One week

Hermes building; glass bricks

Yesterday was a blast. Started by meeting one of the studio managers, Sachiko, in Ginza, an upmarket part of town. I got there early, as I do, and the exit was through a giant Georgio Armani store. I needed the toilet, so I decided to ask there. I was just about the only person in there, except for shop assistants in each corner. I took the elevator up to the women's department and was eschewed through a hidden door in the wall, this place was lux all the way, and there I was in my own private bathroom, with the most high tech toilet I had ever seen, and since being here I have seen a few. But they scare me with all their buttons, and in one I just couldn't figure out how to flush it! I am proud to say that I had my inaugaural ass wash and shower in the Armani store in Ginza.

I found her easily enough, and her English is excellent. She took me to a printmaking opening at the Yoseido Gallery. Not my style, but I had to feel Zen about it. Then we got back on the train and went to the French Institute of Japan where an artist she knows was having her opening, and this was tops. The artist, Fujiko Nakaya, installed foggers in the gardens and there was this intense mist, under a moon. Very haiku with the frogs and crickets croaking, and champagne flowing. The Japanese are intense Francophiles, which I didn't know, thanks Bec. I was told the artist was the second daughter of the esteemed Dr. Ukichiro Nakaya, a snowflake inventor? The work: Mercurial unfolding Ver. 1.0.

Sachiko and her two friends then asked me for dinner, and we went to a place down an alley, full of smoking men and kneeling little wooden tables, and sake bottles all across the counter. Sachiko took charge and ordered for us all, and we ate all sorts of yummy things, my least favourite chicken livers once again, to my most favourite; Agedashi tofu. They were all surprised that I knew it. I fear I was more piggy than they were, they just weren't tucking in the way I do, and the dishes were great spartan amongst four. But having little bits and pieces over time added up, and I felt sated. On the way home we passed a melon seller, and I exclaimed, as the smell was so sweet, and they were Y500 for 2. In my hood, they were Y1,000 each! Yamaki, who spoke no English squeezed me, and went to buy one, but she got me one as well, I tried to pay but it was a gift. Very lovely ladies.

Today I got up early to meet Sachiko at the University of Tokyo, for a talk by the esteemed ambassador for Australia...The night before, I had said that I'd contacted the embassy because I wanted to go to parties, and she thought I might be interested in this morning talk. Well I wasn't. I nearly fell asleep in it, they should've served coffee beforehand!

His excellence (I hate that) spoke about Aus. and Japan in the Asia Pacific; Partners for the future. Broad bilateral relationship...strategic security and economics, multi-polar global order, pan-regional mandates and trans-national reach, financial architecture, multi-lateralism and the best; tri-lateral strategic dialogue. He spoke about "safe" food imports from Aus. and a stable, rules based economy. It appears there is a fear of China's growing Superpower.

I tried to be polite but I was thinking, I only have 3 months here and I come all the way out to wherever it was, costing whatever it has, and I missed yoga for this.

Afterwards I set off the alarm in the lav, as once again I couldn't figure out how to flush.

Super hot today, very sweaty. Trains packed, so many people flowing in endless directions, each train station bigger than the last, and just humongous industry going on around. Business.

Came back to the flat and had a sit down bath, put on the air con and made art.

Oh, and aired my futons (all 3 I have piled them on top of eachother)! It's hard work being clean.

Theory on skinniness; an island this small could not afford to have too many fatties. The smaller the island the smaller the people? Kind of, but not always. I think its this intense moderation, and consideration. You are considerate of others by not being greedy. On the trains, if you are porky you take up more room, and with so many people needing to fit in...well, you get my point.