In Which a Geek-Girl Blogs

30 something fangirl who refuses to purge her high school era Tumblr. You're stuck with me. she/her 言葉よりも大切なもの　ここにはあるから

[katfish27]

Ummm. Hi.

I don't even know who all is still here, but it looks like it might be time for me to return.

Quick Kat life update since I was last active:

Graduated university, got married, moved to Japan for 3 years, moved back to the states. And now here I am.

[storge]

Dentist... Escher... Legal office... Old man... Beauty clinic... High-paying part-time job... Subway etiquette... Security camera... Fire extinguisher... Door... Door... Vent... Door... Vent. Good. No anomaly.

Exit 8 (2025) dir. Kawamura Genki

[japanesedoramaandanimelover91]

Translation of a news article by Sakurai Sho from News Zero. 12 January 2026. Two years after the earthquake on the Noto Peninsula—new steps and ongoing internal conflicts in my hometown of Wajima.

Two years have passed since the earthquake on the Noto Peninsula. Buildings are gradually being demolished at public expense, and despite small steps forward, the earthquake has accelerated an already serious problem: population decline. Today, i interviewed a man who, despite his internal conflicts, has nevertheless started a new life in Noto with his family, whom he was forced to leave after the disaster.

"Many places have become wastelands… It seems that there are many more such areas now. I remember that there used to be houses here."

Two years have passed since the earthquake.

The area around the Wajima morning market, where a major fire broke out, has become even more deserted.

Sakurai:-"Long time no see! It's good to see you, you look well."

He met again with the owner of the shop at the market—the brewery Hiyoshi (Hiyoshi Shuzo).

Sakurai:-"When we first met, we were standing roughly here, right?"

Satoshi Hiyoshi-san, owner of Hiyoshi Shuzo Brewery(Fifty one years old):-"Yes, right here."

Two years ago, their brewery stood on this spot.

By the end of 2025, it had been dismantled, and only the well remained untouched. The family continues to brew beer, renting premises from colleagues within the prefecture.

Satoshi Hiyoshi-san, owner of Hiyoshi Shuzo Brewery (Fifty one years old):-"I feel it's time to move on—we need to look ahead and do our best."

However, over the past two years, the cost of materials and labour has risen sharply, and restoration costs have nearly doubled, which has become a serious problem. Nevertheless, everyone continues to move forward in their own way.

Sakurai:-"Hello."

He meets Yasuhisa Soryo(Forty three years old).

Here, next to Wajima Market, is Wachi-dori Street. Soryo-san is opening an Italian restaurant on this street.

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):"This is a temporary location for now."

Sakurai:-"Are you getting ready?"

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"Yes, I'm working on the preparations right now."

Sakurai:-"When are you planning to open?"

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"Around next week."

Two years later, he is finally able to get the restaurant up and running again.

Although Soryo-san always smiles, the journey has been long and difficult.

His house and restaurant used to stand in front of the restaurant. It tilted during an earthquake and had to be demolished.

He lived here with his wife and three children. But after the earthquake, the family was forced to split up. Soryo-san stayed in Wajima to rebuild the restaurant, while his wife and children moved to Kanazawa.

Sakurai:-"How did you live back then?"

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"Every weekend, i would visit my family in Kanazawa. It was difficult. You spend time with your family, and then you return alone… On the way back, the roads are destroyed, and at some point, you start to ask yourself: why am i returning to a place called a "disaster zone"?"

His wife Megumi-san recalls that situation.

Megumi-san-wife (Thirty six years old)-"When i decided to go to Kanazawa, all I thought about was protecting my children. But we planned to return from the very beginning. My husband loves Wajima, he wants to work here, and so do i. The children kept saying, "We want to go back to Wajima.""

In the spring of 2025, when their second son started school, the family finally began living together again in Wajima.

The eldest son, Naru-kun, is passionate about football.

Sakurai:-"Were you happy when you returned to Wajima?"

Naru-kun(Nine years old):-"Yes."

Sakurai:-"Are you having fun now?"

Naru-kun (Nine years old):-"Yes, I am."

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"In the end, only one thing matters—who you live with and where you live."

On the eve of the restaurant's full reopening, there was a lively atmosphere that evening…

Soryo-san held an event with his colleagues to support food deliveries to areas affected by natural disasters. In fact, there was another reason for holding it… Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"Everyday life is hard, isn't it?"

Sakurai:-"In what sense?"

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"There are many families with several children in Wajima. Everyone is trying to create normal conditions for their children while working in abnormal conditions. I think it is this gap that makes life so difficult."

Sakurai:-"Parents try not to let their children feel this, don't they?"

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"There are many parents who take their children to different places on weekends, go to Kanazawa for football matches, and then come back and repeat the work cycle."

People get together hoping to have a little fun… Meanwhile, Soryo-san has a serious concern.

Compared to the period before the earthquake, the population of Wajima City has declined. It is said that a particularly large number of young people are leaving Wajima.

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"Leaving the Noto Peninsula after graduating from secondary school has become the norm. We have to take this into account as part of the overall picture."

In three years, his eldest son will start secondary school. And even if the time comes again when the family has to live apart, he says he wants to support his son in his choice.

Yasuhisa Soryo-san(Forty three years old):-"If he wants to seriously pursue a particular club or activity, I think he should go where the best conditions are. We can't stop him. I want him to live as he sees fit and do what he likes."

Source: https://www.ntv.co.jp/zero/kikikomi/articles/lefox7q2b1b5wvzg.html

The translation may be incorrect. If you wish, you can suggest corrections in the comments below the post.

[anseyoungs]

i dont watch figure skating but i wanna keep this here 😭❤️

the bronze medalist, Nakai Ami apparently is an Arashi's fan and she was so surprised when he spotted Sakurai Sho in the media area asking her questions. I'm glad they met each other 😭❤️ (more context under cut)

short translation:

Sho: Is it alright (to ask question)? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you. Congratulations (for the bronze medal).

Ami: *still in shock* ...thank you ☺️

Arashi is a very VERY well-known group in Japan. Okay like INSANELY popular. From grandmas to children they have fans from all age groups. They are very famous nationwide and individual members are as popular as the group too. The guy interviewing is one of the members of the group, named Sakurai Sho, who is a newscaster for News Zero. He has been active as presenter for years since 2006. He is also nicknamed Keio Boy bcs his early education-uni started with everything related to one of the most prestigious and oldest unis in Japan, Keio University and he graduated with Bachelor in Economics.

Now if you think he got that job randomly or for funsies etc, the answer is no. He got it because he worked for it and he takes this job very seriously while juggling his idol career (debut: 1999). Now, Sho has been very active in participating with olympics coverage. He did 2 special interviews with Yuzuru Hanyu when he was still an active player and yuzu really loved the interviews he did with News Zero bcs of Sho 😭🫶🏼.

Anyways there are a lot of Japanese athletes who are also happened to be Arashi's fans and I'm so happy whenever they got to meet Sho like this 😂😂😂

[allcatsconstitutethesamefamily]

Film buffs will already have recognized this as being an ad for Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby.  From The Film Daily, 1938.

[sandreeen]

Sho Sakurai interviews Ami Nakai (2026.02.20)

[catherinesboleyn]

Isabella Wei as Posy Li

Bridgerton season 4 pt 1

[katfish27]

I've done a thing and started a substack so I can ramble about books I like in long-form. And maybe one day I'll ramble about books I'm writing.

If you like books, maybe check it out? It's new, and I'm still figuring it out, but it's fun!

[banandi13]

reading persuasion and mary is just like me honestly. oh she’s feeling ill and all she needed was to yap to her older sister about every tiny detail of her life??? me too girl!!!

[nick-nellson]

DERRY GIRLS 2.03 The Concert

[rogers-carter]

THE MUMMY 1999 | dir. Stephen Sommers

[vintage-every-day]

Marion Davies, was one of the great comedic actresses of the silent era and into the '30s.

[avonleagifs]

[phantom-threaded]

LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001) dir. Peter Jackson

[bringcal]

i miss vhs tapes and cds i miss feeding my computers and tvs yummy treats. now theyre eating nothing. theyre being born without mouths

[avonleagifs]

My, my, doesn't Gilbert look dashing tonight? Gilbert? I hadn't noticed him. It's too bad you've been so awful to him. He might've asked you to dance. If I wanted him to ask me—which I don't—he certainly would.

[elegantpersoncreation]

Toaster from the 1920s...