The Autumn Switch
Comments: 5
Outside the Setagaya Art Museum
About 2 weeks ago someone somewhere in Japan found a big switch marked “Autumn” and turned it on. Literally overnight the seasons changed, and now we’re getting those beautiful clear windy days that make you want to twirl around on a mountaintop like Julie Andrews.
I didn’t break down and use air-conditioning at all this summer (when I’m king of the world, residential air-conditioning will be banned, so enjoy it while you can) and now I’m reaping the benefits of spending the summer almost homicidally uncomfortable with a heightened sense of relief at the turn of the season and an appreciation that, to be adequately conveyed, would require me bursting into song.
I took a camera with me to training today and rode through Kinuta Park on the way home.
Garbage incinerator chimney
This chimney is visible for miles around. I think it was the first chimney I ever saw that wasn’t painted standard chimney colour. It belongs to the garbage incineration plant, for which I have a soft spot: the energy produced heats the pool where I swim.
Forgotten unicycle
Someone left their unicycle in the park. This one was just sitting there with no one around. It’s common to see kids riding them in Japan. My daughter’s school has a bunch of them for the kids to ride at recess.
Driving range
Next to the pool is a golf driving range. This is part of the net that keeps the balls from terrorising swimmers.
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Posted to Photographs • 2003.09.30 (Tue) • 18:14
Comments
Posted by Jerry Halstead 2003.09.30, 20:06
Your golf net photo triggers a memory from my one trip to Japan. We were riding a train and I couldn’t quite grasp what the big net things were, since the poles are large enough to fish for one story buildings with.
If memory serves correctly they are heavy duty to sustain monsoon like winds?
Kids really ride unicycles? That’s great!
Posted by Bob 2003.09.30, 23:31
Good to hear the weather is good :) I’ll be travelling to Tokyo tomorrow to visit my old friends and travel around. And take a million photographs again.
Posted by Silus Grok 2003.10.01, 00:54
Loverly photos… but what really catches my eye is the new header graphic (the flowers — calendula, I think).
Posted by jh 2003.10.01, 22:30
Jerry —- This particular net can actually be raised and lowered, so if a typhoon does come through it’s dropped down (and pronto, I’d say: this thing is huge).
Silus —- Is it calendula? I can’t find the packet of mosquito coils I scanned it from to check the ingredient list (but I do believe you’re right).
Bob —- Warming up a little for your trip by the looks of it. You should still be in for a nice run with the weather.
Posted by Boring Gary 2003.10.10, 12:01
Congrats on not using the A/C this summer. We had people staying for a couple of weeks, and that was the only time we succumbed. The sooner you ban the damn things, the better, as far as I am concerned!
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