James Hadfield
@jameshadfield.bsky.social
Tokyo-based word mangler. awfuldross@gmail.com
I post gig listings and the other drivel at https://tokyodross.blogspot.com/
I post gig listings and the other drivel at https://tokyodross.blogspot.com/
So psyched for Season 5 of Stranger Things.
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 AM
So psyched for Season 5 of Stranger Things.
Cycling against the flow of traffic is going to become a fineable offence, but the size of the penalty suggests that police don't take it as seriously as they should.
October 14, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Cycling against the flow of traffic is going to become a fineable offence, but the size of the penalty suggests that police don't take it as seriously as they should.
Made an effort to get to Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival early this year but didn’t factor in the monster jet lag. Let’s see if I can actually stay awake through anything.
October 10, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Made an effort to get to Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival early this year but didn’t factor in the monster jet lag. Let’s see if I can actually stay awake through anything.
Realised on our final day in Madrid that we were staying near the venerable Cine Doré, so naturally that’s where we ended up spending the evening. Watched the restored version of José Antonio Nieves Conde’s EL INQUILINO, which was a cracker (even with my cruddy Spanish comprehension).
October 6, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Realised on our final day in Madrid that we were staying near the venerable Cine Doré, so naturally that’s where we ended up spending the evening. Watched the restored version of José Antonio Nieves Conde’s EL INQUILINO, which was a cracker (even with my cruddy Spanish comprehension).
And here’s a snippet from yesterday’s closing performance by Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi and Piotr Kurek at the Ohtsuki Noh Theatre. Kicking myself for not grabbing any video of Jim and Eiko’s Włodzimierz Kotoński remix set on the first night, as that was great too.
September 8, 2025 at 12:19 AM
And here’s a snippet from yesterday’s closing performance by Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi and Piotr Kurek at the Ohtsuki Noh Theatre. Kicking myself for not grabbing any video of Jim and Eiko’s Włodzimierz Kotoński remix set on the first night, as that was great too.
Here’s another one.
September 8, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Here’s another one.
Kakuhan and Adam Golabiewski at Unsound Osaka. Videos are a bit crap, but this was one of the highlights of the festival for me.
September 8, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Kakuhan and Adam Golabiewski at Unsound Osaka. Videos are a bit crap, but this was one of the highlights of the festival for me.
How did you guess…?
September 6, 2025 at 6:22 AM
How did you guess…?
Good to see Netflix Japan acknowledging one of its proudest legacies: keeping Pierre Taki in regular work when the big TV networks wouldn’t touch him.
September 4, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Good to see Netflix Japan acknowledging one of its proudest legacies: keeping Pierre Taki in regular work when the big TV networks wouldn’t touch him.
Weird bit of synchronicity today, when the book I was reading on the way to the cinema contained a reference to the source novel of the film I was about to watch.
August 26, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Weird bit of synchronicity today, when the book I was reading on the way to the cinema contained a reference to the source novel of the film I was about to watch.
Kokesaku at Koenji Awa-Odori yesterday.
August 24, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Kokesaku at Koenji Awa-Odori yesterday.
That’s pretty mild compared to some of the ones from years past.
August 20, 2025 at 5:44 AM
That’s pretty mild compared to some of the ones from years past.
And a few more.
August 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM
And a few more.
This year's Soul Beat Asia (aka 橋の下大盆踊り) was a glorious experience. Not sure photos can do it justice, but here are a few.
August 18, 2025 at 8:14 AM
This year's Soul Beat Asia (aka 橋の下大盆踊り) was a glorious experience. Not sure photos can do it justice, but here are a few.
We've got an absolutely stacked lineup for the next edition of Fashion Crisis on Friday 29th, with live music by David Thomas Broughton and Rob Noyes (presumably not together, but who knows?), and guest DJs Sawari On and Kyo.
August 18, 2025 at 1:13 AM
We've got an absolutely stacked lineup for the next edition of Fashion Crisis on Friday 29th, with live music by David Thomas Broughton and Rob Noyes (presumably not together, but who knows?), and guest DJs Sawari On and Kyo.
Faceb**k just reminded me of the most epic moment I've ever witnessed at Fuji Rock. 15 years ago!
August 6, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Faceb**k just reminded me of the most epic moment I've ever witnessed at Fuji Rock. 15 years ago!
The Conservative Party of Japan getting a proper Koenji welcome. Wonderful to see.
June 15, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The Conservative Party of Japan getting a proper Koenji welcome. Wonderful to see.
I only seem to read the New Yorker when I can get my hands on a print copy, so here’s a very belated shout-out for Hua Hsu’s piece on Pavement and “Pavements” – this bit in particular. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
June 3, 2025 at 12:14 PM
I only seem to read the New Yorker when I can get my hands on a print copy, so here’s a very belated shout-out for Hua Hsu’s piece on Pavement and “Pavements” – this bit in particular. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Walked past a young woman in Koenji today wearing a T-shirt with a variation on this design. I'm guessing she didn't have a clue what it was talking about, but still... yikes.
June 3, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Walked past a young woman in Koenji today wearing a T-shirt with a variation on this design. I'm guessing she didn't have a clue what it was talking about, but still... yikes.
I never got it either. Remember this one?
May 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I never got it either. Remember this one?
This photo of RING star Nanako Matsushima at the ryokan where I’m staying tonight probably creeped me out more than it should have.
May 17, 2025 at 12:48 PM
This photo of RING star Nanako Matsushima at the ryokan where I’m staying tonight probably creeped me out more than it should have.
Heavy duty double bill at Waseda Shochiku today. ALPS was even better than I remembered, KINETTA kind of pissed me off.
May 11, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Heavy duty double bill at Waseda Shochiku today. ALPS was even better than I remembered, KINETTA kind of pissed me off.
Stopped by at Shibuya's Zarigani Cafe for one last coffee before it closes for good next week. There were tons of places like this when I first moved to Tokyo (roomy, concrete interiors made for dawdling; cinnamon toast and mediocre coffee), but they're a dying breed now. Second pic is circa 2007.
May 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Stopped by at Shibuya's Zarigani Cafe for one last coffee before it closes for good next week. There were tons of places like this when I first moved to Tokyo (roomy, concrete interiors made for dawdling; cinnamon toast and mediocre coffee), but they're a dying breed now. Second pic is circa 2007.
Getting mixed messages from this BULLET TRAIN EXPLOSION ad on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
May 3, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Getting mixed messages from this BULLET TRAIN EXPLOSION ad on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
I was going through a box of clobber and found this classic 2000s-era fancy dress set. Not sure they make these any more.
March 30, 2025 at 5:56 AM
I was going through a box of clobber and found this classic 2000s-era fancy dress set. Not sure they make these any more.