My Festive Reading ― 2025/12/22
In summer, the season when we are expected to remember the war, I often find myself drawn to books related to World War II, such as Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse.
As the end of the year approaches, however, my mood somehow becomes lighter. There is no special reason for this—I am simply swept up by the festive atmosphere in supermarkets. At such times, I reach for something completely different: a manga like Saint Young Men(聖おにいさん),
in which Jesus and Buddha live together in a small, rather shabby (at least for gods) apartment, enjoying their vacation after getting through the turn of the millennium.
There is no religious intention in this comic, nor in this post. It offers nothing more than simple, innocent laughter— perhaps the kind of humor unique to Japan, where it is said there are 8.08 million gods.
(Helped by ChatGPT)
Cancer Reading ― 2025/03/04
From my bookshelf.
Until recently, I read a lot about weight loss, believing that if I lost weight, every single problem in my life would disappear. Lately, instead, I found myself reading a lot about ageing and illness. I have been particularly drawn to cancer diaries, most of whose authors eventually die. Not to avoid it or not to die for it, but probably in the hope of staying calm when the time comes.
February Was a Film Month ― 2024/02/27
Triggered by visiting a local cinema for the first time since the COVID crisis in 2000, I suddenly became a film addict in February...partly because my job was slow (as usual).
In relation the film above, I saw this on WOWOW.
Not as melodramatic as I had expected... As one who grew up with The Rose of Versailles, it felt a bit short of something.
The second week I went to another cinema. Visiting the cinemas twice in one month is very rare for me (especially now that the flu is spreading at an alarming rate).
Initially, I planned to wait this film to be on WOWOW, but once my fear about being packed with total strangers has gone, I couldn't stop outing.
Afterwards, I watch them on WOWOW.
Related to Johnny Depp staring in the Versailles film...
I didn't know that Juliette Binoche already looked so Obachan in her 30s.
I wonder why everyone spoke English in this film even though it is set in rural France?
As 22 February (can be pronounced Nyaa Nyaa Nyaa in Japanese) was the national cat day...
The story and the production were quite different from what I imagined from the Japanese title. I guess it was not meant to be a moving, tear-jerking one.
And the last one, an incredibly lavish one. Probably impossible to make now for many political and financial reasons.
Made in 1984, this film is a testament to the Japanese bubble money and the optimism of the time. Even tragedies are depicted beautifully.
Images retrieved from
A Complete Me Day ― 2024/02/06
I spent today for no one, only for myself.
9:00 Had my hair cut for the first time this year.
10:30 Had a break with buns and coffee.
590 yen in total
Found a cluster of cafes near the Sunny Kego branch. A pleasant surprise,
Off to a cinema.
11:30 Got to the cinema, newly opened in 2020．
Here I got a six-month membership for 600 yen, which allowed me to see a show for 1,000 yen on certain days of the week.
Since the regular fee is 2,000 yen, I think this 600yen can be justified even if I visit there just once.
This is the first time for me to see a film in a cinema since 2020.
Image retrieved from
The film itself was neither very persuasive nor very moving (although the casting should be very correct in terms of anti-agism and anti-lookism). But sitting alone in a dark room, completely isolated from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, immersed in another world on the screen, is a relaxing experience in itself, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even better, there were only a handful of women in the screening room. It felt like a private screening for those who must have been very taken with The Rose of Versailles in the early 70s.
13:45 Left the cinema and went to Tenjin to get some meat and fish and had a late lunch at Iwataya.
A genmai onigiri stuffed with deep-fried koya dofu for 350 yen and a can of blended green tea for 140 yen, in attempt to take some healthy-looking food.
Oh, and on the way to Iwataya, I stopped by Junku-Do bookstore and got some books to read in bed, free magazines and a new ball-point pen.
Souvenir of the day!
15:15 got a bus home.
BookOff and I ― 2023/11/04
This is a story about professionalism and selflessness BookOff demonstrated when the book I ordered was in an imperfect condition. This is partly why I haven't abandoned this second-hand bookstore for other online stores, such as Axxxxn where everything is jumbled up.
今回は、ブックオフについてお話します。ブックオフは、注文した本が美品ではなかったとき、非常にプロらしい、損して得取れの態度を示してくれました。私がアXXンではなく、ここで古本を買う理由はここにあります。
The other day, I ordered online two books at BookOff online store, specifying that I would collect them at one of its brick-and-mortar stores.
ちょっと前、本2冊をオンラインで注文して、店頭受け取りを指定しました。
To my pleasant surprise, one of them, the big and heavy photobook, priced at 950 yen, came free as the quality of the book didn't meet the store's standard. Actually, the spine and cover were slightly faded and aged.
そのうち、大型本の写真集（950円）を、店で売れる状態ではないので、といって無料にしてくれました。これはうれしい驚き。実際には背表紙とカバーが若干日焼けしていた程度だったのですが。
I was informed this (the book was free) three times; first by an e-mail, then a store staff member who handled my order, and a note put in the book.
このこと（不良品だからただだよ）を、今回は三回聞かされました。まずメールで、それから店頭の販売員の方から、さらに、本にもメモがはさんでありました。
The degree of the sunburn looks nothing for me. Or rather, considering the fact this book is forty years old, I would say this book's condition is quite good.
日焼けは気にならない程度だったし、実際、40年前に出版された本としてはけっこうキレイなほうだと思います。
I have come across a number of books in much more horrible condition than this at libraries. Some books had its pages stuck together, some with a lot of lost (or stolen) pages, or countless slashes on pages. Some books carried numerous silly and pedantic notes directly written onto pages and dog-ears. The most disgusting ones (not one) were those with something seemingly produced in someone's nostril rubbed on inside. I'd better stop here.
図書館にはもっとえげつない状態の本がたくさんあります。ページがくっついてたり、ごっそりなくなって（盗まれて）たり、切り刻まれていたり。あと、知ったかぶりの書き込みがめちゃくちゃたくさんあったり。一番いやなのは、ページに鼻から出てくる何かが擦り付けられた事例です。しかも一度だけじゃなかったし。もうこの辺でやめときますが。
Coming back to the free photobook, despite the decently aged cover, the inside of the photobook looks almost new, as if they had been printed yesterday.
By the way, I haven't seen books made of this thick and quality paper for ages. Books of these eras may have already been becoming "vintage."
タダでもらった写真集に話を戻すと、カバーはまあこんなもんかなという程度に古びていましたが、中は新品同様。昨日印刷されたみたいでした。
話は変わりますが、ここ何年もこれほど厚い高級紙を使った本はみたことがありません。この年代の本もすでに「ヴィンテージ」になりつつあるのかもしれません。
Absolutely No Use But I Like It ― 2023/10/21
Magazines for my generation are usually packed with a variety of” useful” tips and hacks, such as "dos and don'ts not to look older" (sadly, not "look younger") or "throw away this and that to lead a better and more organized life", or "not make a loss at XXX (can be everything from everyday shopping, relationships with anyone to investments and insurances." In other words, they say "your natural looks is unacceptable," "your life is nasty and disorganized" and "you keep wasting your money and time"...basically telling me of although they haven't even seen me. Is it overstating if I say they take advantage of the readers' anxiety or lack of self-esteem?
私の世代向け雑誌には、いろんな「役立つ情報がいっぱい掲載されています。例えば「老けて見えないようにするには（「若く見える」ではないのが悲しい...）」、「あれこれ捨ててきちんとした暮し」、「何か（毎日の買い物から人付き合い、投資や保険までとにかく何でも）に損しない」などなど。深読みすれば、「あなたはそのままではとてもじゃないけど見れたもんじゃない」、「あなたの暮らしはでたらめ」「あなたはいつもお金と時間を無駄遣いしてる」と、会ったこともない人から説教されているような気が。人の弱みや自信のなさに付け込んで…。言い過ぎだとは思いますが。
I must admit I have been a quite keen readers of those "lesson-giving"magazines for years, but recently came to get tired with lessons they give me. I began to feel my experiences as a person who has survived these 50+++ years are denied when I read them.
長年にわたってこうした「説教雑誌」の愛読者でした。が、ここにきて説教されるのにも飽きてきました。なんだか50年以上も生きてきたのに、その経験や学びが否定されているような気がしてきて。
Then I came across these magazines.
The articles focus only on appearance. Looks, looks, looks. That's all. No tips, No hacks. Completely unpractical but rather refreshing to look at.
そんなとき、こんな雑誌を見つけました。
記事は全部見た目に関するものだけ。説教ゼロ。実用性もゼロですが、そこがいっそ清々しい。
I don't know their target readers, though I vaguely guess the smaller one with the yellow cover seems to be for young mothers with small child(ren), However, about the other, FUDGE, I have no idea about who the readers are. The models appearing on each page are all, with absolutely no exception, Caucasian young ladies probably in their mid-teens. They would have appeared on Olive in the 1980s or early 1990s. Meanwhile, the advertisements on this magazine are those of Max Mara, Issey Miyake etc.. which are not very-much Olive-type. Or modern Olive girls would love these brands?
この雑誌が誰向けなのかはわかりません。黄色の表紙のほうはなんとなく子どものいる若いお母さん向けなのかな？という気もしますが、もう1つの「FUDGE」という雑誌は誰が読むものなのか、想像もつきません。どのページもモデルは例外なく白人の若いお嬢さん（もしかすると10代半ばか？）で、80～90年代の「Olive」に出て来そうな感じ。なのに広告はあんまりオリーブっぽくないマックスマーラやイッセイミヤケ。謎。それとも、今オリーブがあれば、こういう広告が載っていたのかもしれません。
Funnily enough, despite that these are seemingly aiming to urge the readers to buy more, I feel strangely calm when looking at them. I neither feel urged to go shopping nor being unnecessarily told off. Or rather, I find an idea to look after myself and my belongings nicer with some respect springing up to my mind.
両誌とも、物欲を掻き立てることを目的としているとは思うのですが、不思議なことに読んでいると平和な気持ちになります。買い物に行かなくちゃ！という気持ちにもならなければ、説教ありがとう、頼んでないけどな！という気持ちにもなりません。読んでいるとむしろ、モノも自分自身も大切にしよう、という気持ちが湧いてるのが不思議です。
A King and I ― 2023/04/28
I have been mesmerized by a film Ludwig (1972) since I saw it on WOWOW in February.
2月にWOWOWで見てからのいうもの、『ルートヴィヒ』という映画にうっとりしています。
Image retrieved from 映画 ルートヴィヒ／［復元完全版］ (1972)について 映画データベース - allcinema
At first, I thought the king himself was charismatic and mesmerizing, but I began to think it was largely because of how well made the film was. Helmut Berger was at his peak of beauty, and the set and costume were perfectly done. Every single scene looks like a beautiful painting or fairy tale.
最初は王様自身がカッコいい！しびれる！！と思っていたのですが、そのうち、いや、これ映画が良くできてるってことなんじゃ？と思いはじめました。ヘルムート・バーガーは現実離れした美しさだし、背景や衣装も完璧。どのシーンをとっても絵のようにキレイ。
However, in the real world, he may not have been so ideal king (I am trying to be polite. No one want to get their legendary king criticized by an Obachan in a far-away country).
しかし、実際の王様はそれほど絵になるタイプではなかったような気もします。よその国のおばちゃんに伝説の王様の悪口を言われたくない気持ちはよく分かります。バイエルンの皆様すみません。
All borrowed from a local library.
1 is a catalogue of buildings related to Ludwig II. Although this book seems to be a kind of "official " photo album, the buildings somewhat remind me of so-called "love-hotels" prevalent in the 1970s.
2 is a outlines of history textbook compiled for Germany and French children.
3 is a detailed guide to great architectures.
4 is I think the most informative and objective (or with the least "Only I can understand him" attitude) biography of Ludwigh II I have read so far.
2 is a outlines of history textbook compiled for Germany and French children.
3 is a detailed guide to great architectures.
4 is I think the most informative and objective (or with the least "Only I can understand him" attitude) biography of Ludwigh II I have read so far.
全て図書館本。
①はルートヴィヒ2世にゆかりのある建物のカタログ。ある意味公式本だと思われますが、掲載されている建物が昔のラブホテルに見えるのはなぜ。
②はドイツとフランスの子ども用教科書をまとめたものらしいです。
③はいろんな有名建築の細部を解説した本。
④はこれまで読んだ中では一番情報量が多く、客観的（というか、「この人を理解できるのは私（著者）だけ」臭が一番少ない）伝記でした。
...And from my bookshelf.
I found him appearing in a less hypnotic style.
私が持ってるまんがにも王様登場。こちらはもうちょっと引きずり込まれ感が薄い感じです。
I found him appearing in a less hypnotic style.
私が持ってるまんがにも王様登場。こちらはもうちょっと引きずり込まれ感が薄い感じです。
In fact, after reading a bit about 19th-century Europe, I came to feel that his way of thinking was hopelessly outdated and escaping. I also have grown suspicious that if he had looked like Boris Johnson, which the king got closer, he wouldn't have been such a legendary king. At least a particular sort of writers wouldn't have paid any attention to him.
19世紀のヨーロッパについてちょっとだけ調べてみると、この王様ってめちゃくちゃ時代遅れな気がしてきました。むしろ炎上キャラってやつでは？もしこの人がボリス・ジョンソンみたいな見た目だったら（晩年の姿はちょっと似てるけど）、ここまで伝説化されてなかったかもしれません。とりあえず、極東でお耽美系の作家に美化されることはなかったかもしれません。
By the way, I have also leant what now we call the EU was not the first European union. I found that various alliances were formed and then broken, which likely lead wars. Applying this fact to the present situation, maybe NATO and EU are not as strong and absolute as I had assumed. This fact may explain lots of things I haven't realized.
話は変わりますが、EUってヨーロッパ初の同盟ではなかったのですね。いろんな同盟ができては壊れて、挙句の果てに戦争になったりしていてびっくりしました。これを今の状況に当てはめると、NATOもEUも盤石ではないってことか...。そういうことだったのね…。
PR Magazines and Me, One Year on ― 2023/01/10
"Tosho" by Iwanami Shoten(1000 yen per year)
UP by University of Tokyo Press (2000 yen per year)
I started reading them assuming they would be an enjoyable reading material, and they have been so far. Meanwhile, I feel I've been taken in by them and found myself buying books that I wouldn't have bought without them.
In fact, before the subscription I had no connection with either Iwanami Shoten or the University of Tokyo Press, the publishers of the PR magazines. I used to be a Magazine House-oriented girl. They looked aloof and too academic for me. Actually, I didn't even realize the existence of University of Tokyo Press.
But last year, I made totally unexpected purchase of their books.
I had never imagined myself buying a 3500-yen book on how to live long and healthily.
Although many publishers have stopped publishing PR magazines in paper form, these little booklets have actually achieved their mission as long as I'm concerned.
出版社が出している広報誌を定期購読するようになって、1年たちました。三誌申し込んで、そのうち『ちくま』は残念ながら私には読むところがあまりないので、購読をやめることにしました。残りの二誌は今年も購読を続けるつもりです。
読み物として面白かろう、と思って購読を始めたのですが、まんまと乗せられて、気が付いてみると思いもよらなかった本を買うようになってしまいました。
岩波書店も東京大学出版会も、それまで全然縁のなかった出版社でした。若いころはマガジンハウス好きだったし。両社ともスカしてて、難しいことばっかり言っている印象がありました。というか、東大の方は、そんな出版社があること自体知りませんでした。
3500円もする健康長寿の本を買うようになるとはね…。
紙の広報誌を廃刊にする出版社も多いのですが、少なくとも私に関しては、広報誌はその任務を果たしています。
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