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scarletrosii · 1 year

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HELLO AND SORRY FOR THE LATENESS @floweryfandomnerd but tis I! Your secret Santa revealed!

I had help, so much help! From scytale-transposed! They're also Scytale@ao3! And I am super grateful for their help!!))

And here is your gift!

Yato always embarrasses Hiyori and Yukine. The two of them plot to embarrass him back, but what can they do to embarrass a god with no shame?

"Why does Yato have to be so embarrassing?" Yukine says as he sits at the kotatsu with his homework.

Beside him, Hiyori sighs deeply. "I know what you mean, last week we were at the mall and they were playing music. He joined in and started singing, loudly, and off key. Everybody was looking. I wanted to vanish into the floor!" She puts her head into her hands.

Kofuku joins them at the kotatsu. "What did Yatty-chan do to you this time, Yukki-chan?" she mumbles with a cookie in her mouth.

"He stuck his finger in my ear, after covering it in spit. It was disgusting!"

Hiyori cringes. "That's pretty gross."

"Talk about it." Daikoku enters the room with a tray of cookies and tea for everybody at the small table. "He's always trying to embarrass the missus and me, but she doesn't get embarrassed, and I refuse to let him."

"That's not how that works," both Hiyori and Yukine say in unison.

"I don't think you understand how it works; you haven't gotten there yet." Daikoku sets the tray down and straightens. "If he embarrasses you so much, why don't you embarrass him back?" he says as he makes his way out of the room.

Hiyori and Yukine brighten immediately. They look at each other.

"That's it!" Yukine says. "We'll just embarrass him back!"

"And maybe he'll understand what it feels like!" Hiyori finishes, excited. She turns toward Kofuku. "Want in on this, Kofuku? Yato embarrasses you too, right?"

"That's part of Yatty-chan's charm, Hiyorin! It's okay, I shouldn't be a part of this anyway; it will all go wrong if I am. You two have fun though!"

And with that she left the room, shaking her head, while Hiyori and Yukine put their heads together to plot deviously.

Hiyori and Yukine put their plan into action the next day. The first one relied on Hiyori.

"Hey Yato, can you get something for me?" Hiyori taps Yato's shoulder and gestures to the nearby convenience store. "I grabbed something at the conbini, but didn't have the money to pay for it so I ran home to grab my coin purse, but now I need to do something else, could you finish paying?"

"Hiyori! I'm so happy you're asking me for help!" He takes the coin purse, face aglow, and goes into the conbini.

He walks up to the cashier and tells him what he was there for. The bored teenager reaches under the counter, pulls out a small box, and tells Yato how much it costs.

Then Yato opens the coin purse to find it full of one yen coins.

He looks at it for a split second, before shrugging and pulling one out, placing it on the counter.

"Ooonnneee, twwooooo, thrrreeeee, foooouuuurrr-"

The cashier doesn't even blink, but outside the conbini doors Hiyori's and Yukine's jaws drop.

What feels like forever later, Yato finishes paying for the box, and immediately spots the two of them outside the doors.

"Hiyori!" he calls over loudly. "I've got your pads for you! I hope you didn't need them sooner, took me a minute to count out the right change!" He waves the box and much emptier coin purse excitedly, bringing everyone's attention to him, then to the girl just outside.

Hiyori's face turns a bright, vibrant red and she immediately dashes off, leaving behind a pink Yukine.

Later on, Yato and Yukine are out for a run, through the park and along the waterfront, looking for ayakashi. Yukine, upon seeing there are none, decides now is the perfect time for the next phase of the plan.

"Hey Yato, I think I see something on the pier," Yukine says, which is all that's needed to make Yato immediately turn toward it.

They run to the edge, and of course, find nothing, but on the way back to shore Yukine fakes a misstep. One stuck-out leg later, Yato is having his own real misstep and tumbling off the edge of the pier straight into the water. Nearby people point and laugh as Yato comes sputtering up; splashing water everywhere.

He looks at Yukine, and all Yukine feels is immense guilt.

Suddenly, there's a scream at the end of the pier, and the two of them look over to find out a child has fallen into the water, out of reach of their parents. Yato quickly swims over, lifts the child out of the water, and hands them to Yukine. Yukine, in turn, then lifts Yato out of the water, and they find the child's parents, who are elated that somebody was able to save their precious child. They insist on giving him a reward, calling him a hero, which causes Yato to blush bashfully. He doesn't appear to remember that Yukine tripped him on purpose, which only makes Yukine's guilt feel worse.

"It's my school's culture festival, you have to dress up for it! It's like a fancy party. It's formal." Hiyori explains to Yato for what feels like the millionth time.

And for what must be the millionth time, Yato tries to assure her. "I have the perfect outfit, you don't need to worry!"

"You can't just wear your tracksuit. If you even try I'm going to cut ties with you!" Hiyori warns. Yato brushes her off.

"It's handled, don't stress about it!"

The next day he shows up with the biggest, most multicolored feather boa Hiyori or her classmates have ever seen, and giant sunglasses.

"Hiyori, I'm here! And isn't this just the fanciest outfit?" Yato doesn't even appear to notice that he's the only one dressed up out of the guests. Or that he's quickly becoming the talk of the festival.

"Hiyori, who is this crazy guy wearing the boa, he clearly knows you but we've never seen him before," Yama and Ami pull Hiyori to the corner of the room, away from the crowd building around Yato.

"He's, a distant relative, come to visit." Hiyori bluffs "He doesn't know our customs here."

Her friends give her an odd look, but they have no choice but to accept it.

"At least he's bringing in more people to our café," Ami says, pointing to the people who are realizing they're in a student Cafe and sitting down to order things.

"We might even have a chance at winning the culture festival competition at this rate." Yama's eyes shine at the prospect, which just makes Hiyori all the more confused.

She makes her way back to Yato's side, and as she gets closer she hears a customer thanking Yato.

"-ays wanted to wear wild clothes like that, but I get so nervous thinking people are gonna judge me. But you don't care, and just seeing that, it feels so good. So I just wanted to say thank you, I might not wear something wild next time I go out, but maybe I'll wear a tie with a fun pattern on it, work my way up, you know?" The customer, who appears to be somebody's dad, claps Yato on the shoulder before ambling off to a table, calling the attention of a student and asking for a caramel milk coffee.

"What was that?" Hiyori asks.

"Nothing much," Yato replies, "just a man who needed a hand, that's all."

"This is the last thing we've got." Hiyori hands Yukine the shoebox. "but I refuse to wear them."

Yukine pulls a face. "I said I wasn't going to do any more of these after the pier, I felt horrible!"

"And I'm not going to be caught dead in these!!" Yukine gives her a glare before she realizes how insensitive her wording is. "Sorry," she apologizes.

"Doesn't matter anyway." Yukine says "If this doesn't work we've got nothing left, fine, I'll wear them." He takes the box, opens it up, and grimaces.

"These look horrible," he says.

Hiyori puts her hand on his shoulder, head bowed. "I know. Good luck! I'll be watching from over here!"

"HIYORIIII!!" Yukine calls after her, but she's already gone, hidden herself around a corner.

Alright, Yukine coaches himself. I've got this. It's just put these on and follow Yato. Where is Yato?

Just like that, the god himself appears, jogging round the corner, looking for all the world like he was innocent of every crime somebody could accuse him for. Yukine immediately replaces his shoes with the monstrosities from the box, and begins to follow his god.

It takes Yato a minute before he notices the noise following him, at the same pace he was jogging. The moment he turns around he finds his shinki, wearing the most interesting pair of shoes Yato has ever seen.

"Are those shoes… ducks? Are you wearing duck shoes?" Yato asked.

With every step Yukine's shoes quacked, and he thought to himself, of course they're duck shoes what else could they possibly be. Instead of saying that however, he just said, "Yes."

Yato's eyes shone and Yukine got a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Where did you get those!! I want a pair!! Gimme!" Yato immediately started following Yukine as the latter began to walk away.

Following becomes a chase, and the faster the two of them go, the faster, and louder, the quacks are, until Yukine can't handle it anymore and pulls the shoes off. Unfortunately, Yato, seeing his chance, snatches up the shoes, puts them on his own feet, and continues chasing Yukine.

Yukine is horrified; everybody around them is watching the whole thing as it happens, making him feel like dying all over again. He is absolutely not used to all this attention. He spots Hiyori, wearing the same embarrassed expression he knows he must be wearing, and makes a beeline over to her.

Hiyori nearly chokes when she sees Yukine headed her way, and she begins running away as well, not wanting to be drawn into the scene. Yato spots her, and starts to chase her as well, whooping with joy.

And all three went running off, people of all shapes and sizes staring and pointing.

Defeated, Hiyori and Yukine are sitting around the kotatsu at Kofuku's place telling her about all their attempts, how nothing they tried worked, and that they were giving up.

Kofuku looks at them mischievously. "You should try one more time, maybe. You might find more luck~" she winks.

"Everything we tried, backfired, and we're the ones embarrassed." Hiyori moans.

At that moment Yato comes in, and dramatically lies across the top of the kotatsu. Hiyori and Yukine stiffen, certain that he's heard everything

"Hiyoriiii why haven't you and Yukine been playing with meeeeeee todaaaayyyy," Yato complains.

Hiyori turns to him. "Play? What do you mean? We haven't been playing!"

"The games? They've been a lot of fun! Telling me to dress up for your festival? That was great!" Yato enthused. "Swimming wasn't as much fun, but I helped that kid, so it was all cool. And I love those shoes!"

Yukine drops his head into his hands. "Those shoes weren't supposed to be fun! Yato, we were trying to-"

"I know what you were trying to do," Yato said with a smile. "And I'm honored you chose me."

"Chose you? For what?" Hiyori asks exasperated. "We've been trying to embarrass you for days!"

Yato looks at her surprised. "You have?" he laughs "I didn't notice! I've been doing things like that on purpose for years!"

"What??" Hiyori and Yukine both lean toward Yato, still draped across the table. "Why?"

"So that I could do whatever anybody needed, at any time, no matter what. It builds confidence. I've had some rather strange requests over the years." Yato rolls off the table, Kofuku just barely jumping out of his way. "Also it's nice to be noticed, even if it's only just long enough for a laugh."

He poked his head up, eyes just visible over the edge of the table. "If you really wanted to embarrass me, you'd have to do something I've never thought of. And I've thought of everything."

"What about getting pantsed in public?" Yukine asked.

"Done it." Yato replied.

"Making weird noises on the phone?"

"Easy peasy."

"Waving to random strangers as if you know them?"

"That one is extra fun."

Hiyori watches as this exchange goes on, and notices an interesting connection with all the suggestions and answers. A plan forming in her mind, she gets up from her position at the kotatsu.

Yato and Yukine don't appear to notice when she kneels beside Yato, and gently, gives him a kiss on his cheek.

Stunned, Yato looks to Hiyori, before his face flushes red and he runs out of the room.

"What just happened?" Yukine asks, and in reply, Hiyori just giggles. Maybe she did gain some more confidence after all.

#noragamisecretsanta2022 #floweryfandomnerd #scytale-transposed #I hope I tagged that right #Genuinely thinking of drawing something for this as well but I'm absolutely terrible at drawing Yato lol #Yatoite

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chaletnz · 3 years

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Driving in Japan

As someone who has driven in four different countries now, I must say that driving in Japan is by far the best. Most road users are considerate, patient, and lawful in their driving which makes it a stress-free time behind the wheel. But there are some things to know about driving in Japan before you come, and some annoying habits that Japanese drivers have too!

To drive legally in Japan you need either a Japanese licence, or an international driving permit along with your international licence. Your regular licence alone won’t cut it. If you rent a car they will check all your documents and you won’t be able to get the rental if you don’t have the right paperwork.

Buying a car is a different kettle of fish all together, they are divided into two types – white plate (regular cars) or yellow plate (kei cars). The white plate cars are pretty much standard cars you would find in other countries. Kei cars are a little bit different, they are the tiny boxy shopping trolleys that loads of Japanese people drive. A kei car owner pays much less in road user charges (road taxes and “shaken” inspection certificate), and you do not need to prove that you have a parking space available at your home for your car. If you decide to buy a white plate car, an official will come to measure your driveway to make sure you have the legally required space to park your car at your house. Crazy, right? Kei cars are also much more fuel efficient because they are restricted by law in how wide, high and long they can be, and the engine size must be a maximum of 660cc. The money saving potential is why so many people choose to buy a kei car but they are a little bit embarrassing to drive...

Some kei cars are highly sought after though because they’re so cute, such as the Mitsubishi Pajero mini – Eugene recently bought one for around 250,000 yen and he’s in love.

Eugene's little beauty, the Pajero mini.

Once you’re on the road the real fun begins. Japan has many road signs that are the same as in other countries although the stop signs had me fooled. They are an upside down triangle shape and resemble a give way sign, which I assumed they were until I was told off by Japanese passengers for not stopping but just giving way!

The traffic lights are the same, thank God, but apparently the green light appears blue to some people. One weird thing I noticed is when turning right, the green arrow is given after the light is red. In New Zealand it’s the opposite where right turning traffic is given a priority arrow before the free flow of non-turning traffic. Just means you are waiting with your clicking indicator for longer.

Speaking of turning, Japanese drivers have a habit of swerving around turning traffic, there are not often turning lanes so cars will have to swerve into the other lane to pass.

Japan has road rules like the rest of us but they can be a little confusing sometimes. For example, any passengers in the back seat do not have to wear a seatbelt unless on the expressway. The speed limits seem to be suggestions for Japanese drivers, a 50km sign generally allows for 70km on a country road. Headlights also seem to be just suggestions, after sunset many drivers don’t use their lights and will only turn them on once they cannot see the pitch black road in front of them.

Everyone must know how to reverse park, every carpark in Japan is lined up with cars neatly reverse parked side by side. This is my joke about Japan’s driver education actually, the driving school is only about 2 weeks long and consists of mostly theory with few practical lessons. I assume they learn the road rules, how to reverse park, and where the hazard lights are!

Japanese drivers love to use their hazards. I’ve never needed to use my hazards at any point until I started driving in Japan. The hazards are used to thank drivers behind you that pulled over to let you pass, they also seem to allow you stop anywhere without consequence. I’ve seen countless people pull over in dangerous spots (usually just metres from a convenience store carpark) and flick on the hazards. On narrow winding mountain passes, cars are pulled over to take photos with the hazards flashing. I shudder to imagine these people trying to use these driving tactics in somewhere like the USA where one of their huge monstrosity cars would just drive over the top of a kei car stopped in the middle of the road.

So while there are some frustrations and quirks to driving in Japan, ultimately the kind nature of the Japanese people carries over on to the roads making it a pleasure to road trip here!

The other bonus of Japan, particularly Hokkaido, is that there are roadside stations known as Michi no Eki every 100km or so where you can park for free. They often have toilets, shops, and restaurants so it’s convenient to stop and even stay overnight in your car. You can find onsen bathhouses easily too for showers on the road, plus even some natural onsen in the wilderness that you can hike to for a secluded soak. These factors combined with the ultra-convenient conbini store culture for cheap and easy eats means Japan is probably one of the best countries to take your first long road trip, or try out “van life”!

#Japan

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towine · 6 years

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SouMegu convenience store au based off the title page of the latest chapter?

CUTE CUTE CUTE

they’re probably college-aged non-chefs in this au, not that it’s super relevant, but that’s what i had in mind. also, disclaimer: i do not have firsthand experience visiting japanese conbinis so apologies if this is inaccurate!

She comes into the conbini once every few days, never longer than a week between visits. It isn’t because Souma watches her particularly closely, which would be creepy; he just tries to make the extra effort to remember the regulars. They haven’t spoken much beyond the typical exchange he shares with customers, but those small moments have been enough for him to notice that she always pays in exact change and that she usually buys a bottle of peach tea with whatever else she’s purchasing that day.

He’s also noticed that her eyes are a sweet honey-gold, not that that’s relevant to anything. His coworker Arato says, “You always stare too long whenever you talk to her,” but he adamantly denies it.

On a quiet night, Souma sits boredly at the front counter tidying up the display of phone charms by the register when he hears the doors slide open, and he says automatically, “Welcome!” without looking up.

He can hear the giggle of one girl and the hushed whispers of another as they wander through the aisles, but he leaves them be as he focuses on making all the phone charms face the same direction.

“Um, excuse me?”

He looks up.

It’s her.

Her hair is different today, twisted into one braid instead of two, hanging over her shoulder. Some loose strands slip out of the plait and she tucks one behind her ear. A few aisles away, the other customer who came in with her—a girl with two hair buns—says loudly, “Croquettes, please, Megumicchi!”

“Okay!” the girl says back before turning back to Souma. “Sorry, I just wanted to get some food from the display?”

“Of course.” He strides to the display case, picks up a pair of tongs. “What can I get you?”

“Two potato croquettes, please. And karaage.”

As he fetches them for her, she looks closely at the karaage like she’s trying to discern some deeper meaning beneath its surface. She seems very serious, and he’s about to ask if she’s alright when she says, “You know, I’ve been trying to cook karaage like this at my place but I can’t seem to come close.”

“Honestly, I’ve tried doing the same thing,” he admits with a grin and closes the display case. “I work here and I don’t even know what makes it so good.”

“Ah, there goes my hope that you could tell me the secret recipe,” she giggles. She starts digging in her purse for her wallet as Souma takes the food to the register.

“Will that be all for you?”

“Oh, actually…” She glances behind her, towards the fridges against the wall where the cold drinks are kept. “I’m just gonna run and get—”

“Peach tea?” he blurts out.

He’s kicking himself immediately for it. Great job Souma, way to look like a creep.

“Yes, actually,” she laughs. “Good guess.”

Souma exhales after she walks away, trying really hard to get a grasp at normalcy. When he turns, he finds Arato looking at him with a raised eyebrow, holding a box of sports drinks as she stands in the doorway to the backroom.

“Smooth,” she says.

“Like you were any smoother when that girl from the commercials was here that one time.”

“I told you never to bring up the Nakiri incident!” Arato hisses and stomps off to restock the sports drinks.

“I can’t believe you call it the Nakiri incident,” Souma says to her retreating back, but she just ignores him. He quickly puts a smile on when the girl returns, this time with her friend.

She places the can of peach tea on the counter, and her friend drops a bag of chips and a can of coffee.

“Thank you for waiting,” she says with a smile at Souma, and he’s so glad Arato is elsewhere at the moment because he knows he’d never hear the end of it if she saw the way his face flushes.

“No problem,” he says, “is that all for you?”

She nods and as Souma starts totaling up her purchases, her friend Ms. Hair Buns leans in and says, “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Yukihira,” he says politely.

“Yukihira.” Hair Buns nods a few times too many, and it’s now that Souma notices the redness in her cheeks and the wobbliness of her stance. “I’m Yoshino, Yoshino Yuuki.”

“Nice to meet you, Yoshino-san.”

Yoshino leans an elbow on the counter, props her chin on her hand and examines him so closely he nearly starts to sweat under her scrutiny.

She says suddenly, “You were right, Megumicchi. He is cute.”

“Yuuki-chan!” The girl turns an alarming shade of red, and Souma has no doubt his face is the same.

Yoshino, however, laughs loudly and pats her on the back.

“Um,” is all Souma manages to say while holding out a plastic bag with her purchases.

“Thank you so much,” she says embarrassedly and takes the bag while trying to drag Yoshino away from the counter. “I’m sorry about her, she’s, um… She’s had a few.”

“No problem, just make sure she gets home safely.”

“Whaaat? Megumicchi, you’re not gonna try and get his number or anyth—mmph!”

She immediately slaps a palm over Yoshino’s mouth.

“Thank you so much for everything, goodbye!” she says very quickly and hurries out the conbini door.

Souma stands dumbfounded for a moment as the door slides shut, then immediately slides back open.

“By the way,” the girl says, still blushing bright red. “My name isn’t Megumicchi, it’s Tadokoro Megumi. Um. Anyway! Thank you again, goodbye.”

The door closes once again. Beyond it Souma can hear the faint sound of Yoshino’s laughter before it fades into the distance.

Tadokoro Megumi.

It’s a nice name. Maybe he’ll tell her so next time. A smile makes its tentative way onto his face.

“You two are meant for each other,” Arato says wryly but Souma doesn’t even feel like snapping something back, too giddy on the prospect of next time.

#soumegu #caiwrites #Anonymous #filled

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courtingstars · 5 years

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Notes for The Vanishing Prince, Chapter Two

Yes, it’s the second chapter, finally! I’m so happy to be posting this. My notes are on the shorter side, but I do want to cover a few things that were hinted in this chapter, especially as it relates to Oreshi and Bokushi. Hopefully it will help clarify which parts of their story in the fic were directly inspired by canon, and which were inspired by some of the experiences of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

(Cut for notes about Oreshi and Bokushi’s relationship, timelines, chess, stuff about given names in Japanese, and so on…)

On Oreshi’s Relationship to Bokushi

These are just some of my observations regarding the connection between Oreshi and Bokushi. (Especially my interpretation of what happens after the Winter Cup but before the events of the KnB movie, Last Game.)

So first off, we don’t know for sure if Bokushi ever fronts during this time or not. (The idea of “fronting” is associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and it refers to which alter is actively presenting themselves to the world around them. Bokushi is fronting whenever Akashi has differently colored eyes, for example.) The canon seems to imply that he doesn’t interact with the Generation of Miracles during this time, at the very least… Since Oreshi seems worried in the Extra Game manga about what the other Miracles will think if Bokushi appears. So my headcanon for my fics, based on that and some other things in the manga, is that Bokushi hasn’t interacted with the outside world since the Winter Cup.

On that note, some lines in the manga imply that Oreshi and Bokushi are often co-conscious, even when they switch and the other alter is fronting... Meaning they’re both aware of what’s happening in the outside world, even when they aren’t currently the one “in control.” This is something that people can and do experience with Dissociative Identity Disorder. The co-consciousness can happen on its own/originally, or it can be developed and encouraged over the course of therapy.

Interestingly, Oreshi seems to believe (at least to some extent) that he willingly chooses when they switch… It’s pretty vague, but there are lines in the manga about how he could have taken over for Bokushi at any point during their last two years at Teikou. So, in my fic, Oreshi believes he is always aware of when Bokushi takes over for him, and that it only happens when they both allow it. However, for people with D.I.D. in real life, they may not always remember switching with their alters, and can lose time as a result. Also, they might not feel like they were in control (either completely or partially) of the switch—especially since trauma and any triggers associated with it can prompt different alters to front. (I’ll try to go into more details about this later, but as I’ve mentioned before, I recommend this site for more information about D.I.D. This page in particular covers alters switching, and how it can vary and is often much more subtle than is portrayed in fiction.)

So in The Vanishing Prince, I wanted to complicate what Oreshi seems to believe about his relationship with Bokushi. He thinks he always knows when Bokushi is fronting, and that he has to allow it when it happens… But starting in Chapter Two, it seems the truth of the situation may be different.

Alter Mannerisms

This is another general note about something that’s pretty common, from what I understand, but might not be 100% clear in Akashi’s case… The alters of people with D.I.D. can be very different from one another. They can have different ages and names, and even different appearances or genders.

And along those lines, alters may have different mannerisms and tones of voice when fronting. Those differences can be subtle. Overall, Oreshi and Bokushi are pretty similar to each other. They go by the same name, and their way of interacting with most people is similar. (To the point that, according to the manga, most of Akashi’s peers and teachers at Teikou couldn’t tell the difference.)

However, one way that the KnB canon differentiates between the two of them is through their expressions. Bokushi is especially recognizable for his wide-eyed smile. (You know which one, I’m sure!) Meanwhile, in the moment when Oreshi returns during the Winter Cup, he has a very distinctive smile as well, that we never see from Bokushi. (I noticed it more in the manga, whereas it was pretty subtle in the anime.)

So in The Vanishing Prince, I took this idea a little farther, and tried to convey some more subtle differences between them in posture and tone. Basically, it was meant to be a reference to the fact that this can happen with alters in real life, as well.

Chess

I’m definitely not an expert on chess… I’ve played it since I was about four or five, but I have zero grasp of actual strategy. //laughs To try to convey Bokushi’s mastery of the game, I consulted some online resources, especially for the most popular opening moves. Here are a few good articles I found that include some of the fancy names from the chapter!

(There is also this incredibly detailed database that covers so many opening moves, many of which have bizarre names like “Fried Liver Attack” and I swear I’m not making that up. XD It does give you some idea of just how thoroughly this particular game has been played and studied throughout history!)

Akashi’s Given Name

This note is kind of random, but I thought it might be interesting to explain this part of Furihata’s narration a bit:

But that name also belonged to both of his selves. Plus, it was kind of a mouthful.

“Seijuurou.”

It was a really nice name, though. Long and elegant, with that extra ‘u’ sound in the middle. Honestly, Furihata thought it fit the Akashi he knew better. It sounded just like him. Kind of graceful, and sophisticated, and… perfect.

So in English, we tend to say “Seijuurou” as having three syllables. But in Japanese, it’s actually six! I won’t go into the whole explanation here, but it has to do with how the Japanese language is syllable-based, instead of using an alphabet. So his name breaks down something like this: Se-i-ju-u-ro-u

It’s a long, fancy-pants name, basically. XD Which is not surprising because, well, it’s Akashi. (My favorite time that the KnB anime says the main cast’s full names is actually in the blurb right before the first Season 3 opening song… The narrator’s delivery really helps you hear the length of the syllables in each of their names, and it just sounds super cool to me…? Random, I know. //laughs)

Anyway, it’s probably worth mentioning that in Japan, even close friends and couples might not call each other by their given names. It’s a choice, and definitely depends a lot on the people involved. But either way, it shows a lot of familiarity with someone… So it’s not surprising that the idea of using Akashi’s given name makes Furihata flustered! //laughs Especially since the characters in KnB tend to use family names, in general.

Japanese Drugstore Candy

This is another random note just to mention that the line about Furihata’s “favorite gummy candies” was meant to be my personal nod to Hi-Chews. XD My sister was kind of obsessed with them when she lived in Japan, where they’re available at every conbini (convenience store). They’re cheap, so giving them to your friends is pretty much the equivalent of buying them a pack of gum at a 7-11? So it was funny to me (and to Furihata!) that Akashi would consider that a touching gesture. //laughs

Earlier Fic References

On the subject of the train station, I did include some things in this chapter that were meant to build on scenes from earlier in this series… Of course, Tokyo Station and the Kyoto shinkansen train were pretty important in the first story. Also, Furihata’s brief thought about how Akashi always drinks amazing tea was meant to be a reference to Fast Train as well, specifically the second chapter. And there were definitely some nods to events in Storming the Castle too! I always enjoy including scenes that mirror things that happened earlier in the series… I feel like it helps to show how the relationship between the characters has progressed. <3

Well, that’s it for Chapter Two! I really hope everyone enjoyed the next chapter in the fic. (And at least it didn’t end on such an extreme cliffhanger this time? XD) I’ve been hard at work on the next part of the story, and can’t wait to share it with all of you as soon as possible. <3

#the vanishing prince #kat writes fanfic #kat writes about basketball dorks #akafuri #YAY IT'S POSTED #and now nobody has to deal with that awful cliffhanger XD #seriously it was mean and I knew it #also I loooooved writing Furi and Bokushi's first scene together oh my goodness #Bokushi is so salty hahaha #and then Oreshi was precious as always #oh Furi you must be so disoriented #also I live for chess master Akashi in general #meanwhile GOOD JOB FURI YOU FINALLY SAID CRUSH #TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH #these kids I swear #Oreshi is still hopeless though #Bokushi is the only one with half a clue haha #long post #text post

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pacsettravel · 7 years

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Headlinin’: 11/27/17

We’re having a huge sale today, so please go check that out! Seriously guys, this is the biggest one we’ve ever done. Go get it! :D Alrighty, on to this week’s main story...

MUCH ADO ABOUT DOGEN

I’d like to talk about balls. No, not the sports ones. The kind that are metaphorical, the kind that you have when you stand up for what’s right in the face of intense opposition. I mean, think about it: there’s stuff that takes courage, and there’s stuff that takes balls. Asking someone out to prom? Courage. Telling a Firefly fan to let it go, since Fox canceled their show fifteen years ago? That’s courage with a little bit of balls. Standing up to the bully ten times your size? That’s balls.

Bringing your baby to work with you when you’re a politician in one of the most male-dominated societies in the world? That’s more balls than you’ll find at a basketball tournament. [Washington Post]

Image courtesy Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images

Just look at this picture. Words fail me. Here, check out the video:

youtube

This is Kumamoto City Representative and certified bad ass mama Ogata Yuka and her son Dogen, who has a very nice hairstyle going for someone who’s only seven months old. She made the “mistake” of bringing her son to work with her, which resulted in many male members of the chamber crowding around her and demanding she leave - with some of them even demanding she apologize for doing so (even though Dogen was being a good boy and not making any noise).

According to her official bio, Ogata is a graduate of the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and holds a graduate degree from George Mason University in Virginia. She’s also worked as a program officer with the UN’s Development Program in Yemen, which I imagine is not the UN’s easiest mission. After moving back to her hometown, Ogata became interested in local politics and ran on a campaign emphasizing support for working mothers, traffic/pedestrian safety, public health and welfare, and promoting tourism to Kumamoto. [Editor’s note: we’re working on a tour pitch or two, Ogata-shigi!- Team PacSet]

Fun fact: Ogata was elected when her first child was just 1 year old, and the day she brought Dogen to work was her first day back from maternity leave. Now personally, I would have appreciated a “Welcome Back” cake, a balloon bouquet... maybe some of Kumamoto’s famous Ikinari Dango* with a nice message written on it? Like this?

But hey, I guess a bunch of old dudes being rude is kind of like a welcome. I mean, isn’t that how the bullies welcome the nerds back to class in all of those teen movies? Sorry, I digress.

Although child care is provided in municipal assemblies in Kyoto and Akita (as the WaPo points out), Kumamoto’s model male citizens decided to get their pantsu in a bunch over this, eventually forcing Ogata to leave Dogen in the care of a friend before returning to the chamber.

In a statement, Ogata said that she wanted to bring attention to the tough conditions facing working women in Japan. She’s not wrong; numerous [Bloomberg/Benchmark] articles [Japan Times] have been written about Japan’s shortage in adequate day care facilities and how hard it is for women in the workforce. In fact, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has cited making the working world more friendly to women a priority, since Japan’s birthrate is declining and the benefits of being a mother are not all that attractive if you want to have a career/support a family in Japan. However, apparently Abe forgot to mention this to fellow LDP member and “guy at the pachinko parlor” Haraguchi Ryoji, who said that Ogata could be “subject to punishment for disturbing the chamber over a personal reason.” [Mainichi Shimbun] Which I guess I understand... I mean, I bet no one in the LDP has ever been in a scandal for personal reasons, right? (Fun game: Google “LDP Scandals” and see how many you can find in 10 minutes!)

The truth is that there is still a cultural stigma against working mothers in many social circles in Japan. Not too long ago, having a baby meant a women would leave work altogether and focus their entire lives on child rearing. Even today, mothers that go against the grain are often harassed by other mothers and people who aren’t parents at all but have so many opinions. Which is probably one of the reasons why Japan’s fleet of online trolls have since invaded Ogata’s Facebook page and are tweeting nasty replies to English language stories about her. Nice of them, isn’t it?

Regardless, we hope that Ogata-shigi keeps fighting for working women, that we are able to create the best Kumamoto tour EVER, and that Dogen can keep that clean, awesome looking hair forever. <3 Speaking of clean...

I’LL HAVE A WASH AND DRY WITH THAT YAKITORI

If you have traveled with us, you know how tough it can be to find coin laundromats in Japan sometimes. Fortunately, the effort to make them more common just got a massive (and I mean massive) push from a somewhat surprising source: convenience store (conbini) chain Family Mart. (LINE NEWS)

That’s right - one of Japan’s biggest conbini chains, the place where you get a meat bun when you’re hungry, a manga volume when you’re bored, and a Pocari Sweat when you’re drunk, is installing coin laundry! According to an official statement, the company is planning on rolling out the service quickly, with laundry popping up in at least 500 locations by the end of 2019. [Family Mart]

I’ll level with you guys: I’m trying to think of a negative angle to this story, and you know... there just isn’t one. The thought of being able to wash my clothes during FanFest while eating a lemon ice, buying breakfast onigiri for the next morning, and browsing the latest Shonen Sunday? What did I do to deserve this kind of joy?!?!?!?!

The best part? Because the competition between conbini chains in Japan is such a bloodbath, it probably won’t be too long before Lawson or Seven Eleven decides to try out Coin Laundry as well. Japan in the summer is all kinds of humid - keeping it clean is a concept I can definitely get behind.

TAKA IS NOT [ONE] OK [ROCK] WITH SMAP... KINDA

One guy isn’t keeping it clean this week in the world of gossip; ONE OK ROCK front man Taka sent shockwaves across the Japanese interwebs this weekend when he dissed recently disbanded J-Pop royalty SMAP during an appearance on Super Beaver singer Shibuya Ryuuta’s radio show late Thursday night. Although both of their bands specialize in rock and not the kind of J-Pop sound SMAP embodies, the two were discussing which song from the band they like most. Taka’s selection? SMAP’s 1993 single “Ten Dollars”:

dailymotion

This is a somewhat deep cut from the SMAP catalogue; it’s from when the group still had six members, and it wasn’t nearly as popular as SMAP’s turn-of-the-millenia hits Lionheart and Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Everyone in Japan has heard this song twenty million times oh god please make it stop**.

After the song played, Taka voiced a sentiment that many indie rockers, rappers, and artists in Japan have long thought but always been scared to say. SMAP is... eh. From the man’s own mouth: [Model Press]

“Actually, I hate them, really. I hate SMAP. They’re like Japan’s national group,” said Taka. He’s not exactly wrong; SMAP’s TV show was one of the view where western stars appeared regularly, and even Eric Clapton wrote a song for them. Yes, ERIC CLAPTON. Taka, probably realizing that the internet could twist such a comment out of control quickly, added: “No matter which group you’re in, whether you’re an idol, a superstar... we’re all just human... Being in a group like that shouldn’t be your WHOLE life - that’s tiring. So when I heard SMAP was disbanding, I was thinking, ‘Wow, they really worked hard to come this far...’” I can’t help but agree with Taka myself; to have a group be your entire life until you’re alone again - that’s truly a Mighty Long Fall.

Taka’s comments were also a reflection of the public’s sadness when SMAP disbanded - so much so that many thought the group should keep going. Indeed, artists in Japan that are popular are expected to devote their lives to their work to a degree that many in the west would consider horrifying (just ask any former idol star... ugh). For what it’s worth, many on Twitter and message boards in Japan agreed with Taka on this point.

Now if some of those nice, sympathetic folks would go help support Ogata Yuka... that would be awesome.

NOTE: I’m off on Japan Holiday next week, so this column will be on hiatus. We’ll be back in a few weeks with more goodies. Until then, be lovely to each other!

*About the Dango: The popular YouTube series Cooking With Dog (RIP, Francis ;_;) actually did a segment on how to make Ikinari Dango; check it out! We miss you, Francis the Dog... <3

**title edited for accuracy

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asterinjapan · 7 years

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Hello from Ikebukuro, Tokyo!

It’s been quite a long – two days? I barely even remember, I skipped a night. Anyway, lots done today, so let’s start at the beginning: departure from Schiphol Airport!

Would you believe it was actually faster than last year in October? In the middle of the summer holidays! Maybe all the warnings in advance did help. I went through customs just as smoothly and went to Starbucks for a brunch, looking out over the departing planes until it was time for mine.

It appears my fear of flying just gets worse with every flight I take, because I was nauseated from the nerves and started getting panicky at every slight movement of the plane. Hitting turbulence half an hour into the 11 hour ride didn’t help, either. I skipped out on watching movies and tried to sleep, but that was kind of hard with a child right behind me asking his mother a million questions and screaming and just not. Shutting. Up. The entire flight. Ear plugs only block so much. Oh well, I did get some eye shut, but I had trouble with the meals and felt kinda queazy upon landing.

Luckily, customs in Japan also went smoothly, and within an hour I was out of the airport already! I took my jetlagged brain for a test run and actually pretty decently managed to exchange the voucher for my train pass and order a train to Ikebukuro in Japanese. (Ikebukuro is the part of Tokyo I’ll be staying in these 3 weeks.) I took the Narita Express, which is slightly slower and yet more expensive than the Keisei Skyliner, but the Narita Express had Ikebukuro as final stop while the Keisei Skyliner required a transfer. I prefer ease and comfort then, and that was just as well, because I dozed off a couple of times and only woke up in time to see the enormous Tokyo Sky Tree tower over the skyline. (The Sky Tree is 634 metres tall and the second tallest building in the world, so yeah, not easily overlooked.) And then I hit Ikebukuro!

My main advantage is that I’m staying in the same hotel as the past three times, so jetlag or not, I could find it on auto pilot, haha. I dropped off my luggage and went into Ikebukuro station until I got to check in at 3 PM.

Into the station because whoa, it is HOT in Japan. I mean, I knew it, but the Netherlands were lik 17 C when I left. 32 C is quite a shock then. Long live airco!

I have zero self-constraint, so I spent about half the yen I’d brought with me on books and CDs (CDs are expensive in Japan, help) and had a matcha frappuccino at Starbucks since I was still queasy and I prescribed myself green-tea-everything to counter that. (I mean, no idea if it works, but I like the solution.) I also had a taiyaki (fish shaped pancake cookie with a filling that’s traditionally red bean paste) made with green tea powder as well, because I’ve missed them and they’re so good. I eat and drink everything matcha, haha.

Back in the hotel, I got my key – it’s a non-smoking room this time with 3 windows, so that’s nice! I have yet to try if all 3 open, because it’s so hot outside that I might as well just turn on the airco instead. Which is exactly what I did before jumping under the shower, because I was quite sticky at that point.

I almost fell asleep at 4:30 PM, which is a bit early to go to bed, so off I went again! This time I took the train to Shibuya station, some 15 minutes by Yamanote-line, or ‘that one train line I take for everything’ because it runs in a circle through central Tokyo and it departs every other minute or so. I went to school in Shibuya for 6 weeks back in 2010, so I know this part of Tokyo pretty well. Time to spend some more money! Aside from some practicalities (a much needed fan), I also got tickets for a theme cafe and a museum/exhibition dedicated to an animated series. You have to order these tickets with a specific machine that you can only find at the Lawson convenience stores. Every single street corner of Tokyo has a convenience store (conbini), but of course, good luck finding a Lawson when you need one! I did track it down eventually and worked my way through the Japanese menu, jetlagged and all, I’m proud, haha. I also got a ticket for Disneyland, so basically today was a ‘buy all the things in advance’ kind of day. At least that does mean I spent the bulk of my money right on day one?

I did some more things, though. Disneyland is by now tradition, but so is a picture of the statue of Hachiko (you might know him as Hachi from that movie with Richard Gere – same dog), as well as a picture of the scramble crossing of Shibuya. So I took those and then went to find a tiny shrine I’d read about. It’s super close to the station (a 5 minute walk, even I found it in one go and that is saying something), but you have to know you’re looking for it. You stumble across a concrete entrance gate right in the middle of the tall business buildings, and then you climb some stairs to find a pretty much desolated shrine. I was the only one here! That’s quite the contrast to say, Meiji shrine. This shrine is special, because instead of two lions or foxes, it is guarded by two wolves. Wolves are extinct in Japan, so this shrine is a bit of a mystery from what I gathered. Anyway, it was a nice break from the noise that is Shibuya, and I definitely recommend it as a short visit if you’re in the area! Super close and a nice breather.

My last stop for today was inside Shibuya station, because there was a poster up there for a stage play I’m a fan of. It took me half an hour to track it down (all I knew was floor B2, and Shibuya station is HUGE), and then another while to take a picture without eighty people walking into view, but I did it! it probably helped a couple of girls also tried to take a picture, haha, people were more likely to keep out of view then.

And that was it for today! Tomorrow I’m keeing it calm – I’ll try to reserve the trains for my later trips, but I can use my train pass for those, so I won’t have to pay for them, haha. I might visit Tokyo station and the imperial gardens or another part of Tokyo, we’ll see, but I’ll be taking it easy, because Thursday I’ll meet with my friend at 7 AM to go to Hakone near Mount Fuji. I’ve planned on Hakone for 4 years now, so I’m super excited I’m finally going there! After that, there’s the fireworks festival on Saturday, which I’ll attend with the same friend. Monday will be Disneyland, Tuesday is the theme cafe, and starting August 2, my train pass is valid, so I’ll be taking some longer trips.

Not such a quiet holidays after all, but I’m super excited! Now time to sleep off that jetlag, haha. See you tomorrow!

#report #report: travel #report: japan 2017 #japan 2017

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magically-with-magic · 7 years

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[Translation] AAA - Get or Lose

And we’re done! Fun fact: I tried to translate this song once before, a long time ago, but struggled too much with some of the more creative lines and ended up giving up. Not this time, though :D

There are a couple of notes at the bottom. Enjoy!

Oh yeah! I gotta take a deep breath, this feeling is so great Say no*! Is everyone having fun? What about you in the back?

I've been in a defiant mood since this morning Like the switch in my brain just didn't go off You wake up "finally, right?" You make up "finally, right?" Covering up this exhausted face with make up

Crammed into a crowded train, on my way to a pointless job I give thanks without know why, together, together, yeah!

As expected, the goukon** went terribly, didn't it? I certainly didn't meet the perfect partner! Where in the world "is my--" Where in the world "is my--" Where the heck is my prince hiding?!

That dream I tried to seize With a heart pure as when I was young Has gone dark!

Get down! I need it true, my life And I need it true, my love And I'll get it no matter what I have to do Even when I'm old with creaky bones and rough skin I won't stop trying! Get down! I need it true, my life And I need it true, my dream I may get irritated and angry, but With work and with myself, I've done my best So surely God will reward me, right?

Oh yeah! I gotta take a deep breath, you make me feel so great Say no! Good work! Are you having fun? What about you in the back?

I haven't made any plans for tonight Maybe I'll just stop by the conbini*** and come home? No thank you, "That is to say..." No thank you, "I just mean..." As expected, I'm such a pitiful girl ****

Working overtime without complaint, not being paid enough And then it happens again and again, together, together, yeah!

Let me ask you something: those girls married rich And now they're living the high life, right? Why not me? "Why??" Why not me? "Why?!" For God's sake, it's all so unfair!

What if I'm still alone in 10 years? The blowing wind chills the whole town... ...and all I can do is cry!

Get down! I need it true, my life And I need it true, my love I won't do this everyday my entire life Is it my fault that it keeps happening And never seems to change? Get down! I need it true, my life And I need it true, my dream To be pampered and spoiled like a princess The life I want is like a lie, like a dream Surely God can make that happen?

Oh yeah! I gotta take a deep breath, this feeling is so great Say no! Is everyone having fun? What about you in the back?

-------

* If you've watched any Jpop concerts, you've heard this phrase before. It's a way of prompting the audience to respond, kind of saying "everybody answer." There's a LOT of ways to translate it depending on context, but in this case none of them fit the rhythm of the song, so I left it as is.

** Another thing that doesn't translate well -- a goukon is like a singles party where the same number of guys and girls are invited, the point being to try and match everyone up.

*** A convenience store. Again, the translation didn’t match the rhythm of the song, so I left it as is.

**** Since it’s not... exactly clear? This verse is basically the singer talking to her boss. They ask her if she’s doing anything after work, she says she’s not, and they say “oh well, can you stay late then?” She tries to get out of it (”That is to say...”) but is too “pitiful” to manage it and ends up working overtime.

#translation #attack all around #uno misako #ito chiaki #goto yukari

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never-lock-the-door · 4 years

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I realize I haven’t posted in a while so here’s my re-intro.

Quick intro- My name is Chika and “professionally speaking”: I’m a PhD student doing research in Japan on alternative food networks and gender but “greater: this is my dream”: I’m on the quest to design food (eco)systems that uphold the dignity and respect of all beings involved.

I spend a lot of time, a lot! identifying injustices and flaws in our current food system, but it’s also been fueling my imagination for what is possible when we think about building an alternative system. Recently, I read an article by a farmer who eloquently articulated the collective loss that farmers are burdened with when it comes to farmers’ markets. It reminded me about the summer I spent working 2 farmers’ markets where every weekend a group of 10 of us loaded, unloaded, and reloaded towers of white crates filled with stone fruit all over southern California. On the “front of house” end, we had a beautiful cornucopia of colors and a sweet aroma that filled the air as people flocked to eat the many samples we endlessly cut. Something I observed from the consumer end was that me saying “don’t panic, it’s organic!” was all they wanted to hear regarding the 10+ varieties of stone fruit we carried. It felt a little disappointing as I and others were open to sharing more knowledge about the fruit, who grew it, where it was grown, etc.

On the producer/vendor side, I had fun building friendships and bantering with the other farmers/vendors at the farmers markets. However, the teasing and laughs masked the exhaustion and almost hopeless feeling that this was the only way to make a viable livelihood outside of the more conventional system where farmers are bound by contracts with large scale chain grocery stores. Collectively speaking, it doesn’t make much sense for individual farmers to foot the expenses of driving, setting up, tearing down, selling, throwing away food loss and spending thousands of dollars each month to distribute their produce. It feeds into the individualistic notion that you are along in the fight to succeed because we believe its the only way to survive… it’s what keeps capitalism thriving.

But does that have to be the only existing reality? What if we expanded beyond the individual? What would it take to build a brick and mortar or a communal space founded by farmers and centered on the farmer?

Living in Japan has opened my eyes to different possibilities as many structures are already built with a collective mindset. In Japan, there’s regional investment towards infrastructure building with their roadside stations and direct markets. It takes the farmers market concept and eliminates the loss and burden that I previously mentioned by allowing any farmer, hobby farmer, kitchen gardener to come and unload their produce to be sold and bought by anyone. You lose the people connection that some people yearn for at the farmer’s markets, but it serves as a convenient access point for both consumers and producers. Instead, there are signs that depict the producer’s name and sometimes their picture is there as well! The women farmers I interviewed rely on graphic designs to boost their marketing to stand out at these direct markets. The Japan model seems like it would be the solution to the problem I stated above… so why doesn’t it exist everywhere?!

Well for one, understanding context is critical. Roadside stations and direct markets are typical to Japan’s rural areas where populations are shrinking and aging. As people age, they will eat less, consume less, and cook less. The role of the farmer as we currently see it will diminish and head towards extinction. In urban settings of Japan, the questions point to who is going to buy and cook with fresh fruits and vegetables? Many big box grocery stores have shrinking fresh produce sections and growing prepared food sections.

We all must eat and drink every day. But who has the time to buy, cook, and feed each other?

There’s studies that say that people in lower income brackets spend more money on food outside the home than inside. Working multiple jobs means you spend that much more time in transit from one place to another and by the time you get home and realize there are multiple hungry mouths to feed… it makes sense to order, stop by the drive thru, or eat out. Here, individual consumers are left to struggle on their own- their struggles are siloed similar to the farmers selling at farmers’ markets. In both situations, and within the greater capitalist system, food is treated as a commodity.

What is a commodity?: it’s a good or material that can be bought and sold freely as an article of commerce.

In the above examples, food- is a good or item we sell, buy, consume through an economic transaction. That transaction can hold a variety of both positive and negative externalities: food coming from industrialized agriculture is polluting environments and destroying rural livelihoods in places we’ve never been to. Positive externality could be the satisfaction and positive health benefits we have from interacting and socializing with the farmers/vendors at the farmers markets.

While the farmers markets serves as a tangible means to economically support the farmer, what if we didn’t treat food as just a commodity but saw it as the medium through which nourishment and joy could be abundantly shared.

Okay that sounds abstract, but our relationship to food is complicated. It holds so many meanings.

We use food for celebration and ceremonial traditions. People explore love and relationships over food. Food comforts us in times of pain, sickness, and struggle. Sometimes food is seen as just fuel/input to curb your hunger so you can keep working- although if this were really the case then why hasn’t the industry for liquid iv bags skyrocketed? This is why I think food rooted in joy and nourishment holds potential for the greatest number of beings and therefore there is room for vast transformations in designing or reclaiming practices where food can be the center of sustainable resource management.

This is just a hypothetical or a fun thought exercise I go through in imagining what that design could look like. As of Jan 10, 2020 (first full moon of Gregorian calendar and last one of the lunar calendar) these are some brainstormed ideas.

A community space that feels welcoming to anyone where interactions can be had with people who are passionate about what they are doing and eager to share their knowledge with you. I’m using Japan as an example but imagine the ease and convenience of conbini (convenience stores) (theres no air of exclusivity or bouginess because it is literally everyone’s giant refrigerator/pantry. So combine with the friendly conversations and insights you receive from your favorite wholefoods cheese monger~ this is the kind of ambiance I’m imagining. (side note: Recently in Japan, there’s a courageous Osaka 7-11 store manager who is fighting against the strict rules of the corporation as he makes humane adjustments (closing on Japan’s biggest holiday or not being open 24 hours). We need more people like him in this world.)

A space that offers infrastructure for small scale producers and sustainable ag practitioners to share their harvests and where various eateries/pop ups/restaurants/canteens can feed and heal you (the trend of markets with a wide variety of food stands is way more satisfying than the 50 pg cheesecake factory menu), and co-learning and teaching spaces. I’m not sure that the concept of a full-time job makes sense for the future but perhaps automation can “hopefully” give people the inevitable push to find different passions and pursue side hustles- Maybe it could be the chance for a re-emergence of teachers and creators. The space should be functional: maybe its 10 people get together and meal-prep for their entire week; meal-prep where you don’t have to eat the same thing for the whole week! Sustainable resource management has to be done on a larger scale than just individuals going zero waste. We need to be building infrastructure and setting up policy to support systems design. I want a space where food is the vessel that holds stories, memories, and joy. People who were blessed to grow up with kitchens where there was constant action and lively movements could relate to such feelings.

This sounds pretty idealistic and I’ve seen similar models but they are often only catered to mostly the “glamping class[1]”… But I believe that with the right team of people to reimagine something different, commitments from different stakeholders, and a huge influx of capital, it doesn’t seem like such a far-off dream. What small thing can I start with that helps build towards such a greater vision?

Being a grad student provides the opportunity to trial and error and meet different people doing similar things. I’ve been hosting weekly dinners after our graduate seminars using produce from the farm I used to live at: it’s a fun way to bond and get to know one another but logistically speaking it’s not the most self-sustaining. For example, I’ve never been able to find a replacement when I’m too busy… is that poor leadership on my end? Maybe. but also it could mean that it’s not a shared priority per se even though every time I’ve hosted there are people who come and join.

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting a group of alternative farmers, some of who were active in the student protest movement in the 1960s. Their activism catalyzed their decision to choose farming as a medium to “walk the walk”. In other words, organic farming was an evolvement of their freedom of expression since the student uprise of the 1960s served as a platform raise their voice and speak their minds. The connections and friendships that developed during that time were critical for the foundations of Japan’s alternative food movement known as teikei. It became a natural fit for woke producers and consumers to come together to support one another to share food that was grown with love, care, and strong values. While the teikei model continues to decline and face possible extinction, I continue to be amazed by the friendships and close connections people share and support systems that they are building with one another. Maybe that’s what’s missing nowadays- deep connection and friendship.

I know I have a lot of ideas all the time but nothing will come of it or last without love and friendship. I don’t know if I’m currently doing what I’m supposed to be doing- but I am grateful for the many different people I have come to meet along this journey. I hope to continue deepening my friendships and love with the people that care about where our food comes from and how we share it with one another.

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Location: Hino, Shiga Prefecture.

[1] Glamping: glamorous camping: often falls to millennials and gen x who are willing to pay a little less than luxury hotel prices for a comfortable outdoorsy experience. They are often looking to get away from the mundanity of urban life.

the foundation of the perfect food system needs love and friendship. いい食と農のシステムの基盤には愛と親密さが必要 I realize I haven't posted in a while so here's my re-intro. Quick intro- My name is Chika and “professionally speaking”: I’m a PhD student doing research in Japan on alternative food networks and gender but “greater: this is my dream”: I’m on the quest to design food (eco)systems that uphold the dignity and respect of all beings involved.

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courtingstars · 7 years

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Notes for Storming the Castle, Chapter 4

Hello again, my dear AkaFuri readers! These notes are kind of long since I rambled on and on about Disney movies because I’m me. (And now after this chapter everyone knows why I put Disney movies in the Ao3 tags! //laughs)

So we’ll start with the Disney stuff, then I mention a few things about Akashi’s sexuality in the fic, and then the usual cultural notes. (Plus the real-life inspiration for the last scene!) Also as a reminder, I have a Pinterest board with photos that helped inspire the first half of the story.

(Cut for me being an incurable Disney nerd, plus notes about sexuality, love hotels, Japanese convenience stores, and other things!)

On The Disney Movies

I should probably feel bad about putting so many Disney references in a fic. //laughs (I’ve been Disney obsessed since I was little, and I wish I could pretend I grew out of it, but I really, really didn’t). But it seemed like a fitting way to bring up the lighter side of fairy tales, since that’s a major theme in the story.

It’s also worth mentioning that Disney stuff is a popular obsession in Japan! There’s Tokyo Disneyland, tons of great Disney stores, you get the idea. I’ve also seen a few Japanese dubs of the movies, which are excellent. <3

I didn’t plan to go into so much detail, but I wanted to try to make the movie references as accessible as I could. And if you haven’t seen the films, I do recommend them because I am a sappy dork. I chose them to match the story, and hopefully to create some interesting parallels to both Akashi and Furihata.

So first, The Little Mermaid! Random fact: This was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. (Also one of my first memories! I was three.) The songs are great, and it’s an interesting take on the fairy tale. But mostly I just thought it would be kind of funny that Furihata would like a movie about a redhead who has issues with a super-strict father and a hard time fitting in with normal humans, because of course you would Furi. (I mean Ariel was basically the reason all of us 90’s kids were in love with supernaturally red hair, right...? No? Just me? //shutting up now)

(… I would absolutely read a fic about merman Akashi trying to comb his hair with a fork though, I don’t know how that would even be in character BUT I’D READ IT. XD)

And if you haven’t seen the film before or want a trip down memory lane, here are some YouTube clips of parts I mentioned in the fic! The opening, Fathoms Below, has beautiful atmosphere. Part of Your World is Ariel’s most famous song, and I pretty much ripped off the reprise of the song in Akashi’s dream sequence so let’s all crack up together about that visual, haha. I think Poor Unfortunate Souls is one of the best villain songs ever, and of course Kiss The Girl is famous and adorable (and you can see how it ends if you didn’t already know, or you forgot!).

As for Cinderella, it’s so iconic that I feel like I don’t really have to say much about it... I did briefly mention the scene with Cinderella getting ready in the morning, which is pretty well-known (also I want you all to really imagine Akashi and Furihata watching a movie where the mice all sing in those tiny high voices together), but the main thing I wanted to link is the fairy godmother’s song! It is precious and iconic and absolute NONSENSE and I will now always think of Akashi cracking up when I watch it. //laughs I also quoted the song with Cinderella and her prince, So This Is Love, which has gorgeous scenery.

And last but not least, Beauty and the Beast! For some reason I’ve had in mind for a VERY long time that Akashi only saw this Disney movie when he was a kid. (I wrote a really silly GoM fic about my headcanons for all their favorite Disney movies back in 2015, but never got around to posting it. //laughs). In any case, hopefully I made it obvious enough in the chapter why I think it’s an Akashi sort of story. (Because of course in an AkaFuri fic Akashi’s Disney crush would be a book-loving brunette who’s off in their own little world, right? Pfft.) Also, full warning, this chapter won’t be the last time I include a painfully obvious homage to this movie… I apologize in advance. xD

Anyway, one of my favorite parts is the prologue! That chiming music is so epic, and the art is breathtaking. And of course Belle’s opening song in the village is brilliant. Those two clips show off the scenery well, which ties in closely to why I referenced it in the fic. The song Something There is a great example of the way the romance develops. And I could ramble on and on, but those were the main things I referenced, so that’s probably sufficient. //laughs

… Okay and also can we just agree that all happy-ending kisses should end in a magical firework explosion? Yes? Yes. (I may or may not be planning to write a scene kind of like it for, um, a certain fic that isn’t this one… And now everyone will know my not-so-secret influences. //cough)

And if you happen to be in a Disney mood now, I’ll also link a countdown I found of the top 20 best Disney endings, which includes almost all of my favorite Disney films/some sadly underrated ones! (My personal favorites will always be #13 and #7, but I could not agree more about the top five rankings, because I am a Disney Renaissance kid. <3)

On Akashi’s Sexuality in the Series

I mentioned this a while ago, but now might be a good time to mention it again! In my AkaFuri series, Akashi is on the asexual spectrum, but I haven’t used the specific term for his identity in the fic. Partly because this fic takes place when those terms were even less commonly known (back in 2010, which is only a few years after I first came across AVEN, so the idea would have been even less familiar in Japan), and partly because he hasn’t fully discovered this about himself yet.

One of the reasons I started writing this series was that I wanted to try to capture how it feels when you haven’t completely figured out your sexuality yet. That was pretty normal among my friends and I when we were sixteen, for a lot of different reasons. (Furihata will be having a similar experience in the series too, which I’ll get into later!) Anyway, I’ll be exploring these issues in more detail in the next fic in the series, but since this chapter does mention some of the feelings Akashi has been struggling with, I thought it would be good to clarify.

On College Kids in Japan in Relationships

I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Furihata’s brother sneaks back into the house, and since it loosely references an aspect of modern Japanese culture, I should probably mention that here…

It’s not too uncommon for university students in Japan—and other young people in their twenties—to still live with their families. Which means that for the ones in relationships, it can be hard to find some (ahem) private time, especially since living spaces are often crowded and PDAs are discouraged. So it’s very normal for young people in Japan to go out to places like love hotels with their significant others…

… And that’s basically what I was implying, when it comes to where Furihata’s brother snuck off to. //laughs That’s also the context of Furihata’s mother’s lecture, and I tried to capture some of the Japanese norms about sex there as well. It’s tricky to explain how they differ from Western norms, because they’re not more “conservative” or “liberal” exactly, just different. (And they vary a lot depending on the person and what generation they’re from!)

But basically, to sum up, I was hoping to convey that Furihata’s mother isn’t upset about what Furihata’s brother is doing per se, it’s more that she’s worried about him being responsible and “appropriate” while he’s doing it. My impression is that it’s unusual that a parent would broach the subject like she does--but hopefully it’s clear that this is a part of her character. Similar to how she dealt with events in Chapter Three. (And that’s also why a character like Akashi is very embarrassed to have overheard it, poor kid. xD)

Also! For those of you who are 18+, if you want to learn more about the cultural context of love hotels in Asian countries, and what they’re like (answer: epic) I love this comic that sums it up. (The comic isn’t explicit, BUT it’s hosted on a webcomic site—that I personally love—that features 18+ comics about sex ed and sex toy reviews. So please be aware, the ads and some of the site’s illustrations are explicit! And very inclusive, sex-positive and awesome.)

On Elementary School Uniforms

I also wanted to briefly mention one of the cultural tropes in Furihata’s family photos! Japanese elementary students wear bright yellow hats when they walk to school, as a way to make them more visible to prevent accidents.

On Conbinis

This is basically just a note to say that I love Japanese convenience stores. //laughs They’re everywhere, everyone uses them, and the major chains are extremely competitive. So they’re often open around the clock, their services are amazing, and their food is delicious.

Also, here’s a random fact! Kit Kats are hugely popular in Japan, and they have all kinds of unusual and regional flavors, including green tea and wasabi and sweet potato. (Yes, really.) The trend started because of a pun in Japanese that made them a popular good-luck gift to give to exam students. Now they’re so well loved that they even have fancy chocolatier stores that sell ultra-fancy Kit Kats because… Because Japan, that’s why. XD

(Also when I post this chapter, I’m rewarding myself by ordering some hojicha Kit Kats from Amazon, because roasted tea flavored Kit Kats from Kyoto are you serious of course I want that in my mouth.)

On the Inspiration for the Walk with Furi’s Dad

I also wanted to make sure I mentioned one of my biggest inspirations for this fic! Which is that when my sister studied abroad in Japan, she stayed with an amazing host family near Hiroshima.

I’ll never forget all her stories about what it was like, but my #1 favorite is that she was awake one morning and her host dad invited her to come on a walk with him… At which point he put the family cat in a harness and they went out and walked the cat. (Maybe that’s more common in some countries, but at least in the U.S., I don’t know anyone who walks a cat? XD) She tells the story a million times better than I do, but the gist of it is that they wandered around this ultra-tiny parking lot for a few minutes and he showed her the strawberries in their garden and it was adorable and a little strange and the best thing ever. <3

I didn’t have Furihata’s dad walk a cat in the fic, sadly enough! (I decided it would be kind of distracting… Also, the Furihatas don’t technically have a cat in canon. //laughs) But I did put a cat in at the end. Partly because everything’s a metaphor, the metaphors are out of control, someone save me from myself. But mostly because I wanted to include a nod to my sister’s host dad and his family, and how much they influenced this story, by being so welcoming to her when she was so far from home. <3

#kat writes fanfic #long post #storming the castle

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