When I was looking at the schedule of the posts for the second season adventure, I noticed that the topics are probably not beneficial to the readers. That means they are also not beneficial to the project. That means they are also not beneficial to me. If it were my personal blog, the topics would be fine. But it isn't. If it were the proper time, there would be no problem. But this is unfortunately epilogging. This is about how I've been doing since the last season. This is about what I've been dealing with since the last "spring". Sorry, I have failed to eliminate Ban-nan 万難(all the obstacles). This is not just about the topics, this decision has been made based on my comprehensive assessment of the situations. In short, the wind is not favourable.
I selected the topics because they were the best thing I could show you. They were the subjects that I could write with passion. Just shutting everything down is a bit tasteless. So let me digest the second season and share the adventure one last time.
Digest of The Second Season
As you can guess, there was the second sub-theme for this season. It was "Edo 江戸 / Meiji 明治 / Taishō 大正", the periods between Azuchi-Momoyama 安土桃山 and Shōwa 昭和 period, from the year 1603 to 1926. I intended to blog with "Sequel" and "Edo / Meiji / Taishō" for nine weeks including one intermission week. Kaii was actually an outline and a prequel of these subjects.
I selected Edo(1603 – 1868) because it was a relatively peaceful and stable time since Heian period(794 – 1192) in Japanese history. People created prosperity during the period, therefore I had a lot to talk about. For instance, on the one hand, Heian period produced Sanseki 三蹟, on the other hand, Edo produced Haisei 俳聖(literally Holy Poet). The study of Japanese classical literature has been established. Wa-hon 和本, Classical Japanese book, which was produced by woodblock printing, has flourished. And I like the popularisation of art and knowledge during Edo period. Because I like popularisation just like I am attracted by Industrial Revolution and Arts and Crafts Movement, the concept 'applied art'. Things that can make a lot of people happy, I say "Why not?". However, the dude, an antique art dealer, whom I recently met seemed not to be attracted by the popularisation in Edo, although we reached a consensus on the importance of arts in Azuchi-Momoyama period. Once a beautiful flower bloomed in the battlefield of Japan, it still fascinates people. To me, it was the secondly or thirdly important, but he says that's the best. He never changed his expression during my Edo popularisation speech. Seems he and I need to have more conversations. I selected Edo, additionally, because it was also a prologue to the posts on Meiji / Taisho.
I selected Meiji(1868 – 1912) / Taishō(1912 – 1926) because they are the bridge between Edo the time of Samurai and present-day Japan. It was a time of change. There were a lot of possibilities that give us hints on today's issues, and stars who pulled Japanese modernisation during these periods. They were pioneers. They went abroad wearing Hakama, Japanese traditional clothing. They were, so to speak, the first Samurai who went overseas with the Japanese spirit. Recently I love to have conversations with them just like 'Midnight in Paris'. They studied hard and had spirit. So inspirational to me. One of my Class A artists was a painter of these times. I didn't reveal his name last season because it was fun, but more importantly, there were mysteries about him. The painter found a master and followed him. The master is one of the most intellectual titans in the history of Japanese art, and a scholar who contributed to the development of arts in Japan, however, had problems in his personality. He seems to have been very psychopathic, caused a lot of troubles. Artists, craftsmen, do-ers never like thinkers and critics. "A gifted artist listens to a non-doer thinker mumbler ", sounds impossible, but the painter seems to have loyal to the master almost blindly. I needed to know "why" before I write about the painter because the master greatly influenced the painter's works and I don't like psychopathic tendencies. Then, this year, finally I found the reason, I think.
The final week was supposed to be great. The final Monday post was "Thoughts on Art 2017". Although it still requires more details and has room for improvement, finally I completed the map of Japanese Art. That means I understood where we are today more precisely and got the reason why not few contemporary Nihonga works are boring and the way to solve it. And I wanted to introduce my favourite contemporary Nihonga artists.The final Friday post was a review of two movie series that came to my mind when all the fictional heroes and the snobbish comments for a better world felt empty. Two producers, two directors, two composers, two blockbuster franchises —— But, well, it's time.
To Adventurers
The book of my journeys was supposed to be comprised of "Kamakura of Awakening", "New York of Mirage", and "France of Adventurers". The first two travels were not directly related to this adventure, but I needed to portray my feelings and realisations so as to explain why I was doing this in France. 6 days, 2 nights in Paris, 2 nights in Nîmes. I intended to promote the book in the epilogue posts just like the post 'Jason Bourne'. I started this blogging adventure to share literally. What I had practically done during the physical travelling process was to have a lot of conversations. International Airlines, International Airports, Cosmopolis —— then I saw a lot of travellers, adventurers, including the queen of Japanese movie subtitle. Well, now, let me introduce my friends;
The first person whom I talked with was a gentleman who sat next to me during the flight from Japan to Europe. I thought I would try high-level conversations after warm up, but the goddess of adventure taught me that I was wrong. He said that he came to Japan for business. Turned out, he was a Professor from England, a scholar who is working in the field of politics and risk management, that means a real-life hero. The last boss ラスボス showed up at the very beginning of the first stage. If this is a video game, he should be on the return flight. I got a true realisation of adventure. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask his name and roots. He didn't look like Caucasian, perhaps born in somewhere not England. Because of your gentle and thoughtful word, I could take off safely. Thank you, Professor. Anthony is a Vietnamese-American from Texas. He travelled a couple of countries with his friends, and at the end of his vacation alone came to Paris. For the last supper in Paris, he chose to take the seat next to a man who had familiar features, an Asian man, which is me. I was having the first-time cafe experience. He says "Jailing". Me, "How is the life in Texas?" Anthony, "Jailing". Whatever I asked him, his answer was "Jailing". He looked younger than me and was about my height but well-built. I think that being a tough guy in a tough place meant a lot to him. His eyes were pure. After the supper, I realised that I should have asked about "Jailing". Sorry, Anthony, maybe I wasn't a good listener. Please tell me about it next time. I saw the news, hope you are okay. Micheline is a Canadian book editor who speaks French. She taught me how to taste cheese and wine, and asked me about Japan. She mentioned Japanese things that don't make sense to her. I took the contrary position in the interest of the conversation, but actually, I was so glad to hear her opinions. To know that I'm not the only one by not knowledge but real experience is something I can hardly gain in this country. It was an exciting conversation and also sort of a comfort to me, thank you. Micheline, I didn't ask help from you in making a book just because I knew that I can't afford a very successful book editor and you are not over fond of the English language. The madam Abalône is from Paris. I happened to have a breakfast with her in the dining room of Hôtel Abalône in Nîmes. It became a fine breakfast time. She says her son is a computer genius and working in Japan and married to a Japanese girl. She was so cute. I forgot to ask her name, again. I think I need more practice in English conversation. Madam, as you said, the view from the tower was magnificent, thank you. Gracia is a Spanish girl who travels by bicycle. She was selling her handmade Origami earrings on the Main Street of Nîmes. A beautiful girl right beside "Handmade Origami Earrings", of course, I talked to her. I never knew my name is THAT funny to a Spanish girl. Is my name funny to the other Spanish people? or to all Indo-European languages speakers? Gracia, you must be still going on an adventure, a very perilous one, I've been worried about you. When you get home, please let me know. Grace be with you.
This time, actually, I hired a travel agent to prepare the trip. I couldn't achieve this without her help. Thank you, Mari-san. You are my holy Maria.
I wrote a review of Hans Zimmer Live in Nîmes on this blog. And an unofficial review —— my personal experience and impressions —— were supposed to be in the book. Hans says the tour is an adventure. But I realised that this was nothing new to him. When I was on TGV, the sound of 'Rain Man' came to my mind. He occasionally shows his sense of travelling in his works. Hans was born in Germany, studied and started his musical career in England, had a great success in America. He knows a sense of journey. He is an adventurer, a survivor. I felt like I rediscovered my most favourite film music composer. He is a great man. And I also rediscovered myself and my home country. People of France and the French language felt so good to me. I'd love to learn French and personally visit the country again. The wind of Europe felt so nice to me. I'd love to have more adventures in Europe.
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| My handwriting 2017 |
Live Long and Prosper
Well, if you have been waiting for the time to play adventure-goes-on kind of film music, that's here, now is the time. Oh, yes, please, take your time. I am already listening to my favourite one.
I made the labels for Season 1 and Season 2, just in case. Smartphone users might not be aware of them, but there are the other labels. Please, check them out. I have revised all the Season 1 posts, mainly to correct grammar errors but occasionally enhance vocabularies, expressions, change tones and so on.
If you are a reader of this blog since the beginning of the project, you are truly a member of the company of Tazfummy Weaselbrush. I'm no king, just a cat. So I can't say "take the gold", but thank you so much. If you are a reader of my compositions since the early days of my social media activity, that's——wow. For over seven years? Wow. I can't give you Mithril, but sincerely thank you.
It was fun. Farewell.
The wind shines, and the adventure goes on.
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