Pat's Blog

And that’s a good name for this area, ‘The Kagawa Discovery Zone’ on the 3rd floor of the Sunport Symbol Tower near the Takamatsu JR Station.
Quite an enjoyable trip into Takamatsu’s past, replete with reconstructed facades, windows and memorabilia from the pre and post-war periods.



This was a very different time for Japan and also the twilight of the mechanical age as our world was about to enter the electronic one. Japan was to assume world dominance in this area. Sentos (bath houses) were the way everyone kept clean and a common phrase to describe keeping up with the Joneses and the new life was to talk about the 3 treasures. “A television, refrigerator & washing machine.”



We’ve come along way since then and most people have their own baths, numerous televisions and the days of calling on the neighbors to watch TV shows have long gone. I must admit I remember that age and the visiting neighbors, which gives away my age, I’m sure.



I wouldn’t say this was a better age but it was a far simpler one and communications were much more open, numerous and available. People talked to each other freely and as there were no air-conditioners, we often sat on the verandah in summer and made small talk with people strolling by.




In our insulated housing nowadays, we fret about any intrusions on privacy and want a sanitized and homogenized life unaware of all the neuroses and loneliness that comes hand-in-hand with it. Many fret about how we must be ‘more careful’ about the bad world outside. Bunkum … There is far too much unnecessary ‘fear’ in modern Japanese life and while this is good business for the security companies who all profit handsomely by sending a message that we can’t be too careful. It is all largely based on media-fanned fear. Japan isn’t a dangerous country at all.



On display, there’s even a ‘kamishibai’ which were bicycles ridden around by storytellers and with a mini-stage on the back of the bicycle. The storytellers would stop somewhere, kids would gather and a picture story told in exchange for small donations. These stories often had lessons on social mores, manners and responsibilities. Gee, there ain’t too much of that around through the media these days …



Outside the permanent exhibition on the same floor, there are other things to see about Kagawa. There’s even a model of our social camp, Takamatsu and the time taken to visit this 3rd floor of our Sunport Tower Building is well worth it.





So until next month, keep all your cards n’ letters coming in. Until then, bye!