2002年11月04日 月曜日
Alex Kerr's House
by Justin Hall
Expats in Japan
Author Alex Kerr is a remarkable foreigner in Japan. He's won a non-fiction book prize for a book written in Japanese. He's worked to teach himself and then promote and preserve traditional arts.
And in his latest book "Dogs and Demons," he unflinchingly criticizes the politicians and the construction industry for paving over traditions and nature that form the heart of Japan. The book is pretty depressing; it gave me a sinking feeling that Japan is being killed, and that lethal amounts of poison have already been administered.
Some people enjoy modern Japan - I certainly have a soft spot in my heart for giant televisions in the street and insanely shaped steel and glass monster buildings.
But if you have any inclination to believe Kerr, you might find some comfort in his efforts to rekindle interest in traditional Japanese architecture, arts and lifestyle, through his Chiiori House, near Kyoto. He rescued an old Japanese farm house from the dump and now runs it as a working residence and culture center. Tokyo's free culture and arts listing magazine Metropolis had a recent cover story on Chiiori as well.
Posted by Justin Hall at 2002年11月04日 09:58
Comments
Hi,
is there any way i can get in touch with Alex Kerr... I had a very interesting experience teahong at UBC (University of British Columbia) the course called "Readings in Modern Japanese Essays" and I chose Kerr's boos as a background. Some of the students accused me and the auther of being too biased towards Japan while the others said a big thanks to me.. I'm actually a Russian guy who settled in Vancouver for a while. I'd appriciate yo reply!
Mitch (Mikhail Grigoriev)
I read the author's book "Lost Japan" about 4 years ago.The book was impressive.I coincidentally found his "Inu to Oni" in a book store in Osaka,while I stroled around in the lunch time break on a rainy day in June.
One bunch of the books were put in the hidden corner of the book store as if they should't be found.
Luckily I found them.
This book describes completely the economic,political,cultural status quo of modern Japan.
I live in Kyoto city and feel desperate as the author felt so.
Greetings,
I too am looking for a way to get in touch with Mr. Kerr. Being a former foreign exchange student at Tokyo International university in Saitama, and a foreign resident (American) living in Tokyo I am begginging to see the methodical madness that is explained clearly in Dogs and Demons, my new favourite book. I firmly believe I have fallen victim to the beaurocratic nature of the Japanese system by my denied entrance into the Waseda University M.A. program for the 2003 year. Thinking back I should have read your book before I applied and wasted 35000 yen. Anyhow I am really interested in the illusion of homogeneity in Japan, and I believe that the current economice slump motivates some Japanese to embrace foreign ideals even though these may be the antithesis of Japanese ones. The growing popularity of the Brazilian folk art Capoeira here in Japan is an example of adoption. This is a basic run down of my thesis proposal to the Waseda University M.A. program, and for my criticisms of Japanese society and its economy I believe I was denied entrance. In short the Monbusho thought I was rocking the boat. My question to you is would you happen to know any professor, or teacher at an American university that would be willing to work with me on a project like this. Reading your book, I feel this kind of topic is right up your alley and that you might know someone. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Nikolas Gonzales
Greetings,
I too am looking for a way to get in touch with Mr. Kerr. Being a former foreign exchange student at Tokyo International university in Saitama, and a foreign resident (American) living in Tokyo I am begginging to see the methodical madness that is explained clearly in Dogs and Demons, my new favourite book. I firmly believe I have fallen victim to the beaurocratic nature of the Japanese system by my denied entrance into the Waseda University M.A. program for the 2003 year. Thinking back I should have read your book before I applied and wasted 35000 yen. Anyhow I am really interested in the illusion of homogeneity in Japan, and I believe that the current economice slump motivates some Japanese to embrace foreign ideals even though these may be the antithesis of Japanese ones. The growing popularity of the Brazilian folk art Capoeira here in Japan is an example of adoption. This is a basic run down of my thesis proposal to the Waseda University M.A. program, and for my criticisms of Japanese society and its economy I believe I was denied entrance. In short the Monbusho thought I was rocking the boat. My question to you is would you happen to know any professor, or teacher at an American university that would be willing to work with me on a project like this. Reading your book, I feel this kind of topic is right up your alley and that you might know someone. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Nikolas Gonzales
Greetings,
I too am looking for a way to get in touch with Mr. Kerr. Being a former foreign exchange student at Tokyo International university in Saitama, and a foreign resident (American) living in Tokyo I am begginging to see the methodical madness that is explained clearly in Dogs and Demons, my new favourite book. I firmly believe I have fallen victim to the beaurocratic nature of the Japanese system by my denied entrance into the Waseda University M.A. program for the 2003 year. Thinking back I should have read your book before I applied and wasted 35000 yen. Anyhow I am really interested in the illusion of homogeneity in Japan, and I believe that the current economice slump motivates some Japanese to embrace foreign ideals even though these may be the antithesis of Japanese ones. The growing popularity of the Brazilian folk art Capoeira here in Japan is an example of adoption. This is a basic run down of my thesis proposal to the Waseda University M.A. program, and for my criticisms of Japanese society and its economy I believe I was denied entrance. In short the Monbusho thought I was rocking the boat. My question to you is would you happen to know any professor, or teacher at an American university that would be willing to work with me on a project like this. Reading your book, I feel this kind of topic is right up your alley and that you might know someone. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Nikolas Gonzales
Can anyone provide information on how I can get in touch with Alex Kerr? I am a freelance writer living in Massachusetts. My wife -- who is Japanese-- returned to Japan in May 2002 to assume a teaching position in Ohtawara. I have been living in western Massachusetts with our 7-year-old daughter. I am considering moving there for "a while." My wife speaks of living in Nasu/Utsonomiya. I have concerns. I have read and re-read "Lost Japan" and currently reading "Dogs and Demons." If anyone can help point me in the direction toward communicating directly with Mr. Kerr, I would be quite grateful.
Thank you for your time and consideration. (If you do respond to this e-mail, can you kindly make the intent of the response obvious in the subject line. There is way too much junk mail these days, and I hesitate opening mail I do not recognize. Thank you so much.)
Jeffrey Reel
Can anyone provide information on how I can get in touch with Alex Kerr? I am a freelance writer living in Massachusetts. My wife -- who is Japanese-- returned to Japan in May 2002 to assume a teaching position in Ohtawara. I have been living in western Massachusetts with our 7-year-old daughter. I am considering moving there for "a while." My wife speaks of living in Nasu/Utsonomiya. I have concerns. I have read and re-read "Lost Japan" and currently reading "Dogs and Demons." If anyone can help point me in the direction toward communicating directly with Mr. Kerr, I would be quite grateful.
Thank you for your time and consideration. (If you do respond to this e-mail, can you kindly make the intent of the response obvious in the subject line. There is way too much junk mail these days, and I hesitate opening mail I do not recognize. Thank you so much.)
Jeffrey Reel
One of my publishers, the Tuttle-Periplus group, would like to contact Mr.Kerr about the possibility of him providing a cover comment for a new edition of my book, Japan's Cultural Code Words.
Can you provide us with his email address so that we may contact him directly?
i have just arrived to sapporo to sudy here at the university of hokkaido. but my main goal before i arrived here was to study japanese culture. being unable to find something non_touristically valuable as japanese alive history, alex kerr opened a new world to me. im still reading his book. and to learn calligraphy is now my main goal. please can anyone provide me with his e-mail address. i would be very thankful, have a great day all.
Hi, I'm a danish student at Roskilde University near Copenhagen. I'm a about to make a project about Japan and I have just had the big pleasure to read Kerr's very interesting Dogs and Deamons. Like the rest of you, I'm looking for his email-address. Me and my group are going to Japan in the end of November and would love to ask him some question before that.
It would be a big big help.
The chiiori house isn't especially near Kyoto. It's in Tokushima Prefecture On the island of shikoku. That said its not too far (about 6 hours) if you want to visit. Check the website if you wan to visit.
Kudos to you Mr. Kerr (if you ever read these postings) for having the courage and tenacity to speak out about the things you've noticed wrong with Japan and Japanese society. I'm still reading Dogs & Demons and sent a copy to my father in the U.S. who can't stop talking about it as well as have given a couple of copies to Japanese friends and or former students of mine. What a hell of a lot of difficult research must have been involved in gathering all of the data for the stats used and general info contained in this very enlightening book about "Modern" Japan. Again congrats for helping to bring to light so many questions I had been pondering such as why this road existed but is never used on Yugawa Mountain near my house here on Kyushu Island as well as sooooooooooooooo many other questions. I'm already looking forward to your next book.
Lost Japan- was given to me from a very special Sensei whom had a deep interest in Japan and felt many of the concerns and worries that natural 'Japan' lovers would. The spirit of the book lies in the beauty in which events were described and where even the most simplist things could contain beauty. The inability to comprehend the exact meaningness of 'Japaneseness' is part of the experience. I believe, his openness to share his ideas is to do exactly that- to open the floor for discussion and to encourage others to pass on their stories as well.
The book was an opportunity into a small part of his life, and a very special period as well and it has been a pleasure to read of it.
I would like to leave Alex Kerr alone so that he (and Ian Buruma) can have the peace and quiet to pen more books.
Tim in the cemented hills of Shinshu
I would like to leave Alex Kerr alone so that he (and Ian Buruma) can have the peace and quiet to pen more books.
Tim in the cemented hills of Shinshu
Hi,
I am 28 year old Australian woman trying to write a fiction novel set in Japan. The setting starts in Hiroshima and moves to Osaka. Two places I have spent time. I am very serious about my book and the hardest thing is the responsibility. (to get things right)
I want to write about the yakuza in a large section of the story.
Having read Lost Japan recently, I was impressed by Alex Kerr and thought I'd stab in the dark and ask if he had any extensive knowledge about the yakuza? If so please email me.
Ps.You have to try in life!
Are you people out of your minds? Kerr is nostalgic for an old Japan that we are best well-rid of. A Japan of poor sanitation, frequent flooding and total inconvenience. A Japan of inadequate transport and malnutrition.
He's just a rich and spoiled flaneur with WAYYYYY to much time on his hands. Give this trust-fund baby a pass and read Booth instead.
Having just read Dogs and Demons, I must disagree strongly with Mr Jones, and would posit that perhaps he has not actually read the book. While it is certainly true that Mr Kerr's work rings with an undeniable nostalgia for the waning cultural beauty of bygone days, the more prominent point made in the book is that the current bureaucratic system doesn't seem capable of channeling its efforts efficiently, nor is it able to address many of the dire needs of its people, its economy, or its own well-being. It is hardly deniable that the last thing Japan needs is another dammed river or paved and flattened mountain range, yet government funding for such projects increases annually. These are the sorts of issues discussed in the book.
Also, contrary to Mr Jones' comment that the author yearns for an era of total inconvenience, Mr Kerr makes quite clear his objections to the standard of living to which the Japanese are currently subjected. It seems folly to associate his work with the Chiiori project with a penchant for primitive living conditions. Indeed, the project's website even warns those inquiring about visiting that the location is a throwback to ancient times, and is unlike the standards to which modern society is accustomed. Acknowledging the differences between modern and ancient life is hardly the same thing as espousing a Luddite mentality. One of the hallmarks of an advanced society is that it can preserve, reflect upon and celebrate its own history while progressing toward a brighter future. Yet even this is tangential to the content of the book.
Progress entails learning from, rather than denying, one's past. Kerr laments the stagnation that has taken hold in Japan and expresses his concern that it is exhibiting an adolescent need to assert itself as a global economic contender at the expense of its own citizens' well-being. It is a rare and refreshing voicing of dissent against the literal and figurative steamrolling of Japan.