RENKEI Review

Have a read of the blog I wrote for the Cabot Institute, University of Bristol.
It's all about my experiences during the RENKEI Summer School, Japan, focusing on Energy and Sustainability:
http://cabot-institute.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/energy-supply-experiences-of.html

September in Japan

It finally happened - a dream came true - I got to travel to Japan. As one may expect, I was overly excited by this occurrence. I have my sustainability work to thank for the opportunity, as I went to take part in a week long summer school in Tohoku University, part of the RENKEI programme which is a UK-Japan effort. This summer's theme was on Energy Supply within Traditional and Environmentally Conscious Growth Models. I am forever indebted to the University of Bristol for helping make it happen (PVC Nick Lieven for funding provided and Chris Willmore for accepting my application).

Prof. Nakata of Tohoku University presented on Energy and Communities, and acted as our lead academic for the week

While in the city of Sendai during my academic week, I travelled to the local incinerator plant (my first, and super clean), toured the local Toyota factory (very interesting), partook in lots of group work, attended a vast assortment of excellent lectures, and, on the last day, toured tsunami devastated regions to the north.

The best way to explain how incinerators work is, apparently, to use moving light up dinosaurs

We got behind the scenes at the Toyota factory and had talks by leading engineers and directors within the company

The tsunami devastation was contrasted with the scenic beauty that survived

After the week of serious learning, I took off on a roaring tour across Tokyo, Kyoto and Hakone with the fella. Madness ensued. Friends were made. We even invented a new game "Yoshi Soccer"* in a tiny tavern. Used tree-top-skimming glass boxes as transport. Ridiculous boats across volcanic lakes.Endured the Robot Restaurant (so shiny). Geeked out. Cuddle the cat café cats. Were *maid* to feel weird in the Maid Café. Climbed sky trees. Walk under bamboo groves. Witnessed the bling of the Golden Pavillion. Sank into steaming mountain water pools. Dressed in the finest kosode. Drank purple sweet potato milkshakes. Ate lots of things that we didn't understand. Galavanted around castles. Toured Buddhist shrines. Saw open air sculptures. Laughed at swan boats. Museumed. And other things.

Blingtastic. The Golden Pavillion, Kyoto

David Bowie, China and Crystal Balls

David Bowie's Labyrinth was a major part of my childhood and concreted ideas of what was mysterious and magical. One of the coolest parts of the movie was Bowie's crystal ball juggling scene.

See how I completely avoided any 'ball' related jokes....

What has that got to do with Archaeology or History, you ask? Nothing really, but by chance I found Penn Museum's incredible Chinese Rotunda section which features as its centre piece a perfect quartz crystal ball. This is the second largest in the world and absolutely stunning. Click here to see the museum's official photos.

Source: Penn Museum http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennmuseum/5527144310/in/set-72157620815557453

The base was designed by a Japanese artisan and really showcases the grace and simplicity of the crystal ball. The properties of quartz make the piece even more special: it has special optical properties because of the way light travels through the material... something about its structure atomic lattice. One of the easiest ways to observe such properties is the way it turns everything upside down and then creates a kind of double vision.

If you would like to know a bit more about the science of the quartz ball click here. The history of the piece is mind-blowing too. The text from the exhibition states:


An ornamental treasure of the Imperial palace in Beijing, the crystal sphere was said to have been a favorite possession of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1836 -1908 CE), under whose watch imperial China crumbled. The rock crystal originated in Burma and was shaped into a sphere though years of constant rotation in a semi-cylindrical container filled with emery, garnet powder, and water. The forty-nine pound flawless crystal sphere is believed to be the second largest in the world. The stand in the shape of a wave was designed by a Japanese artisan.

The Dogu of Japan and the 'Goddess' of Europe

A collection of tiny, broken ceramic feet, ornate goggle-eyed statues and the famed ‘Grimes Grave Goddess’ are among 100 prehistoric figurines going on show at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts next week to enable a comparison between a matching (but totally unconnected) tradition of human model making in Japan and Europe thousands of years ago.

‘Unearthed’ features six ornate Jomon figurines (known as dogu) from Japan which are up to 16,000 years old. The beautifully carved statues are remarkably well complimented by a collection of Neolithic and Eneolithic statues from the Balkans which date back 8,500 years.

The exhibition creators say the comparison of both sets of figures made by villagers in totally unconnected regions, has thrown up “intriguing similarities and differences.” Many of the statues have been made to be hand held and are typically about 5 cm in height (2.3cm at smallest). Both sets are made from similar materials and have breaks in similar places.

"There may never again be the chance to see this many ancient objects from the worlds' two great figurine traditions together in one exhibition. It is impossible to look at these evocative European figurines and Japanese dogu and not be transported to mystical worlds from deepest prehistory,” said the exhibition’s curator Douglass Bailey, of San Francisco State University.

Bailey said the exhibition’s purpose was to question the use of the figurines in both cultures to add to both an historical, anthropological and archaeological knowledge. He wants visitors to ask: What did these objects mean to their makers? Were they goddesses and gods? Were they toys? Were they portraits? To help explore these questions visitors to the exhibition will be given a biscuit-fired figurine by artist Sue Maufe.

“Small things, especially ones that look human, allow us to think about our place in the world in new ways. [The exhibition] develops this notion and creates fresh opportunities for us to reconsider who we were in the past, who we are today, and who we want to be,” said Andrew Cochrane, unearthed curator, University of East Anglia.

'Unearthed' opens on Tuesday 22nd June and runs until Saturday 29th August at the Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia, Norwich www.scva.org.uk

(Story Source)

Urban Archaeology of Japan

This is just strange

An Island Battleship and high-density urban ruins, you have to see the photos to really comprehend the strangeness

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2010/06/battleship-island-other-ruined-urban.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheThrillingWonderStory+(Dark+Roasted+Blend)&utm_content=Google+Reader

WWII Battlefield - Newly Discovered

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/07/lost-wwii-battlefield-found-war-dead-included/?hpt=C1

Lost WWII battlefield found -– war dead included

An Australian trekker said he has discovered the site of a significant World War II battle in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, complete with the remains of Japanese soldiers right where they fell almost 70 years ago.

The site about half a mile from the village of Eora Creek was believed to be the location of the last major battle that was pivotal in Australia’s campaign against the Japanese in Papau New Guinea.

Although the site was known to local villages, jungles reclaimed it after the battle of Eora Creek. Although locals hunted on the plateau surrounding the site, they avoided the 600-square-meter battle ground because of a belief that spirits of the dead were still present in the "lost battlefield."

What this means is that the site has apparently remained untouched since 1942.