Visual Anthropology of Japan - 日本映像人類学

Cover your mouth please (Japan Today Picture of the Day)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:43:00 +0000

Caption: A manners poster on the wall of a Tokyo subway station reminds passengers to cover their mouth when they sneeze or cough.

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/cover-your-mouth-please

"Osaka police arrest man in his 90s for alleged graffiti"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:40:00 +0000

Japanese police arrested a man in his 90s Thursday for allegedly defacing a sign at a prosecutor's office in the city of Osaka, a local officer said. A security guard at the government building in the city made an emergency call saying "graffiti had been scrawled on a sign with red lacquer paint," according to the senior Osaka police officer.

Following the emergency call at around 9:45 a.m. that day, officers rushed to the scene to "arrest the man, who had already been held by the security guard, on suspicion of property damage," he said.

The stone sign at the front of the building bearing the words "Public Prosecutor's Office" had been defaced, the officer added.

The man — who the officer said was in his 90s but declined to specify his exact age — later admitted to investigators that he had "dirtied" the sign.

The man did not appear to be politically motivated, according to the officer.

Source (photo and text): https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/27/japan/crime-legal/elderly-osaka-graffiti-arrest

Jesse Jackson (October 8, 1941 – February 17, 2026): "Keep Hope Alive"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:03:00 +0000

Jesse Jackson surrounded by marchers carrying signs advocating support for the Hawkins-Humphrey Bill for full employment, near the White House, Washington, D.C.

Photo Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesse_Jackson_participating_in_a_rally,_January_15,_1975.jpg

Jalan Jalan (107) pt.2: the challenges and charms of the neighborhood...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Jalan Jalan (107) pt.1: sunny and warm; almost feels like spring is coming; taking in the ume (plum) blossoms at the local shrine...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:30:00 +0000

The last day of the holidays; classes begin tomorrow... Aside from preparing for classes, these are some of the things I did today - in two-frame style...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:38:00 +0000

We received a box of daikon (大根) from my wife's brother in rural Aichi Prefecture...

I documented the worn handicapped parking spot at our locl convenience store...

I encountered a black cat, but she didn't cross my path. Still, I went to our local shrine (scroll VAoJ for the many photos of the shrine) to pray for a successful semester, good health for family and friends and world peace...

I bought some pineapple candy (パインアメ) to ring in the new semester and spring training for the Hanshin Tigers...

Tondo Matsuri at Ubusuna Shrine scheduled for January 15, 2026 has been canceled. 2026年1月15日に予定されていた産土神社のとんど祭りは中止となりました。

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Ubusuna Shrine, Shirogaki-cho, Kadoma-shi, Osaka-fu, Japan

One of two small hand-made signs at our neighborhood shrine.

The Tondo Festival (とんど祭り) is conducted annually on January 15 to coincide with ko-shogatsu (小正月), or "small new year." Ko-shogatsu is a holdover from the time when Japan used a lunar calendar and is acknowledges appreciation for housewives who were busy during the New Year; it also marks the "conclusion" of New Year's events. This festival has many names (Dondo yaki - どんど焼き - is a common name but there are many others) and local variations. It seems to be a large celebration in various locations across Japan. But my neighborhood version could barely be called a festival as it was practiced in a very low key manner. At the Tondo Matsuri, shimekazari (a traditional New Years decoration hanged at the entrance to a house), omamori (good luck charms), ofuda (talisman), ema (votive tablets) as well as other religious or new year's related ornaments are burned. This is in effect a sort of recycling - these various ornaments are returned after a year or so of use and new ones are purchased. This is also an important community service as many neighbors come during the morning to drop off their used New Year's or religious paraphernalia. It is actually a lot of hard work but also a chance to share New Year's greetings and scoialize with neighbors.

Tondo Matsuri at Ubusuna Shrine, January 15, 2025

But it was canceled this year, probably as fallout from the resignations of the shrine elders (as previously explained in a previous post) who conducted the Tondo Matsuri every year. I do not intend to blame the elders as many other traditional neighborhood activies have been shortened or canceled due to demographic changes and gentrification in Japanese neighborhoods like my own.

The signs at the shrine announce the cancelation and inform neighbors that a Tondo Matsuri will be conducted at the parent shrine,「島頭天満宮」Shimagashira Tenmangu Shrine, a 10-15 minute walk from「産土神社」Ubusuna Shrine, and invites people to drop off their items there (and to not bring their regular daily garbage for disposal). I usually have to work on January 15, but I was able to participate in the festival last year, not knowing that the shrine elders would resign and that it might be the last time the festival would be held. So the VAoJ post documenting the evetn becomes an important recording as salvage ethnography. View it here:

「とんど祭り @ 産土神社 2025」Tondo Matsuri @ Ubusuna Shrine 2025

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2025/01/2025tondo-matsuri-ubusuna-shrine-2025.html

I also participated in 2013:

Tondo Festival - とんど祭り (2013)

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2013/01/tondo-festival.html

It is my hope that my neighborhood can somehow reorganize to revive the shrine, its activities and other neighborhood traditions.

Bonus stuff (added 1/21/26):

January 8, 2026

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/national/elderly-woman-burned-as-clothes-catch-fire-at-new-year-bonfire-in-hokkaido

Dondo-yaki: Japan’s Fiery Farewell to the New Year (a simple explanantion found on GaijinPotBlog): https://blog.gaijinpot.com/dondo-yaki-japans-fiery-farewell-to-the-new-year/

Pre/Re/Construction...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:49:00 +0000

You have seen this:

「Deconstruction: Demolishing a Showa Era House in the Neighborhood (this post is still under construction...)」

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2025/09/deconstruction-demolishing-showa-era.html

The next phase of neighborhood gentrification has begun... (Photos taken 12/26/25 - 12/31/25)

The plot has been divided into two.

A representative of the construction company recently made the rounds to houses in the neighborhood to inform us (verbally and in writing) about the upcoming construction of two new 3-story apartment buildings called 「フォレストグリェオーレ城垣町 I II」, or in English (?) Shirogaki-cho Grieore Forest I and II (not sure what "Grieore" is or refers to - and by the way, our neighborhood is not a forest...). Construction will begin on January 13 and continue until some time in May, daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

I can't promise to take photos everyday of the construction. But I will do my best to record substantial phases of construction and share it with a post in May.

So it seems like it will be a very noisy spring...

Kayashima Shrine 萱島神社 After the New Year's Rush

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Kayashima Shrine is close to my house and famous because there is a train station right above it. The kami-deity associated with the shrine resides in a large 700 year old Camphor tree. When the train station was being built, the tree could not simply be cut down. (There were many signs and messages directing that the tree not be cut including illnesses and the sighting of an auspicious white snake.) Thus the station was built around it. The tree/kami is seen as especially powerful. Many people claim their wishes have come true after praying and giving a small cash offering. The shrine is small but contains a lot of interesting sights and has many events through the year.

I have taken a lot of photographs at this shrine over the years. You can see some of them here:
https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/search?q=kayashima+shrine

Special Bonus Ethno-Photo-Art

Early New Year's Day 2026 at Ubusuna Shrine「2026年元旦、産土神社にて」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:30:00 +0000

And the shrine looked very different today...

As I wrote in a previous post, due to the resignation of the local neighborhood shrine elders, it was unknown who would prepare and officiate at the shrine for the New Year celebration. It seems the tasks were left up to the priest and his staff from the nearby Shimagashira Tenmangu Shrine「島頭天満宮」, the current parent shrine to our Ubusuna Shrine「産土神社」in the regional and national Shinto Church social organization. In the past when the shrine did not have its own priest and the the neighborhood elders ran things, Ubusuna Shrine was fairly independent, especially in terms of grounds maintenance and festivals. There was also a stronger feeling of community. The priest from Shimagashira only came on special occasions and he had his wife conduct the monthly service.

***

TANGENT: Ubusuna Shrine is located in Shirogaki-cho, Kadoma-shi, Osaka prefecture. It has over 800 years of history going back to when the area was a village known as Kamimbushi. This area was part of the greater Kawachi province that was established in the 7th century. At that time, Ubusuna Shrine was one of the major and largest shrines in the area. You can check out the shrine homepage that was made by one of the shrine elders:

https://ubusunajinjyakamim.wixsite.com/kamimabushi

Information on Shimagashira Tenmangu Shrine:

https://osakadai3shibu.kilo.jp/jinja/kadoma/jinja/simagasira.html

***

I visited the shrine just past midnight, and it seemed sabishii　「寂しい」or lonely, and very minimalist. I did not see or meet anybody I knew from the neighborhood. The people that were there were bed-town strangers. And more people seemed to bring their little dogs with them this year.

I liked the glowing lighting of the lanterns (which made for some nice photos), but much was missing from the set-up in previous years.

There were no bonfires and there were fewer spotlights. It was darker, colder and less dramatic.

The large white tent where parishioners could receive omiki, the sacred sake, was missing (it was replaced with a small vessel of sake and small paper cups as self service at the counter where amulets were sold; there was a small note saying there was only a limited amount of the sake and when it was gone, it was gone. Last year, I was responsible for pouring and offering sake to the parishioners. We had several large bottles of sake on hand and some small snacks as well.)

There were only two young shrine maidens (probably working as a part-time job) selling amulets and fortunes. They seemed to be the only support staff there (as opposed to the usual 10-15 elders and volunteers in the past).

The Hinomaru「日の丸」or Japanese flag, and illustrations of the flag were abundantly present, and the Japanese National Anthem, Kimigayo「君が代」, was playing in a repeating loop inside the shrine office building. (The flag and the anthem are two very powerful and problematic symbols associated with Japanese right-wing nationalism.)

There was a "Staff Only" sign in English (and in Japanese in a much smaller font size) on the shrine office door. I have never seen any usage of English at the shrine before.

The were two signs announcing the cancellation of the Tondo Matsuri on January 15 (there will be a future post on this cancellation...).

Here are some of the photos I took.

To get a better idea of the shrine layout in the daytime:

Ubusuna Shrine prepped and (almost) ready to go (?)...: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2025/12/ubusuna-shrine-prepped-and-almost-ready.html

Compare with last year with this important post which has turned into a piece of salvage ethnography:

New Year's Eve 2024 / Early New Year's Day 2025「2024年大晦日から2025年元旦」: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2025/01/new-years-eve-2024-early-new-years-day.html

Happy New Year 2026 from「VAoJ」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

あけましておめでとうございます。

今年もよろしくお願いします。

Ubusuna Shrine prepped and (almost) ready to go (?)...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:35:00 +0000

There have been big changes at our local shrine in the last year. The local elders, who have been in charge of preparations for most of the shrine activities for years, decades really, resigned en masse in April. Really, there are no others who are prepared to replace them and their knowledge. The biggest question was, who would prepare and officiate the shrine for the New Years activities? Unlike last year, I was not asked to help or participate. These photos were taken before in the late afternoon of December 31, 2025, before the expected big rush at midnight. I have no idea who did the set-up. But it is very different and minimal compared to previous years.

Here's Another One that Got Away (in '25)...「Oh no, it's falling over (the car has moss on the roof)」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:59:00 +0000

My last post on community problems and this post on community collaborative problem solving have unintentionally come together as bookends and an appropriate way to ring out the old year.

On September 7, 2025, my daughter and I were walking out of the Sada Lifelong Learning Center in Hirakata City after our anthropological research and fieldwork on deaf children's sign language acquisition (a long-term project for my daughter's 6th grade solo class exhibition and presentation in January this year; she is the Principal Investigator and I serve as an assistant and advisor) when we saw this car, a white Daihatsu Hijet microvan with a moss-covered roof. I took a few photos of the unusual vehicle. Little did I know that I encountered my first collaborative SDG project. We anthropologists are a busy bunch, so the photos got swept away until a few days ago.

After some investigation, I saw that this wagon was a transport van for a local cleaning and delivery service, Sakuraya Izuhara Dry Cleaning. It was created by and is used by Kazuya Izumihara, a former teacher at the Osaka Prefectural Horticultural High School, the director of the Japan Moss Greening Research Institute, promoter of global warming prevention activities commissioned by the Governor of Osaka Prefecture and an artist with various projects in his Moss Terrarium Workshop Izuhara. He calls his car「やぁね、こけちゃっかー」or 「屋根苔着車」(Yaane, Kokechakkaa, loosely translated as "Oh dear, the moss is falling of the roof car").

Izumihara and his car have been featured on the Government of Japan's X/Twitter account. The car serves to raise environmental awareness and fight global warming. The Daihatsu Hijet microvan is supposed to be good for the environment as it is a hybrid with good fuel efficiency and low emissions. The moss on the car takes in CO2 and produces oxygen.

Source: https://x.com/JapanGov/status/1644943279149178880

To be honest, I have been doubtful about SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals); while the intentions are good, it seems that businesses and institutions use SDGs more as self promotion rather than educating the public and making actual improvements. But I am very impressed with this local endeavor that is a collaboration between art, technology, horticulture, environmentalism, education and small business. You can learn more about the art projects, environmental activities and local delivery business at the following sources:

https://itp.ne.jp/zenkoku/osaka/kishiwadashi/kishikichiyo/272765319062251400 Moss Uncle's Moss Terrarium by Kazuya Izumihara: https://koketerariumu-sakuraya.net/

Sakuraya Izuhara Collection and Delivery Specialist Dry Cleaning: https://0724-55.com/

Here is an especially interesting project: https://koketerariumu-sakuraya.net/%e3%82%84%e3%81%81%e3%81%ad%e3%80%81%e3%81%93%e3%81%91%e3%81%a1%e3%82%83%e3%81%a3%e3%81%8b%e3%83%bc%ef%bc%88%e5%b1%8b%e6%a0%b9%e8%8b%94%e7%9d%80%e8%bb%8a%ef%bc%89/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlI3uBO-aWc

Here's One That Got Away (in '25)...「Community Problems: The Park Is Not a Pet Toilet!」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:53:00 +0000

The first three of the photos in this series were from July of this year at a park in my neighborhood. But maybe the timing might be better to reveal this community problem now as many people are attending bonenkai (忘年会), "end of the year drinking parties to forgot all the bad stuff that happened during the year". So maybe it is a good idea to put this shit behind us now... And please don't pee in the park after the bonenkai...

The sign on the fence:

フンの放置多発中!

子ども達の通学路であるこちらの周辺で、飼い主が散歩時にフンを持ち帰らず、放置したままになり大変不衛生になっています。

犬の散歩時のマナーを守れていない方を教えていただければ、市より、その方のご自宅に伺い、市条例により注意を促しますので、ご連絡ください!

"Pet droppings are frequently left behind!

This area is a route children use to go to school, and pet owners are leaving their dog droppings behind instead of taking them home when they walk, creating a very unsanitary environment.

If you know of anyone who is not following proper dog walking etiquette, please let us know. We will visit their home and issue a warning in accordance with city ordinances."

The wooden sign on the ground next to the tongs:

子供や孫が遊ぶ公園です　草むらでおしっこ　ふん　やめて

"This is a park where children and grandchildren play. Stop peeing and pooping in the grass."

The fence post:

ここはペットのトイレ (illegible).

(Probably something like) "This is not a pet toilet." or "Do you think this is a pet toilet?"

The other fence post:

⛩️ ペットのトイレ (illegible).

⛩️ (Mark for Shinto Shrine tori gate followed by probably something like) "This is not a pet toilet."

Sometimes people place a miniature tori gate or draw one on a wall or area where people (or their pets) urinate in parks, alleys, next to drinking establishments, etc. For an example of this, scroll down to the pictures of a Kyobashi back street on my recent x-mas shopping trip.

https://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2025/12/christmas-shopping-in-kyobashi.html

Update: today!

Apparently the fence makes for a better place for someone's lost keys... Hope that someone sees and retrieves their keys. They look rather rusty (they weren't there in July). Pet urine turns out to be very corrosive, which is another part of this problem, especially for light posts and air conditioners.

Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays from「VAoJ」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 04:30:00 +0000

Two left-over shops from x-mas shopping in Kyobashi.

New taco and hamburger shop near work...

Bonus Shots (w/ sources):

https://www.facebook.com/mongolialive.org/posts/because-i-cant-wait-till-christmas-to-post-this/2037414819653657/ n.d

https://japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/Santa-Sanae 12/24/26

Christmas Shopping in Kyobashi...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:37:00 +0000

Neighborhood Jalan Jalan (106):

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:10:00 +0000

Bonus link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BlNOwq8IIPU

2025年度第24回手話言語研究セミナー The 24rd Sign Language Research Seminar「Memories of the Deaf Evoked by Home Movies」

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:14:00 +0000

Seems to be a perfect match for VAoJ! Sign language and home movies...

The Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies (JISLS) held its first "Sign Language Research Seminar" in 2000 with the aim of deepening the understanding of sign language research by exchanging opinions among participants from various fields such as sign language, sign language interpreting, welfare, and education. From FY2021, the seminar is being held as part of the "Sign Language Research and Dissemination Project" commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

In 2025, the theme will be "Memories of the Deaf Evoked by Home Movies," and we will discuss the importance of preserving old footage related to sign language, share the status of domestic and international research (Part 1) , and present research findings in 2025 (Part 2).

For more information and registration: https://jisls.com-sagano.com/seminar/

Grading is Over...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:13:00 +0000

Bonus link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCpXMy5GalI&list=RDlCpXMy5GalI

Happy Thanksgiving 2025 from VAoJ!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:34:00 +0000

Fancy Fashion: Vintage Mens' Fashion Exhibition and Pop-up in Kyoto

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 04:06:00 +0000

"Picture of the Day" 11/19/25 is an Everyday Experience...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:40:00 +0000

Source: https://japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/watch-where-you-are-going

CFP: 2026 AJJ Annual Conference @ Akita University, May 23-24th, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:17:00 +0000

2026 AJJ Annual Conference

May 23-24th, 2026
Akita University

Conference Theme

Entanglements and Embodiments: Anthropology, Ethnography and Sensing Japan

Location

The conference will be held at Akita University’s Tegata Campus (walking distance from Akita Station and bus station with a convenient bus connection from Akita Airport)

Keynote Address

“Anthropology of Japan in Japanese Anthropology before and after AJJ”
delivered by Nakamaki Hirochika, Professor Emeritus, National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku)

Call for Papers

The theme for this year’s AJJ meeting is influenced by the work of phenomenologically oriented anthropologists such as Tim Ingold, Paul Stoller, and Thomas Csordas. In differing ways, they are all anthropologists who place perception and interpretation at the core of their ethnographic writing and theoretical explorations. However, as is AJJ tradition, one need not be limited to their work or interpretations to submit a panel or paper.

Overall, we would like to invite reflections on how anthropologists of Japan are impacted by their idiosyncratic and inimitable connections to this country and their chosen field sites. This may include inquiry into the social, physical, political, or affective dimensions that any given anthropologist or folklorist has experienced. Some core considerations might include:

・How do personal experiences influence the selection of a specific location within Japan as a site, a research topic, theoretical frameworks, methods, writing styles, or approaches?
・How does an anthropologist’s sensory engagement mediate the process of interpreting cultural phenomena?
・How is this process consciously suppressed or supported in their analytical writing?

Submitting a Panel or Paper

Panel slots will be 90 minutes, usually divided along the lines of 3 papers, 20 minutes each, then 30 minutes of discussion (though there is some flexibility here if needed).

Full panels are given preference, but please feel free to apply with individual paper proposals.

Papers that clearly relate to the conference theme will be given preference, but others will also be considered.

The application deadline is January 15th 2026. We aim to reply to applicants by February 1st 2026.

Fees for the conference and reception (including food and drinks) will be as follows:

Tenured Faculty: ¥5000 conference fee and ¥3000 reception fee.
Employed but not tenured: ¥3000 / 2000
Graduate Students: ¥2000 / 1000
There is no conference fee for undergraduates; however the reception will cost ¥1000.

Prizes

The Befu Prize and Bookman Prize will be awarded at the end of the conference. For details on the rules for the two prizes, see the following links:

https://www.ajj-online.net/the-harumi-befu-prize/

https://www.ajj-online.net/the-mark-bookman-prize/

**Any paper by a non-tenured scholar or student that is accepted for the conference will be eligible for entry to the prize competitions. Eligible candidates will be asked to supply a 5-minute video summarizing their presentation to assist us in organizing the judging process.

For more information: https://www.ajj-online.net/2025/11/02/cfp-2026-ajj-annual-conference/

Tokyo International Deaf Arts Festival 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 03:26:00 +0000

For more information: https://shuwanomachi.jp/

My Office Door on Devil's Night...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:46:00 +0000

Remembering good friends and praying for a Hanshin win tonight...