The Great Happiness Space (2006)
It’s a story about the hosts in Japan, men who work in bars that provide women with companionship. I’m not selling it well, but..it’s really, really interesting. About the dynamics of people’s need, the women seem really resolved to understand what they’re doing at these clubs, except you wonder about the illusion that spending creates love.
I dunno, but it’s an interesting experience in sadness.
For those of us born as samurai, life is something else. We know the path of duty and we follow it without question. But even that may not be easy because there may be insurmountable obstacles. Such as what that blind beggar faces. He might have a secret dream of revenge against an oppressor too. He might have justice on his side as we do now, but there is nothing he can do about it. I say we’re lucky-we know what has to be done and it’s within out capability to make it happen!
…Remember, there’s sacrifice involved in any kind of life. Even the man who chooses the safe way has to give up the thrill of combat. The point is that once you know what you want, you must be prepared to sacrifice everything to get it. Those who realize this are the fortunate ones. Those who know and can try. What more can a man ask for than that?”
Puffy Ami Yumi - Jet Keisatsu & Umi eto
Fast forward to about 3 minutes in…Umi eto rocks my face.
…The type of loneliness where you need to keep struggling to accept a situation is fundamentally different than the sort you know you’ll get through if you just hang in there.
Now serving..967. Genmaicha. Aka, Japanese popcorn tea. No don’t worry, you don’t put butter in it. It’s actually a mixture of green tea and roasted brown rice. The brown rice sometimes pops during roasting and resembles popcorn, hence the name. It has a kind of nutty, roasty flavour which comes from the rice. Unique- try it!
Just when you thought things were bad in your neighborhood…
The rent is surprisingly high for such a small space: 59,000 yen a month, or about $640, for an upper bunk. But with no upfront deposit or extra utility charges, and basic amenities like fresh linens and free use of a communal bath and sauna, the cost is far less than renting an apartment in Tokyo, Mr. Nakanishi says.
Still, it is a bleak world where deep sleep is rare. The capsules do not have doors, only screens that pull down. Every bump of the shoulder on the plastic walls, every muffled cough, echoes loudly through the rows.
For Some in Japan, Home Is a Tiny Plastic Bunk
This would most certainly cause me a great deal of grief, given my claustrophobia. I can’t even imagine…
