Barthes Roland Empire of signo

The auther Barthes Roland talk about what he thinks wired about Japan.
It was interesting because he was writing about food, pachinko, and house.
He explains why he thinks its strange for him. I could agree strongly on a short story No address. I experience similar thing. As the author talks, Japanese don't tell adress when you want to go somewhere by asking to other people. Or when you explain where the book store is located, you don't say the address of the book store, but a building or shop which located close the the book store. For example, "the book store is located by softbank." However, different culuture is different. When I went to NY, people use address to use a taxi, or on subway. and every name of each subway station is name of the street. I got confused in NY, because I never use an address of the building or town before. Now I got that differenct culture have a different event.

Ashes and snow

Ashes and Snow at the Nomadic Museum will open in Odaiba and run from March 11 through June 24, 2007.
The Tokyo exhibition is in many respects a homecoming. Colbert has long worked with Japanese collaborators to create Ashes and Snow. The Nomadic Museum was designed by architect Shigeru Ban, the photographic works are printed on custom handmade washi paper, and cinematographer Koji Nakamura filmed many of the underwater scenes with elephants and whales in which Colbert appears.
Ashes and Snow is stll a work in progress. Over the past fifteen years Colbert has collaborated with more than forty species around the world.
Organizers are...Flying Elephants Japan K.K. / Fuji Television Network, Inc.
Special Supporter is... The Rolex Institute
Sponsors are... TMG Bureau of Port and Harbor/ Conference on Regional Development of Tokyo Waterfront would be...Subcenter/ Mori Building Co. Ltd. / The Asahi Shimbun Company
Co-operator person Kyodo Tokyo.

As I saw Video, I understand that author would like to explain that human and animals live together. However, human's face look bery serious, no smile. I like the music playing behind the video. It would heal people's heart.

Harajuku Exhibition

Exhibition was held from 20th(fri) to 23nd(Mon).
I and another Hitomi( Nakamura) headed to the place friday afternoon. We got to Jingu-mae and passed Takeshita Street. It was so crowded with people (because it was Friday night and summer sale!) We dropped into the 100-yen store bought couple of cushions to sit on the floor, and headed to the aprtment. many other groups were also doing exhibition in next door. Right after we got there, Jon and many friend of his came to the apartment, so very crowded and loud. However, I'm afraid no other people (guest) came. It was very embrassing to see myself in big screen talking awkward. but it was good to put music on my project, because it would be very boring if there was no music. We did't have nothing to do, so we made a decoration for the screen with origami, which another Hitomi brought. This was the day I kind of felt like an artist.w

Project's done

For my International project, my group's theme would be "human interaction".
We will decide two routs, door to door, and transpotation would be either of train, bus, walk, taxi, car. Taxi works in Rome but it is not option for me because it's very expensive in Japan, as everyone knows...
So I will do bus and walk. I wanted to do on train, but it will be not working since I use subway.
During I trace my way with GPS, I would take pictures and video recording, and observation.
I would observe what kind of people(age) are out there around my house, doing what, and what they do on bus. I'm excited to see how people live in my town!

International project

For my International project, my group's theme would be "human interaction".We will decide two routs, door to door, and transpotation would be either of train, bus, walk, taxi, car. Taxi works in Rome but it is not option for me because it's very expensive in Japan, as everyone knows...So I will do bus and walk. I wanted to do on train, but it will be not working since I use subway. During I trace my way with GPS, I would take pictures and video recording, and observation. I would observe what kind of people(age) are out there around my house, doing what, and what they do on bus. I'm excited to see how people live in my town!

My Bag exercise

In my bag...
note--- to take notes in class
text book--- to read for the class
pen case--- to write
wallet--- to pay for what I buy
camera--- to save memory of everyday life
electronic dictionary--- to look up words that I didn't understand
pouch-- to put cosmetics that I use
towel--- to use after I wash my hands
cardigan-- to wear in the room when I'm cold with air conditioner
i pod--- to listen to music while I'm on a train between home to school
gum--- I eat it when I want to eat something
cellphone--- I communicate with my friend with cell phone

I carry these stuff to everywhere so that my bag is always too heavy to hurt my shoulder..

Journal of Tokyo, the Impermanent Capital

In the text, the author expressed that unlike Western, the overall plan, and the civic ordering of the city is missing in Japan's capital, Tokyo. I agreed with the author because, I was surprized when I went to America that traffic and city was organized. In every town, there are same fastfood store, such as subway, Mcdonalds, Arby's, Burgerking..etc. And there is always gas station in town. They all look alike. But in case of Tokyo, there is no such organization. You have no idea what kind of store they have in city or in the building untill you go there or look and remember the store map. I think there are hugh difference in location between Tokyo and Western.