another sudden entrance and shows them a written request:

The other Soga Tensui is with the rest of the family right now. Voices carry far, so please keep on talking as if I’m not here. If you want to discuss something with me, please write it down.

The three men talk in this way until dawn. Since the magician doesn’t say a word, Kirigirisu isn’t sure if they’re actually talking with Tensui or maybe with Gensui.

Ajiro has no qualms about telling Tensui he and his brother are among the most likely suspects, and the man doesn’t seem upset in the slightest.

We have already considered the possibility. Neither I nor the other Soga Tensui is the perpetrator. We may not have a solid alibi, and I realize that it’s a weak proof of innocence, but the idea to ask you for help came from both of us. We wouldn’t make the request, was one of us the culprit.

It appears Tensui has already made his own little investigation through Miku, who asked everyone in the family (with a promise not to blame them for the deaths) whether or not they swapped the curtains or took Yuuta to Tottori. Either no one from the family members present did that, or the culprit stays quiet. The investigation hit a dead end.

It seems the case is unsolvable as of now. I don’t think the investigation will be able to progress any further unless another incident happens on the 19th next month.

Soon after that Tensui leaves them, probably to hide before everyone else wakes up.

Once the family sits down to eat, Ajiro asks everyone to watch each other’s moves throughout the next month, just in case.

“You think one of us killed him?” booms the man looking like a mountain (Kirigirisu looks into his notes… right, Fujita Daisen. The non-yakuza son of the yakuza old man.) “If the culprit is really among us, then listen up! On the 19th next month, I’m gonna be patrolling Mount Daisen together with my buddies from the mountaineering club. If you’re gonna attack someone, better try me then! You can be sure I’m gonna turn the tables on you!”

“Calm down, no one’s going to attack you,” says the man more similar to a tall tree (notes, notes… ah, Fujita Hyousen. Daisen’s younger brother, the current yakuza boss. If Daisen seems like a furious animal in his demeanor, this guy’s more like a sharp blade).

“What, Hyousen, are you saying I’m not gonna be attacked next?”

“Even if I was the culprit, I wouldn’t want to target you.”

“You still dare say that? I’d say it’d be just like you to attack me!”

Everyone else looks on in awkward silence as the two brothers have a heated exchange.

“Whatever,” Hyousen says after they calm down a little. “If you do go into the mountains on 19th, better take care not to get into any accidents.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m not gonna die until I meet the Mountain God.”

“Do you seriously still believe all those tales…”

“I’m gonna see the Country of Gods from the mountain!” Daisen yells nonsensically.

On December 19th, Fujita Daisen (44) is found dead while patrolling Mount Daisen with his climbing club friends. It seems he slipped on the stairs of a mountain shelter and hit his head, eventually dying from blood loss.

Mount Daisen—probably the inspiration for the man’s name—has been an object of worship and awe since ancient times. One legend speaks of a proud god from Korea who wanted to prove one of his mountains was in fact even grander, so he loaded it onto a boat and took to Japan to compare sizes. As soon as he arrived close to Mount Daisen and realized how big it truly was, he left his own mountain next to it and left in a huff—that’s where the neighboring mountain Koreizan came from.

Mount Daisen can be dangerous to climb in winter, so patrols of experienced climbers are sent out to ensure safety on the snow-covered trails. One such patrol of ten men under Fujita Daisen’s lead embarked on duty on December 19th. They all took a brief rest in a small concrete hut serving as a shelter. Eventually Daisen asked everyone to leave the shelter and follow him, now constantly staying in front of the group, heading straight for the peak without looking back at them even once—something very unusual for him.

When they arrived at the peak, strangely-behaving Daisen was the first to enter the big lodge located there, but once everyone else walked in, they couldn’t find Daisen inside. Instead, someone else had been waiting for them: a corpulent thirty-something man with curly hair bringing to mind a reggae artist.

“I’m… Saimon Takayoshi,” he mumbled out, giving off the vibe of a troubled introvert. “I’m from… Daisen’s family. He asked me to… from that shelter to here… to switch places with him. Daisen should join us... any time now...”

Before the rest could fully shake off the surprise, they heard two other climbers call for them from outside, yelling that they had found someone dead at the shelter below. Everyone rushed back and discovered the corpse was Daisen, lying in a pool of blood by the short stairs outside.

According to Takayoshi, Daisen had anticipated that someone would try to attack him that day. Takayoshi thought it was probably just baseless paranoia, but agreed to serve as bait during the climb, so that Daisen could walk behind them, spot the assassin and catch him. Daisen planned to leave the hut only when the others were at a certain distance so they wouldn’t suspect anything. It seems that he fell from the stairs when trying to follow them.

Since Daisen’s father Kyuuzou was once called Saimon, this incident means a fourth member of the Saimon family in a row has died on 19th day of a month.

As the previous boss of Fujita-gumi, Fujita Kyuuzou inherited a splendid residence in Tsuwano, on the opposite side of town than Kami-Saimon. He lives there along with those who served him the longest. His son Hyousen and the rest live in another house, closer to the town’s center.

On December 21st, the day of Daisen’s wake, Ajiro and Kirigirisu head to Kyuuzou’s residence and talk with Takayoshi.

As we may remember, Takayoshi is one of the three sons of Akiko, the second victim. (The other two brothers are Taishi and Akio, who play the two clowns in the show.) Though in his thirties, Takayoshi is single, apparently never having even dated before… and no wonder, because his entire demeanor screams that he doesn’t like any contact with other people. Was that why he left the family?

“I wasn’t as talented as my brothers…” Takayoshi mumbles out an explanation. “I’m from the main family, so I would perform in shows since I was small… but no matter how much I trained, I had stage fright and always made mistakes. Akio was always nice to me, but… Taishi would beat me… others turned a cold shoulder…”

Young Takayoshi would often leave his house to find shelter and understanding somewhere else: in Fujita-gumi led by Kyuuzou, who treated the boy on par with his own children. Takayoshi became a full-fledged member after graduating middle school and moved to the Fujita residence. He quickly realized that the rest of the main family still acts cold towards him, though for much different reasons now. Afraid that his presence could bring Fujita-gumi trouble, he left Tsuwano in high school.

After many misadventures he was found passed out in the mountains and brought back to the main family’s house, where he once again became the object of pestering. Daisen and Hyousen helped him get out of there, and Kyuuzou’s recommendation allowed him to stay for three years with a friendly yakuza group Nagasaki-kai (written 長先会 rather than like the city’s name). During that time, Takayoshi managed to learn enough magic to later be able to travel around Japan making a living through street performances. Maybe it wasn’t an easy life, but still better than staying with the Saimons. He kept in touch with the Fujitas and knew about the mysterious deaths going on, but only decided to return a few days ago, to help Daisen.

“He didn’t tell me much, but… he said that the real target isn’t the Saimon family, but Fujita-gumi. And now he’s dead… I made a horrible mistake again…!”

Takayoshi may have been a prime suspect so far, but the conversation makes Ajiro and Kirigirisu doubt he’s involved in the case. On the day of Tamako’s death he was far away in Hokkaido, attempting to get some money by talking to a journalist about his experiences on the road. The journalist was called Uyama Hideo and worked for Kodansha.

[Uyama Hideo is an actual Kodansha editor. The author’s note at the end dedicates the book to Uyama and reveals that it was in part written as thanks for everything he did for the shinhonkaku / new mystery genre.]

Takayoshi and Uyama eventually moved to the Kanto area, where he got a call from the Fujitas about his mother Akiko’s death. He was still in Kanto when a month later he learned about Yuuta’s death and Daisen’s plan. And so, he decided to help and headed to Mount Daisen.

“Magicians don’t reveal their methods, but I guess I’m not a true magician anyway…” Takayoshi mumbles. “And it’s for the investigation, so I’ll tell you what we did... When a magician performs instant transportation, it’s practically always achieved using a double… Either a twin sibling, another really similar person, or at least someone with the same body shape hiding their face… but you need a good excuse for the last one. If you see a magician getting shot out of a cannon towards a suspended cage, he will be wearing a helmet saying it’s for safety… but it’s actually to hide his face… the double is already hidden at the destination, they just need to use blind spots effectively to switch…”

Kirigirisu realizes that he has already seen an “instant transportation” like that before: the torn business card that seemed to have teleported inside a mandarin orange.

Takayoshi explains that while not being that similar to Daisen, the right clothing and time to prepare made him able to serve as his double. Having experience with illusion helped.

“And what do you personally think about Daisen’s death?” Ajiro asks. “Was it an accident?”

“Daisen was… definitely murdered.”

After listening to Takayoshi, the detectives move rooms to have a conversation with Hyousen, Daisen’s brother and the current boss of Fujita-gumi.

Hyousen states that it’s Fujita-gumi that’s being targeted. Two other groups may be at fault. One is Nagasaki-kai; they may have been friendly once, but after their boss got assassinated a bit before Hyousen took over Fujita-gumi, the relations between them worsened, and who knows, maybe they’re just waiting for the right moment to take over Tsuwano. The other enemy group is Karyuu-kai (華隆会), also hungry for their turf. Hyousen claims that Fujita-gumi are the ones keeping Tsuwano peaceful and happy, and if they were to fall, the other groups would probably bring in a giant gang war.

Fujita-gumi is mostly a tekiya group selling shady goods at festivals and getting protection money from Tsuwano’s stores. Another source of income for them is “industrial enterprise”—by which Hyousen means Soga Tensui Troupe’s Circus of Magic.

The group fell into some financial difficulties lately. The yakuza structure have changed a lot throughout the years; many small groups have merged together into big ones, creating an oligopoly. The thing about Fujita-gumi’s tekiya business is that they can’t exactly go sell things in another group’s territory, but many groups allowed for an exception when their yashi (peddlers) were tagging along with the Circus of Magic. This new yakuza oligopoly means in practice that Fujita-gumi can’t go many different places anymore, and neither can the Circus. Even the recent show in Yamaguchi was only possible thanks to a brief change in what yakuza group controlled the turf at the moment. Right now the Circus is pretty much limited to touring between towns by the old mines, where the Tsukumos and Tousens still have many friends.

The cost of the magic show is nothing to sneeze at, what with all these outsiders it employs, and combined with territorial limitations it made the Circus face tough times. Daisen was able to help them a little financially as the owner of a yakiniku restaurant chain in Tottori, and Hyousen set up a bunch of pachinko parlors with help of (then friendly) Nagasaki-kai. Then the new boss of Nagasaki-kai announced severing their ties and all the pachinko parlors were slowly being taken back. Their only remaining parlor in Yamaguchi is receiving harassment, and even Daisen’s yakiniku restaurants have been under attack recently.

Considering all this, it wouldn’t be weird if one of the enemy groups started attacking Fujita-gumi indirectly by assassinating members of their family. Hyousen is fully convinced that the four dead Saimons were all murdered.

Ajiro and Kirigirisu can see the point, but something doesn’t add up. If Daisen believed another yakuza group was at fault, why would he stand up at a family gathering and challenge the culprit among them to target him? Why would he get so heated with Hyousen?

Hyousen does realize their conversation made him look suspect, so he explains it. Daisen got heated because he thought there was an enemy group’s spy in the family. It’s true that Daisen acted like he fully expected Hyousen to target him, but that probably stemmed from when they were young and fought constantly. When Hyousen said that even if he was the culprit, he wouldn’t want to attack Daisen, he meant that Daisen as his brother likely wouldn’t be targeted by the other groups, as they would fear Fujita-gumi’s revenge… and revenge they will get, as soon as Hyousen figures out who exactly is at fault for his brother’s death.

This leaves one question: what was that strange thing Daisen said about the Mountain God and the Land of Gods?

“The mountain is Mount Daisen, and the Land of Gods is Izumo stretching to the west. As for the Mountain God… I think it’s nothing more than idle gossip, but I’ll tell you. Our father claims that decades ago he met the Mountain God while climbing Mount Daisen. I never believed him, but Daisen did. The truth is, who my father met was not a god, but a hermit living in the mountains. I and my son Hyousai were even named after him. You see, volcanic Mount Daisen was once called the hikami (火神) mountain, hikami meaning “the god of fire”. That hermit was also called Hikami (氷神), although with the first kanji meaning “ice” rather than “fire”. And since he was a sennin (仙人), a mountain hermit, and was gifted with appropriate genius, sai (才), his full name was Hikami Sensai (氷神仙才). Only my father has ever met that man.”

So that’s where the names Hyousen (氷仙) and Hyousai (氷才) came from.

The two detectives move rooms again to speak with Fujita Kyuuzou, the previous boss of Fujita-gumi, elderly father of Daisen and Hyousen.

Immediately after entering the room, they notice a black Noh mask portraying a smiling old man—kokushikijou—displayed as decoration. Kyuuzou invites them to sit down with him on the tatami. As soon as they do, Kyuuzou suddenly yells out in a frightening manner, causing Kirigirisu to fall on his back in fear. Ajiro doesn’t even flinch.

“It’s been forty years since someone was able to withstand my kiai,” Kyuuzou says with a smile. “You truly are Soujin’s grandson.”

“Do you know my grandfather?”

“Know him? We’re sworn brothers, we drank from the same cup of sake! As his grandson, you too are like my family.” Kyuuzou’s eyes are kind as he looks at Ajiro.

“I… did not know about that. My apologies. If I could contact him, I would have brought him along...”

“Don’t worry. No one could ever shackle that man down, not even his grandson, not even I, his sworn brother. He’s not a yakuza, a man that would feel bound by family events; even if I was the one to die, I’m sure he wouldn’t attend my funeral.”

Ajiro’s own grandfather shared sake with a yakuza boss… Kirigirisu is shocked, but starts to understand why exactly Soujin gives others that dangerous mafia boss impression.

The detectives ask more questions about the case, but learn nothing new. Kyuuzouu does remember meeting Hikami Sensai decades ago, but the memory is fuzzy. He doesn’t have any proof that another group is pulling the strings behind the scenes, but Daisen was definitely murdered and they probably have a serial murder case in progress.

Kirigirisu’s life began anew in 1973, when he was a suspect in a murder case and had lost all his memories due to hitting his head. He could only vaguely remember suddenly falling off a cliff into the sea and trying to swim to the shore. It seemed like he had been solving a case as a private detective under the name Kirigirisu Tarou—or at least the few clues they found said so.

Nihon Tantei Club was founded a year later, in 1974. Though it hasn’t seen many cases so far, certainly their popularity is rising—well, a little. In this uncertain era, many businesses are facing financial difficulties. Kirigirisu wants to help Nihon Tantei Club as he can, not only because of his loyalty to both Ajiros, but because one of their investigations led to his first meeting with Kano.

But no matter how much they try, 1977 swiftly becomes 1978 without the Saimon Family Case coming anywhere near to being solved.

On January 18th, Ajiro and Kirigirsu visit Tsuwano once more in anticipation of another death the next day. The town is still full of snow, and the family members still have a grim look on their faces.

Daisetsu, late Daisen’s son, asks them to go with him and Takayoshi to the local bar at 10 PM so they can talk. When they meet there, an unknown man shows up to drink with them.

“This is…” Takayoshi mutters, “the journalist I told you about… Uyama…”

Uyama Hideo is a short man with curious eyes. He welcomes them with enthusiasm that makes it obvious he’s already somewhat drunk. His business card gives his first name as Hideomi (日出臣), apparently an older nickname of his.

“Oh…” Uyama sighs strangely. “You know, I have this astrologer friend, a man of many talents who wants to become a mystery novelist lately. I believe his name will become famous. Oh… he incidentally has the same first name as you, Mr. Ajiro. Shimada Souji.”

[The narration confirms that he means the future author of The Tokyo Zodiac Murders.]

The group sits down for a drink. It’s a pretty small place, as expected from a quiet town. The friendly owner is apparently one of Daisen’s friends from the mountaineering club. Looking around, the detectives notice a few posters of celebrities: the actor Matsuda Yuusaku, the karate master Ooyama Masutatsu, the pro-wrestler Rikidouzan, baseball stars Harimoto Isao and Kaneda Masaichi… Kirigirisu truly has no idea why all these different people have their faces plastered around the bar. Maybe the owner is a fan.

Daisetsu says that it’s not actually him that wanted to talk to the detectives, but Uyama.

“Oh… that’s right,” Uyama agrees with that strange sigh of his. “When Mr. Kirigirisu called me last month, I learned from him that Kira was staying with Fujita-gumi…”

“Kira?”

“That’s how… he reads my name…” Takayoshi explains [貴良 can be read as both Takayoshi and Kira]. “Even Daisetsu picked it up from him…”

“Oh… I wanted to talk about how those four deaths look like a murder case to me.”

“Exactly!” Daisetsu shouts. “At least my father’s death was murder! There’s no way a true man of the mountains would just slip and fall! I asked Uyama to help us investigate.”

“Oh… I’m going to look into the case more. Maybe interview the Saimons.” Uyama adds that Taishi didn’t want to let him bother anyone from his house, so they should split forces: Uyama will focus on Fujita-gumi, while Ajiro and Kirigirisu take care of the Saimons. “I’m not doing this for a scoop, but just to help Kira. Besides, I’m something of a mystery fan, so I’m interested in seeing a strange case myself…”

The group talks some more before parting ways. Takayoshi and Daisetsu (and very drunk Uyama carried on Daisetsu’s back) head to the Fujita residence, and the detectives return to Kami-Saimon for the night.

As midnight strikes and January 18th becomes 19th, the anticipation of things to come hangs heavily in the air.

[>>>NEXT PART>>>]

#sparkly reads the saimon family case #maijo and jdc stuff #which yakuza game is this

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lunawings · 5 years

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King of Prism SSS Part 2 (Kakeru, Joji, Minato) Theatrical Weekly Videos screenshots & translation

Like before, if you actually obtain the video of these (an extra on the DVD/BluRay) feel free to use my translation to sub it AS LONG AS you credit me and this blog!

Click for Part 1.

Translator’s notes: For Kakeru’s I translated the audio and not the text on the screen since it’s basically the same thing. But if anyone wants an exact translation of the screen let me know. Joji made me do actual research on Okayama since I couldn’t understand what he was saying. (So I actually linked to everything he talks about since I went that far anyway!) I’m afraid I may have still missed a few words from his dialogue in the end though. He just talks so fast. For Minato’s, yes that’s Masashi Igarashi doing the cooking. There is an extended version on the DVD where you can see his face as he talks to the camera. It literally looks like the filmed this in an office breakroom by the way ahah.

Episode 4: Kakeru

[A day in the life of Exective Director Kazuo Juuouin]

Narrator: Exective Director Kazuo Juuoin’s weekdays are truly busy.

Awaken at 4:30

Check news and magazines.

Eat a hearty breakfast, review documents during transport by chauffeur, attend the morning company meeting before quickly returning to attend classes at the Kakyoin Academy senior high school division. Power lunch with business associates before returning to class again.

Receive paperwork in transport, work at the executive board room, return to Edel Rose and practice, dinner, finish leftover office work in his room.

But he never misses bathtime.

Finally, after studying in his room, sometimes he doesn’t sleep until as late as 2:00 am.

However, on the weekends Kazuo does not work for one second and instead immerses himself in his personal interests.

He sleeps in, and catches up on his anime and manga.

Enjoys beauty treatment for his skin.

Helps with shopping.

Teatime.

Entertainment.

Diligently engages in hobbies.

By the way, the contents of the “black box” in Kazuo’s room are top secret.

Episode 5: Joji

Joji’s Okayama Voice 29

Host: Joji-san, what do you think of Okayama?

Joji: There’s basically nothing here!

Host: Yeah, you’re right! It really is boring.

[Joji’s expression changes while the host is talking]

Joji: HEY! You know what.

In Okayama you can find Momotaro all around the station! Like HERE!

AND HERE!

Host: That’s an unusually sleezy-looking Momotaro.

Joji: IT’S CUTE.

Host: I guess Okayama is just a prefecture of Momotaro and nothing else, huh.

Joji: NO.

The Bikan Historical Quarter is the best date spot.

Shimotsui octopus.

Hinase oyster.

Mamakari fish.

And don’t forget Shiro “Para” Milk! SUPER GOOD!

Host: Ah, Shiro “Para” milk is actually from Tottori prefecture.

Joji: GYAAAH! Well there’s mountains! *collapse*

[Okayama Love]

Host: It seems like somehow you really do love Okayama, don’t you?

Joji: I’m working hard in my hometown Tokyo. Everyone from Okayama, you’ll cheer me on, right?

But I was actually born in Tokyo, OK?

[That’s a lie ❤ ]

Episode 6: Minato

[Minato’s 1 Minute Cooking]

Minato: Today’s menu is the Takahashi family special!

Cabbage and egg stir-fry!

It’s really easy to make!

After heating up the pan, add some sesame seed oil.

Tsubasa: Be extra careful when you are around a hot stove.

Minato: And then fry up the cabbage.

Tsubasa: Ushio, can you handle it?

Ushio: This sort of thing is a piece of cake!

Misaki: The color of the cabbage is lookin’ good.

Minato: When the cabbage is nice and hot, add a bit of seasoning and some egg.

Tsubasa: You just drop in the whole egg without mixing it first?

Minato: Mixing it while it’s in the frying pan is the Minato-style!

All: Ohhhhh!

Minato: And when the egg is about half cooked, then add soy sauce as you like, turn up the heat, and mix it all together.

Gen: It smells so good!

Nagisa: You don’t add any other seasoning?

Minato: This draws out the flavor of the cabbage, so you don’t need anything else. Turn off the heat just before the egg is fully cooked, plate it, and you’re done!

All: YAAAAY!

Minato: Well then...

All: LET’S EAT!

Go to Part 3.

#king of prism #king of prism sss #king of prism shiny seven stars #kakeru beat shin at pripara #....wait what #also kakeru only sleeps for 2 1/2 hours on weeknights apparently.....#thinking about that gives me a vicarious headache #his black box is filled with embarrassing pictures of taiga #i was able to recognize igarashi-san in this video initially because of his hands #he's a stage actor so he uses his hands a lot #and i guess i always end up looking at them when i see him at events ahahah #so i was like #i think i know those hands

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tarralin · 5 years

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Gifts

Fox Hunt, Chapter Thirteen

(Moodboard gifted by @under-sengoku-skies)

~☆~

Mitsuhide didn't waste the day Nobunaga had gifted him.

The morning was spent playing a new game of guessing the origin of scars on them both. Each discovery led to new questions, new explorations until he could map out every marking upon her skin. Blades, bullets, the elements… the little harpy seemed to have no end of battle tales or missions she assured were mostly were successful despite the souvenirs she earned from them.

"This is an odd one…" his fingers traced a thinly raised semi-circle located on the back of her right thigh.

She was watching his exploration while perched on her elbows and, once he found his newest target, her head rolled as laughter boomed freely from her. "I was hoping you'd pass that one! It is by no means battle related and one you may need sake for."

"You pique my interest further, dearest, do tell.” He smirked while retrieving a carafe to pour them both a new cup.

Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated her thoughts before cautiously broaching a question. “Among your conversations with foreign traders, have you ever heard of the Sahara Desert?”

“Can't say that I have… Why, what is this ‘Sahara’?”

She pursed her lips in thought now before her eyes sparkled with a realization. “There's a beach line nearby with giant sand dunes isn't there?”

“You mean Tottori?”

“Yes, that's it! Imagine those sand dunes stretching over several nations to a size twenty-five times larger than all of Japan… and that would be the Sahara Desert.”

He blinked incredulously at her comparison. Were the lands beyond really so large? He always wondered at the haughty attitudes of the traders, and even his harpy spoke with lilt so far removed from theirs, it could only be explained by distance.

A clink on his cup from hers pulled his attention back. "I told you, you may need sake for it. I know many don't believe as Nobu does, but the world really is a much larger place than you may think. But that's another story for later.

“The mission was a simple agent extraction with RM and I on point while JR acted as lookout. We got the agent where she needed to be, but RM's transport contact for us ended up being a materialistic rat and sold us out. Lucky for us, a sand storm came out of nowhere and we managed to escape by running into it. We found the ruins of a house to ride out the rest of the storm and it was well into the night by the time it died down enough for us to build a fire. Once we did, RM dumped her bag in true RM fashion and everything scattered, one of those things being a hairspray can she packed from the mission and--"

"A what?"

"A hair oil," her eyes widened a fraction as if she hadn't meant to say so much before blinking with an explanation. "Specifically meant for styling. Back home, we have a special dispensing canister for it but when exposed to heat it can act as a bomb if left unnoticed. Well… neither of us noticed it until it was too late and beamed me right in the thigh. My whole leg went numb at first and then the pain started, felt like a gunshot and I couldn't walk until dawn! RM felt horrible but all I could do was laugh. Here we had just ran through town, dodging bullets and blades the whole time, yet she's the one who managed to incapacitate me for a time." Her shoulders trembled with mirth at the memory. "JR was furious when she found us the next day, saying only we would be crazy enough to run into a desert storm without rations of water."

"She'd rather you be killed by the pursuers?"

"That's what I said!" Another laugh while sipping her sake as his hands continued lower to her ankles and-- were his eyes playing tricks? His fingers delicately traced where the tips of several toes should have been. All three middle toes of her right foot, as well as the left's middle and adjacent right, ended at the first knuckle where crude, visible scarring revealed that she had indeed been born with them.

“You said you were held captive before, correct?”

She nodded once slowly as she downed her cup's remaining contents. “I was captured in Croatia, yes, but that didn't happen then. That occurred after I returned home.” Reluctance tensed her shoulders as he ran his palms over her calf in silent encouragement until she sighed with resolve and continued. “I told you before my eldest brother, Michael, and I haven't spoken a word to each other since we buried Mark and Macon, but that's not one hundred percent true…

~Five Years Earlier~

Mabel stared unblinking at the phone in front of her atop the kitchen counter for several long moments. After feeling nothing but an all-encompassing numbness in the weeks since Mark and Macon's burials, a single phone call-- from Michael of all people!-- blasted a much-needed breath of life through her entire being.

Life had only ever revolved around two primary objectives: proving her worth of Mother's name to Father, and forcing her eldest brother to acknowledge her existence. The latter of which she had actually given up on years ago. Yet, now it seemed there was finally a chance for peace as his words replayed in her mind.

"I know I've been nothing but an ass to you and I know it will probably take the rest of my life to make up for it, but would you have it in your heart to let me try?"

She still couldn't believe it really happened, even after checking the phone's call log four times. Sure, all this was no doubt brought on by grief and the fact that she was now the only blood he had left in the world but this was not an opportunity to let pass!

Hunting with Michael this weekend at the old lodge? Hell yeah!

Mabel was on the road within an hour after a quick text explaining the new plans to Jules and Rica, car packed with all she needed for three days of leisurely game...

A fit of insanity. That was the only thing that could explain why Michael bashed a vase into the back of her head when she entered the door. What other feasible reason was there for stringing her up like a hunted animal?

Struggling proved futile as her arms were rendered useless from the strain of hanging several feet above the ground. If she could just gain traction somewhere-- anywhere!-- maybe she could at least gnaw away at the ropes until they snapped loose but not a single chair or table adorned the processing shack. All game cleaning supplies had been removed from the room and her tether was so short she couldn't even plant a foot on the wall.

Not to mention the shack offered meager protection against the snow-laced winter winds of the mountain. The cold had long since soaked into her bones and numbed all feeling. White frost sparkled at the corners of her eyes in the morning sun that peeked through the edges of the window covers. Honestly, she'd never know how frostbite hadn't set in after two days like this as the forecast called for single digit temps all week.

"Well, well, well." Not even a thread of true surprise wound through Michael's sarcasm as he stepped through the door. The grin he boasted was suited for a kid in a toy store more than a man flourishing a pair of hedge trimmers. If it weren't for the meticulously assembled surgical scrubs and gloves he wore, she could almost fool herself into thinking he was going to cut her loose from the binding. "You're not a popsicle yet. Impressive."

It took several moments longer than she liked to push words through her chattering teeth. "Just lucky, I guess."

"Lucky?" Barely contained venom spewed now, transforming his voice from the honey smooth flow to a toxic stream of vitriol. "Is that how you explain why my brothers are dead?"

Those words froze the blood in her veins more effectively than the snow ever could as the puzzle snapped together and realization struck. This was no temporary psychosis. This was old fashioned revenge that had been carefully plotted and set with her exact brand of bait. How could I be so stupid?!

"You know, it doesn't really matter." He closed the door behind him as he straightened a surgeon's mask in place. "Why don't we play a game, hmm? I ask a question, you answer. Respond correctly and I'll cut into the ropes little by little; answer incorrectly--" the shink of metal brought her gaze back to the trimmers as he snapped them shut for emphasis "-- and I cut into you. Simple enough?"

"Go to Hell."

"Ooh, wrong answer."

~*~

It took all his years of practice for Mitsuhide to keep the fury from showing in the moments after her tale. Violence amongst family was not an uncommon occurrence, particularly when heirs quarreled regularly, but an uncontested eldest son turning against his younger sister? Only in one situation had he heard of such a thing.

"Vengeance?"

Another soft nod. "He's always blamed me for Mother's death. Then, Father passed not long before Croatia and he finally snapped."

"In your country, are such actions punishable?"

"Oh, definitely, but Michael was smart. He had a foolproof alibi with several of his friends backing it. Not to mention his extensive career and personal connections through the local government that would easily squash any kind of criminal charges against him. With no other witnesses or proof, it would have been just one giant waste of time."

"In other words, I get to enjoy a hunt across your homeland someday." He was already calculating the earliest he could leave the campaign to track down the degenerate when her lips landed softly over his collarbone as he returned to her side.

"Thank you but he's not worth your time."

His arms tightened around as his own lips brushed over the top of her head, an ever so dangerous sliver of hope coursing through him that she hadn't denied the possibility of a 'someday'. He cleared it from his thoughts and asked one last question of this past incident. "How did you free yourself?"

A dark huff of a laugh as she rolled her eyes. "I didn't. Apparently, the message I sent to my sisters was enough for them to know something was wrong. They found me just in time before freezing to death. After that, JR feared Michael would come after again me so the three of us dropped all use of our real names from then on. RM suggested using initials. See, in her family its tradition to name all firstborn daughters after the matriarch many generations ago. She has four other cousins-- plus an aunt-- that have the same name and they all go by something else when the family gathers."

"A great honor, what did the matriarch do to warrant such loyalty?"

"No one remembers! It's just an ingrained tradition now." A true smile bloomed as a small giggle escaped her. He laced his fingers through her hair as it reverberated through his chest, enjoying the warmth shining in her eyes after the dark clouds cleared from them and engraved the sight as best as he could into his memory. Something in his gaze sent a flash of his favorite scarlet dancing across her nose. "What is it?"

Oh, how nicely you've opened up for an attack. Must not waste this opportunity… "Simply deciding and plotting out all the ways to bring out that delicious coloring of yours."

"As if you know the meaning of the word!" Laughter abounded freely as he flipped her suddenly, pinning her wrists above her head. "Half the day is gone, so you better get started."

~*~

The next dawning sun signaled the time to return to Azuchi, but not until he made sure not a strand of hair or a slip of fabric among her ensemble were out of place. It would not do for her to be sacrificed to the castle rumor mill. Regardless of her indifference to the subject, he would not hear of her name making rounds in the wrong kind of circles.

“Mitsuhide,” she sighed once more as he glanced about the alleyway they traveled leading to the castle, wrapping herself around his arm. “That's really not necessary.”

“I know the extent rumors can stretch. Mere whispers grow into whirlwinds which grow into monsoons until they destroy all one has built.”

She pulled him to a stop beside her, hands locking behind his neck to force him to meet her gaze. “They're not exactly rumors if it's true, right? We don't have time to worry about what anyone outside our circle thinks and I'm sure most of them suspected this. Besides...” she ran her hands down his torso, straightening the edges of his scarf as she went. “It will take a lot more than a monsoon to destroy me, Mitsuhide.”

Perhaps it is best she's chosen to leave... Buddha knows I don't deserve her.

Her fingers came back to his face as if she were trying to memorize it again; as if she could hear his thoughts. If she did, she made no further comment. Simply gifted him that glimpse of sunshine in her smile before she had to turn down the castle path toward the servant quarters where the maids were probably awaiting her instructions.

He watched as she transformed back to the Chatelaine known throughout Azuchi with each step until she was out of sight. He’d have to wait out the daylight hours until he could work on uncovering more hidden pieces to the lovely puzzle that he was running out of time to solve.

But he would try… starting with the arrival of her 'gift'.

~*~

MC stood in front of the audience chamber door with a loaded tea cart at hand. It would be the first war council she attended since the attack two weeks ago. Not to mention the first while working alongside a lover. They hadn't discussed their comfortable level of publicity yet, so she would continue on as if nothing had happened between them and simply watch for any clues he gave.

Looking out for a kitsune's signals? This should be interesting…

Getting right to work as she entered, she filled everyone's teacups while they waited for the two remaining warlords to arrive. Both Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide had yet to show.

"My, my," Nobu's voice took on that brotherly teasing note as he flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder with the end of his writing brush, revealing the very distinctive markings she had tried to conceal. "Looks like you had a restful day indeed. Tell me, spent with anyone interesting?"

You massive troll, like you have to ask! Ugh, no point in hiding it now. "Not you obviously."

"Oh, is the kitten out of the bag already?" Masa's eye gleamed with mischief as he attempted to take her hand in his. "I'd hoped to keep it secret a little longer."

"Not you either!" A light punch in the shoulder accompanied her retort. "No one in this room, okay?"

Hideyoshi arrived at that moment with several letters in hand. "I've retrieved those reports you asked for--" his eyes stopped instantly upon a certain empty seat and released a defeated sigh. "Where is Mitsuhide now?"

Ieyasu was the first to quip a response. "Not in this room."

Nobu's knowing grin grew as he answered Hideyoshi. "He's attending to important business, he'll be here shortly. Let's begin."

The meeting flew by as MC read through her own reports on the renovation project while keeping an eye on the gathered lord's tea as the hours dwindled down.

Oh, time to refill the porcupine...

She had just stood when the door slid open and Mitsuhide entered with his usual smirk in place. "Apologies for my tardiness, but an important delivery was delayed."

Nobu visibly perked at the news. "Ah, the new information has arrived then?"

"It has." Mitsuhide turned toward MC as Ieyasu held his teacup for her to fill. "Dear Chatelaine, allow me."

"I'm nearly healed, Kitsune. A teapot is not likely to do me in."

"If you insist…" He held his palms up in surrender as he paced back to the door, sliding it open and gestured for someone to enter. "Come along now."

She shook her head while focusing on the scowling salt-lick before her--

"MC?"

--until a voice she'd recognize anywhere sent the teapot currently filling Ieyasu's cup to the floor as shock stole the strength from MC's hand. Abandoning the cursing warlord, she spun toward the voice to ensure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her but there was no mistaking the obsidian haired Latina.

"JR?"

~☆~

#ikesen #ikesen mitsuhide #ikesen fox hunt #ikemen sengoku #ikemen sengoku fanfic #ikesen fanfic #fox hunt #my writing #ikesen Nobunaga #ikesen Hideyoshi #ikesen Masamune #ikesen Ieyasu #ikesen oc

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donguris · 6 years

Photo

A map of the world in A Warrior’s Heart.

This is finally finished; thank you for waiting patiently! Glossary of some locations under the cut.

MAP GLOSSARY

⚔︎ S A M E Z U K A ⚔︎

•The Abyss: A fathomless undersea trench whence kraken and other abominations crawl up to haunt the ocean. It is the birthplace of Sirens, and acknowledged as a gate to the underworld. Sailors who have braved these waters recall a constant worming unease—like a feeling of being watched from below.

•Fukahire, The Sharkfin: Tallest mountain in the northern half of Samezuka. A temple is built on its steepest side, overlooking the entire empire southward. It is customary for the royal family to hold a quiet, intimate ceremony here, after a marriage or coronation.

•Gamou Glades: A flooded swampland that is notoriously hard to navigate. Muck moles, pinfly swarms, weeping vines, giant voles, and other obstacles make it a perilous place to lose your way. Bog Sirens hunt in the murk as well. And though solitary, silent, and more sickly than their open ocean cousins, they can be deadly encounters for the unwary.

•Crown Alps: Mountainous gateway to the far north. Ogres, centipedes, and stoneater giants once swarmed from them to terrorize human villages, but these are pitifully rare—the giants now all but extinct. Gold and ore is mined here, and settlements have flourished along the foothills.

•Kiba: A busy city and resting place for traders, miners, soldiers, and travelers. Though sightings of monsters from the mountains are uncommon, Kiba is still a heavily fortified, well-defended sanctuary. Notable residents: Mikoshiba Isuzu

•Moon Pools: Cascading lakes that reflect the sky with divine perfection. Bathing in their water heals the body, although they remain quite cold year-round. Unfortunately, the water seems to lose this healing quality when removed from the pools. They offer a chance to swim through stars with the gods on earth, but in the last century or two it’s become a romantic destination as well. Notable Residents: Hoshikawa Tsubasa

•Moyajima/ Fog Island: Den of the Sirens. It’s almost impossible to find it through the engulfing mist, though few would seek it. The demons live deep inside, having carved the island like an anthill—underground and underwater. Rare survivors of a visit to this place report that evil simmers so thickly around it, breathing the very air will make you sick. Notable Residents: Kurou, (formerly) Haru+Ikuya

•Samezuka (City): The capital and origin of Samezuka Empire, home of the ruling family. Spilling from the mountains to the sea, and including its peripheral neighbor Sano, it harbors well over a million people. The city’s history is rich and complex, boasting the largest temple, palace, and trade port in the world. It’s common here to see dragons from the wildlands flying to and from the ocean, and citizens often leave food out for the younger ones on towers, rooftops, and balconies. Notable Residents: Rin, Sousuke, Gou. Seijuuro, Momo, Ai, Miyako(former), Akira

•Red Mountains: A low mountain range that walls off the jungle from the rest of the settled world. Rock from these mountains was used to construct the palace, and many of the buildings in Samezuka. When the sun sets, they look to be on fire.

•Sano: Satellite city of the capital. Rose-colored brick streets, blossoming entertainment venues, bathhouses, vineyards, and other opulent distractions are big draws for both locals and travelers. Many of these projects are funded by influential noble families, who compete with each other in hosting extravagant social events. Notable Residents: Kisumi

•The Silk Islands: A volcanic archipelago at the top of the empire. Terrain is steep and islands sparsely populated, but this area remains home to a rich, proud culture of seafarers and craftsmen. The region is named for its unrivaled cultivation of silkworms. Despite islands being relatively close to one another, fog often obscures them from sight. Notable Residents: the Hazukis

•Sunstretch: This fertile expanse of grassland and temperate forest is Samezuka’s most bountiful source of food. The weather is mild, and it’s one of the safest places in the empire to live.

•Tokitsu/Whale Bay: An oceanside city-state so isolated, much of Samezuka lived blissfully unaware of it. Its precarious location severed it from the southern empire, as travel here was too dangerous an endeavor for most. Defending their city without dragons or magic, the soldiers of Whale Bay were some of the toughest in history. Much of the region’s lifestyle was built around battle, smithing, and swimming. Notable Residents: Sousuke, Haru (birthplace)

•The Wildlands: An unmapped, untamable reach of jungle, grassland, and thermal marshes that is home to most of Samezuka’s dragons. It teems with dangerous, often gargantuan flora and fauna. Climate and terrain vary, staying warmer near the coast, cooling off as altitude steadily rises northward. Many dragons will lay their eggs in the warmest region where their young can grow in safety, before taking them back home. The first red-haired, sharp-toothed Matsuoka was born and raised here before coming to walk among humans, and the family continues to foster an innate connection to this region. Notable Residents: Tora, Tamo, Sango, Yuudai

☾ I W A T O B I ☾

•Aomori: The Sacred Forest. Soil here is rich enough in magic to support groves of massive trees that stand thousands of years old. Despite its vast size, Aomori has very few permanent human residents. People live in one of three modest villages built at strategic points across its expanse, connected by a safe trail. Monks and guests walk this loop pilgrimage to visit the temples, but they must never stray from the path. The trees weave illusions to mislead malicious intruders, and keep them from the center of the woods. Aomori is a perilous place for those looking to do harm. Settlements in the forest are for some like windows into the past; village lifestyles have remained peaceful, spiritual, and largely unchanged for centuries. Notable Residents: Makoto, Haru, The Tachibanas, Aki, Miho

•The Green Girdle: Central Iwatobi—largely flat plains with fertile soil and rivers. Livestock, horses, corn, grain, rice, and other crops are raised here and exported. Cities are far between, and inns pride themselves on brewing the best cider and ale.

•Imadaki: Once an important military outpost for Samezuka, it’s now governed by Iwatobi, divided by a border that warps and blurs. Control of this island has seen constant contention.

•Negura, The Eagle’s Roost: The capital of Iwatobi, hollowed into Tottori Canyon by sorcerers, and ever-expanding. Above the canyon, it is an arid plateau, but the rock is so richly infused with magic, that lush vegetation drapes the shelves along the river. The city runs for miles until emptying into Raptor’s Bay. Living areas in the heart of the capital are tiered—some stacked so high off the ground, that citizens rely on a magic-aided pulley elevator system to reach their homes each day. Negura boasts the most concentrated population of sorcerers, who are registered, monitored, and operate under a bill of regulations. Notable Residents: Nao, Natsuya, Asahi, Ikuya, Rei, Nagisa

•Negura Lowlands: Coastal flats that see only a shambling trickle of the big city’s wealth. It’s long been a hotbed for smuggling, piracy, illegal experimentation, and other crime that is hidden by sorcerers and outlaws disinclined to follow the capital’s strict codes. The infamous Grey Harbor Prison is housed on a slab of land just offshore—the most heavily guarded institution in Iwatobi. Notable Residents: Nagisa, Shun, Kyo, Miri Hazuki

•Raptor’s Bay: Iwatobi’s largest port city, and home of its royal navy. Notable Residents: Natsuya, Ikuya (birthplace)

•Quiet Isles: The fringes of Iwatobi. Trolls and wights have been known to resurface from the caves, en route to attack Aomori. When danger emerges, the islands’ life goes eerily silent. However, Black Rails persist their calling, and people of the Quiet Isles know this bird’s sound as a dire warning to shut their gates. Rails became a symbol of bravery, and are protected for their service. These rare events aside, the islands are perfect places for someone to live unbothered. Notable Residents: Azuma Ryuuji

#Free!#free! fantasy au #donguris drawings

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