"Let's build a social network just for two / then you could invite me and I can invite you"

Here's a dealer's room find from this weekend: We Japanese: Being Descriptions of Many of the Customs, Manners, Ceremonies, Festivals, Arts and Crafts of the Japanese Besides Numerous Other Subjects, published by the Fujiya Hotel, Kanagawa,* in three parts in 1934, 1937, and 1949 -- this being a combined edition from 1950 printed on fan-folded paper with silk-cord binding, Japanese style -- and sold in the hotel to tourists.

In other words, it's a (largely) pre-War summary of how the Japanese wanted foreigners to perceive them.

I've so far only poked about at random, but it mostly covers Japanese folkways, folklore, and material culture -- in other words, little of daily life and society except where it appears in public. Even just a sampling, though, reveals interesting tensions over the disappearance of "traditional" (or "orthodox" as the book sometimes uses) customs, as the authors sometimes acknowledge is happening. I haven't yet worked out if there's a pattern of changes for the post-War section, but that's on the agenda as I read more systematically.

BTW, for those who were wondering about the subject line of the previous post, it's from "Land of Plenty" by local singer Kevin Pakulis, from his album Yeah Yeah Yeah. You can hear a sample of it on the CDBaby page.

* In a hot-springs resort area near Mt. Fuji.

---L.

"Let's build a social network just for two / then you could invite me and I can invite you"

Here's a dealer's room find from this weekend: We Japanese: Being Descriptions of Many of the Customs, Manners, Ceremonies, Festivals, Arts and Crafts of the Japanese Besides Numerous Other Subjects, published by the Fujiya Hotel, Kanagawa,* in three parts in 1934, 1937, and 1949 -- this being a combined edition from 1950 printed on fan-folded paper with silk-cord binding, Japanese style -- and sold in the hotel to tourists.

In other words, it's a (largely) pre-War summary of how the Japanese wanted foreigners to perceive them.

I've so far only poked about at random, but it mostly covers Japanese folkways, folklore, and material culture -- in other words, little of daily life and society except where it appears in public. Even just a sampling, though, reveals interesting tensions over the disappearance of "traditional" (or "orthodox" as the book sometimes uses) customs, as the authors sometimes acknowledge is happening. I haven't yet worked out if there's a pattern of changes for the post-War section, but that's on the agenda as I read more systematically.

BTW, for those who were wondering about the subject line of the previous post, it's from "Land of Plenty" by local singer Kevin Pakulis, from his album Yeah Yeah Yeah. You can hear a sample of it on the CDBaby page.

* In a hot-springs resort area near Mt. Fuji.

---L.

"I remember hellfire and brimstone be damned / I remember trembling at the touch of your hand"

Found in a file, a fragment from The Faerie Ringe by J.R.R. Spenser:

A Gentle Hobbitt walked on a waste,
   Ycladd in ragged cloathes and elfen cloke,
   Wherein with rents of hard weare were defas'd,
   The cruell markes of many a steppe foresoke;
   Yet journey till that time he never toke:
   His angry guide did chide his captaiv rope
   As much disdayning to be pull'd and choke:
   Full weary halflinge he, and try'd to cope
As one for mighty giusts, tho he was without hope.

But on his hand a golden Ringe he bore,
   The foule remenmant of its evil Lord,
   For whose dreade sake that daungrous round he wore,
   Who living wights he ever had abhor'd:
   Upon his chest a wound was also scor'd,
   That never healed, tho kinges his help he had:
   Right faithfull true king was in deede and word,
   But kingesfoill ne could ease him dollefull sad;
And Morgulle did he dread, and ever had ydrad.

Upon a dyre adventure he was bond
   That goodly Gandalff Grayhame to him gave,
   That greatest wizard of the Middle Lond,
   To wreck the ring, and free menns deathes to stave,
   Which of all earthly things he most did crave;
   And ever as he trudg'd, his hart did burn
   To feare despaire would not then hold him brave
   Upon the crack, and needefull force would learne;
Upon the crack of Doome, most horrible and stearne.

I don't know whether "remenmant" was intentional or simple misspelling. Always a problem with faux archaicism.

---L.