Good Developments

After a relaxing, head-clearing trip out of the concrete jungles of Tokyo and into the green jungles Hakone for a one day/night stay at a hot springs resort (chocolate hot springs! green tea! wine!!) and traditional Japanese hotel, I have made some encouraging developments. While on the trip, I pressed my Tokyo University friends about Shimokitazawa and if they knew anyone who lived there/hung out there. One member of the program (Harvard College in Asia Program) where I met these students in February lives and frequents the area (he wasn't on the Hakone trip though). They said they would contact him for me but warned that he is 'difficult'. Unsure of what that means, I went ahead and contacted him via Facebook on my own as well.

Anyway, the real windfall came on Monday, when my grad student friend that I met through someone at the film festival, Colin, took me to a small alternative/countercultural bookstore that opens its doors as a cafe once a week. The walls were lined with posters of protest events and festivals and the people seemed interesting, but it was when one of them pulled out a jew's harp and started jamming and putting every one in various states of trance that I knew I was in a special place. Tuesday night, I went to a house that Masa has opened up as a cheap living space for people left home and or jobless due to the economy. The room we were in was sort of a communal space, with different art projects by members lining the walls and ceiling. I met Adachi, a man who works as a caretaker for the elderly by day and a didgeridoo performer and activist (some say communist!) by night and weekends. Together him and Masa are organizing a 'peace and freedom' music and art festival outside of Tokyo in an abandoned elementary school in early August. Masa is also a key player in the Save Shimokitazawa movement against the proposed redevelopment of parts of the city. They do 'sound demonstrations' in front of government buildings in protest! So I've told them all about my project and they are enthusiastically interested and want to be a part of it. I've already gotten go ahead to come to people's homes. I basically can't believe how quickly I found this group of very interesting people who are so friendly and so willing to help me (then I think about the disaster that was the last three weeks and I get over it). Masa speaks some English, but luckily my friend Shiho, who does speak English, has taken a strong interest in the project and people as well and wants to help me as much as possible. It seems as though pieces are coming together in a way that I did not expect AT ALL, and with people/a place that is completely different than what I had planned on, but nonetheless much more interesting and exciting to me. Between all of the protests and performances they have told me about it seems like there will be a lot that I can film, and the major challenge at this point will be figuring out how to focus and pull the different threads and people together into a story, which like Ty, I want. I am thinking that the Monday night cafe can be a central scene, since it is where a lot of these people come and go, talk and perform. I just have to figure out who, in addition to Masa, I will want to go more in depth with. Based on where I've come from and what I've said, does anyone have feedback regarding this group of people or any ideas with how to proceed? I'm very excited about it, especially since they are all so friendly and inviting (and chill!), but just need to figure out how to proceed with shooting and focusing in on what matters. I have 7 full weeks left in Tokyo. I perceive the language barrier continuing to be frustrating, but I have some help so I am confident I will be able to work through it.

So far all the feedback I've received has been really helpful, so please keep it coming--thanks!