#lettersfromtokyo

[matinjapan]

4:41

It’s not even close to summer, and that’s what time the sun came up this morning. Ridiculous.

To compound this ridiculousness, I no longer have heavy-set curtains on my windows. With each dawn of the last few weeks, I’ve been treated to progressively earlier and earlier streams of sunlight. There’s something kind of great about getting up early in the morning. But not 4am. I think a return of the heavy curtain is my only option (if not for the light, for the impending heat).

This time of year is actually perfect weather wise in Tokyo; mid-20s when it’s sunny, cool breezes when it’s breezy, and not much pollen anymore… smattering of killer viruses, though. But, even with these perfect conditions, the city can still feel pretty hot, when it’s not. Once the 30s start to arrive, it’s going to get to be pretty excruciating.

I’ve air con at the apartment. And while I don’t like heat, I’m going to avoid turning the thing on for as long as possible. I like to keep my carbon footprint to seven or so equivalent earths, rather than eight.

In recent news, this week has been a bit of a holiday, which has been cool. Well, as cool as a holiday that consists of not leaving the five or so kilometre radius traced out from my apartment, can be. A holiday filled with Youtube, scotch, lying on the floor, and contemplating my existence. I actually ended up doing work for a while. I’m writing the APEC coal report. Super interesting to learn of all different aspects of something that’s so good for humanity (and basically coming to terms with just how screwed we all are).

Anyway, the holiday. It was five days off over the course of about ten (working days). Kind of like a Super Easter back home. The one’s where Anzac days get pulled into the mix. Like I said, it has been good to have time off, but I think I’m definitely experiencing fits and spurts of cabin fever. Not debilitating or anything. It’s just quiet. A bit too quiet.

To distract myself, I’ve started running. I’d like to be running more, but I’ve done too much, too soon, too often. So I’m trying to pace myself this time around. It’s been a good eighteen months since I was running consistently, and yeah, wow, the difference in effort required to propel myself forward is noticeable. May as well have taken up a pack-a-day smoking.

Nevertheless, in the spirit of maximising running’s distractive qualities, I’ve been mulling some loose goals.

The short list so far includes a 5-minute mile. This one is pretty good evidence that cabin fever has taken hold. There’s probably an equal chance of me flying to the moon. I mean, it’s no 4-minute mile, but best I can tell is it’s still proper elite, and there’s a decent likelihood I’ll never do it no matter how many kilometres I lay waste.

Next on the list is an 18-minute 5k. This is more realistic than the 5-minute mile, but is still very pie in the sky. I managed low 19s about a year-and-a-half ago. But I first need to get back to where I was, and then put in a whole other level of effort to go sub-18. Again, this might be out of reach.

Then, 40-minute 10k. I’m pretty confident that this is something I can do with the right amount of training. For sure, not easy, but I reckon easier than 18-minute 5k. Then, a 90-minute half marathon. Again, yep, seems do’able. Probably easier than the 10k goal.

Finally though, is a 3hr 30min marathon. Time wise, I think this one might actually be the most achievable. But that’s assuming that I put in a sufficient amount of training. The pace is quick, but it’s not other-worldly. The problem for the marathon, best I can tell (have never done one), is that it’s really difficult to build up conditioning that allows you to smash out the entire 42 k’s at a threshold effort. Most people seem to do well for that initial 30 or so k’s and then proceed to die for the last ten or so.

I’d be progressively more stoked with the times I’ve come up with for the shorter and shorter distances. But there’s a certain amount of mythology with the marathon that the other distances just can’t compete with. So yeah, the marathon and accompanying time goal is the standout for me, at the moment.  

I think I’m just going to leave them all floating in the ether. The main thing to achieving any and/or all of them will be to keep running. And with the current state of the world, running a whole lot to achieve an arbitrary time goal over an arbitrary distance seems… why not? As flippant as I’m being, I do enjoy running. Especially that feeling of depletion. Where you’re exhausted, but it feels kind of good.

Biggest hurdle will be that within a month, it’ll be summer. It’ll be hot. And the prospect of running even 200 metres will be about as appealing as jamming a fork in my foot. Running at 4am might be my only realistic option to get miles in without a dose of heatstroke. And I’m not sure if that’s going to fly with my early morning self. Will see.

With that, I’m out. Except for, recent listenings: Bitte Orca (2009). Excellent.  

Photos are from wanderings around near home, and such.

Sayonara

[matinjapan]

He really wanted a felafel in his hand

It has been a while. Three, four weeks since my last blog? I would’ve thought I’d be a tad more prolific with the writing in a once-every-century type quarantine. But, no.

Instead of writing, I’ve spent a huge proportion of my time scrolling through countless streams of corona related whathaveyou’s. Some of it pretty useful, most of it less so. And then the usual smattering of (mostly) drivel on social media. Occasionally funny drivel, but still drivel.

In terms of useful sources for corona, poker players are the unique standout.

I used to play a lot of poker. And the last two weekends just gone, I’ve caught up with some friends via video call to play. Nothing serious. More of an excuse to shoot the shit than anything. To be honest, it’s actually not the best way to catch up. Too much time spent transfixed on the cards.

Anyway, thoughts of poker led me to log back on to a poker forum that I used to visit on the regular.  There’s a lot of content geared towards poker (obviously), but there are subforums about all manner of topics. Business, finance and investing is one such subforum. Within that, a few of the regular contributors have created a coronavirus thread.

And basically, it’s easily the best synopsis of everything that’s going on that I’ve found. The posts from as far back as January have turned out to be super prescient, and it’s now my go to fix for a running commentary.

It’s definitely not all good; there’s still plenty of chaff to wade through. And it has exploded into dumb partisan arguments at multiple points. But the nuggets of gold (from a few key individuals) are worth the wade. Kind of ridiculous that I’m writing about an internet forum; speaks to just how bleh the world is right now. Ha.

Speaking to that bleh’ness, and in addition to my (metaphorical) inhalation of coronavirus, I’ve now been working from home for three weeks. Haven’t caught a train in that entire time, which is kind of unheard of, living in Tokyo. It has just been a case of going for walks, going for runs, and slowly going insane in my thirty square metre apartment.

Not really. I’m actually holding up fine.

For all the mayhem, Japan isn’t actually in any sort of lock down yet, either. Not officially, anyway. In the last week, a state of emergency was declared for major metropolitan areas. But it’s nowhere as imposing as what’s in place in other places in the world. The SoE essentially recommends that people stay at home, rather than enforcing that people stay at home. Crazy thing is that with Japanese culture being the way it is, the recommendation actually (kind of) works.

The effect of the recommendation was definitely in plain sight on Friday night. I had spent almost the entire day at home, but decided to head out around 830 to get some fresh air and felafel. I was really craving it for some reason. Possibly because I had alternated pesto pasta and shitty stir fry for the previous five nights. I could’ve definitely pursued a delivery option, but I decided to risk death and walk and get takeaway.

I left my apartment and headed into Shibuya proper at about 830. And the place was apocalyptic. I don’t think those normally packed streets would have been that empty for at least a few centuries. Super eery to see unlit neon signs, random bits of trash blowing through the streets (it was pretty windy), and only a scant few other people like myself, wandering around.

I went to turn back multiple times from just how weird the vibe was, but I was also really craving falafel so I pushed on (knowing that it was almost certainly closed). Some restaurants were open, but they were the exception. And they certainly weren’t cashing in on the swathes of pent up demand; they were all effectively empty.

Anyway, when I finally made it to the complex where the felafel place was, the whole building was shuttered. A big part of me was kind of relieved. I felt guilty for even going out in the first place (for something pretty trivial). Also, I didn’t actually want to have to go through the torment of touching a public door handle. Ha.

Sans falafel, I instead made do with a bowl of microwave soba from Family Mart. And the best thing: automatic doors. I’m really looking forward to the day that I’m not this comically paranoid.

Apart from poker and felafel, what else has been going on?

Well, I got rid of almost all my furniture. And that includes my (former) bed. I now just sleep on the floor on a pretty thin futon. And when I say removed, I ended up replacing the multiple items with a table and seat. So it was really a consolidation. It’s now a lot more minimal. Just need a plant or two, but I might wait until the whole SoE situation passes before heading out to the shops.

Oh, and I now have a chin up bar that takes up the entirety of the middle of my loungeroom. The intention is to attain some sort of climbing fitness while locked up. Will see how I go.

Always more that I could say, but will leave it there for now.

Sayonara.

[matinjapan]

Kid A

This last week or so has been kind of insane, to say the least. COVID is at the front of my mind. And it would seem it’s at the front of most everyone else’s mind, too.

I suspect the concern is at least a tad overblown. But, on the other hand, maybe not? Italy sounds particularly horrendous. And hard not to think that, shit, Australia, the US, etc. are a mere week or two away from a similar fate.

There’s almost no question that it’s going to keep ripping through the population. Flattening the curve is really all that can be done. Social distancing and border closures seem like the best course of action.

At least where I am, it’s a weird kind of calm at the moment. Streets are emptier, for sure. So too, shops and restaurants, et cetera. Fires are yet to smoulder in the streets; piles of rubbish and grime have yet to accumulate. No gangs of youths looting; plundering. Maybe my movie-led imaginings of a post-apocalyptic world aren’t all that applicable. Not yet anyway.

Everything’s just quieter. The whole ‘panic’ buying type stuff never really happened either. Not that I’ve seen anyway. People just rationally stocked up on toilet paper to last the next 17 months. That’s not panic’d, that’s just prudent. Ha.

While the health impacts continue to loom, the economic impact(s) have been a lot more immediate. A large chunk of the downturn is clearly a (direct) result of COVID. But a larger chunk of the fall seems to relate to the fact that there’s some pretty shaky foundations to our economic system, especially so with all that can kicking since 2008. The pace of falls has been pretty breathtaking; the fastest of any downturn on record. Who knows, everything might miraculously recover tomorrow. I’m not counting on it though. I feel both the health and economic fallout is just starting to gather pace.

In an embrace of the current state of the world, and to lower the cumulative (statistical) risk on emergency departments, I did my part, and did very little the weekend just gone. For a good chunk of time, I basically just lay on the floor. What a time to be alive.

It was snowing in Tokyo, too. Which was at least a somewhat alright accompaniment to my (voluntary) isolation. I definitely spent a good deal of the time plugging into developments on the internet. The Financial Times and Brown Cardigan complement each other pretty well.

But eventually, I kind of just tuned out; napped.

I also turned up my headphones pretty loud and put on Kid A. Even though I was already on the floor, it floored me. My god.

To me, Radiohead is ubiquitous; they’ve just always been. But I don’t think I’ve ever really dedicated time to listening to them. Not properly anyway. Maybe I’ve only ever pressed play when I’m not really paying attention. Though maybe I just wrongly assumed that I know them well, when I only really know them... not well.

Anyway, I was paying attention on the weekend. I don’t know what compelled me to throw it on. But I’m so glad I did. From the opening synths, to the literal heart on the floor ender, Kid A was incredible. The last track in particular is just magic; sad beyond belief, and somehow uplifting. I think my heart is still on the floor. A few tears, too (such a chump).

There’s a good chance that anything I put on (that was at least remotely ok) would’ve had a similar impact. I think that’s true to an extent. But more so, I think that sort of listening experience reinforces why they’re as big and ubiquitous as they are.

Anyway, after being emotionally drained, I proceeded to watch the Simpsons...

I’m going to take advantage of the eeriness and get out at least a little this weekend, while still embracing social distancing. I think the beach will be a good option. Just need to commandeer a board and a wetsuit.

Photos are from Nozawaonsen the week before, mixed in with some back catalogue.

Adios.

[matinjapan]

Day trippin’

Controversial, maybe slightly provocative opinion, but travelling can kind of suck.

There are a few big caveats to this opinion though. And it’s massively contrived. This post is basically just an extension of a half thought I had while in Yokohama today (actually now yesterday).

So yeah, Yokohama. Again. I made the decision to head down on the morning of (the day trip). Just for something to do. It was Sunday morning. I’d already gone for a quick run. Didn’t have any other plans, and so after quickly mulling a few options, I thought heading back to Yokohama would be an alright use of time.

I could’ve just hung out at home. Even just to do something as pedestrian as read (I’ve a massive backlog), or maybe even write, like I’m trying to do now at 10pm. But there’s this thing within my psyche that makes me feel guilty if I stay at home on a day off. Guilt booted me out the door at around noon.

It was super sunny. Cold though, with a pretty icy, substantial wind. But I learnt my lesson from the last trip and wore an appropriate amount of clothes. Jumper, and crucially, jacket.

Yokohama was cool on first visit, but the decision to go back wasn’t driven by any great desire to do anything (nothing specific anyway). If all options were on the table, I would’ve definitely preferred to go climbing. But I’ve done something to my elbow, and so, I’m trying to rest it. I’ve had a month off, and It’s not really getting better like I had hoped. Hence, I have to scrape the barrel in terms of organising non-descript day trips.

Which I don’t normally do. For the past year, a lot of my venturing has been tied to climbing. A bit of surfing, far less snow, and a few mountain bike ventures, too. Since arriving in Japan, all my activity-based travels have fallen to close to zero. Tokyo just ain’t as conducive, though a big part is me being (kind of) injured.

Anyway, this non-descript day tip led me to the thought bubble about travel. Travelling is, like I said, kind of shit. Main caveat: it’s shit if you don’t attach it to something you want to be doing.

Food, skateboarding, giant Sequoia’s, nouveau impressionists, taking photos of cobblestones, whatever. If something you’re keen on is the impetus for the travelling, then it typically makes for a fun time. But if you just go and aimlessly traipse around, it’s not necessarily that fun. As cool as I found Yokohama the first time, there’s nothing really there that I was going back for.

Continuing the thought bubble, there’s another caveat: I guess even without travelling somewhere to do something that you want to be doing, travelling can also be good if it’s to spend time with people you want to spend time with. Yeah, you can do that back home (depending on where your friends are), but the solid chunk of time that accompanies a trip can be great for dedicated time spend’age (with the peoples).

Travelling is also great if you’re genuinely adventuring (yes, another caveat; this whole theory is turning to mush). This is the type of travelling I daydream about, but don’t actually ever do. It’s hard though. To get off the beaten path, and properly trail blaze. To do something that not many others are doing requires some pretty dedicated planning. I’m thinking on, or in, the order of walking/travelling between some stupidly remote destinations. The type of trip where you can properly get away from it all. And risk dying while you’re at it.

Not to everyone’s liking, and polar opposite to the standard pool and cocktail type trip that a lot of people froth on. If you’re anywhere near a Starbucks, then you’re probably not adventuring. Needless to say, Yokohama has more than a few Starbucks; I wasn’t adventuring yesterday.

I think Starbucks is what contributed to my initial thought bubble. Walking along the street, seeing a few people holding coffee, ambling around Yokohama with no real intention, just seemed a bit shit. Maybe they really fucking loved Starbucks, and were mid-worldwide-taste-testing-tour. But more likely, they were probably just in Yokohama for something to do; being lame like me.

Continuing on with the whole Starbucks thing, I didn’t partake. Instead, I grabbed one of the Family Mart machine-made coffees for 100 yen. Cheap skates’ delight.

Aside from a coffee and accompanying rice-triangle thing (I believe they’re called Onigiri), all I did in Yokohama was walk. Past the marooned cruise liner filled with novel coronavirus, and a fair way through and around the coastal suburbs, which kind of reminded me of Sydney’s north shore. Less greenery and foliage but pretty similar geographical vibe.

I also skirted China town, but thought better of heading too far in, lest I expose myself to a virus laden package.

Anyway, I think I’ll be a bit more diligent with my travelling (does a day trip even count as travelling?). Hopefully the elbow improves, because I’d really like to go bouldering and/or climbing around Japan. Admittedly, climbing is almost as arbitrary and meaningless/meaningful as going somewhere, just because. But the ‘almost’ part gives it the edge. 

In non-Yokohama’ing news, a friend made it to Japan last week, and we ended up shredding the gnar for a few days at Nozawaonsen. That was a cool trip (ticked all the above mentioned boxes), even though it has been the worst season for decades. We were lucky. When we arrived, we were greeted by a couple of consecutive days of 30cm of fresh. The base that the snow was falling on could’ve been more substantial (a lot of small twigged bushes to plow through), but it was still pretty sweet.  

I’m actually thinking about booking again this weekend. It’s apparently amazing right now. Around 2 metres of fresh in the last 10 days. But it’s supposed to warm up on Wednesday and rain all the way through Friday/Saturday. Not really worth it if that’s the case. Goddamn. Maybe a weekend in instead, reading. And lamenting that I didn’t get out. Ha.

Photos are from the last few weeks of Yokohama, Nozawaonsen, Tokyo and potentially other forgettable day trip places.

Adios

[matinjapan]

Natsukashii

A friend mentioned that the initial few months after moving somewhere new are both exhilarating and challenging. I very much agree.

It’s not something that’s necessarily new to me; I have form with moving to new cities.

The first six years of my life were spent in Sydney. And then, Newcastle. At early school age, a move like that can definitely throw you off kilter. But it’s probably not as big of a deal as when you’re older. Person dependent, obviously.

For me, the transition from running on the grass covered parks of Double Bay (I’m still not really sure how I ended up at that school), to the asphalt covered playgrounds in New Lambton, was reasonably smooth. Perhaps a little apprehension and uncertainty, but made easier given that we were only a couple of hours up the road.

To speak to that uncertainty, a good friend of ours frequently recounts how I responded to his question about what I thought of Newcastle. He apparently asked me following an initial trip to check the place out (I would have been five or so). My response: ‘Fuck Newcastle’. I can’t remember it happening, but I still wear the FN nickname from him, regardless.  

Other places I’ve moved to are Jindabyne, Sydney again, Canada (twice), and most recently, Canberra. Canberra was at the end of 2011, though. So it has been a quite a while since I’ve up’d and moved. Jindabyne and Canada don’t really count either, given that it was basically just extended holidaying/snow bumming.

I still feel attached to Newcastle, and to a lesser extent, Sydney. But in the last couple of years, Canberra has really started to feel like home. Zero expectations, and a feeling that it was always kind of temporary, slowly gave way to (more) familiarity and (more) fondness. The things and environment in Canberra are obviously part of that, but mostly it’s the friends I’ve made.

Which brings me to Natsukashii. I remember hearing this word a while ago. Actually, I had to look it up; I only remembered the meaning. It’s one of those great Japanese words where there’s no real direct translation. Loosely, it means feelings of nostalgia. There’s a subtleness to it though, that is supposed to capture feelings of sadness. Homesickness.

And I think that perfectly captures how I feel right now. Natsukashii.

In that spirit, I’ve an extended sampling of pictures from my final few months in Aus. Not all are shot in Canberra (but most are), and not all are shot by me (for some, that should be obvious).

Needless to say, I miss all of you. And apologies, not everyone made it within frame.

You’ll have to make it over to Japan for that to change (and that definitely includes people from beyond Canberra)!

Sayonara

[matinjapan]

Japan and the peoples

It goes without saying, but there are a lot of people in Tokyo. I reckon I walk past close to ten thousand people (probably more) on certain days. And not just within some arbitrarily large radius. I’m meaning walking by so close, that we’re basically brushing shoulders (or close to).

It’s a pretty normal experience for a huge chunk of the world. For me, not so much. Newtown or the CBD in Sydney, or any one of dozens of destinations I’ve been to are similar. The difference is that I don’t think I’ve ever lived, or been, anywhere where it’s as inescapable.

Actually, that’s not quite right. The non-main streets where I live (not far from Shibuya) are actually pretty empty. But it doesn’t take too much of a walk towards somewhere worth going, and suddenly, people.

I don’t think I have much of a point with this post. Ha.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that Tokyo ain’t Canberra. Surprisingly. Strolling to some relatively quiet shops, grabbing a coffee (or whatever), and interacting with/seeing only a handful of people, is a rare experience over here.

The number of people certainly makes the train(s) a pretty unreal experience. Likewise, the shops. Somewhere like Uniqlo in a place like Shinjuku (as per my Saturday afternoon) is particularly extreme. Goddamn.

Endless rivers of people move through small aisles, and multiple levels (via escalators), consuming writ large. The music is pretty excruciating (perhaps not as bad as Don Quijote: a whole other circle of hell). Though it’s not quite to the level that would make you want to leave, without first buying whatever it is you’re there for.

In a remarkable feat, I actually escaped without buying anything. I was in line with a few items, but aborted at the last minute. Ended up pushing back though the one-way line that was heading to the register (no easy feat), dumped the stuff I thought I wanted, and left.

I think Amazon is going to be my new best friend while over here.

Anyway, I’d be genuinely surprised if anyone actually enjoyed that sort of shopping experience. At the same time though, Uniqlo’s appeal is pretty clear. They’re hard to beat for the essentials, especially when most brand name stores are more expensive than the equivalent in the US, Aus., or Europe.

Enough with the shopping.

There’s a few happy snaps from the weekend, below. I didn’t make it out of the inner sanctum this weekend. Am keen to change that next weekend. Will likely check out the coast and a potential surf spot at Enoshima.

Until then, sayonara.

(Oh, and currently up’ing my Japanese skills. Will have more than ‘sayonara’ soon)

[matinjapan]

Earthquakes and night times

Tokyo had an earthquake the other morning. I remember stirring from a pretty deep sleep to the shaking. But it stopped soon after I realised, and I just went back to sleep. I actually completely forgot about it until someone I work with brought it up in conversation.

It’s funny though. It’s a complete non-event. I’m not sure what sort of magnitude it was, but it must’ve been somewhat decent for it to have woken me (I can normally sleep through some pretty significant disturbances). Some article I was reading mentioned that when the next big quake hits, the number of deaths is likely to hit 10,000. For a city of somewhere between 14 and 37 million (depending on how you define it), that’s some pretty good odds! edit: i.e. of not dying.

I’m writing this as Sunday draws to a close. I don’t feel like I did too much this weekend. One of the Japanese guys at work organised a ‘premium’ Friday dinner for a few us, which was cool. Premium because it was the last Friday of the month, and so more people were out. But damn. I can’t tell the difference. Once you hit any sort of hub or hive of activity, there are so many people that premium or no premium are indistinguishable.

The food was like a big pot of soup with different things slightly submerged by said soup. Pretty sure it was tofu, octopus, mushroom, and other such paraphernalia. But they weren’t really part of the soup. Just in the soup. Weird, but good!

So that was Friday. Saturday day, I explored more of the Daikanyama area, where I live. It’s cool, but it’s not necessarily the type of place I’d typically gravitate to. Being so close to Shibuya is great. But it’s a bit too Double Bay’y. There are a lot of amazingly expensive cars driving around, ridiculously priced boutiques, Michelin starred restaurants, and places where you can buy $10 equivalent coffees. There is a Denny’s right next to me though, so it’s (thankfully) not all gold-plated living.

Following daytime exploring times, I headed out to Shibuya, solo. It’s something I’ve done for the last few weekends, and it has been (mostly) fun. There’s stretches where it can feel awkward. But it’s not that bad in retrospect. Maybe just a few minutes of not talking to anyone when I first arrive and order a drink. I’ve met quite a few expats on these trips out. Here for reasons as diverse as working at a video gaming company, DJ’ing, just really loving Japan (arriving and not leaving)… and investment banking. Ha.

Not every experience has been the best of times, as per last night. Ended up getting swept up in the enthusiasm of two dudes who were over here from Portugal. Boys on tour type deal. I wasn’t really up for hitting the clubs, but they were, and so I ended up joining them (and an expat American dude) for a bit. Shit clubs are shit, though, no matter where you are in the world. The place we ended up at was blaring the standard Fatman Scoop, and other such aneurysms. After two ridiculously priced drinks, I bailed.

I’m keen to keep exploring to find decent live music venues/dive bars. Beat Café, in Shibuya was cool (a place I ended up at last week). DJ was awesome. 80s inspired set, and the people I met schooled me up on a bunch of the cultural idiosyncrasies. Including how to get by if/when I’m ever in strife. Don’t be a dick, basically.

A few more photos. Shot on Friday night and wanderings on Saturday that took me through Daikanyama, to Ebisu, and then up to Harajuku, back to Shibuya and home. A lot more that I could write/say, but will leave it there for now.