Winding down

 It's not been a good last two years. Even ignoring the effects of the pandemic and the complete shutdown of outdoor live events since the beginning of 2020, it's not been a good time. (Some of the things that have happened are best kept in private.) Regardless, it's been harder to find anything to take pictures of for the blog, and I am moving on to other interests.

The kicker though is that I've lost two cameras in the last 2 months. The first one could have been a simple accident. I had the camera case on a carabiner, clipped on a belt loop on my jeans, and it had fallen off once before (fortunately, someone called my attention to it lying in the middle of the road and I managed to rescue it then). But, the action of the 'biner against the loop had caused it to cut through the loop and ruin one pair of jeans already, so I'd taken to keeping it in my backpack normally. Anyway, when the first one disappeared, I had to assume that I'd had it on my belt loop and it had simply fallen off while I was out walking around. I checked the stores that I normally shop at and no one had turned it in as a "found item." I completely retraced my steps and couldn't find it that way. And I reported it to the police as lost, and they never contacted me back about it.

After a couple weeks, I got a replacement of the same model from Amazon, and this time got a carry case with a sewn-on belt loop. Now, I had to thread the belt through the loop in the case, and there's no way it could fall off. But that was kind of a hassle, and I couldn't easily take it off my belt when I was teaching in class, so I left it in my bag all the time. The only two places the camera could be when I didn't have it on my belt or wasn't using it to take pictures, were in the backpack or on a shelf in the apartment.

Last week, the second camera also went missing. I turned the apartment upside down, revisited the same shops as before, nothing. This time, I know it was in the backpack, and I'd hadn't used it for a couple days. I was going to take a picture with it outside, and it wasn't in the pack. While nothing is guaranteed, I'm close to 99% sure that it had been in the pack before I went to the school. I checked everywhere it could have gotten to in the school, and checked with the owner, and we couldn't find it.

So, yeah, that's the last straw. I don't think the disappearance of the second camera was an accident or my misplacing it, but I won't point fingers. And I don't want to buy yet another one for $500 (the last two are out-of-stock models), or to even have to upgrade and go for the $750 current model, just to have it "go missing" again.

What this means is that even if I get a cheaper model (and I don't have a smartphone because I don't have the money), I'm not going to take it outside with me except for very special occasions. And, without a camera, I'm not going to have anything to post here to keep the blog running.

I'd like to thank everyone that has been coming by here to look at the pictures. I started the proto-version of this blog back when I first came to Japan in 1992 or '93, and I've kept it running mostly non-stop, even when I was back in the U.S., for pretty much 30 years. It's time to move on.

So long, best wishes, and thanks for all the fish.

Baby Sparrows

Nest found under the eaves of the Senganen kiriko glassworks building.



They get very quiet when they think they're being watched.

Kilns

The remains of an old ceramics kiln site is located behind the Senganen kiriko glassworks.



What the remains look like today.



Including fossilized coffee cup.

Tangoya Marker Art

Tangoya is a tailor for men. Their marker art is one-size fits all.

Shiatsu Clinic Marker Art with Crayon Shin-chan

For those about to stretch, we salute you.

Reimeikan Archer

Cosplay actor at the Reimeikan history museum, acting as a greeter during the Golden Week holidays.



Don't ask him what he can do for you...
No, wait, that's not it.

Ruoona Pet Clinic

When you're into pets in a big way.

Gate Ornaments

Found these figures along my trek.



Mr. and Mrs. Gold Toad.



Beckoning Cat, Gold Pig, and the Foo Dog Fighters.

Goubouji Temple Bell

When I was walking home from the Kagoshima sluice gate, I saw a sign for what I thought was a small shrine. When I went to look for it, all I could find was a Buddhist temple, called Gobouji.



The only interesting feature was the bell out front.



But...



It's a nice bell.

Coin-operated Rice Dispenser

Kome-tarou (Rice-boy) says "my rice is delicious, and coin-dispensed!"



"I hope you're hungry!"

In the pockets of Big Can

Found this parking lot on my way home from the Kagoshima sluice gate site. I assume the can was part of a restaurant display at one time. I'm not really sure what the parking lot itself is for. There were a few people walking out of a small building at the other end, going to their cars. Maybe it's a junkyard/recycle shop.



Right next to a used Hello Kitty "Magical Pumpkin" ride car.



I would have gotten closer, but the building owner kept giving me the skunk eye.



Wider shot of the parking lot.



Santa's got buns of steel. Or, something close to it.

Mistakes Were Made

"Great British Mistake" t-shirt.

Tully's and Pokemon Go

Found this tie-in poster for Tully's coffee shop and Pokemon Go (the walkabout mobile AR game). I don't have a smartphone, so I'm not going to bother checking into this further, but it looks like the idea is to download a Tully's-related app that will interact with the Go app somehow. It also looks like you can spend money to charge the Go app. After that, you can write a note and tape it to the wall.

Kagoshima Modelers Convention, 2022

Convention held by a local maker's group that focuses on building various kinds of models (cars, ships, anime figures, planes, tanks, etc.) out of materials including plastic, wood and possibly cardboard. Little detail is given on methods, so may include 3D printing. Held in the Reimeikan history museum from May 1-4.



Tetsujin-28 go.



This gun is at least 6' long.



One Piece ships.

Check out the rest of the photos at imgur.

Senganen Visit, 220505

After visiting the Kagoshima sluice gate World Heritage site during Golden Week, I decided I wanted to go back to the Senganen gardens to find out where the viaduct came out to supply water to the iron works. So, I did that on Thursday, the last day of Golden Week. The original viaduct emerged behind what is now Tsurugane shrine. The building above is next to the new shrine. I can't tell if it's an old shrine, or just a tool shed.



Tori'i gate entrance to the current Tsurugane shrine.



Prayer point for throwing in your money and making your prayer.



Tsurugane shrine, dedicated to the Shimadzu family, original feudal lords of the Satsuma clan. The viaduct is supposed to have come out down the hill in the back, but I couldn't find any traces of that. There is a small creek, or drainage runoff about 100 feet to the left, though. Not sure if they're related.



Some of the ema (wood plaques people write their wishes on) sold at the shrine.



Kameju Hime (Auspicious Princess).



Shuseikan Machinery factory building. Local daimyo Nariakira Shimadzu realized that western expansion into Japan posed a threat, and he commissioned a western-style foundry for producing cannons, as well as a glassworks and a textiles plant. The machinery factory was used to make and maintain the equipment. It's now a museum dedicated to local history, with some artifacts from the iron and textile works.



Plaque in front of the factory museum. No photos allowed inside.



This is an old office building for the Shimadzu gold mine in 1904 in what's now Kushikino City. It was moved to Josei-cho in Kagoshima in 1923, and then to the present location in 1986. It's now a Starbucks.



Kiriko glassworks. Satsuma kiriko is an exclusive form of cut glasswork (glasses, plates, jewelry) that is very expensive. A small cup can go for 20,000-30,000 yen ($150-$250 USD). The glassworks is still in use, and consists of the blowing factory, cutting and polishing. I wanted to take video, but the people crowding the windows and doorways prevented that. Also, it was getting close to 5 PM, and the workers were shutting down the stations to go home.



Glass blowing.



Glass forming.



When the factory and forge were to be constructed, Nariakira arranged to have engineers brought in from England to oversee the work. The Foreign Engineers' Residence was then built to house them. It's currently a museum.



Back side of the building.



Front entrance.



Silverware and dishes cabinet.



Second floor dining set.



Second floor veranda. Originally, there was no outer wall or window casing here.



Rconstructed bedroom.



Writing desk and mirror.



Writing table and chairs.



One or two person bed?