Tokyo 10th Meetup

July 10, 2009 3:17 PM

Yes we can haz 10th Anniversary Meetup in Tokyo!

As we discussed before we'll be taking a little trip up to Ome to visit woodblock100 and mess around with printing. He has listed details and directions here.

We will meet at 8:15am at Studio Alta to catch the train (although you are welcome to catch a different train and make your own way there).

Please bring some snacks to share!

There may be beer afterwards - but we are kind of playing it by ear there.

posted by gomichild to MetaFilter Gatherings at 3:17 PM (17 comments total)

That's an awesome use of (and drawing of) catbus!
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:25 PM on July 10, 2009

Yeah, when I read in that Globe and Mail interview the other day:
Next week, thousands of people will be toasting its anniversary – hundreds of them at parties in rented-out pubs in cities from Toronto to Tokyo ... I was kind of disappointed that we didn't manage to get it together ...

But it looks like we might make it!

We will meet at 8:15am at Studio Alta to catch the train

8:15 out there on the plaza is cutting it a bit close to get the 8:19 train, don't you think? Especially if you are hauling kids!

... drawing of - catbus ...

I have no permission to use that Hayao Miyazaki image of course, but for a kids' play date like this, I don't think we'll get hit by (legal) lightning. It's made from three woodblocks (black, sand, brown), and even the littlest kids will be able to walk away with a print that they have made 'by themselves' ...
posted by woodblock100 at 3:37 PM on July 10, 2009

Actually I was thinking of the 8:47am and giving ourselves half an hour to get across the road and on the train to be safe.

I'll be coming in from Kanagawa and will already be in transit from 6:30am so it sounded more sane (^_^).

And yes - I will have energetic, 14 month old in tow - and woodblock100 is kindly preparing a space so please bring along your mini Mefites to have a play date!
posted by gomichild at 3:42 PM on July 10, 2009

I've been to Ome, very nice rural town, you wouldn't know it was close to Tokyo. You can swim in the river there. I wish I could join you.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:13 PM on July 10, 2009

You can swim in the river there

You can indeed. Here is a Google shot of the area. I'm at the red arrow; paddling/swimming is near the white bridge you see in the picture (we'll cross that bridge during the 20-minute walk from the station - off the picture up top - down to my place).

The little stream right under my windows is too shallow for swimming, but fine for kids to paddle around looking under the stones for little crabs, etc. And behind my place, it's all forest, full of walking paths.

But trying to jam in too much stuff is probably not such a great idea, especially as some of you have a pretty fair travel time involved just to get here.
posted by woodblock100 at 5:22 PM on July 10, 2009

woodblock100/David Bull's weblog is one hell of an inspiring read, BTW
posted by KokuRyu at 6:36 PM on July 10, 2009

damn. We're taking the inlaws to Chicago to meet my folks next week. I'll miss the Tokyo meet-up, be too busy playing tour guide to make the Chicago meet up, and finally, I'll totally miss the solar eclipse.

And, wow. Ome? You live there? I'm jealous. Beautiful area, I'll be there in spirit.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:59 PM on July 10, 2009

I have no idea how the Japanese MeFites got that bus attached to that cat, or why.

I do know that I am killingly jealous, though.

Stupid no fun stinkpit.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:57 PM on July 10, 2009

... or why ...

I guess you have no kids.
posted by woodblock100 at 8:07 PM on July 10, 2009

I sure wish I could make this one. Dammit. I know y'all'll have a lot of fun out at Woodblock's place.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:51 PM on July 10, 2009

Yay!
posted by misozaki at 12:36 AM on July 11, 2009

I see that the older threads have now been resurrected, so in the interests of making sure we don't get our wires too crossed up, please check those too:
'Signup' here. Discussion here ... and here.

And there is also the page of information that gomichild linked to up at the top of this page.
posted by woodblock100 at 12:42 AM on July 11, 2009

AND you can swim in the river?? Stupid saturdays. I have to be in Tsukuba this saturday, and have no say in the matter. (sniffle) man, and i so wanted to join this...
posted by whatzit at 3:37 AM on July 11, 2009

Yeah, that's the river I played in (not really swam in) 15 years ago with my nephew and niece. Small world, err, island. Have fun. Now I have my own kid, playing in our own little river winding out of the mountains. The 17th is Kyoto's big festival day of the year, so we'll be having fun even if we can't join you.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:58 AM on July 11, 2009

I'll be in Tokyo but visiting the party only in spirit.
posted by that girl at 8:26 AM on July 11, 2009

visiting the party only in spirit

I have a webcam in my workshop, and it is usually turned on around 5 hours a day (and only during those days when I am actually at the bench.) Unless next Saturday's attendees are opposed to it, I'll rig it up so that it shows our 'catbus' workbench with the blocks and tools laid out. At this point, not sure exactly what time we'll be 'working' ...

For US-based MeFites, this will be happening Friday evening (Europeans are going to be out of luck). I guess if we start 'broadcasting', we'll post here about it.
posted by woodblock100 at 11:29 PM on July 11, 2009

OMG webcam?? Must remember to brush hair.
posted by gomichild at 1:06 AM on July 12, 2009