Exploring the invasion of Honshu that never happened

The Chicago Tribune travel section carries an interesting piece about visiting the places near Tokyo that were major targets of the American invasion of Honshu planned for 1945 or 1946.

Mount Asama Volcano Museum Haikyo

Visiting (and photographing) haikyo, the abandoned remains of buildings and towns, seems to be a fairly popular pastime in Japan. A number of books and blogs by Japanese and non-Japanese are devoted to the hobby.

Here’s an interesting set of photos on the blog Mike’s Blender, taken at the abandoned Mount Asama Volcano Museum. Asama is an active volcano (last eruption in February 2009, video here). It is located in Nagano Prefecture, about 90 miles northwest of Tokyo.

Since discovering some of the leading blogs that document haikyo visits, such as this one, I’ve wondered why these sorts of sites are left for people to wander through in Japan. My impression is that similar sites in the United States are rare, particularly in urban areas, and those that do exist are mainly locked up. My guess is that differences in legal liability for property owners is the cause. Anyone wandering into an open, abandoned building in the United States who hurt themselves could probably sue the owner. But if the owner takes affirmative steps to lock up the building and deny access, someone who enters and hurts themselves is guilty of breaking and entering. Perhaps in Japan owners do not have this liability to the same extent.

Alot of the haikyo photography, including these shots of the Volcano Museum, has a certain poignant beauty to it.

Abe Pollin, RIP

The longtime owner of the Washington Wizards passed away yesterday.  The Washington Post’s obituary is here.

Japanese man marries video game character

Boing Boing has a report and video.

NPR on Tokyo Vice

Great NPR rendering of an anecdote from Jake Adelstein’s book, Tokyo Vice, which I’m going to buy and read over the holidays.

 

Survival of traditional sushi restaurants in changing times

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about the state of sushi chefs and restaurants in Japan. Fewer young people want to undergo the long apprenticeship, so there are fewer traditional restaurants.

35-year time lapse view of Shinjuku

Via Danny Choo.

Yukio Hatoyama business card

President Obama is making his first trip to Japan in office, meeting with Prime Minister Hatoyama, who took office a few months back.

Here’s then-Representative Hatoyama’s business card circa 1997, when he was Secretary General of New Party Sakigake. I was on a trip for work that involved some meetings with politicians.

Yukio Hatoyama business card, circa 1997

1997 Yukio Hatoyama business card, reverse, showing his district in Hokkaido on the map

Tweed is the “new black”

The New York Times covers growing infusion of 1890s textures and styles into men’s fashion, home decor, and other parts of the culture.

Pluto’s demotion and implications for astronomy

Wired interviews Alan Boyle, who has written a book on Pluto’s demotion from planet to “dwarf planet” back in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union.  The interview goes over the intensity of the debate, and the fact that the demotion may change the way we think about the solar system and what features are studied.

I tend to think that Pluto was always kind of a rip-off as a planet, and got what was coming (j/k).