A Canadian who long went East reveals the ins and outs of a magnificent Kerouac event in Japan forced to dodge the impact of the global pandemic yet which hauled triumph from the jaws of defeat
Oh my goodness, I’m not one much for brevity and this will be a very long answer but in the interim:
Japan is the populating by about 600,000 people per year yet the big cities get bigger & the country areas get empty leading to schools & hospitals closing leaving mostly elders.
(I mentioned our son born in 2020 which had the fewest birth since Japan’s kept records since the late 1800s).
As such, classic/traditional houses can be bought/claimed very cheaply for those seeking alternative DIY lifestyle.
PS Foreigners can purchase property in Japan but that doesn’t necessarily get you a resident visa.
Many years ago, I had the pleasure of road tripping with Dave around the western US, Canada, Mexico, and Omaha, some of those trips in the VW bus, which is now a hot tub in a canyon near Salt Lake City. These texts were never just texts for Dave. They were guidebooks, instructions. Dave speaks about these texts with an authority that can only come from lived experience.
Thank you for bringing forward those memories ole pal. My goodness: Young, courageous, headstrong and wiser than we could possibly admit, we headed far north and far south with hijinks every which way. Looking for something more than just a laugh… but enjoying the nonsense as well as the moments of clarity and poetry whether it was facedown in a Mexican street or locked out of a car in Calgary / more to come, much more to come
Marvelously rich and detailed interview. I was particularly struck by Dave's account of how he kept adapting his plans to the ever-changing situation with respect to the Kobe exhibition. His laid back adaptations in the moment would, I imagine, make Gary Snyder smile. Also loved the bit about choosing the Red Norvo track for the film. it does resonate strongly as something Sal and Dean might have been listening to in the big old Hudson. Thoroughly enjoyed Dave's account of his journey to, from, and back to Japan. Wonderful questions Simon, and thoroughly engaging responses.
Hello poet Marc, just a short note to say, “best thanks for taking the time to read the interview, watch the video, and remark in such a nuanced manner“
It’s gratifying to see the responses from you and other notable writers/scholars/teachers while I’ve been in and out of the hospital of late.
Noting that though the Beats are so connected with Japan (especially through Zen and haiku) this is the first time for a significant exhibit of this kind (that I know of anyway) – even in its “reimagined“ form.
PS if I haven’t mentioned to you already, I have some “field notes” from visits to haiku master Issa Kobayashi’s birthplace museum and gravesite, as well as a visit to DT Suzuki (the man who introduced Zen to the west)’s museum as well. Thought I’d mention if you want to do some continue along the roots and branches.
Again, my thanks for always “showing up” to fan the sparks & put tinder & kindling on the little flame.
it was my pleasure. The field notes from Kobayashi's birthplace and gravesite sound fascinating. DT Suzuki, as for so many Westerners was my introduction to Zen.
Oh great… (I’m always a little hesitant to share my “field notes” because I always feel that there’s more to add and they’re not meant to be comprehensive, just a sort of mixed media scrapbook of the experience. That said :-), this round up from Issa’s home & grave is quite pleasant… We had the museum and the grounds almost to ourselves // stopped by on a long meandering ramble around Japan for a honeymoon which included stops at my wife’s university sensei at the “edge of the world“ & reconnecting with “the wizard of the mountains“ – a US Navy veteran named Steve who’s lived in Japan (mostly) since the 1970s and lives in Shinano, quite close to Issa’s memorial.
I’ll circle back with the DT Suzuki dispatch as well. I didn’t document too much as I wanted to remain in the moment / found it was a very interesting experience with the museum basically located in a residential neighborhood – and, of course, I collected some fantastic postcards and a very pleasing postbox snapshot.
Just the briefest notes before I head to bed to say, "thank you very much to Simon for including me in your most excellent dispatch" and of course another huge thanks to Matt Theado, Kaori Miyashita-Theado and the staff, curators, volunteers et al at BB Plaza Museum and Kobe City University.
Next time, we are getting Jim Canary (and hopefully a ship full of Beat renegades) over here!
Thank you, Dave, for taking part so enthusiastically and it was great that you have shared so many ideas and so much background with our readers. Keep up the excellent work!
Added a video riff from barn studio about this pleasing interview and exhibit plus share a few thoughts and musings about inspiring poets, sparking creative projects, podcasts, postcards, rock and records etc
I was intrigued, Dave, by your reference to those abandoned Japanese mountain villages. Why were they deserted and what did they become?
Oh my goodness, I’m not one much for brevity and this will be a very long answer but in the interim:
Japan is the populating by about 600,000 people per year yet the big cities get bigger & the country areas get empty leading to schools & hospitals closing leaving mostly elders.
(I mentioned our son born in 2020 which had the fewest birth since Japan’s kept records since the late 1800s).
As such, classic/traditional houses can be bought/claimed very cheaply for those seeking alternative DIY lifestyle.
PS Foreigners can purchase property in Japan but that doesn’t necessarily get you a resident visa.
Here’s a whole dossier about Akiya (unused/abandoned houses) & whatnot: https://daveostory.com/writing-fiction-essays/wandering/akiya-abandoned-cheap-free-houses-in-japan-annotations-and-resources/
Thanks, Marc, for comments and insight.
Many years ago, I had the pleasure of road tripping with Dave around the western US, Canada, Mexico, and Omaha, some of those trips in the VW bus, which is now a hot tub in a canyon near Salt Lake City. These texts were never just texts for Dave. They were guidebooks, instructions. Dave speaks about these texts with an authority that can only come from lived experience.
Thank you for bringing forward those memories ole pal. My goodness: Young, courageous, headstrong and wiser than we could possibly admit, we headed far north and far south with hijinks every which way. Looking for something more than just a laugh… but enjoying the nonsense as well as the moments of clarity and poetry whether it was facedown in a Mexican street or locked out of a car in Calgary / more to come, much more to come
Marvelously rich and detailed interview. I was particularly struck by Dave's account of how he kept adapting his plans to the ever-changing situation with respect to the Kobe exhibition. His laid back adaptations in the moment would, I imagine, make Gary Snyder smile. Also loved the bit about choosing the Red Norvo track for the film. it does resonate strongly as something Sal and Dean might have been listening to in the big old Hudson. Thoroughly enjoyed Dave's account of his journey to, from, and back to Japan. Wonderful questions Simon, and thoroughly engaging responses.
Hello poet Marc, just a short note to say, “best thanks for taking the time to read the interview, watch the video, and remark in such a nuanced manner“
It’s gratifying to see the responses from you and other notable writers/scholars/teachers while I’ve been in and out of the hospital of late.
Noting that though the Beats are so connected with Japan (especially through Zen and haiku) this is the first time for a significant exhibit of this kind (that I know of anyway) – even in its “reimagined“ form.
PS if I haven’t mentioned to you already, I have some “field notes” from visits to haiku master Issa Kobayashi’s birthplace museum and gravesite, as well as a visit to DT Suzuki (the man who introduced Zen to the west)’s museum as well. Thought I’d mention if you want to do some continue along the roots and branches.
Again, my thanks for always “showing up” to fan the sparks & put tinder & kindling on the little flame.
Hi Dave,
it was my pleasure. The field notes from Kobayashi's birthplace and gravesite sound fascinating. DT Suzuki, as for so many Westerners was my introduction to Zen.
Oh great… (I’m always a little hesitant to share my “field notes” because I always feel that there’s more to add and they’re not meant to be comprehensive, just a sort of mixed media scrapbook of the experience. That said :-), this round up from Issa’s home & grave is quite pleasant… We had the museum and the grounds almost to ourselves // stopped by on a long meandering ramble around Japan for a honeymoon which included stops at my wife’s university sensei at the “edge of the world“ & reconnecting with “the wizard of the mountains“ – a US Navy veteran named Steve who’s lived in Japan (mostly) since the 1970s and lives in Shinano, quite close to Issa’s memorial.
https://daveostory.com/misc-tidbits/libraries-museums-archives/exhibit-kobayashi-issa-haiku-master-museum-and-grave-in-shinano-nagano/
I’ll circle back with the DT Suzuki dispatch as well. I didn’t document too much as I wanted to remain in the moment / found it was a very interesting experience with the museum basically located in a residential neighborhood – and, of course, I collected some fantastic postcards and a very pleasing postbox snapshot.
Just the briefest notes before I head to bed to say, "thank you very much to Simon for including me in your most excellent dispatch" and of course another huge thanks to Matt Theado, Kaori Miyashita-Theado and the staff, curators, volunteers et al at BB Plaza Museum and Kobe City University.
Next time, we are getting Jim Canary (and hopefully a ship full of Beat renegades) over here!
Thank you, Dave, for taking part so enthusiastically and it was great that you have shared so many ideas and so much background with our readers. Keep up the excellent work!
Added a video riff from barn studio about this pleasing interview and exhibit plus share a few thoughts and musings about inspiring poets, sparking creative projects, podcasts, postcards, rock and records etc
https://daveostory.com/film-vids-docs/beat-sushi/rock-and-the-beat-generation-interview-usual-poets-postal/