Kufun + Fun = CoFuFun at Tenri Station Plaza

CoFuFun is an open space for special events, gatherings and for children (and adults) to play. It was produced by Nendo, a not-for-profit arts and architectural group, to pay homage to the numerous kofun (burial mounds, often key shaped, for nobles constructed between the 3rd and 7th centures BCE) in Tenri city and Nara prefecture and support city revitalization. It is located in the Tenri train station plaza. This seems like a great idea and much better than the gentrification we are seeing around train stations in Japan. See links below for more info. Or better yet, visit Tenri!

Tenri Station Plaza CoFuFun / nendo:
https://www.archdaily.com/873465/tenri-station-plaza-cofufun-nendo

The Tenri Station Plaza CoFuFun – Nendo’s Largest Project:
https://publicdelivery.org/nendo-cofufun-plaza/

Nendo:
https://publicdelivery.org/about/

The sound and beautiful city, Tenri, Where the story of Japan has begun:
https://www.city.tenri.nara.jp/material/files/group/50/69367584.pdf

Kofun Burial Mounds and Imperial Tombs:
http://www.pref.nara.jp/miryoku/ikasu-nara/en/fukabori/detail02/

Yamanobe no Michi (Yamanobe Road):
https://www.city.sakurai.lg.jp/material/files/group/6/16501314.pdf

Spring Break continued: I returned to Tenri/Ojiba after over three years... 陽気ぐらし

The weather was beautiful and Tenri was mostly quiet... Some changes here and there, a few due to COVID... More barrier-free in the shinden, many old shops closed, lots of new shops opened... It felt great to be back.

Set One: Tenrikyo Church Headquarters

Set Two: The old Adachi home is now an open rest space

Set Three: Shops

Set Four: The new sign near the station, the old sign near the church and the omiyagi...

Street Piano at Kintetsu Tenri Station!

For more info:

Street piano installation location information site
https://pianomitsuketa.com/9404/

Kintetsu Tenri Station Street Piano
https://ameblo.jp/koukishoji/entry-12733266099.html

When I was playing the piano at Kintetsu Tenri Station, the station manager suddenly appeared!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh2dzWgHIT4

First Day of Spring Break! Trying to be happy (amidst the sorrows of this shitty year so far...)

Cherry blossoms on two trees popping early... the rest will pop soon!

Special auto-ethnographic bonus: a (renewal) haircut, yaki niku and new friends...

Jalan Jalan (102): A walk on a cool, crisp day to clear my head and take photos... and to enjoy the traditional and the newer beautification my neighborhood has to offer...

「Food Terrorism at Midnight: Changing Eating Patterns in Japan」@ Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference 2023 Virtual Sessions February 17/18, 2023

I am dedicating this presentation to Dr. Mark Hollstein, who passed away unexpectedly, suddenly and tragically on January 31, 2023. Mark was my friend and colleague for twenty years. We had many things in common - Japan, research, family life, politics, music and Star Trek. We talked almost every day. I was able to show Mark an early draft of this presentation and he gave me lots of good feedback. I miss him so much. Deepest condolences to his wife, son, family, friends and students. Rest in Peace.

See Mark's obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/mark-hollstein-obituary?id=40271263

Food Terrorism at Midnight:

Changing Eating Patterns in Japan

Steven C. Fedorowicz

Asian Studies Program

Kansai Gaidai University

Abstract: In Japan, food and drink are prominent in cooking shows, travel shows, variety shows, dramas, manga, anime, books, magazines, blogs, Facebook and Instagram. The term “food porn” has been used to describe some media due to its sensual presentation intended to provide unattached pleasure or gratification for viewers. Since the 2010s, the Japanese term meshi tero (“food terrorism”) has been used with a meaning similar to “food porn.” However, food terrorism implies a deliberate attack or form of harassment that creates jealousy or resentment, causing victims to run to the kitchen or convenience store for snacks. Late-night food terror is especially insidious. Midnight has become a prime time for the television networks to air new food terrorism dramas. My research builds upon Stalker’s detailed history of the Japanese gourmet boom (2016) and Longcore’s discussion of “ethnographic culinary adventures... for the enjoyment, entertainment, and enlightenment of foodies and anthropologists alike” (2019). Food terrorism became more pronounced in 2020, when the Japanese government imposed restrictions on dining out during the COVID-19 pandemic. People now watch food terrorism with feelings of nostalgia, envy and/or hopefulness about being able to dine out again without concern. This paper examines food terrorism and changing eating patterns in Japan through multimodality (Collins et al. 2017) and sensory ethnographic methodologies (Pink 2009).

Keywords: visual anthropology, ethnographic photography, food porn, food terrorism, Japan

Session: V1-408
Contemporary Japanese and Korean Society
Friday, February 17, 2023, 8:00-9:30 PM (EST)
Saturday, February 18, 2023, 10:00-11:30 AM (Japan time)

For registration and information about the conference: https://www.asianstudies.org/conference/register2023/#

Local Bakery Closes - the shop had been shuttered for a couple of weeks due to illness but I was surprised to see the place gutted - too many changes and closures of old shops in my neighborhood!