Meg:

Before we left for our honeymoon, we decided to try to do something “dangerous” in each country we visited. Since we didn’t have enough time to climb Mount Fuji, we decided upon something equally perilous:  eating blowfish.  Frank was especially enthusiastic about trying it, while I was a little reticent.  The notion of putting my life in the hands of some chef I’d never met didn’t strike me as especially wise.

My mind changed when we stumbled upon Tara Fugu.  Even from the exterior, there is no mistaking their specialty:  A string of lights shaped like blowfish adorns the entrance.  Their menu features blowfish (or fugu in Japanese) almost exclusively.  If we were going to eat some fugu, this was definitely the place to try it!

Frank:

Although I can speak enough Japanese to get a point across (especially when it comes to food), I have only gotten two Japanese symbols memorized. And unless I am reading about a boy named Kano they don’t really help me out much. Of course the menu was entirely in Japanese, so I just asked the chef to make us their specialty.

The danger of eating blowing lies in the preparation.  If the toxic parts of the fish are not removed properly, the meat can become contaminated.  It’s not actually  a poison, it’s a neurotoxin that can lead to paralysis if ingested, and the victim, still aware, is asphyxiated.  The worst part is that there is no known antidote.

With that in mind, I took my first bite of Fugu in sashimi style. It was very mild in flavor but still very good. Since Meg didn’t eat much I ended up eating the whole plate, which caused my tongue and lips to feel tingly and slightly numb (as there are always traces of the toxins throughout the whole fish). After the chef prepared fried fugu,  he then brought out the Fugu fin sake. He told us it was on the house and of course we were very grateful. I know that the Japanese are known for their hospitality but what he did next really surprised us.

We had stopped at this restaurant on our way to the Tokyo Train station, so we had all our bags with us. The station was quite a ways away and meant making a few transfers on a subway to get there. However, the chef insisted on loading us into his car and driving us there himself. It would have been rude to decline, so we allowed him to take us while he was still wearing his chef jacket and apron.

I took this picture some days ago at the Wijnhaven and ever since I’m wondering what the story is that the maker of this colorful mural (can you call it a mural?) wants to tell us. He or she did make an effort to stick the letters to the dirty concrete wall, so the story must be worthwhile…

If I’m not mistaken Fuku means luck…  In that case I really want to hear the story!

Review

Junot Díaz’s tar-black family comedy The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is one of the few reads that perfectly captures the wrenching agony associated with an involuntary social exile. Ostrasized by his peers due to excessive weight, acne, overall awkwardness, and a generous intelligence, the titular hero retreats into a cocoon of role-playing games, comic books, and drafts for an epic fantasy series. He yearns to connect with a female companion, only to sustain a regular “triple-zero batting average” (24). Díaz defines Oscar’s character with this desperately lonely pining – a harrowingly accurate depiction of the daily struggles and mounting depression faced by those for whom love is little more than a heavily idealistic, unattainable pipe dream. His story of blustering through life under the haze of an age-old Dominican curse is juxtaposed with those of his embittered mother, unfortunate grandfather, Amazonian sister, and her rightfully jilted lover.

In spite of the heft of the main subject matter, Díaz wraps it in an energetic, tragicomedic verneer – finding sarcastic, acidic humor in even the most brutal and disgusting scenes. No matter who narrates which chapter, he interjects commentary by a meta-narrator referring to himself as Uatu the Watcher – a reference to the Marvel character who plays a similar role in various comic series. Other allusions, both direct and indirect, to a wide span of science fiction and fantasy media flow throughout the narrative as a testament to Oscar’s immersion. Fortunately, Díaz weaves them into the novel in a way that enhances the story rather than falling upon pop culture references as a crutch. Though they play an integral role in Oscar’s characterization, the novel can still be thoroughly enjoyed by readers with little to no familiarization with the references in question. Had Díaz removed them completely, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao would remain a beautiful, biting, and lovingly crafted example of literature as art.

One of the more fascinating aspects of the novel was Díaz’s accounts of actual figures and events from Dominican history. Channeling his inner David Eggers, he interjects a battery of footnotes throughout the story providing interesting and insightful sociopolitical and socioeconomic contexts. “Didn’t know we [the Dominican Republic] were occupied twice in the twentieth century? Don’t worry, when you have kids they won’t know the U.S. occupied Iraq either” he acerbically quips on page 19, unafraid to introduce American audiences to new revelations. However, the most shocking and twisted tales come from his statements regarding the painfully real dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Lusty and ruthless, Trujillo’s jackboots leave scarring footprints on Oscar’s ascendents and descendents alike. Though never himself seen in the story, his bloodthirsty underlings lurk throughout and initiate horrific, wrenching scenes of violence and terror. Yet in spite of the physical manifestations of the filial curse, Oscar and his family represent humanity’s ability to dredge itself up from having its body smashed into concrete and left for dead in a sugarcane field. They’re resiliant and defiant in the face of evil, and hold faith in the possibility of love even if it kills them to acquire it.

Bibliographic Information

Díaz, Junot. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. New York: Riverhead Books, 2007.

Further Reading

Oscar is the new poet laureate of our generation’s disenfranchised. He is our Cyrano de Bergerac. He is our Holden Caulfield. He is everything Ignatius Reilly fancied himself to be but never truly was. Men of internal beauties transcending their external grotesqueries (literal and/or figurative), though all too often they’re dismissed in favor of those possessing a more PR-friendly carriage. It’s a sickening abomination of love that threads itself through the centuries and will continue to do so - a universal theme whose prevalence remains lamentable.

~Riot

[Diversity Rocks! Challenge Progress: 7/24]

Wallpaper High Quality Widescreen 1280×853

So this is what came in yesterday~
And I’m finally trying it on! lol.

And I call it my ‘half’ cosplay because… its store bought XD
Like… my actualy cosplays is the ones I make kinda. kinda? lol~

Actually I’m glad I got this before my next con too! Cause… well… at least I won’t be wearing the same outfit all what… 3 days? XD;;
I mean its not like I don’t mind wearing the same thing for… 3 days. I just like to change things up.
This is kinda.. generic. if thats the word for it. Anyone can pull it off I believe. ALmost anyone XD

So I’m thinking up an idea to make this cosplay… my own. somehow… somehow XD

And thats the extent of my post for this XD

Omgsh I redid the bow and it took forever to make it good again! the bow >.>;; I can’t take it off either. XD

–Kimiko–

Whaa~~ URESHII~

I’m so happy ^-^ MY brother actually got me my sailor fuku cosplay~~
So happy~~~!! I didn’t think he got it! And it came in today and I was so surprised!!

But he got me a size M… which I guess is good because the skirt fits right while the shirt is kinda big >.<;;

But yea! Kawaii ne?
I’llt ry to get a pic of me in it tomrrow XD
Tomrrow!!

–Kimiko–

Mi piace parlare di un libro quando l’ho iniziato da poco: ci sono le aspettative suscitate dalle prime pagine, le suggestioni e le previsioni sui personaggi, le impressioni sullo stile dell’autore. La storia appena accennata, ancora così aperta.
Roba che ti fa venire voglia di raccontare cose al vicino di sedia in tram o, al semaforo, alla signora aggressiva avvinghiata al volante del Suv grigio “canna di fucile”, che magari qualche parola le addolcirebbe pure la giornata battagliera che l’attende.
Ieri sera ho cominciato La breve favolosa vita di Oscar Wao , di Junot Díaz (ha appena vinto il Pulitzer).
Oscar Wao, come l’autore, è un dominicano emigrato nel New Jersey, e la sua storia e quella della sua famiglia deve fare i conti con il fukú - una specie di sfiga specifica e particolare antillana.

Beh, l’inizio è avvolgente, Oscar ha avuto successo con le donne solo da piccolo, a sette anni aveva due fidanzate; poi, si capisce da alcuni accenni, grandi, grandi difficoltà, che si sommano alle altre che avrà. E per un dominicano avere sfortuna con le donne è una roba di cui vergognarsi di brutto, circondato da macho di ogni tipo e da donne che pretendono.
La madre, convinta (illusa) che tanto di donne Oscar ne avrebbe avuto un sacco anche da grande, alla prima delusione a sette anni – dovuta al fatto che una delle due fidanzate gli dice “o lei o me” – lo scuote, non sapendo che quello sarà il momento di gloria di Oscar in fatto di amori.

Quando Oscar piagnucolò “ragazze”, per poco Mamma de León non esplose. Tú ta llorando por una muchacha? Lo rimise in piedi tirandolo per un orecchio. Mami, smettila, gridò la sorella di Oscar, smettila!
Lo scaraventò a terra. Dale un galletazo, ansimò, e poi vediamo se la piccola puta ti rispetta.

Oscar diventerà, in compenso, comunque, super appassionato di fantascienza: fumetti, romanzi, cinema e serie televisive.

Voi che cosa avete iniziato a leggere da poco?

Yet another pick by elimination… The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao put me off at first by its language. I wasn’t too fond of the characters or the plot, but I recognized that they were necessary for the bigger, appreciable picture, i.e. a nice chunk of history of the Dominican Republic.

Description

“Life falls down seven times, yet gets up eight…”  This popular Japanese proverb is commonly associated with the Indian Buddhist sage Daruma.  Daruma is the more familiar name of the historical Buddhist monk Bodhidarma, who lived sometime during the fifth or sixth century AD.  Daruma is credited with the founding of the Zen sect of Buddhism, which he is reputed to have introduced into China during his travels there.  Some of the legends surrounding this figure include tales that he achieved enlightenment or satori only after meditating in a cave for seven years without blinking or moving his eyes.  Another story tells that his enlightenment occurred within a temple in China where he spent his seven years sitting in a room staring at a wall.  Apparently at some point during his long meditation Daruma became so overcome with fatigue that he tore off his eyelids in anger and tossed them to the ground.  These are reputed to have then sprouted into China’s first green tea plants!  It is said that Daruma’s long meditation caused his arms and legs to wither and fall off, leaving him as an armless, legless and eyelidless (yet enlightened) Bodhidarma…  The Japanese love this story and admire Daruma for his spirit and determination, and each new year many Japanese will buy a paper-mache Daruma tumbler doll in order to enlist its services in helping them persevere towards their own goals.  The dolls are sold with unpainted eyes, allowing the new owner to paint in one eye to symbolize the start of a new goal or venture.  The doll is then placed in a prominent place within the home or at work in order to remind the owner to keep after their aim.  Japanese students especially utilize Daruma to motivate them with their studies; placing a one-eyed Daruma before them on their desk to remind them to work hard and make the grade.  Only after the goal is achieved will the owner then paint in the second eye, symbolizing a realized goal.  Daruma dolls which have completed their jobs as perseverance role models are normally then brought to a temple to be burned during special ceremonies reserved for this purpose.

About the Listed Item

This old Japanese Daruma figure is less than 40 years old and in good condition with some marks and scratches from handling and a darkened patina of age.  The figure includes a bell on the inside which can be heard to ring when the figure is moved.

Size:
Height: 5.3 inches (13.5 centimeters)
Weight: 2.7 ounces (76 grams)

Important note:
Images of the Daruma items which we list are often uploaded to our Daruma Blog which is an on-line gallery of unique and interesting Daruma items.  The purpose of this blog is strictly to share images of some of the wonderful Daruma we encounter in the course of our work, and to provide a digital archive to preserve these images into the future.  If you purchase a Daruma item from us and do not want a digital copy of your Daruma displayed in the photo blog or archive then please simply send us an email indicating your preference and we will promptly remove the item images.

Click here to see more Daruma items!
Click here to see other Buddhist items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More photos below!

item code: R2S2-0003881
category code: (JM)
ship code: G3

Description

Hand-made Japanese wooden hachiman horse figure.  Dolls such as these were originally made to act as good luck charms by horse breeders in Aomori prefecture, an area of Japan long famous for quality equine stock.  The dolls are painted with bold colors and patterns to represent a horse’s strength and vitality and to act as a ward against disease or accident.  This doll is in good condition with some marks and scratches from handling and is less than 20 years old.

Size:
Height: 5.7 inches (14.5 cm)
Length (nose to tail): 4.5 inches (11.5 cm)
Weight: 5.5 ounces (156 grams)

Click here to see more Japanese dolls and figures!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

item code: R1S4-0003880
ship code: L1650

Description

Ceramic statue of Daikoku and Ebisu, two of the most famous and celebrated gods within the Japanese Shinto (native religion of Japan) pantheon (please read below to learn more about Shinto).  Daikoku and Ebisu are members of a group of seven popular luck gods collectively known as Shichifukujin.  These famous gods (six male and one female) are frequently seen together in Japanese art, often on a boat sailing the seas of fortune.  Daikoku is usually depicted holding his wonderful luck hammer which he waves to dispense good fortune upon worthy humans.  The god is also frequently shown standing upon two large bales of rice, an auspicious symbol of prosperity.  The happy luck god wears one of the most captivating smiles in all Asian art and is nearly always depicted in the act of joyfully visiting wealth and happiness upon the earth (note the bag of goodies carried over his left shoulder).  Ebisu is Japan’s god of fisherman and the morning sun.  Ebisu is also sometimes regarded as the protector of small children, a role he shares with the Buddhist deity Jizo.  Legend holds the Ebisu was once a real man (a fisherman in fact) who rescued a boneless (it’s a long story) god named Hiruko from the sea.  Ebisu (who’s full name at that time was Ebisu Saburo) went on to live a life full of troubles after which point he become a Shinto deity.  Ebisu has always been popular in Japan and images of this happy, ever smiling luck god are found everywhere in art, masks and statuary.  Ebisu is sometimes depicted holding a long fishing rod in his right hand and a large sea bream (tai) fish under his left arm.  That Daikoku and Ebisu share many happy and gregarious traits may be less surprising when we know that Daikoku is reputed by some to be Ebisu’s father.

About the Listed Item

This wonderful old Japanese statue was made during the mid to late Showa period (1926-1989) and features the combined image of the Japanese luck gods Daikoku and Ebisu.  The statue is in good condition with no cracks or large chips though there are some small marks and scratches from handling and small chips at the base.

Size :
Height: 10.7 inches (27.5 centimeters)
Weight: 3.9 pounds (1775 grams)

Click here to see other Daikoku items!
Click here to see other Ebisu items!
Click here to see more Shinto items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about the Shinto religion

Shinto is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism).  Shinto is often considered to be the native religion of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself.  The name Shinto means “the way of the gods.”  Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many thousands of major and minor gods are thought to exist.  The Japanese have built thousands of shrines (jinja) throughout the country to honor and worship these gods.  Some shrines are huge and are devoted to important deities.  Other shrines are small and may be easily missed when strolling along roads in the countryside.

Shinto gods are called kami.  Kami are thought to have influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami.  The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine.  Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at the top of a long hemp rope.  The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle.  This is thought to get the attention of the shrine god.  The worshipper then bows twice, claps his or her hands twice and then bows again.  In addition, the worshipper may clasp their hands together in silent prayer.  Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to find a comfortable coexistence in Japan.  Evidence of this harmonious relationship is found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine, but buried by a Buddhist priest.

item code: R1S7-0003874
ship code: Med or appropriate

Description

Large, vintage wooden image of Daikoku, Japan’s god of wealth and good fortune.  Daikoku is one of the most famous and celebrated gods within the Japanese Shinto (native religion of Japan) pantheon (please read below to learn more about Shinto).  Daikoku is one of seven popular luck gods collectively known as Shichifukujin.  These famous gods (six male and one female) are frequently seen together in Japanese art, often on a boat sailing the seas of fortune.  Daikoku is usually depicted holding his wonderful luck hammer which he waves to dispense good fortune upon worthy humans.  The god is also frequently shown standing upon two large bales of rice, an auspicious symbol of prosperity.  The happy luck god wears one of the most captivating smiles in all Asian art and is nearly always depicted in the act of joyfully visiting wealth and happiness upon the earth (note the bag of goodies carried over his left shoulder).

About the Listed Item

The old wooden Daikoku figure offered here is in fair to good condition with marks and scratches from handling.  This very large statue also has some chips and several large cracks.  This wonderful old statue is less than 40 years old.

Size:
Height: 12.9 inches (33.0 centimeters)
Weight: 13.1 pounds (6 kilograms)

Click here to see other Daikoku items!
Click here to see more Shinto items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about the Shinto religion

Shinto is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism).  Shinto is often considered to be the native religion of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself.  The name Shinto means “the way of the gods.”  Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many thousands of major and minor gods are thought to exist.  The Japanese have built thousands of shrines (jinja) throughout the country to honor and worship these gods.  Some shrines are huge and are devoted to important deities.  Other shrines are small and may be easily missed when strolling along roads in the countryside.

Shinto gods are called kami.  Kami are thought to have influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami.  The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine.  Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at the top of a long hemp rope.  The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle.  This is thought to get the attention of the shrine god.  The worshipper then bows twice, claps his or her hands twice and then bows again.  In addition, the worshipper may clasp their hands together in silent prayer.  Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to find a comfortable coexistence in Japan.  Evidence of this harmonious relationship is found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine, but buried by a Buddhist priest.

item code: R1S7-0003873
ship code: D or appropriate

Description

Large antique wooden Daruma statue (okimono).  This hollow figure is in good condition though it does have some marks and scratches from handling and wears a darkened patina of age.  This Daruma figure is less than 40 years old and was acquired in the historic city of Shizuoka, Japan near the foot of Mt. Fuji.  Please read below to learn about the history and legend of Daruma.

Size:
Height: 8.0 inches (20.5 centimeters)
Weight: 2.2 pounds (997 grams)

Important note:
Images of the Daruma items which we list are often uploaded to our Daruma Blog which is an on-line gallery of unique and interesting Daruma items.  The purpose of this blog is strictly to share images of some of the wonderful Daruma we encounter in the course of our work, and to provide a digital archive to preserve these images into the future.  If you purchase a Daruma item from us and do not want a digital copy of your Daruma displayed in the photo blog or archive then please simply send us an email indicating your preference and we will promptly remove the item images.

Click here to see more Daruma items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More about Daruma

“Life falls down seven times, yet gets up eight…”  This popular Japanese proverb is commonly associated with the Indian Buddhist sage Daruma.  Daruma is the more familiar name of the historical Buddhist monk Bodhidarma, who lived sometime during the fifth or sixth century AD.  Daruma is credited with the founding of the Zen sect of Buddhism, which he is reputed to have introduced into China during his travels there.  Some of the legends surrounding this figure include tales that he achieved enlightenment or satori only after meditating in a cave for seven years without blinking or moving his eyes.  Another story tells that his enlightenment occurred within a temple in China where he spent his seven years sitting in a room staring at a wall.  Apparently at some point during his long meditation Daruma became so overcome with fatigue that he cut off his eyelids in anger and tossed them to the ground.  These are reputed to have then sprouted into China’s first green tea plants!  It is said that Daruma’s long meditation caused his arms and legs to wither and fall off, leaving him as an armless, legless and eyelidless (yet enlightened) Bodhidarma…  The Japanese love this story and admire Daruma for his spirit and determination, and each new year many Japanese will buy a paper-mache Daruma tumbler doll in order to enlist its services in helping them persevere towards their own goals or achievements.  The dolls are sold with unpainted eyes, allowing the new owner to paint in one eye to symbolize the start of a new goal or venture.  The doll is then placed in a prominent place within the home or at work in order to remind the owner to keep after their aim.  Japanese students especially utilize Daruma to motivate them with their studies; placing a one-eyed Daruma before them on their desk as motivation to work hard and make the grade.  Only after the goal is achieved will the owner then paint in the second eye, symbolizing a realized goal.  Daruma dolls which have completed their jobs as perseverance role models are normally then brought to a temple to be burned during special ceremonies set aside for this purpose.  The last images below are various representations of Daruma found at a Zen temple near our home in Japan.

item code: R1S2-0003871
ship code: B

Description

“Life falls down seven times, yet gets up eight…”  This popular Japanese proverb is commonly associated with the Indian Buddhist sage Daruma.  Daruma is the more familiar name of the historical Buddhist monk Bodhidarma, who lived sometime during the fifth or sixth century AD.  Daruma is credited with the founding of the Zen sect of Buddhism, which he is reputed to have introduced into China during his travels there.  Some of the legends surrounding this figure include tales that he achieved enlightenment or satori only after meditating in a cave for seven years without blinking or moving his eyes.  Another story tells that his enlightenment occurred within a temple in China where he spent his seven years sitting in a room staring at a wall.  Apparently at some point during his long meditation Daruma became so overcome with fatigue that he tore off his eyelids in anger and tossed them to the ground.  These are reputed to have then sprouted into China’s first green tea plants!  It is said that Daruma’s long meditation caused his arms and legs to wither and fall off, leaving him as an armless, legless and eyelidless (yet enlightened) Bodhidarma…  The Japanese love this story and admire Daruma for his spirit and determination, and each new year many Japanese will buy a paper-mache Daruma tumbler doll in order to enlist its services in helping them persevere towards their own goals.  The dolls are sold with unpainted eyes, allowing the new owner to paint in one eye to symbolize the start of a new goal or venture.  The doll is then placed in a prominent place within the home or at work in order to remind the owner to keep after their aim.  Japanese students especially utilize Daruma to motivate them with their studies; placing a one-eyed Daruma before them on their desk to remind them to work hard and make the grade.  Only after the goal is achieved will the owner then paint in the second eye, symbolizing a realized goal.  Daruma dolls which have completed their jobs as perseverance role models are normally then brought to a temple to be burned during special ceremonies reserved for this purpose.

About the Listed Item

Unique and interesting style Daruma with bushy beard, moustache and eyebrows.  This hand-crafted and painted Daruma figure was made in Shizuoka, Japan by a small Japanese family who specialize in the old style manufacture of these very unique dolls.  The figures are created in the old family workshop where each doll is formed of papier-mache on a hand-carved wooden mold before being moved to an open air courtyard to dry and harden in the sun.  The doll is then cut from the mold requiring yet another layer of wet papier-mache to seal the cut.  Once more the figure is allowed to dry before being taken into the shop to be hand-painted red and flesh tone with dark black beard and eyebrows and golden body accents.  The only area of the doll left unpainted are the eyes in order that the person who buys the Daruma may use the unpainted eyes to help them achieve some important goal.  Each doll is cleverly weighted on the bottom allowing Daruma to right himself when tipped.  In an era when many traditional Japanese crafts are, in fact, mass produced outside Japan this very special Daruma represents a increasingly rare chance to acquire an authentic piece of Japanese culture made the old fashioned way, by a small family business operating near the foot of beautiful Mt. Fuji.

Approximate size:
Height: 4.7 inches (12.0 centimeters)
Weight: 5.1 ounces (145 grams)

Note: Each of these hand-crafted dolls is unique and therefore the authentic Daruma figure you receive will differ slightly from the doll photographed for this listing.

Click here to see more Daruma items!
Click here to see other Buddhist items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

item code: INV-0000117_01
ship code: G3

Many years ago when I thought that I might marry a woman from the Dominican Republic, I sat down and wrote an essay called “What would it mean to be Dominican?” Completely fearful, and wracked by questions of identity as it was, it was also honest. I’d lived in the DR for two years, hung with the Dominican diaspora in El Bronx (probably gave out a fair number visas to some) and felt comfortable with enough slang to actually use a phrase or two. Plus, I could baila un merengazo del diablo (doubters, you may cue Vince Vaughan: “Oh please, we both know I’m a phenomenal dancer.”)

My first month in Santo Domingo a friend sent me the fiction pages from a New Yorker with a story by Junot Diaz. The story was a portion of what became, about seven years later, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Seven years seems like a damn long time to write a book. People are calling TBWLOW an immigrant tale unlike any other, but the real difference is that unlike most novels that center around the immigrant experience when you read TBWLOW it doesn’t come across as one. Maybe it’s because the DR is only 3 hours by plane to NYC. Or maybe it’s that Dominicans aren’t culturally that different than Americans (note: it’s not culture to come up with names like Niyurkis or Rebaika). Or maybe it’s the writing.

The book takes about 3 days to read. You can’t read it slowly because the sentences (where they can actually be called sentences), mimic Dominican gunfire speech. Words, thoughts, ideas get cut off. It’s the way you say the word that matters, coñaso! Perhaps this really is today’s new literature — one that is a mix of brands, words that bitch-slap you with their power, and sentences that challenge you with brazen cultural references (not caring if you don’t share them). It’s rap brought into novel form — or maybe the other way around — but grounded in enough history and straight-up storytelling to mesmerize instead of confuse.

It’s clear that Diaz has been influenced by THE BROWN as well. Yes, the S. Asian world is something Diaz apparently knows enough about — dropping references to Desidom, including one of Oscar’s first friends named Al (real name: Alok), Shiva lingams, badmash, and more. You just know he dated a sister.

The book has footnotes throughout, serving in most cases to give the reader some history, which I found unnecessary having lived there — everyone knows the stories. It’s jarring, but thankfully the footnotes don’t dominate the rest of the book. Diaz weaves enough stories into stories that you can see why the writing process dragged out. I could just as easily have read about Oscar’s sister Lola, or the narrator Yunior, and enjoyed the book as much. The value and substance are, as always, the story itself, though if mentioning The Chronicles of Prydain, El Provocon, or the X-Men along the way can make you feel like you’re friends with the author then I’m all for it.

I won’t go into the what happens and why (the title tells you our hero is homeboy gone dead), but I found myself at the end wondering what comes next. See, living on an island, even one with stretches of gorgeous beaches and equally gorgeous women, is like living with a Christmas present. At some point there’s nothing left to unwrap. That’s the real fukú about being a Dominican.

Description

Vintage ceramic image of Fukusuke, Japan’s god of merchant prosperity.  Fukusuke is one of the lesser known Japanese luck gods, though in the past he was sometimes associated with the famous Shichifukujin seven gods of luck (please read below to learn more).  Like Maneki Neko beckoning luck cat statues Fukusuke figures are often spotted at the entrance to Japanese places of business.  The god is normally depicted in formal kimono either kneeling or bowing to show his respect and appreciation of business patrons.

The old Fukusuke figure offered here is in poor condition with no cracks though it does have some small chips as well as stains and scratches.  The statue wears a darkened patina suggestive of age and past display and is missing some areas of paint especially along the area of the forehead.  This statue dates from the early to mid Japanese Showa period (1926-1989) and was acquired in the historic city of Shizuoka, Japan near the foot of Mt. Fuji.

Size:
Height: 5.3 inches (13.5 centimeters)
Weight: 11.4 pounds (326 grams)

Note about buying Japanese Shinto antiques
Many Shinto items such as ofuda, omamori, hamaya and shimenawa are thought to have limited powers which diminish over time.  Japanese people therefore commonly dispose of such items each year in special burning ceremonies called dondoyaki, which are presided over by Shinto priests and performed on the grounds of the shrine.  However, many Shinto items are not burned and may find new life as cherished religious items, sometimes with foreigners practicing Shinto outside Japan.  Many of the Japanese we have discussed this with (including a Shinto priest) have been pleased to learn that old items of their native faith are often well received by Shinto believers abroad.  However, we are sensitive to the fact that some may prefer to see their old Shinto items burned and for this reason we do offer a free disposal service.  Anyone who wishes to have their Shinto items properly destroyed in a dondoyaki ceremony may send the items to us which we will hold and take to our local Shinto shrine for sanctioned disposal.  Please contact us in advance if you wish to use this complementary service and we will provide you with the appropriate mailing address.

Click here to see other Fukusuke items!
Click here to see more Shinto items!
Click here to see additional treasures from Japan!

More About Japan’s Seven Gods of Luck

In Japanese folklore the Shichifukujin are the seven gods of wealth, happiness and longevity.  These famous gods (six male and one female) are frequently seen together in Japanese art, often in a boat sailing the seas of fortune.  However, the individual gods actually hail from a variety of religious faiths including Buddhism and Taoism as well as Japan’s native religion of Shinto.  The gods are:

1. Ebisu – Ebisu is Japan’s god of fisherman and the morning sun.  Ebisu is also sometimes regarded as the protector of small children, a role he shares with the Buddhist deity Jizo.  Ebisu is also the only member of the Shichifukujin seven who is of Japanese origin.
2. Daikokuten – Daikoku is the god of wealth, food and worldly success; and statues of this happy deity have for centuries been common fixtures of Japanese homes, particularly kitchens.  Daikoku is also reputed to be Ebisu’s father.
3. Fukurokujin – Originating in Chinese Taoism this god is the symbol of wealth, happiness and longevity and is usually seen carrying a long staff or cane.
4. Hoteison – A plump Zen Buddhist monk from China, usually seen with a bag in one hand and a fan in the other.
5. Jurojin – The Taoist god of long life.  This god is also usually seen carrying a staff in his hand.
6. Benzaiten – The only female of the bunch.  This goddess is from India and is the patron of music and culture.  She is usually seen carrying an old fashioned Japanese biwa (a type of lute).
7. Bishamonten – The warrior of the bunch.  This god is originally from India and is charged with protecting people and their treasure.  Bishamonten is usually depicted wearing armor.

item code: R1S5-0003841
ship code: G6