Tokyo & Kyoto. Writer/editor/gardener/cook, birthing person, mother of dogs, avowed enemy of the patriarchy. I'm no damn lady. Ex-Dow Jones/MarketWatch/Reuters. Mostly harmless.https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mrfeqvbpec2eAs Japan now bakes under a heat wave, I'm enjoying looking back to just a few weeks, when the temperatures were much lower and the hydrangeas were still in bloom. An old friend of mine and I spent the day in Uji. We checked out Mimurotoji (三室戸寺), which supposedly has over 20,000 hydrangea bushes.24 Jul 2026 12:40 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfeqvbpec2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mqtci3on5225Someone lost their head.17 Jul 2026 08:11 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqtci3on5225https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mqqtwqpt6c2oToday I learned that *sparkling* Cloudy Bay exists. Imagine not knowing!16 Jul 2026 08:46 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqqtwqpt6c2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mq7pbj2l5k2jHere's my Uncle Gene's lastest poetry book -- which has a quite timely (though sad) theme: https://kelsaybooks.com/products/watch-us-burn-poems-for-a-lost-earth09 Jul 2026 13:07 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7pbj2l5k2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mq2nbpg2ek2hThis old house next to Yoyogi-Uehara station is still there! I took a photo of it — because the next time I head out that way, it might not be.07 Jul 2026 12:48 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2nbpg2ek2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mpnmngv3gk2rYeah…02 Jul 2026 08:32 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpnmngv3gk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mp62t43qg224Someone asked me in message about my turtle’s filter arrangement. When she grew to the size of a Kaiju, I upgraded to a large canister filter:26 Jun 2026 04:03 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp62t43qg224https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3moppehlrhk2yTwo weeks ago today, we began a trial adoption with this goofy little floof. We wanted to make he sure that he wouldn’t give our senior dog too much stress. Fortunately, she’s decided to completely ignore him, probably hoping he’ll just go away. He won’t, though — we’re smitten.20 Jun 2026 11:01 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3moppehlrhk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mnz274cmfc24Kameko, our turtle, somehow moved a very heavy BRICK across her tank. How?!?! And WHY?!?! This month marks 15 years since I found her in the street. She will probably outlive us all.11 Jun 2026 10:44 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnz274cmfc24https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mnp2g7ugn22oIn an old Tokyo house shrouded for demolition, some incredibly beautiful ranma (wooden panels) that once graced a doorway are now suspended over a hollow void.07 Jun 2026 11:21 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnp2g7ugn22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mn5cs5duec2cThis scraggly hydrangea bush growing next to Gaien-Higashidori appears half-dead most of the year — except for a few weeks when it looks amazing.31 May 2026 10:03 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn5cs5duec2chttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mn5clkzcgk2cTokyo’s hydrangeas have burst into bloom everywhere, heralding the transition from late spring to early summer.31 May 2026 09:59 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn5clkzcgk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mmqcjc4qmk2tEvery once in a while, I’m walking through Kyoto and I suddenly feel as if I’m in a Ghibli movie.26 May 2026 05:53 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmqcjc4qmk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mm75a4xhss2iSome dust in the stairwell... ...wasn't actually dust.19 May 2026 10:03 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm75a4xhss2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mm2cqvdhlk2tI love old objects from flea markets -- especially dishes. What kind of meals were once served in them? Who ate the food? And who washed the dishes afterward? Every old dish has a story I will never know. I don’t have space for more dishes, but Jewelry Opera in Jingumae has pieces made from shards.17 May 2026 11:59 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm2cqvdhlk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mlvclh4zls2oI didn't even feel the 6.3 quake that struck off Miyagi about half an hour ago (and good news, there is NO tsunami warning). While I have everyone's attention, please enjoy these photos of our old dog enjoying a doggie cake.15 May 2026 12:13 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvclh4zls2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mllab3uh622iBack in 2020, I helped Miho Mazereeuw (Associate Professor of Architecture and Urbanism in the Department of Architecture at MIT) get a draft ready to send to her publisher, of what eventually became "Design Before Disaster: Japan’s Culture of Preparedness (UVA Press, 2025)."11 May 2026 12:04 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mllab3uh622ihttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mlimist63s2gHappy Mother's Day to all who observe it in any way. Here's a flower for everyone: an amaryllis growing in an old oil can, outside of an empty house in Higashi Azabu. I am tempted to "rescue" it, but I think it should stay where everyone walking by can enjoy it.10 May 2026 11:06 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlimist63s2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mkzva2pdgc2vI have some exciting news! I bought a NEW LAMP!!! (For me, this truly counts as exciting.)04 May 2026 14:32 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkzva2pdgc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3miuovrodzc26Um…why did many dozen people suddenly follow me here? Are you all bots? https://media.tenor.com/-FhAGBhzjxcAAAAC/robot-bot.gif?hh=498&ww=33207 Apr 2026 02:05 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3miuovrodzc26https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mijndoapuc2nTokyo Tower was illuminated in a lovely blue tonight to mark World Autism Awareness Day.02 Apr 2026 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mijndoapuc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mi6wr46v7s2hCherry blossom season has arrived in Tokyo…but I was more impressed by this single clump of violets blooming amid the roots of a tree flare.29 Mar 2026 10:27 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi6wr46v7s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mhpsxwitt224I’m in Kyoto for a quick trip…and it must be graduation day for at least one department of Kyoto University — I was walking around Hyakumanben today and I saw lots of young women wearing hakama over beautiful kimono.23 Mar 2026 10:09 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhpsxwitt224https://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mhfyphlqgk2aREMINDER — you still have time to enter the Writers in Kyoto Competition! Please share! https://writersinkyoto.com/2026/02/02/writing-competition/writers-in-kyoto-wik-presents-the-tenth-kyoto-writing-competition/19 Mar 2026 12:25 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhfyphlqgk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mhdcv4smqs2fThis is a sign in Higashi Azabu, Tokyo. A more accurate English translation would have been, "Be quiet at night." But every time I see it, I think about what great advice it actually is -- to try to calm oneself down before bedtime. We'd all sleep so much better if we did this!18 Mar 2026 10:49 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhdcv4smqs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mguwctzmf22kFor me, the line between Tokyo’s late winter and early spring is when this mokuten (a type of magnolia) tree in Azabudai blooms. I happened to walk past it today, and something miraculous happened: the woman who lives in the house came outside and asked me if I wanted some of its flowers!12 Mar 2026 17:27 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mguwctzmf22khttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mgkgsk3mkk2nAfter Nagano, I went to Kyoto for a few days. I wanted to try to visit this famous coffee shop before it closed its doors forever: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2026/03/06/issues/kyoto-literary-cafe-ccs-closure/08 Mar 2026 13:23 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgkgsk3mkk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3mgf6orgwyc2wI went to Suzaka, Nagano last month, to help a friend clear out an old house she hopes to eventually transform into a cafe and guest accommodations! You can find out more about her and her project -- and see some fun videos she made of our efforts -- here: www.instagram.com/brendalyse/06 Mar 2026 11:14 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgf6orgwyc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/ltwaronitesone.bsky.social/post/3meihdb7jok2zLate last year, I took the first photo on the left — these lovely camellias were blooming next to an empty house in Higashi Azabu. I walked past it the other day, and.....it’s gone. Just GONE! I like to think that someone “rescued” it, and it’s blooming in a garden somewhere.10 Feb 2026 07:37 +0000at://did:plc:64ztqitv66o7dca7oswvvqn7/app.bsky.feed.post/3meihdb7jok2z