PostSalaryman's Journal

Nude to Aikoku

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 03:11:37 +0900

Book Review

Nude to Aikoku (Nudes and Patriotism)

Ikekawa Reiko, 2014

This book explores the representation of the nude in modern Japanese art, including painting, photography, film, and advertising posters.

Ranging from the three beauties depicted in Kuroda Seiki’s Meiji‑era oil paintings to contemporary PARCO posters directed by Ishioka Eiko, the author analyzes numerous examples from social and cultural perspectives.

The findings suggest that modern Japanese depictions of the nude often share an image of sacred femininity, exemplified by the iconic figure Chieko in Selection of Wisdom. Although regimes have attempted to use the nude for political purposes, beauty ultimately proves stronger than dogma.

Scam Call

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:50:19 +0900

Why Nagoya？

　　Recently, I’ve been getting automated phone calls saying, “This is Nagoya Customs. Press #1.”
　　It’s obviously a scam. It’s annoying, but I just ignore it.

Dental Clinic

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:48:42 +0900

A Tooth with a Resin Crown

I went to a dental clinic to have a cavity treated.

The dentist capped the tooth with a white resin crown, and the procedure took about an hour.

Inflation

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:06:15 +0900

Morning Set Menu

The morning set was 700 yen, since I ordered the grilled salmon set for breakfast. Even fast‑food places are getting expensive these days.

Kobikichō no Adauchi

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:03:56 +0900

Kobikichō no Adauchi (Dir. Takashi Minamoto, 2026)

The film successfully brings Nagai Sayako’s original samurai mystery to the screen.

The dramatic adauchi duel in the snow is beautifully shot, and the speculation surrounding the revenge incident is intellectually engaging.

Overall, it is a truly heartwarming movie.

iPhone Trouble(2)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:15:37 +0900

Fixing the Symptom?

I happened to notice that the battery indicator on my old iPhone is working again. It had stopped functioning right after I updated the iPhone’s OS. Although resetting the device didn’t seem to have any effect at first, the indicator eventually came back.

It may simply take a few days for the reset to become effective.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well.

Exhibition

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:59:27 +0900

Kashiwa Senior Club Art Exhibition

I submitted my watercolor painting to the Kashiwa Senior Club Art Exhibition. My sakura blossom painting will be on display until March 7.

Attack on Iran

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:55:23 +0900

The Rise of “Power‑cracy”

Just after the peaceful Winter Olympic Games, President Trump’s bombing of Iran and the assassination of its leaders shocked and frightened me.

America seems to be shifting its policy from democracy to a kind of “power‑cracy.”

iPhone Trouble

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 18:16:30 +0900

Ignoring can be a Kind of Wisdom

Since updating the OS on my old iPhone, the battery indicator has stopped working. Even when the battery still has plenty of charge, the indicator shows only 1%—almost empty.

I tried several fixes I found online, such as resetting the device, but nothing solved the problem. In the end, I decided to ignore the indicator for the sake of my peace of mind.

Reunion

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:06:42 +0900

Company Reunion

I attended a reunion at our old company.

Our successors shared updates on their recent work and prepared a wonderful party for us.

It was a great day, although I drank a little too much.

Koban Sakura

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:05:03 +0900

Koban Sakura in Ueno Park

A higan-zakura tree beside the koban police box in Ueno Park has begun to bloom, and many tourists are enjoying the cherry blossoms.

Takeyabu Soba

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:55:28 +0900

An Established Soba Restaurant

I visited Takeyabu soba noodle restaurant by Lake Teganuma for the first time in a few years. The soba—and the side dishes like stewed herring, tempura and wild mountain vegetables—tasted exactly as I remembered.

Perfect!

Rakugo Show

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:57:16 +0900

Rakugo Lecture & Show

　　I attended a rakugo lecture and comic storytelling performance at the Kashiwa Community Center.

　　Shinoharu Tachikawa, a master rakugo storyteller, talked about his background and then performed a classic rakugo piece called “Cha-no-Yu (Tea Ceremony).”

　　His life story was fascinating, and his performance had the entire audience laughing. According to his talk, he also performs rakugo in English.　I would love to see his English rakugo someday.

Astronauci

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 03:22:59 +0900

Book Review

No Reply from Venus / Astronauci (Stanisław Herman Lem, 1951)

This 75‑year‑old science‑fiction novel remains fascinating thanks to its enduring theme: “Encounter with the Unknown.”

Humanity discovers that the Tunguska explosion was caused by an AI probe from Venus, and a crew of astronauts sets out on an atomic powered spaceship to investigate.

When they finally reach the planet, however, they find no alien civilization—Venusian had already perished long before their arrival.

From today’s perspective, the description of the planet is clearly outdated, yet the sense of wonder that permeates the novel feels remarkably fresh. Lem’s faith in human potential and cooperation still resonates strongly even now.

Sakura in Ueno

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:39:39 +0900

Sakura Began to Bloom

I saw wild cherry blossoms (Yama-zakura) starting to bloom in Ueno.

They are true messengers of spring.