This Week in Tokyo – 22 September 2020

Featured image – Mac and Matsuo: Basho that is. This statue stands close to the Senju-Ohashi, the first bridge over the Sumida river, completed in 1594, and marks the beginnings of the Basho’s journey to Tohoku as described in his masterwork Oku no Hosomichi, or The Narrow Road to the Deep North. He began on May 16, 1689, leaving Edo with his student and apprentice Kawai Sora on a journey to the Northern Provinces of Honshu. They reached as far as Hiraizumi, which they reached on June 29, before walking to the western side of the island and hiking back at a leisurely pace along the coastline. During this 150-day journey Bashō travelled a total 2,400 km. Fast forward to today and he is synonymous with haiku both in Japan and overseas. Looking over his shoulder was an honour.

Time Flows: Reflections by 5 Artists: I was invited to the press day for the exhibition ‘Time Flows: Reflections by 5 Artists’ which is running at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art from 19 September 2020 – 11 January 2021. Amidst the turbulence of 2020, this exhibition asks the question “Is it possible for us to perceive, much less remember the everyday phenomena and emotions that arise only to disappear on the outer edges of our consciousness?” The five artists featured in this exhibition – photographers Tomoki Imai, Tamotsu Kido and Tokihiro Sato; video animator Masaharu Sato; and the video installations of Lee Kit –  all see to capture the ever-changing flow of the world that surrounds them. At the press day the three photographers all gave talks introducing their works. Pictured is Tokihiro Sato. His contribution to this exhibition consists of new images in his Photo-Respiration series that that were taken at the Hara Museum in Tokyo and the annex Hara Museum ARC in Gunma. The exhibition is fantastic and the fact that Sato’s images feature the museum itself is a lovely epithet to the Hara, which is closing next year (sob, sob).

Pizza Ramen or Ramen Pizza?: Pizza Mazesoba at Ajito ism in Oimachi. A cornucopia of colours and flavours: salami, peppers, olives, onions and anchovy combined with an umami-filled tomato and cheese sauce and thick, chewy noodles. Delicious. ‘Nuff said.

Peko-chan’s mask game on point: Peko-chan has been featured on the Maction Planet blog multiple times in various costumes. The perennial 6 year old continuous to be fashion conscious and aware of the zeitgeist. Here she is sporting a mask and a sweater of herself, spotted in Nakano Broadway on Thursday 17 September 2020.