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藪の中の黒猫 [Yabu no naka no kuroneko / A Black Cat in a Bamboo Grove] (Kaneto Shindō, 1968)
Jun
19
Garfield the Cat Day
A young woman in white, strangely resembling a cat, seemingly lapping a drink from a bowl. DP: Kiyomi Kuroda.
A mother and daughter who are raped and murdered by a rogue samurai, return as cat-shaped onryō, vengeful spirits.
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ビリィ★ザ★キッドの新しい夜明け [Birī za kiddo no atarashii yoake / The New Morning of Billy the Kid] (Naoto Yamakawa, 1986)
May
31
National Utah Day
Billy the Kid steps out of a huge poster of Monument Valley right into a Tokyo bar and becomes its bar keeper. Together with a samurai, a WW2 G.I, Marx-Engels (not a typo), the Japanese weather service number 177 and others, he keeps the tavern safe from various thugs roaming the streets.
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吾輩は猫である [Wagahai wa neko de aru / I Am a Cat] (Kon Ichikawa, 1975)
May
30
Hug Your Cat Day
The cat and his master, teacher Sneaze. DP: Kōzō Okazaki.
“Had I the time to keep a diary, I’d use that time to better effect; sleeping on the veranda”
– The cat
* The event falls on June 4
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アントニー・ガウディー [Antonio Gaudí] (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1984)
May
12
National Anthony Day
A woman in shorts and T-shirt lounges on the serpentine mosaic bench in Parc Güell, which blues compliment her outfit. Planned as a housing development project, the park is a welcome break from the busy city for all Catalans, regardless of class. DPs: Junichi Segawa, Ryu Segawa & Yoshikazu Yanagida.
An actor, director or character named Anthony for National Anthony Day (USA).
“Everything comes from the Great Book of Nature. Human attainments are an already printed book.”
– Antoni Gaudí
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鬼の詩 [Oni no uta / Song of the Devil] (Tetsutaro Murano, 1975)
Apr
29
Jerry Seinfeld – 1954
Keima Kyo entertaining his audience by hanging numerous clay pipes from his face. DP: Yasuhiro Yoshioka.
Rakugo (落語, litt. “story with a fall”), is a style of Japanese comedy performed while seated. Armed with a few props, the rakugoka recites a comical monologue using pitch and gestures.
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悲愁物語 [Hishu monogatari / A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness] (Seijun Suzuki, 1977)
Apr
13
1997 Masters Tournament
Reiko, looking fabulous, dropped down next to a sand-filled bunker. DP: Masaru Mori.
Golf (or a tiger) in honour of Tiger Woods' 1997 Masters Tournament victory.
Reiko (Yoko Shiraki), a professional model – is groomed into playing the circuit by the editor of a golfing fashion magazine. The rookie's unexpected success draws in all sorts of fans, including the obsessive.
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ビルマの竪琴 [Biruma no tategoto / The Burmese Harp] (Kon Ichikawa, 1956)
Apr
8
花祭り
Mizushima (Shōji Yasui) holding his harp, looked over by the reclining Buddha. DP: Minoru Yokoyama.
A film about Buddhism, or set in Japan, in honour of the birth of Buddha, celebrated in Japan on April 8 as 花祭り (Hana Matsuri, aka Flower Festival)
“Can't you see that whatever you do is futile? The armies of Britain and Japan can come and fight all they wish. Burma is still Burma. Burma is the Buddha's country.”
– old monk
While stationed in Burma, Mizushima disguises himself as a dhutanga, a wandering Buddhist monk, burying the remains of his fellow Japanese soldiers.
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みな殺しの霊歌 [Minagoroshi no reika / I, the Executioner] (Tai Katō, 1968)
Apr
3
1968
A newspaper headline for April 3, 1968: “COMPANY DIRECTOR'S WIFE NEWEST VICTIM”. DP: Keiji Maruyama.
“With bar hostesses, there's a type who are likely to be murdered.”
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父ありき [Chichi ariki / There Was a Father] (Yasujirō Ozu, 1942)
Mar
31
a father
Father and son fishing in a creek. DP: Yūharu Atsuta.
A father for OP's father's birthday.
A father, and proud teacher, raises his son alone. When the boy is an adult and a teacher himself, the elder's traditional concept of societal hierarchy affirms the balance between the generations.
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野獣死すべし [Yajū shisubeshi / The Beast Shall Die] (Eizō Sugawa, 1959)
Mar
30
7 p.m.
Kunihiko Date (Tatsuya Nakadai) driving along at night. DP: Fukuzō Koizumi.
“He’s not a beast. No, he’s a robot. A machine created by a modern, twisted society.”