Art and Feeling Welcomed in a Culture

I’m thinking of trying to start a creative writing circle at my work. I remember when my former colleague and friends, Sara, started one back when I was at TIU. It was a nice environment and she always had some really cool ideas, tools, and websites available for us to practice our writing with. It was also very positive: We very much focused on what worked, what we liked, and building each other up to get the confidence to keep going. Creative work is pretty hard, but I do enjoy it. I haven’t given up on wanting to do creative writing, but other obligations and poor prioritization has put it a bit on the back burner. I hope I can make this writing circle work in a way that inspires myself and others to do creative things for the sake of being expressive or creative.

Main Story: Warmth and Creativity in Okayama

I’ll have blog posts eventually (and a video…?!) about the nitty gritty, but I was thinking about how much creativity I’ve been able to see and get inspired by in the past few months. Before I went to the big TESOL conference in March, I was able to spend a week in Okayama, Japan. My main goal was to buy a pair of jeans, since Okayama is home to Denim Heaven, the heart of the Japanese denim industry.

The best experience that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life was the day in Ibara. What really blew me away was how friendly and open to just shooting the shit so many people were. And they approached me most of the time! So much for that shy Japanese stereotype, am I right? I think my presence there as a non-Japanese person was a bit surprising for them, as it seems like they don’t get many foreign tourists in this place that’s a bit out there.

I got to meet the main boss of Nihon Menpu, a textile company established in 1917 that makes all sorts of high-quality denim. I got to tour their factory and everything - all because I talked to some nice ladies at a small Japanese coffee house, or kissaten. The pride they took in their product, the amazing variety of clothing made from denim on display, and the relaxed atmosphere reminded me of when I would talk to random people in the middle of nowhere during Peace Corps. It was one of the few times I felt accepted and part of the culture - it only took seven years, the tiniest amount of Japanese, and a big helping of luck to make it happen.

I also met the founder and lead designer of Aoki Denim in Kurashiki, a small town in Okayama with an amazing historical district with a lovely canal. He was doing a collaboration with Mini Cooper and a few celebrities to style a car and create some matching outfits. He told me about his kimono sleeve t-shirts and how he had to get special permission to make them, since kimono sleeves are a protected cultural heritage. Again, so much luck, openness, and friendly conversation on display.

Am I missing this because I’m in Tokyo, the big city? They do say people are less friendly in bigger cities, and that tends to hold up globally. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong areas and I need to spend more time at places I like to get a feel for the vibes. Just to be safe, I am taking Japanese lessons from one of the professors at KUIS as well.

Good Thing: Tokyo Design Festa

I did manage to go to Tokyo Design Festa this May. It’s a big event where artists and artisans come together to sell their goods and get inspired. Again, I got to meet so many wonderful people, see some amazing art, and buy myself some great amabie and daruma pieces for my little collection. It was very overwhelming with the crowds, but it is the largest gathering of artists and artisans in Asia (or so they say).

I even got to see a butler idol group sing and dance in full butler regalia. Some of the women in the crowd were truly starstruck - it seems that every band has their audience! We also had some of the best Argentinian empanadas I think I’ve ever had here as well - food is an art and I’m glad they were there to feed us!

Miscellaneous Media

I have a few new posts on my blog if you’re interested: One about the legendary earthquake fish and another about the Ghibli museum in the forests of Tokyo. A third about my time in Rotorua should be up soon, so keep an eye open for that!

An incredible artist who does Playstation 1-era polygonal graphics, Lilith Walther, recently released her second game, Nightmare Kart, for free on Steam. It was supposed to be Bloodborne Kart, with characters from the titular game racing in go-karts in a Mario Kart-esque tribute of madness. Unfortunately, she got hit with a letter from Sony’s lawyers, so she made it legally distinct with original characters that serve as homages to characters from Bloodborne. It’s just so silly and wonderful that I had to share it.

I’ve also been slowly making my way through two multiple hour-long videos that I think are worth looking at. If you’re into theme parks and why big swings fail, I’d recommend Jenny Nicholson’s 4-hour (!) video on Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser, AKA the Star Wars Hotel. If you’re into seeing why evolutionary psychology is a bit whack and develop an understanding about the limits of research in the social sciences, I’d like to recommend Münecat’s three and a half hour (!) video titled I Debunked Evolutionary Psychology. The meticulous attention to detail in both videos is delicious, best enjoyed over multiple viewings, in my humble opinion.

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