Tessera

Daniel Kaihatsu (開発妥仁得)@kaihat.su · 5d ago

Hokkaido University has acknowledged that its past Ainu research was rooted in discrimination and prejudice, issuing a long-awaited apology after pressure from Ainu groups and apologies from other academic bodies. While many welcome the move, issues such as stolen remains are still unresolved.

Most amusing freudian slip I've had in a long while happened today when I was trying to talk to a Japanese guy about Toyonaka City (in the north of Osaka Prefecture) and accidentally said Toyohara City (the old Japanese name for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) instead.

Daniel Kaihatsu (開発妥仁得)@kaihat.su · 6d ago

This story has now made it into English publications. (Which shows you its importance) mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Hokkaido Univ. apologizes over past research on indigenous Ainu remains - The Mainichi

SAPPORO -- Hokkaido University issued a presidential statement on July 27 apologizing for past research on the indigenous Ainu people, including the i

mainichi.jp

Dan Orlowitz @aishiterutokyo.bsky.social · 7d ago

Hokkaido University has acknowledged that its past Ainu research was rooted in discrimination and prejudice, issuing a long-awaited apology after pressure from Ainu groups and apologies from other academic bodies. While many welcome the move, issues such as stolen remains are still unresolved.

I've previously talked about how Japan is going to be shackled to X/Twitter until the algorithm and overwhelming amount of low-signal slop limits users' ability to get information during big natural disasters. It appears that this week's earthquake in Kumamoto is approaching that threshold.

ぬまがさワタリ@『いきものニュース図解』ほか3/19同時発売@numagasa.bsky.social · last wk.

ブルスカ、別にいうほど人増えてほしくもないんだよな（鬱陶しくなるだけかもだし）という気分だったが、Xがこの体たらくだと災害時に本当に深刻な二次被害を誘発しかねないので、少なくともナチスの億万長者にアルゴリズムを支配されていない代替SNSを地道に育てることの必要性に関しては、やや真面目に考えざるをえないのだった「こんなネットの片隅に社会的責任なんかないだろ」と片付けられたほうがラクではあるが、「やべー億万長者に所有されていない」という条件に合致するテキストベースSNSとしては多分ここが日本で最大手なのも事実なんだよな。やれやれ www.itmedia.co.jp/news/article...

Hokkaido University has acknowledged that its past Ainu research was rooted in discrimination and prejudice, issuing a long-awaited apology after pressure from Ainu groups and apologies from other academic bodies. While many welcome the move, issues such as stolen remains are still unresolved.

アイヌ民族への謝罪、なぜ遅れたか　北海道大学の遺骨問題　背景に差別や偏見：北海道新聞デジタル

北海道大学が27日に公表したアイヌ民族の研究などに関する報告書と声明では、過去に北大が行ってきた差別や偏見を前提とした研究内容を認めた。差別に配慮する姿勢は声明の公表が遅れた一因でもあったが、他団体の...

hokkaido-np.co.jp

Hokkaido University has acknowledged that its past Ainu research was rooted in discrimination and prejudice, issuing a long-awaited apology after pressure from Ainu groups and apologies from other academic bodies. While many welcome the move, issues such as stolen remains are still unresolved.

アイヌ民族への謝罪、なぜ遅れたか　北海道大学の遺骨問題　背景に差別や偏見：北海道新聞デジタル

北海道大学が27日に公表したアイヌ民族の研究などに関する報告書と声明では、過去に北大が行ってきた差別や偏見を前提とした研究内容を認めた。差別に配慮する姿勢は声明の公表が遅れた一因でもあったが、他団体の...

hokkaido-np.co.jp

Finally got a LAN port installed in my home office. After moving in I was using the wifi card in my desktop with its goofy looking external antenna, but it was really jumpy and I had to constantly resest the network adapter. No more problems now!

The result of a Google Internet Speed Test, showing results of 1731 Megabits per second download, and 807.8 Megabits per second upload.
Very, very fast!

No smorking

So the Japanese government is proposing amending PR requirements so you have to pay into the pension system for 30 years before being eligible? Or an expectation of paying for 30 years? Plus higher than average Japanese salary. Don’t know if I’ll manage. This definitely needs more clarification.

外国人の永住許可、「厚生年金30年水準」要求　入管庁が厳格化案：朝日新聞

外国人の永住許可の要件を定めたガイドラインについて、出入国在留管理庁がまとめた改定案が判明した。日本人世帯の平均を上回る年収に加え、年金の受給見込み額がこの年収水準で厚生年金に30年加入していた場合…

asahi.com

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of Japanese fonts which cover a huge variety of historical styles - from Edomoji lettering like Kanteiryū and Kakumoji, to older calligraphy such as folded seal script, regular seal-script, grass script, clerical script - all the way back to Oracle Bone inspired!

A screenshot of a list of fonts in Photoshop - cropped and pasted together - of various Japanese typefaces which are in styles reflecting the whole span of writing history in Japan, as well as China.

Dexerto@dexerto.bsky.social · 2w ago

The section of the documentary about how the development team came up with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl’s creation myth was interesting. It seems they read through quite a few books on Greek Mythology (evident in the final product), including Robert Graves’ notable “The Greek Myths” compendium.

A screenshot of a GameFreak produced documentary about the creation of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, showing off a Japanese translation of Robert Graves' "The Greek Myths".

A screenshot of a GameFreak produced documentary about the creation of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, showing off a Japanese picture book about Greek Myths and the "World of the gods".

Over 100 never-before-seen Pokemon designs have been uncovered in a private Game Freak documentary The Diamond and Pearl footage includes scrapped evolutions, baby forms, and early versions of familiar Pokemon

If people *really* want to use a typeface which looks like Japanese lettering, then I would suggest "Lightmorning", which was designed by a Japanese type designer and actually conforms to calligraphic principles.

Daniel Kaihatsu (開発妥仁得)@kaihat.su · 2y ago

I also recently got my hands on a copy of Tamura Suzuko’s Saru Ainu dictionary. It's in pretty good condition, aside from a somewhat sun-bleached spine. Tamura compiled dictionaries for a couple different dialects, and they’re the only modern Ainu dictionaries with some level of English translation.

A photograph of Tamura Suzuko's Ainu-Japanese Dictionary for the Saru Ainu dialect (centred on the Saru River Basin). The left of the book near the spine is slightly sun bleached. The cover also notes that English translations for entries were added by Ian R. L. McDonnell.

A photograph of a page inside Tamura's Saru Ainu Dictionary - from a page in the P section, showing many words related to pet, the Ainu word for "river". Many of the entries feature a short English definition next to more extensive Japanese ones.

A copy of Kayano Shigeru's Ainu language dictionary, signed by the man himself. Dated to January 8th 1999, written by Kayano inside are three of the four attributes required for an Ainu man to be a leader. Siretok = Dignity Rametok = Courage Pawetok = Eloquence [Teketok = Skilled with one's hands]

The sleeve of Kayano Shigeru's Ainu language dictionary alongside the book itself. It features a blue and white Ainu pattern on the top of the beige cover.

While I was in Nagasaki, I visited the former residence of Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish merchant who played a pivotal role in modernizing Japan. He helped establish the foundations of the Mitsubishi corporation (and Kirin Beer!) and introduce many Western technologies to Japan.

A photograph of a metal bust of Thomas Blake Glover, with a plaque in front in English and Japanese.

While I was in Nagasaki, I visited the former residence of Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish merchant who played a pivotal role in modernizing Japan. He helped establish the foundations of the Mitsubishi corporation (and Kirin Beer!) and introduce many Western technologies to Japan.

Completely unintentional on my part, but the hotel I stayed at last night was in a town called Waifu.

A screenshot of Google Maps, centred on a small Japanese town called Waifu.

I crossed over the Unzen Tara Sea Line, which divides Isahaya bay from the Ariake Sea. The reclamation project closed off the bay in 1997 to create farmland, prompting huge protests due to ecological impacts - and happened to later serve as the inspiration for Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.

A photograph of the Sea Line and road, which splits Isahaya Bay from the Ariake Sea. The left of the image is the Ariake Sea - a deep blue. The muddied water on the right is the closed off Isahaya Bay.

This morning in Nagasaki, I visited the Twenty-six Martyr’s Monument, which honors the twenty Japanese Catholic converts and six European missionaries executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597. Following this, by the 1630s, Christianity had been driven underground in Japan.

A photo of the Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument - the memorial features a striking bronze relief created by Japanese sculptor Yasutake Funakoshi. All twenty six martyrs are carved into the metal, which forms a cross shape.

I also made a detour to go to Okawachiyama village. Saga is considered the home of porcelain ceramics in Japan, and Okawachiyama has a high concentration of ceramic makers. They also have this wonderful bridge covered in white and blue ceramics, including a dragon!

A photograph of a bridge covered in blue and white porcelain, including a painting of a dragon.

A photograph of a ceramics kiln, surrounded by dozens and dozens of finished pieces of porcelain.

Travelling through Saga Prefecture today on my way to Nagasaki. I stopped near Hamanoura, where you can get a great view of the ocean next to some terraced rice fields. It’s also apparently a popular spot with couples.

A photo of several terraced rice fields under a blue sky, flanked by forest on either side. The ocean is visible in the distance.

Travelling through Saga Prefecture today on my way to Nagasaki. I stopped near Hamanoura, where you can get a great view of the ocean next to some terraced rice fields. It’s also apparently a popular spot with couples.

Arrived early enough in Nagasaki City that I was able to visit the Atomic Bomb Museum as well as the Peace Park. Unlike Hiroshima where the Hypocenter is marked somewhat unceremoniously with a small sign, Nagasaki has a proper monument under the detonation point.

A photograph of the Hypocenter monument which marks the point below where the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki detonated. It it marked by a solemn black pillar surrounded by concentric circles.

A large statue in Nagasaki’s Peace Park. One hand points to the sky as a symbol of awareness against the threat of nuclear weapons, while the other hand is extended out flat as a show of peace.

I also made a detour to go to Okawachiyama village. Saga is considered the home of porcelain ceramics in Japan, and Okawachiyama has a high concentration of ceramic makers. They also have this wonderful bridge covered in white and blue ceramics, including a dragon!

Travelling through Saga Prefecture today on my way to Nagasaki. I stopped near Hamanoura, where you can get a great view of the ocean next to some terraced rice fields. It’s also apparently a popular spot with couples.

Travelling through Saga Prefecture today on my way to Nagasaki. I stopped near Hamanoura, where you can get a great view of the ocean next to some terraced rice fields. It’s also apparently a popular spot with couples.