Fukuoka Story

Friday, 18h November 2005
12:13 hrs
Dream Kawabata, Fukuoka

I have been really tired the past couple of days from the rehearsals, body all aching and muscles all pumping. Things are progressing pretty all right; the daily of routine of going to the museum back and forth the apartment is far becoming too comfortable somehow.

The other night, I had a culture shock somehow or rather, some of the museum staff brought us to an Indian restaurant from Calcutta (they had a flag of India outside the shop), the waitress spoke to us in Japanese.

I wouldn’t want to mention the price of the dinner, which was a simple chicken curry with rice, with the price of the dinner I could eat in Little India till I puke masala. All was good, I had craving for some spice anyway, so it didn’t matter.

The things I love about Japan are the toilets, you could sleep in them somehow, it so clinical that it is seldom that you could find stain or anything. And of course the singing convenience store staff that will greet you from the moment you enter, and will tell you the price of every single item you have bought.

They are so hardworking that you wonder about the pride in them working, in fact the service is so super excellent that at times they just get on your nerve. Especially when all you need is a peace of mind in the morning.

And I saw a street cleaner who was in suit sweeping the dirt of the road, everything is so unreal yet real. The cab drivers look like office workers with neck-ties and all so clean shaven.

There are mirrors everywhere, for people to make sure they look A-ok wherever they go.

Sunday, 20h November 2005
00:04 hrs
Dream Kawabata, Fukuoka

It is getting nearer to the performance date, one week has passed, and we are somehow or rather progressing to something we are not sure of. Yesterday, we had the chance to rehearse in City Hall, a community centre like space where there were a lot of senior citizens in Kimono. I think they were there for some traditional dance training or something.

Citra and myself have been observing the ladies, most of them have nice features, and we realised their heavy usage of cosmetics and the aesthetic (or illusion) of fashion. I can’t imagine how would they look when they wake up in the morning.

In the evening, I had a lot of free time, so we decided to explore Kawabata area; there are quite a number of those sleazy clubs and pubs with neon lights and posters of young Japanese in scanty clothes. It’s a totally strange situation I would say, there are things I can never explain about this strangely interesting culture.

The other night, after watching a traditional Japanese Kyogen, which I almost fell asleep, they suggested an Italian dinner. Citra and myself decided to split the scene and eat at Matsuya (similar to Yoshinoya), which is 10 times cheaper than eating in a restaurant.

Norico told me, the dinner was about ¥6000 (SGD90) per head, (thank god!), I don’t think I can afford any of those dinners. For a ¥600(SGD8) lunch/dinner is consider alright, in Singapore, eating in restaurants is like one of those rare occasion.