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xlix.me
Hiro Ohta
@xlix.me
4K followers 1K following 1.6K posts
Investor. Author. Tokyo explorer. Zen perspectives chronicler. XLIX is the name of my private office. 49 symbolizes where end meets beginning.

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xlix.me
Hiro Ohta @xlix.me · Apr 17
If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.

- Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood
PHOTO by Quang Vuong - A narrow aisle stretches deep into a monochrome labyrinth of tall bookshelves, packed tightly with aged spines and endless stories. Overhead signs mark categories—Poetry, U.S. History, Literary Bios—dangling above the quiet corridor. A lone step ladder waits mid-path, inviting the seeker upward. Fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow, yet the space feels timeless, suspended between thought and memory. The silence is thick, broken only by the imagined rustle of turning pages.
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
Cities are what happen when collective fictions become concrete.
Photo by Erik Eastman. A bustling Tokyo street at night glows with neon signs in vivid blues, reds, and yellows. Crowds fill the crosswalk beneath the towering Hotel Gracery, where a Godzilla head juts out above colorful advertisements. The energy is electric, framed by a canyon of glowing storefronts and screens under a dark sky.
December 26, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
A golden seam splits dream and stream, turning dusk into a theme.
Photo by Malte Schmidt. A wide avenue cuts through a canyon of towering skyscrapers as the sun sets behind the Chrysler Building, casting a golden glow through the urban corridor. Cars with headlights on cruise the lanes, their motion gentle in the deepening dusk. The contrast of light and shadow draws the eye toward the fading warmth on the horizon.
December 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM
xlix.me
Cities are what happen when collective fictions become concrete.
Photo by Erik Eastman. A bustling Tokyo street at night glows with neon signs in vivid blues, reds, and yellows. Crowds fill the crosswalk beneath the towering Hotel Gracery, where a Godzilla head juts out above colorful advertisements. The energy is electric, framed by a canyon of glowing storefronts and screens under a dark sky.
December 26, 2025 at 8:31 AM
xlix.me
A golden seam splits dream and stream, turning dusk into a theme.
Photo by Malte Schmidt. A wide avenue cuts through a canyon of towering skyscrapers as the sun sets behind the Chrysler Building, casting a golden glow through the urban corridor. Cars with headlights on cruise the lanes, their motion gentle in the deepening dusk. The contrast of light and shadow draws the eye toward the fading warmth on the horizon.
December 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
mergina.bsky.social
When wonking...
xlix.me Hiro Ohta @xlix.me · 15d
When thinking, think. When walking, walk.
Photo by Clément Proust. Feet in worn sneakers stand on a rain-darkened path scattered with maple leaves in shades of gold, ember, and deep plum. The colors drift across the ground like a slow tide of autumn, each leaf holding a trace of the season’s fading warmth.
December 26, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
The light of the mountain lodge shows how far we have evolved—and how fragile we remain.
Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger. A serene mountain scene at dusk, with a snow-capped peak towering over a dense forest. Nestled beside a calm lake, a warmly lit house reflects in the still water, creating a mirror image. The tranquility of nature in winter, untouched and peaceful.
December 11, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
When thinking, think. When walking, walk.
Photo by Clément Proust. Feet in worn sneakers stand on a rain-darkened path scattered with maple leaves in shades of gold, ember, and deep plum. The colors drift across the ground like a slow tide of autumn, each leaf holding a trace of the season’s fading warmth.
December 11, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
Benkei Moat in central Tokyo. A section of the former Edo Castle outer moat, with a boathouse, stone bridge, and surrounding office buildings along the water.
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. A narrow moat in central Tokyo with still water, a small boathouse and dock on the left, a stone bridge crossing the moat, trees lining the banks, and modern office buildings rising in the background.
December 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
Inspiration visits with the drink, leaves before the bill.

Toranomon, Tokyo
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. Hotel Okura Tokyo, Toranomon, Tokyo.
December 25, 2025 at 3:40 AM
xlix.me
Like a lotus emerging from muddy waters, our inner beauty blooms amidst life’s challenges.
Photo by Annie Spratt. A pale lotus flower opens on dark water, its layered petals tinted white and soft pink around a warm center. Broad lily pads float nearby, mottled with age and moisture. The surrounding surface fades into shadow, drawing focus to the single bloom rising gently above the water, balanced and self-contained within the pond.
December 25, 2025 at 8:49 AM
xlix.me
If you have time to spare, meditate for 15 minutes now. If you don’t, meditate for 60 now.
Photo by Kevin Charit. A low seat rests on a tatami floor facing a wide wooden-framed window. Beyond the glass, layered garden pines and fresh green leaves fill the view, trimmed into rounded forms. Light filters through foliage, creating depth between interior shadow and the vivid textures of the garden, suggesting a place meant for pause and attentive looking.
December 25, 2025 at 8:48 AM
xlix.me
Benkei Moat in central Tokyo. A section of the former Edo Castle outer moat, with a boathouse, stone bridge, and surrounding office buildings along the water.
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. A narrow moat in central Tokyo with still water, a small boathouse and dock on the left, a stone bridge crossing the moat, trees lining the banks, and modern office buildings rising in the background.
December 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
xlix.me
Inspiration visits with the drink, leaves before the bill.

Toranomon, Tokyo
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. Hotel Okura Tokyo, Toranomon, Tokyo.
December 25, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
xlix.me
Some live within time, others within rhythm.

Capitol Hotel, Tokyo
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Nagatacho, Tokyo.
December 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
xlix.me
We cross the street not to reach a destination, but to drift through the fiction of going.
Photo by Ryoji Iwata. Overhead view of a large city intersection where diagonal crosswalks form a geometric pattern. Dozens of people move in different directions across white stripes on dark asphalt. Long shadows stretch beside each figure, turning movement into layered shapes. Clothing colors and walking speeds vary, suggesting many individual paths sharing one brief crossing before separating again.
December 24, 2025 at 8:19 AM
xlix.me
Old religions hollowed out. Capitalism took their place. Work more. Consume more. Desire more. Happiness waits at the end. People believed the promise. They obeyed it. Human history has never seen a faith with believers this loyal.
Photo by Elena Golovchenko. A towering Christmas tree rises against a deep night sky, its branches layered with warm white lights and dense ornaments. Candy shapes, small houses, ribbons, and figures scatter across the green, while a glowing blue star crowns the top. Snowflakes drift through the darkness, turning the illuminated tree into a beacon of winter celebration and gathered warmth.
December 24, 2025 at 8:17 AM
xlix.me
Some live within time, others within rhythm.

Capitol Hotel, Tokyo
Photo by Hiro Ohta with iPhone. The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Nagatacho, Tokyo.
December 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
xlix.me
My new book is out today. It’s in Japanese for now. But an English edition may come later.
xlix.bsky.social 大田比路｜Hiro Ohta @xlix.bsky.social · 3d
テック資本主義超入門
2025年12月発売
KADOKAWA刊
大田比路著

Hiro Ohta, Tech Capitalism Essentials: A Chronicle from Web to X, and Beyond (in Japanese)

www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4046077808
書籍紹介画像。左側には「19世紀のカモは労働者だった。20世紀のカモは消費者だった。21世紀のカモは参加者だった」という短いフレーズが並ぶ。右側には「テック資本主義超入門」というタイトルが縦書きで書かれた書籍表紙が見える。著者は大田比路、出版社はKADOKAWA、2025年12月発売。 A book promotional image. On the left, short phrases read, “The suckers of the 19th century were workers. The suckers of the 20th century were consumers. The suckers of the 21st century were participants.” On the right is a book cover titled Tech Capitalism Essentials: A Chronicle from Web to X, and Beyond. The author is Hiro Ohta. Published by KADOKAWA, scheduled for release in December 2025.
December 23, 2025 at 11:21 AM
xlix.me
You are the sea, not in it but be sea, endlessly thee.
Photo by Ave Calvar Martinez. Calm, dark teal water stretches into a foggy blue horizon. The waves are gentle, creating soft ripples across the surface. No land or objects are visible, only water fading into mist, evoking stillness and depth without end.
December 23, 2025 at 8:05 AM
xlix.me
Be grateful for the box itself. Do not seek meaning in its contents.
Photo by Alexey Demidov. A small rectangular gift box rests on a wooden surface. The lid is wrapped in textured gray paper, tied with twine, and accented by a narrow ribbon with tiny dots. A sprig of evergreen lies beneath the knot. Soft, warm light shapes the box against a blurred green background, suggesting care, patience, and a moment set aside.
December 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
michelbestaat.thereforeiam.eu
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘪𝘴 𝔀𝓱𝔂 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝕊𝕜𝕪𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕖𝕣
xlix.me Hiro Ohta @xlix.me · 18d
The more capitalism advances, the more human thinking converges toward one direction.
A comparative visual showcasing the evolution of luxury brand logos, shifting from intricate, serif-based designs to minimalist, bold sans-serif styles. Brands like Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Burberry, Berluti, and Balmain exemplify this trend toward streamlined and standardized typography, reflecting modern branding aesthetics that prioritize simplicity and uniformity.
December 22, 2025 at 9:20 PM
xlix.me
You’re not walking through the world. You’re becoming it.
Photo by Renjith Tomy Pkm. A hazy landscape stretches under a pale sky, where a lone figure walks across open grassland near a distant lake. Two tall trees stand together on a gentle slope to the left, their silhouettes calm and still. The muted tones and open space evoke a quiet sense of solitude and distance.
December 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
xlix.me
From gene to cuisine, unseen design between.
Photo by Dilara. A rustic wooden table holds a bowl filled with freshly shelled green peas, surrounded by plump pea pods. The bowl rests on a textured blue cloth, contrasting the earthy tones and vibrant green. One pod is open, revealing its round contents, inviting a quiet appreciation of nature’s symmetry and color.
December 22, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
joelamport.bsky.social
@xlix.me - thought you might like this one:

words are like icebergs
so much of what they mean lies
beneath the surface

#haiku #senryu
#zenmeme
December 21, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Hiro Ohta
olambrillas.bsky.social
"The lovers"
xlix.me Hiro Ohta @xlix.me · 5d
You open the door to find yourself already inside.
Photo by Denise Jaouadi. A minimalist white building under a deep blue sky features two yellow doors—one at rooftop level and one just below—connected by a diagonal red staircase. A narrow vertical ladder ascends beside them. The scene is quiet and geometric, with subtle rooftop equipment and a flag adding delicate detail.
December 21, 2025 at 9:47 AM