Saturday, March 28, 2009

VS The Asiatic Society

My friend invited me to the meeting of The Asiatic Society of Japan, which is one of the oldest society for the foreigners living in Japan, established 137 years ago. Originally the society was for foreigners, but now many Japanese joins it.
I am not the member of the society, but I could participate in the meeting in Shibuya as a guest.

The day's meeting was for the photography in Edo era. The topic is so academic that I couldn't understand it in English, but I could enjoy it, thanks to the help of many visual images.
It is known that there were many foreign photographers visiting Japan from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period, and many Japanese photographers were born influenced by the foreigners. But the study of the "old" photography is not active in Japan, because the study of photography itself is minor here.
So, the meeting seemed to be impressive for the most audiences.

After the meeting, after some Q&As, drinking time started soon!
I can understand very well that drinking is good for our mind after listening to hard topic.

The next day after the meeting, I went to a museum with the friend in order to sell some old photos of Kabuki acter. They were very beautiful photos, found out in Europe. Now my customer is thinking about buying it. I hope for my business success.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

VS Playing Sepak Takraw

What is Sepak Takraw?
When I said "I played Sepak Takraw.", five to ten people gave me the question.
Another five people could know it is a sport. But, even they could not describe it exactly. "I know we use our foots to play it. And, . . . That's all I know!"

Sepak Takraw is the sprot like valley ball. But, we don't use our hand, but our foots. The court size is as same as badminton. One team is three players.
The ball was originally made by bamboo, but now by plastic. So, it is a little hard.
I played the minor sport recently in Atsugi for the first time.

One guy is working in Atsugi, and manage the only one Atsugi Sepak Takraw team. And he is the only one player in the team. He always practices alone!
But, recently, by chance, Aeon student Akira introduced me and other friends to the team (or, him). So, I could have the chance to play.

As you imagine easily, it is very difficult to control a ball on your foot. The ball size is smaller than a soccer ball, so we tend to fail to kick the center of the ball. In addition, as I mentioned above, the ball is hard. So, my ankle was damaged when I played, because my kicking-point was not good.
However, even though our playing-level was low, the game was exciting and interesting. I don't know why, but we like to maneuver something by foot. So, when I could kick the ball well, I felt happy.

Spring is the good season to start something new. I started this season with a new sport I've never experienced.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

VS New School

Endless working days are continueing on me. This month, I am very busy for my work. Actually I am always busy. But, this month is special.
Now I am working for a new-born school which is open from this April. The school's major is the oriental medcine. Now the school is rushing to prepare for their opening.
I sold them a huge number of books, magazines, book-shelves and so on. They need their library in the school. So, they bought many things related to library. It's good for them, and good for my business.
Unfortunately, and every so often, there is no librarian there, even though they made a library. In Japan, librarians have been a difficult job to be, since before starting this economical recession. The job of librarian is one of victims in a cost-cut strom in schools.

I sold a large number of books to a new library.
But, there is no people there.
And, there is empty book-shelves there.
Who have to set up the many books on it?

My customer told me, "You are professional. I trust you."
Oh my God. It means the setting-up is my job!

Medical books might be an unfamilier type of book for you.
The character for the content is that the book is for medcine.
The character for the physicality is that it is large and heavy!
So, it is a very taugh work to carry a lot of medical books. In addition, the books in a library have to be categorised. It is also taugh to sort books I can't understand.

Anyway, I finished the work without taking holidays in this month.
The people in the school look happy to the new, beautiful library.
But I worry about who manages the library after this April? I cat't ask them when looking at their happy face, though.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

VS Mobile Culture

Today I made my mobile blog. By chance, I found the mobile blog service in Google.
Honestly, I don't have to use it. But, I will use it for a while because it is good that I am familier with a new technology.

When it comes to my business, book-sales, mobiles novels are becoming popular among the young people in Japan. The market is becoming larger every year. The comparison with the old publishing market in Japan (it's shrinking now.) is interesting.
I read some mobile novels recently. To be precise, I tried to read some.
For me, they were boring.
The sentences in the novels are short, to fit them to the mobile's small screen. So, the novels are actually easy to read. But, I thought the novels don't have the depth of language expresson.

However, I wouldn't deny the new genre. The sentence shortage can be the energy for new arts. In fact, Japanese culture has two traditional styles of short wards poem, Waka (within 31 characters) and Haiku (17 characters). Limited usage of words can be an advantage.

I have to add my practical problem at last. Because I don't have a televison and a computer, I relay on my mobile very much to get informations in this world. So, I have to master my mobile to survive...