Focus-Shift Flower image

Somebody in the USA contacted me to use one of my old photo which was

taken by a technique of Focus Shift, hence the image has big off-focus

bokeh superimposed on it.  In fact I’ve published such photo many times

like this or this. (though, the gear used or the lens may not be the same)

And even there was such drastic approach.   🙂     But this time, focus ring

was moved manually, and in order to have a slower shutter speed, shooting

took place in the evening, under rather dim light.

And to make off-focus, shift to near or far, or the setting of F-aperture etc,

above all, how far the subject, will make the picture looks quite different.

(still, there is no fixed manner = it’s just case by case.   🙂  )

Funny things of Focus Shift is, first moment, it was focused to the main

subject, then move the focus, generally till completely out of focus though,

why not focused here and there.  = Two subjects will have each clear focus

(and bit of bokeh)  🙂

Camera used here was the Nikon D810 — having had 37Mp image-censor,

there are ample of space to crop the image.

A radio DJ mentioned Xmas —– Oh no, soon it will be the November

—– still, flower patch has few flowers left.    Thanks Goodness.

[]

Tofu-Tofu

Since last time when I’ve talked about how I was annoyed by the Chinese Tofu,

I didn’t have any Tofu cooking —– it has been completely disappeared from

my mind. (Same as like when I stopped to touch woman or smoking, or even

just stopped to go particular club or shop.)   A funny thing was, that Tofu has

been in my fridge, thus, seeing it everyday all through those period.   Though,

I didn’t even think about to chuck it away.  It was not exists in the world.   🙂

So, I don’t know why I got an idea to buy it again and make a particular

cooking. (That cooking will appear in this blog soon.)  

And for that, I did a special shopping at a Japanese food shop.  (Then

I noticed that the Japanese Tofu (though, they were made in USA) having

pretty long shelf life = enlarge the photo above to see each “sell by date” )

(Those Tofu I bought, were either made by Morinaga or House = both are

pretty big company thus, least likely do any cheating while taking a risk.)

—– And, I show you “That Tofu” after 7 months. (Photo above Right) =

looks quite edible if not poisonous.   Japanese Tofu sold in a Japanese

food shop is twice more expensive, therefore I never bought them before

—– but there is no alternative left to me. 

( And I’m not such keen to make a Tofu from the Soybean.  😀 )

And I didn’t know that the Japanese Tofu is having up-to 6 (six) different

grade of firmness ! = how civilized, how sophisticated !

= almost obsessive Japanese over quality !    😀

* * * * * * *

Incidentally, a feedback for eating “Japanese Tofu” first time was, — I’m

not necessary like Boxed Morinaga one. Their texture is artificially smooth =

almost plastically. —– I rather like to have more natural-food like uneven

texture = like the one, made by the House Food.

[]

Karmic Encounter or just a Coincidence ?

From Japan,  group of tourists are visiting northern India / Ladakh.

At the introduction meeting of one group, in a sheer coincidence,

two of the members found  that they’ve got a common connection.   

Both of them happen to be my old friend. 

The guy was a younger member of our Alpine Club and the lady used to

work in the Uni’s Herbalium = a part of the  Science Dept’ where I was

taking botanical photos and assisting their expeditions and field works.

So that, when I had my wedding party in the mountain hut, they were

invited and indeed, both of them were there — long time ago !   🙂

—————— (Some photographs of Ladakh from my friend)

In practice, their encounter wouldn’t have any  real implications to the

two and to myself —– still, it reminded me that I spent more time to deal

with Botanics in the Hervarium, than facing the Rock while I was in my Uni’.

= This fact seems crucial for me to stock-take my Life.

= It’s mean, I haven’t been in Ladakh, Himalaya, Patagonia etc etc, but what

I did for the Ogasawara Expedition left me more legacies, exactly like how

the life in the mountain shelter structured me, far more than the life in the

Alpine Club. (— sorry, I’ve gone too personal though, without having those

underline causes,  Yoshizen couldn’t be existed as I am now. )

It explained well, Yoshizen was not a man sitting on the rock but kneeling

down and watching the flowers.  — and I like this stance.

[]

It signified my approach to the Zen Buddhism.    Unlike a kind of guru who rely on

the maze of mambo-jumbo (so-called spiritualism), but me to approach the Buddhism

from the factual observation with scientific, neurophysiological aspect was correct.

As the result, to see the Mushin as a fatigue of one’s mind and the No-self as

the jump-process or no-tagging of the Emotion.  Those prosaic definition had no

glorious Mahayana like ornamentation though, have you ever read the words of

Lord Buddha with a mythical embellishment in the original Agama Sutra ?

Lord Buddha was a rational scientist, hence had no delusion or illusion.

So, the original teachings of Buddhism didn’t have any mambo-jumbo.

(In fact, there was an urgent needs to explain that there wouldn’t be any danger to

reborn to an animal or lower cast like as newly emerging “Hindu” preaches,

because everything exists in relation (Karma) to the others, when the body dies,

the soul dies too = nothing remain to reincarnates.    This was what

Lord Buddha taught then, 2500 years ago.  Anything else was a mix-up.)

___/\___

[]

Still, this is the Zen

Seeing a scratch on the surface of the washing-up

bowl in my kitchen which I’ve been using since I have  

started to live in this flat, I realised that the dirt or  

stubborn coating on the surface of this plastic bowl 

could be removed by just scouring hard.  —– I was 

thinking to remove such limescale mixed stubborn

dirt needs to use a strong chemical such as limescale

remover kind of acid.

—– There was the choices.  

Throw away old bowl and buy new one.

Anyhow, it was only a couple of pound cheap item though, strangely

I couldn’t find the same shaped one in any shop.  

Other choice was do nothing. = as it has been used 15 years, why not

another 15 years. — utterly lazy and sound hopeless though, to make

nothing happen is a kind of peaceful choice and cost nothing too.

One of the famous Japanese monk, Ryokan said to have one pail and

he used it for everything, to wash his foot to serve a rice.   So, use one

bowl only for washing-up many many years wouldn’t make any crime.

[]

If I can clean it by just scouring, why not to try. = When a spoon edge

made a scratch, a scouring pad made by metal mesh should work well.

—- So, I did. (to the half extent) It IS a simple work = just scouring,

scouring and scouring.  The more scour,  bowl become the cleaner.

While scouring, I just scouring (=Mindfulness) = no thinking.(Mind is

in the Mushin / Void state.)  

This is the Zen. —– soon or later, the bowl will get perfectly clean state. 

Exactly the same process, the Japanese Sword was perfected. (Strangely,

we aim always the better — who asked ? or because of our nature/Dharma)

You may laugh though, the bowl which became clean is the equivalent 

of the enlightened soul.

—– Yet another teachings may say,  neither a bowl nor soul kind of

things was there in the first place, who get enlightened ?

Good question.

___/\___

[]

Tokyo Dream Party

Somewhat coinciding with a Japan Matsuri, there was a Japan themed

extravaganza in a member’s club somewhere in the Mayfair, London.

It was organized by my friends, stage designers and a good coincidence,

it was a day, happen to be my birthday.

So, it was a great occasion to have a fun for the day — even if it was

not organized for me still, as those people are my longstanding friends,  

they sang “Happy birthday to you~” altogether = What an evening !

(but no birthday cake —– I wouldn’t ask too much.  Ha ha ha ) 

All those performers, musicians are the Japanese and sang Japanese song.  

Organizers are the party people = wearing Sushi jacket (mind you, none of

genuine Japanese Sushi restaurant people wearing Sushi Kimono. = such

crazy things happens only in this country.  lol ) 

And number of so-called Cos-ple (Anime costume player) girls.

They supposed to be Kawaii (cute) — are they ? — (I’m not sure.)

They said to be the Ninja. = it’s mean Kunoichi. (female Ninja)

Though, I wasn’t convinced.  They must be the comedian.

(BTW, the name Kunoichi came from the each element of

the letter 女(woman) く=ku，ノ=no，ー=ichi．They (said to have) 

used a Honey Trap as well, as a weapon. — How exciting ! )

MMM ? Who ?  80s Japanese group, Frank Chickens ?

And, another (are they ?)— anyhow I don’t know the song. ( I’m 浦島太郎ね）

They are the very sexy performers. = supposed to be the Taiko drummer.

Drumming well, though I’m not sure of the jumping flesh.

Then, here comes so-called Yuru-chara — kind of stuffed toy / Mascot.

Organizer brought an automatic bending machine — this one sells

many sorts of pants / knickers. (for women — but not necessary.)  

It could be a great opportunity for a solemn faced gentleman to explore 

the taste without facing a shop assistant or giveaway a personal data to

a net shopping. —– still, are you sure no hidden camera watching ?

And Puri-cla  (Print club) = Photo machine with a lots of fun collage.

= a fun for the Japanese teens and a fun for the English grown-ups.

So, it was a good fun and the pleasure to be in an extravaganza,

which made a day for my celebration. = (Sure — now I feel older !  Ha ha ha)

(And this is my 800th post.)

[]

Japan Matsuri 2015

It was a Japan Matsuri = Annual Festival today at Trafalgar Square Central London.  

There said to be a performance of Taiko Drumming though, before I got there.

(and long after I left = 7 o’clock evening)  The weather was fine — in fact too fine.  🙂

Normally not, but I did come this time with a hunch to bump somebody

— and surely I did.

Why “normally I wouldn’t” was that because, I’m not so sociable person to the

general public, likewise, I don’t do any SNS.   Yet still, I have many friends

— though some of them, not seen so many years. ~ ~ ~ then, bump

the person in this kind of event. —– And I did today.

So-called Matsuri = Fest’ and its stage show seemed to be so and so

— or I would rather say, shabby. (No karaoke please.  lol)

(Photo by 500mm F8 Mirror lens)

May be the most typical JAPANESE phenomenon

= manga drawing panel (Photo left)

And Origami tuition / demonstration (Photo middle)

Surprisingly, Blush Calligraphy was pretty popular. 

Somebody was selling Kaki-goori /Ice Flappe (?) — What ! ?  £5 — Oh Com’n.

Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuke stricken Fukushima people was selling noodles.

— ?    I couldn’t find what was the connection.  (Photo right)   lol

And Fukushima shop soled me their local rice (Koshihikari) 500g Sample  for £3 = !

(Which was sold in Japan 10Kg for £18) = may be a support donation included !)

In fact Quite a lot of food stall. (Photo left) = Bento / Lunch box = £10 — what ?

I don’t know what was “that” in the Photo middle.  Photo right = Takoyaki. 

      The visitor must be noticed that the very peculiar things in this Fest’ = 

other than the food stall, there is almost nothing else = no stall of campaign,

such as Eco, Green issue, no appeal for Help / Donation even for recent flood.

No appeal of voluntary / community activity group. = In fact, this was not for

the japanese community = therefore, more than half (even 60~70%) of the

visitors were non Japanese. = so that, very few Japanese Cos’Ple girls there.

Among the Japanese, there must be very strong feeling of the Peace Issue now

which has been triggered by the recent change of the Diffence law.

—– But such movement has been completely hidden-away, because Japanese

establishment is far busier against the threat from the Chinese expansionism.

It is so funny to see a difference. Chinese is brandishing their military might and

Japanese is pretending to talk about the taste of a noodle. The timid dog barks.

—– So that, the funny irony was, Chinese couldn’t broadcast their military parade

without the Sony or Panasonic equipment NOR their military system doesn’t

function at all without relying on the Japanese components. lol.

Nevertheless, it was a nice day-out for me.

[]

禅における Detachment = 無着無住の意味

表題としたこの言葉は，実は検策の為に書込まれ，ここにやって来た

もののーつです。簡単に言えば参禅者からの質問という事でしょう。

－－－で，この機会を使ってこれに対する僕流の所見を書いてみます。

　　禅を云々する上で最も決定的な大前提となるのは「禅は到達する

境地ではなく，悟りに至るプロセス，単なる作業修業のーつである」

という事です。禅は月ではなくそれを指す指，あるいは指している動作

に過ぎません。＝　ではその動作がいかにして悟りにつながるのか？　　

これは仏教史の中で完璧に見過ごされて来た事ですが，仏教の修業，

勤行の延々と続く繰り返しの中に鍵があったのです。

仮にぐるぐると歩くにしろ，太鼓をたたき続けるにしろ，延々と

続く作業の神経情報処理は人間の脳内でルーチンとして自動的に

処理されるようになり，一方延々と繰返される刺激に対しては

情動的閾値が髙くなり無感動で処理されるようになります。

これは毎日座り続ける座禅においても同様で，遅かれ早かれ人間の頭

には全作業を自動的，かつ無感情で処理する習慣が身についていきます。

実はこれが禅で言う無我無心に外ならず，このメンタリティを持って

物事に対処する事が無着無住と言う事です。

－－－で，これが悟りとどう関わるのか？　

＝執着を離れ，情動に翻弄される事も無くなったら，後いったい何の

気懸り苦労が残るのか？　気懸りなしに生きられるなら，そうして

気懸りなしに死んで往けるならこれ以上の自由（解脱）は無い訳です。

つまりこれが涅槃です。

－－－－－（あっけに取られたとか？）

___/\___

——————————————

追記：

反覆動作のルーチン化とか毎日通り過ぎる道端の看板を見飽きて

それが全く気に止まらなくなる（存在しているにもかかわらず，

存在しないのと同様になってしまう）現象は，本人が自分で経験

して把み取る以外には学びようがないものです。

つまり無我無心，無着無住と簡単に言う事はできても，

こればかりは人から教えられ言葉の意味を理解しても本人が

経験して身につけない限りは何の足しにもなりません。

何故ならそれは知的理解ではなく脳内での情報処理の短絡化＝

情動域（＝偏桃体＝入力された情報に自己帰属の夕グを付ける＝

所有物や家族を見分けられる）の関与の排除，そこでの処理の

ジャンプ（自己意識抜きに物事を処理する）なのでこの回路が

作られない限り無心としての処理は機能しない。

理屈や知識では自転車に乗れるようにならないのと同じです。

現実には直弟子ですら必ずしもそれを体得できていなかった為に

釈尊はいまわの際になってすら｢人の言葉を信じるな。自分で

体得せよ」と繰返さねばならなかったのです。

逆に見れば，仏教史に登場する異説異論は実は無我無心を体得

できなかった者が，その言い訳，目くらましの為にいい加減な

作り話しをやっていたのではとの疑いが涌いてきます。

この点から見ると龍樹（ナガールジュナ）あたりが最もクサい。

本当に無心無住の境に達していた人間がはたして龍宮のハナシまで

デッチ上げて，あそこまで派手なセールスキャンペーンをやるか？？？

『大乗印のエスパーベルト，これであなたも即，菩薩に変身〜！』

えっ！？冗談でしょ？

（実践に依る人間改造ではなく，思い込みを利用した盲信への変質です）

————————————

My old Basket

I found 130 years old photos of Japan, pretty well hand-colored and preserved.  

Among them, this was a photo of a Basket maker and his work samples.

(This is a studio set-up photo by an Italian Photographer

— Photo Credit / 1886-Japon-Adolfo Farsari )

It’s amazing to see, the technique and the design hasn’t been changed much

—– I mean, if anybody still doing it somewhere in the world.

And funnily enough, I have one which has been with my life (mostly in the

mountain) for the past 50 years or more !

I bought this when we went to a mountain in the northern Japan, I found it in 

a local shop.  = it may looks a bit odd taste for a techno orientated Hi-school boy,

though I was a very opinionated noisy student, a sort of a nemesis of the school

authority then.  And I had a view to feel shame for the loss of the traditional

culture and the crafts.   Not because of a nostalgic feeling, but I did know such 

kind of crafts could be much suited for the daily life and even stronger for a long 

term use, as its historical fact = it has been kept used 100s of the years by the folks

= it’s mean, it has been repeatedly modified and refined. = it IS the

manifestation of the accumulated wisdom came from user’s side, not from the

head-big designer or the seller’s side !

And after so many years of the journeys and the climbs, it’s mean packed tight

in the backpack, tumbled, pressurized etc all sorts of hard use, still my basket is 

almost intact because of its flexibility.    It has been used not just packing

important items such as toolbox, first-aid kit, survival food, money, train ticket 

etc but also it was my pillow in the tent or where ever.  In any emergency,  grub 

it and jump-out the tent and run. (if we noticed a flush-flood or avalanche kind

is coming) —– In real life, once I run-away (to the side) from an avalanche and

move the tent just before a flush-flood came down, so not much serious trouble

I actually experienced.  (other than, hard climbing itself.  🙂 )

[]

You may wonder, why I didn’t use plastic container.    In fact I did, though,

they didn’t work well in the Winter mountain where the temperature goes down

minus 20~30 degree C. = they easily break.   And the another disadvantage of

the plastic container was,  when the water get inside, it stayed there for ever.

(They are not water tight = when they got pressure, their rid easily come off)

—– So, I’ve been happily together with Bamboo.   🙂

[]

 

Mountain Tool box

Ideally, in here I should put a story and the photos from mountain or

at least a kind of hill walking.    Ideally from Scotland or North Wales —

if not, at least South Down somewhere. — That’s what I’ve been thinking

though, now I would say “Shame” it may no longer a viable idea.

I missed the boat.

= As a consequence, quite a few of my possessions became redundant.

(Still, such as a tent could be used for a camping, and a cooking burner

for a party use etc — typically, a multi function knife is in my daily use.)

Among those who became redundant, my Mountain Tool Box must be the

top of “the object de reminisce”.  

This was a Box accompanying me almost all of my active life more than 55 years

and in the mountain, this box could acted as the last resources for a survival. 

(Over so many years, many of the original members were broken or replaced

by the better tool. —– So that, in the photo above, only a Pocket Torch Light,

2 Screwdrivers, a Tweezer and the small boxes with its contents remain original.)

Specially designed Sewing kit in a match-box (left photo )

Screws and the Nats etc and a Razor blade (center photo) = (If 

anybody got Appendicitis, this Razer could be used for operation)  🙂

Spare-parts for Oil Burner and the Rivets etc (photo right)

Burner then was either kerosene use Radius, or white spirit use Phoebus.

And in the Alpine Club I only know how to repair, hence kept the spare

parts.  So, this box was expected to have everything for repair work. (from

mending a Climbing Boots, stitch-up the Tent to tighten-up loose gear)

And in the mountain, able to put a

fire could be the most crucial matter

for a survival.  Keep a match dry was

always a headache.

(Cheap gas-lighter wasn’t common then)

So, I kept a gas-bombe type gas lighter

for the last resources.

(After over 50 years, gas-bombe is still full !)  —– and I reflect, it wasn’t a bad 

start for a Hi-school boy to prepare and organize a Tool-box in this extent while

giving the detailed foresight of what sort of repair work could happen.  

—– And it made me think, “Is this kind of mindset (prepare to fight-off all

the trouble beforehand) affected the Karma to exclude me to get an accident”.

= It is the question, when the burner was broken down —– frozen to death is

a natural fate, or the Karma gave me the way to fight-off ?   Good Question.

[]

Artcore Int’ Exhibition

There is an Exhibition of the Artcore International at the Bird’s Nest Pub in

the Deptford, London —– in fact, it coincided with their event called Nestival

with a lots of live music.  

You may find a lots of info’ here.     

https://www.facebook.com/events/382090185319668/

In fact, what exhibited there was a collection of weird images = almost

obsessively,  painstakingly created drawings, sculptures.

(thanks goodness not a kind of “So-called” conceptual art but has substance)

(sorry, so many artists and their works, I couldn’t name and credit each one

= if you are interested in, please visit there as it’s opens till 26th Sept’ )

The exhibition was organized by Joefur and Kevin who were the 

artists of Minesweeper Collective.   The Tyre Creature, (Photo above)

= Dragon ?  or huge Rezard ? looks amazingly realistic.  🙂

(Sorry, this picture = lefthand side = Top )

As I reported before, Deptford (next to Greenwich) is a weird artistic town.

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/deptford-art-or-odd/

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/graffiti-in-deptford/

  <<   https://yoshizen.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/spiritual-deptford/

So the Bird’s Nest seems to be a kind of community center, gathering point.

And it is a rare kind of pub always playing Punk, Sexpistol like music —–

the reflection of the local folks’ psych.   Good !     🙂

[]