ama
@amasugiru.bsky.social
★ art, comics, games, archaeology, heritage, & museums ★
research fellow at hokkaido university
all views are my own
research fellow at hokkaido university
all views are my own
One thing I noticed during my tour of the northern Jomon sites were the facilities, specifically the bathrooms. Japan is notorious for its state-of-the-art toilets, but they also have squat toilets. I spent part of the trip comparing them and wondering if its tied in with funding distribution.
October 23, 2025 at 10:46 PM
One thing I noticed during my tour of the northern Jomon sites were the facilities, specifically the bathrooms. Japan is notorious for its state-of-the-art toilets, but they also have squat toilets. I spent part of the trip comparing them and wondering if its tied in with funding distribution.
In regards to city foxes, I don’t hear enough about those that call Sapporo home. The Shinkansen construction destroyed a large green space in the city, but it seems they still move through its remains. Luckily the botanical gardens and luxury housing grounds offer sanctuary in the immediate area.
October 23, 2025 at 1:20 AM
In regards to city foxes, I don’t hear enough about those that call Sapporo home. The Shinkansen construction destroyed a large green space in the city, but it seems they still move through its remains. Luckily the botanical gardens and luxury housing grounds offer sanctuary in the immediate area.
Met up with a friend who gave me a belated birthday present. She was worried I always got archaeology themed gifts. I told her that I, frankly, do not get enough, especially since Japan has top tier goods. I love my new bag charms.
October 17, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Met up with a friend who gave me a belated birthday present. She was worried I always got archaeology themed gifts. I told her that I, frankly, do not get enough, especially since Japan has top tier goods. I love my new bag charms.
Looking through my photos, and I forgot to share one of my favorite parts of my Golden Jomon trip: Cultural Property Battle cards. Their stats are: Designation, Est. value, Rarity, Period. These are from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture. I would have absolutely tried to find them all with time.
October 16, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Looking through my photos, and I forgot to share one of my favorite parts of my Golden Jomon trip: Cultural Property Battle cards. Their stats are: Designation, Est. value, Rarity, Period. These are from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture. I would have absolutely tried to find them all with time.
I do hope so! This is where my head goes when I try to conceptualize the two traits coexisting.
October 9, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I do hope so! This is where my head goes when I try to conceptualize the two traits coexisting.
#archInk2025 Day 2: Shell
During prep, the Conch of Teleportation reminded me of oracle bones, divinatory records from the Shang. They feature some of the earliest writing in China. I thought dragon turtles, taken from Chinese mythological creatures, would help expand a focus on Chinese archaeology.
During prep, the Conch of Teleportation reminded me of oracle bones, divinatory records from the Shang. They feature some of the earliest writing in China. I thought dragon turtles, taken from Chinese mythological creatures, would help expand a focus on Chinese archaeology.
October 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
#archInk2025 Day 2: Shell
During prep, the Conch of Teleportation reminded me of oracle bones, divinatory records from the Shang. They feature some of the earliest writing in China. I thought dragon turtles, taken from Chinese mythological creatures, would help expand a focus on Chinese archaeology.
During prep, the Conch of Teleportation reminded me of oracle bones, divinatory records from the Shang. They feature some of the earliest writing in China. I thought dragon turtles, taken from Chinese mythological creatures, would help expand a focus on Chinese archaeology.
#archInk2025 Day 1: Pigment
Back at it with a D&D bend. Today’s piece is Nolzur’s Marvelous Pigments. The item text says you can dip a brush right in, but pigments are technically the colorant. You can use them dry, but painting needs a binder. So I imagined some natural sources and the medium.
Back at it with a D&D bend. Today’s piece is Nolzur’s Marvelous Pigments. The item text says you can dip a brush right in, but pigments are technically the colorant. You can use them dry, but painting needs a binder. So I imagined some natural sources and the medium.
October 1, 2025 at 3:23 PM
#archInk2025 Day 1: Pigment
Back at it with a D&D bend. Today’s piece is Nolzur’s Marvelous Pigments. The item text says you can dip a brush right in, but pigments are technically the colorant. You can use them dry, but painting needs a binder. So I imagined some natural sources and the medium.
Back at it with a D&D bend. Today’s piece is Nolzur’s Marvelous Pigments. The item text says you can dip a brush right in, but pigments are technically the colorant. You can use them dry, but painting needs a binder. So I imagined some natural sources and the medium.
Current wishlist: a postdoc that lets me disappear into a hole and draw archaeology and heritage comics/graphic novels while my brain reboots from phd and field school burnout.
Does it exist? Can it exist? Asking for me.
Does it exist? Can it exist? Asking for me.
August 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Current wishlist: a postdoc that lets me disappear into a hole and draw archaeology and heritage comics/graphic novels while my brain reboots from phd and field school burnout.
Does it exist? Can it exist? Asking for me.
Does it exist? Can it exist? Asking for me.
Over a week into the field season and I’m considering disappearing into the hills and never returning. At least the views are pretty from a spot that took 10+ years to reach.
August 10, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Over a week into the field season and I’m considering disappearing into the hills and never returning. At least the views are pretty from a spot that took 10+ years to reach.
Hokudai’s museum had a curious cutout of what I assume is the anime mascot and her cat Schrödinger for the Physics department. I support the development of more departmental mascots and the eventually gatcha game provided it supports campus infrastructure.
August 7, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Hokudai’s museum had a curious cutout of what I assume is the anime mascot and her cat Schrödinger for the Physics department. I support the development of more departmental mascots and the eventually gatcha game provided it supports campus infrastructure.
I wanted to be Scully, but I'll settle with working with her... And the only thing I know about Jughead is he is ace, so I'll take that.
(PS: this quiz is homophobic. It basically called me a mopey queer. )
(PS: this quiz is homophobic. It basically called me a mopey queer. )
May 20, 2025 at 2:55 AM
I wanted to be Scully, but I'll settle with working with her... And the only thing I know about Jughead is he is ace, so I'll take that.
(PS: this quiz is homophobic. It basically called me a mopey queer. )
(PS: this quiz is homophobic. It basically called me a mopey queer. )
I've been quiet lately while submitting and defending my PhD in Japanese. I'm still not sure I'm qualified, but here we are. Amid the chaos I took a drawing break. Anxiety insisted it be “productive,” so I made a design for the WAC poster. It’s “very imaginative,” and I’m good with that.
May 9, 2025 at 1:25 AM
I've been quiet lately while submitting and defending my PhD in Japanese. I'm still not sure I'm qualified, but here we are. Amid the chaos I took a drawing break. Anxiety insisted it be “productive,” so I made a design for the WAC poster. It’s “very imaginative,” and I’m good with that.
I finally made it to Sannai Maruyama in Aomori. We started our visit with a stop at the restaurant, which offered a Jomon parfait. Please know, I excavated the layers as carefully as I could to preserve the stratigraphy.
May 4, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I finally made it to Sannai Maruyama in Aomori. We started our visit with a stop at the restaurant, which offered a Jomon parfait. Please know, I excavated the layers as carefully as I could to preserve the stratigraphy.
I couldn’t bring myself to buy these. I’ve seen better haniwa gatcha… I can’t believe I now have standards for haniwa merchandizing.
March 9, 2025 at 6:22 AM
I couldn’t bring myself to buy these. I’ve seen better haniwa gatcha… I can’t believe I now have standards for haniwa merchandizing.
Jomon Dogū Bibi-chan made an appearance at the Sapporo Snow Festival!!!
February 8, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Jomon Dogū Bibi-chan made an appearance at the Sapporo Snow Festival!!!
@killgrove.bsky.social shared the fabulous Doban-kun, and I would also love y’all to meet Bibi-Chan. This queen is from the Final Jomon period and was excavated from a the Bibi 4 site in Chitose, Hokkaido. Is she a seal, a duck, or something otherworldly? We’re not sure, but I think she’s neat.
January 13, 2025 at 4:20 PM
@killgrove.bsky.social shared the fabulous Doban-kun, and I would also love y’all to meet Bibi-Chan. This queen is from the Final Jomon period and was excavated from a the Bibi 4 site in Chitose, Hokkaido. Is she a seal, a duck, or something otherworldly? We’re not sure, but I think she’s neat.
This is my favorite little guy. I have stickers of him because I can’t and won’t stop.
December 10, 2024 at 1:28 AM
This is my favorite little guy. I have stickers of him because I can’t and won’t stop.
I’m visiting Lake Akan and Akan Kotan with a friend conducting fieldwork with her students on Indigenous Tourism. It is always a pleasure to learn about the community, their culture, and its intersection with tourism (which as of late has increasingly overlapped with heritage management).
December 8, 2024 at 2:16 AM
I’m visiting Lake Akan and Akan Kotan with a friend conducting fieldwork with her students on Indigenous Tourism. It is always a pleasure to learn about the community, their culture, and its intersection with tourism (which as of late has increasingly overlapped with heritage management).
Sometimes I also draw about stuff at the intersection of #archaeology and other things I’m into at the time like video games or ttrpg. With the push to finish my dissertation, I haven’t had/made as much time for arting. I miss it very much.
October 30, 2024 at 1:31 AM
Sometimes I also draw about stuff at the intersection of #archaeology and other things I’m into at the time like video games or ttrpg. With the push to finish my dissertation, I haven’t had/made as much time for arting. I miss it very much.
Going through the dumpster fire, and I was reminded of all the art I do for the two campaigns I DM. I collaborate on two long games- one is about 5 years running and the other is creeping up on 3. So grateful for the people and stories. And for a chance to make so many tokens.
October 25, 2024 at 11:11 PM
Going through the dumpster fire, and I was reminded of all the art I do for the two campaigns I DM. I collaborate on two long games- one is about 5 years running and the other is creeping up on 3. So grateful for the people and stories. And for a chance to make so many tokens.
I’m not sure if I have a favorite, although the one at Wakkanai station featuring the Alolan Ninetails is pretty sweet (and easy to both miss and find). I would very much like to find more before the weather gets too cold and it starts to snow.
October 25, 2024 at 2:15 PM
I’m not sure if I have a favorite, although the one at Wakkanai station featuring the Alolan Ninetails is pretty sweet (and easy to both miss and find). I would very much like to find more before the weather gets too cold and it starts to snow.
One of the perks of traveling for research is I get to hunt down Pokelids, or manhole covers featuring regional Pokemon that are supposed support tourism. Hokkaido’s representative is Vulpix. They are featured with other Pokemon tied to local features- like Mareep for Shibetsu’s sheep.
October 25, 2024 at 2:10 PM
One of the perks of traveling for research is I get to hunt down Pokelids, or manhole covers featuring regional Pokemon that are supposed support tourism. Hokkaido’s representative is Vulpix. They are featured with other Pokemon tied to local features- like Mareep for Shibetsu’s sheep.
Thank you to all the new followers! Besides my art, I love to share my passion for #archaeology in Japan. I often create posts and infographics, share the work of others, and post about my trips to sites, museums, and excavations. It would be a dream to be able to do more art about archaeology.
October 24, 2024 at 12:59 AM
Thank you to all the new followers! Besides my art, I love to share my passion for #archaeology in Japan. I often create posts and infographics, share the work of others, and post about my trips to sites, museums, and excavations. It would be a dream to be able to do more art about archaeology.
That said, I was overjoyed to be approached to make art for Valentines Day cards a few years back for the Critical Role website. I would love to get back into pushing myself more and being recognized by those I respect within the industry and peers. Maybe once the PhD is over…
October 23, 2024 at 12:38 AM
That said, I was overjoyed to be approached to make art for Valentines Day cards a few years back for the Critical Role website. I would love to get back into pushing myself more and being recognized by those I respect within the industry and peers. Maybe once the PhD is over…