James Hardy

Quiet corners of Manseibashi - the brick arches of the old station now converted into bars and event spaces, and then a cluster of old Tokyo restaurants

Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!

Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.

Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!

#MundaneHalloween

首相「ロシアによる侵略は暴挙」　就任後初の国際会議に参加：北海道新聞デジタル 【キーウ共同】ウクライナ支援の有志国連合は24日、ロンドンで首脳会合を開いた。ゼレンスキー大統領も出席し、オンラインも含め欧州を中心に20カ国以上が参加の見通し。ロシアとの和平・領土交渉や、停戦後に...

Takaichi’s first diplomatic outing was to remotely join the Coalition of the Willing talks hosted by London. She said “Russia’s invasion is an outrage that shakes the foundation of the int. system. Our position of solidarity with Ukraine remains unchanged”
www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1229...

Another great day on HMS Prince of Wales in Tokyo Bay. Proud to be part of the team bringing her and the rest of CSG25 to Japan

HMS Prince of Wales and a Tokyo sunset

HMS Prince of Wales alongside in Tokyo Bay; here for a few days of defence engagement with our friends, allies and partners before heading to see for more exercises

Operation Highmast reinforces claims that ‘security is indivisible’ European governments recognize that developments in the Indo-Pacific have a profound impact on their national interests.

Editorial: There is no clearer sign of the vitality of Japan-U.K. security cooperation than the visit to Japan this month of the British aircraft carrier Prince of Wales and its multinational carrier strike group, CSG25.

Print featuring a woodland scene with dappled sunlight

Linocut by contemporary UK printmaker and artist Alexandra Buckle who is inspired by her local countryside #womensart
#summer #sunday

This is well worth a read. 30 years on, it remains one of the most shocking moments in postwar Japanese history - both the attack itself, on the Tokyo underground, and the fact that ordinary, intelligent young people had seen so little future for themselves in Japan that they joined a cult.

Fukushima City from the top of Shinobuyama; a good short, steep walk.

To Hakone!

Deep snow in Urabandai the past few days

"Twelfth Night Till Candlemas"

The story of a 40 year book-quest and of its remarkable ending

And about goblins and Christmas; the perils of ChatGPT; and the real value of librarians and so on

Substack emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...

Personal blog davidallengreen.com/2024/12/twel...

I don't see many long threads on here, but I'll try one - it's about Holbein's Ambassadors, his 1533 masterpiece in the National Gallery. It's often presented as a great mystery, but I think once we understand the circumstances in which it was made, its meaning becomes clearer.
1/

The large Torii at the entrance to Mimeguri shrine. Yellow gingko trees to the left. Blue sky.

If I could have just a moment of your time, I’d like to tell you a story about some trees, and a woman I met today at Mimeguri shrine. It will be dark at times and involve the incendiary bombing of a heavily populated civilian area, so content warnings may apply. 1/🧵

Top brass in town! The band of the Coldstream Guards were at the Embassy yesterday at the end of their Japan tour

The Berkley Center at Georgetown just published a short essay I wrote: "In Religion-Averse Japan, a Religion-Backed Party Remains Pivotal." I wrote this and then Komeito got hammered in the October election. However, I think what I write here holds true.

berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/in-rel...

Much enjoyed recording this IISS Japan Memo podcast on all things ‘deterrence’ with our luxury casting of Bill Emmott, Murano Masashi and Nanae Baldauff - some great detail & insights from our fantastic guests.
🎧 www.iiss.org/podcasts/jap...

He has excellent facial hair too.

A joke map of Tokyo’s Yamanote line, with all the station names “liberally” translated into English.

Hi! I am moving some of my favorite memes about Japan that I’ve made over the years across the abyss to a pinned post over here, so that we all may have a happy, new life together. Depending on how well you know me, this 🧵 will either be my informal self-introduction, or a blast from the past.

One of Tokyo’s rare green corridors, linking parts of Meguro, Sangenjaya and Shimo-Kitazawa. Like to imagine what Tokyo would be like with many more of these little oases

I was told it houses a ballroom, which is currently not used. A shocking state of affairs - they could easily turn it into a proper nightclub, surely? Nagatacho is missing a good drum n bass venue.

The lobby of Japan’s Diet is an under appreciated gem

At the Nikkei-CSIS annual shindig yesterday; some excellent people saying interesting things. Highlight was Joe Nye uttering the words ‘soft power’, which I guess for polscis is like seeing Paul McCartney play Eleanor Rigby?

Mark your calendars!

Carol Gluck's 2024 MJHA Distinguished Annual Lecture, titled "Thirteen Ways of Looking at Modern Japanese History: Time Past, Present, Future," will be Thursday, 12/5 from 7:00-8:30 pm ET (Friday 12/6 9:00-10:30 am JST)!

REGISTER FOR ZOOM HERE: mjha.org/event-5944148