G M Thomas FRSA FRAS
@japanauthor.bsky.social
Fellow Royal Society of Arts. Fellow Royal Asiatic Society.
These delightful hand-tinted picture postcards date from the early Showa era. Often sold in albums aimed at tourists, the rather crude colouring adds to their charm in my opinion.
December 3, 2025 at 9:32 PM
These delightful hand-tinted picture postcards date from the early Showa era. Often sold in albums aimed at tourists, the rather crude colouring adds to their charm in my opinion.
Blackpool North Pier. July 2012.
#seascape #England #seaside #resort #photography #BlueSkyArtShow
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
#seascape #England #seaside #resort #photography #BlueSkyArtShow
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
December 3, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Blackpool North Pier. July 2012.
#seascape #England #seaside #resort #photography #BlueSkyArtShow
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
#seascape #England #seaside #resort #photography #BlueSkyArtShow
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
The Society of Authors reveals its 2025 Translation Prizes shortlists, which include a dedicated award for translations of Japanese works.
December 3, 2025 at 10:58 AM
The Society of Authors reveals its 2025 Translation Prizes shortlists, which include a dedicated award for translations of Japanese works.
A strategic plank in Takaichi's economic plan is to develop AI capability and hosting of data centres. It is already hitting hurdles as this Nikkei headline shows.
Conversely, Beijing is accelerating its use of AI by the military eg to dynamically predict adversaries' next moves.
Conversely, Beijing is accelerating its use of AI by the military eg to dynamically predict adversaries' next moves.
December 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
A strategic plank in Takaichi's economic plan is to develop AI capability and hosting of data centres. It is already hitting hurdles as this Nikkei headline shows.
Conversely, Beijing is accelerating its use of AI by the military eg to dynamically predict adversaries' next moves.
Conversely, Beijing is accelerating its use of AI by the military eg to dynamically predict adversaries' next moves.
Katherine Hepburn had more talents than just being one of the all time great actors. She was also a painter. This is an undated oil. NB: other actors/stars from the Golden Era who painted include Frank Sinatra, Ginger Rogers, Kim Novak, and Tony Curtis.
December 2, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Katherine Hepburn had more talents than just being one of the all time great actors. She was also a painter. This is an undated oil. NB: other actors/stars from the Golden Era who painted include Frank Sinatra, Ginger Rogers, Kim Novak, and Tony Curtis.
Just when you thought...she's back with more Orientalism. PR blurb:
In her most personal book yet, the iconic star of the hit series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up opens up about the cultural traditions that have inspired her philosophy
In her most personal book yet, the iconic star of the hit series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up opens up about the cultural traditions that have inspired her philosophy
December 2, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Just when you thought...she's back with more Orientalism. PR blurb:
In her most personal book yet, the iconic star of the hit series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up opens up about the cultural traditions that have inspired her philosophy
In her most personal book yet, the iconic star of the hit series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up opens up about the cultural traditions that have inspired her philosophy
November 30, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Ebinoya Kotohira. This new restaurant opened earlier this year. Specialises in ebi dishes. November 2025. #Kotohira #Kagawa #JapaneseFood #snacks.
November 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Ebinoya Kotohira. This new restaurant opened earlier this year. Specialises in ebi dishes. November 2025. #Kotohira #Kagawa #JapaneseFood #snacks.
Looking north from Yokohama towards the metropolitan centre of Tokyo...about 35 kms distant. July 2025.
#Stunday #urbangaze #Japan #cityscape #clouds
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
#Stunday #urbangaze #Japan #cityscape #clouds
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
November 30, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Looking north from Yokohama towards the metropolitan centre of Tokyo...about 35 kms distant. July 2025.
#Stunday #urbangaze #Japan #cityscape #clouds
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
#Stunday #urbangaze #Japan #cityscape #clouds
@bskyphotos.bsky.social
This is Carol Reed's grave that I visited earlier this year.
November 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
This is Carol Reed's grave that I visited earlier this year.
@biba02.bsky.social I went to her concert last week and she played Blackbird as an encore.
November 30, 2025 at 1:37 PM
@biba02.bsky.social I went to her concert last week and she played Blackbird as an encore.
Fish Story is one of those bonkers absurdist Japanese films that for the first time you can watch now on various platforms. If available then for lovers of all things Japan, watch it before it disappears.
November 29, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Fish Story is one of those bonkers absurdist Japanese films that for the first time you can watch now on various platforms. If available then for lovers of all things Japan, watch it before it disappears.
November 29, 2025 at 2:11 AM
November 29, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Professor Noriko Hama is an Economist and Emeritus Professor at the Doshisha University Graduate School of Business has a rather cheeky set of adapted names:
- abenomics becomes ahonomics; "aho" (アホ) while
- Sanae Takaichi becomes Ahotakaichi.
- abenomics becomes ahonomics; "aho" (アホ) while
- Sanae Takaichi becomes Ahotakaichi.
November 28, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Professor Noriko Hama is an Economist and Emeritus Professor at the Doshisha University Graduate School of Business has a rather cheeky set of adapted names:
- abenomics becomes ahonomics; "aho" (アホ) while
- Sanae Takaichi becomes Ahotakaichi.
- abenomics becomes ahonomics; "aho" (アホ) while
- Sanae Takaichi becomes Ahotakaichi.
A thread on Takaichi Sanae, and her desire to take Japan back to its pre-WW2 Imperial, militarily-hawkish status.
This was her mentor's Abe's position, who followed the philosophy of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, a Class A war criminal (luckily - for him - he escaped being prosecuted).
This was her mentor's Abe's position, who followed the philosophy of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, a Class A war criminal (luckily - for him - he escaped being prosecuted).
November 28, 2025 at 1:34 PM
A thread on Takaichi Sanae, and her desire to take Japan back to its pre-WW2 Imperial, militarily-hawkish status.
This was her mentor's Abe's position, who followed the philosophy of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, a Class A war criminal (luckily - for him - he escaped being prosecuted).
This was her mentor's Abe's position, who followed the philosophy of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, a Class A war criminal (luckily - for him - he escaped being prosecuted).
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Panorama Line? True. While the views from the Monorail are not spectacular landscapes they certainly offer a different urban take on Tokyo.
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
November 24, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Panorama Line? True. While the views from the Monorail are not spectacular landscapes they certainly offer a different urban take on Tokyo.
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
mainichi.jp/english/arti...
Prisoner 951 is a new series starting on #BBCOne this evening. It tells the story of Nazanin Zachary-Ratcliffe's six years imprisonment in Iran, and her husband's battle to have her freed.
My son and I with Richard Ratcliffe in 2019.
My son and I with Richard Ratcliffe in 2019.
November 23, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Prisoner 951 is a new series starting on #BBCOne this evening. It tells the story of Nazanin Zachary-Ratcliffe's six years imprisonment in Iran, and her husband's battle to have her freed.
My son and I with Richard Ratcliffe in 2019.
My son and I with Richard Ratcliffe in 2019.
Possibly better headlined 'Three lame ducks continue to believe they have some influence.'
November 22, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Possibly better headlined 'Three lame ducks continue to believe they have some influence.'
Dirty martini. London Jazz Festival. Amazing gig by Hiromi and her band playing Sonic Wonder. Asian based friends...they're now embarking on a tour in China and Japan. It's the chance of a lifetime to see mind-blowing musicianship.
November 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Dirty martini. London Jazz Festival. Amazing gig by Hiromi and her band playing Sonic Wonder. Asian based friends...they're now embarking on a tour in China and Japan. It's the chance of a lifetime to see mind-blowing musicianship.
Took you recommendation @thatneilmartin.bsky.social and tried the Martini Bar at the Barbican. Good advice.
November 22, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Took you recommendation @thatneilmartin.bsky.social and tried the Martini Bar at the Barbican. Good advice.
This is a current phishing ploy. The email comes from a legitimate address (aol) but the reply goes to another address (hotmail), one that's been set up by the spam merchants. This is very easily missed as the understandable assumption is that it goes to the proper inbox.
November 21, 2025 at 1:32 PM
This is a current phishing ploy. The email comes from a legitimate address (aol) but the reply goes to another address (hotmail), one that's been set up by the spam merchants. This is very easily missed as the understandable assumption is that it goes to the proper inbox.
Breaking news. Grok and Musk are a twosome.
November 20, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Breaking news. Grok and Musk are a twosome.