About The Journal
Photo by: Sebastian Mayer
Hawken King is a designer and illustrator living and working Tokyo. He has been keeping and online journal since 1999 – this is it.
My Golden Week Holiday! prt.2
Published 2nd of May, 2002. Stored under diary
I found myself in a strange town called Matsuida.
We ate breakfast with the family we were staying with (the Koitabashi Family) and then headed out for the mountains. We arrived at a mountain called Miyogisan, the air was fresh, the view spectacular and the scenery dramatic. A few footsteps from the carpark and I was in yet another persons house drinking tea. It seems that the family I came out here with grew-up in this area, in so being, they knew every fucker and their dog out here!
We proceeded to walk an ancient route up the mountain side, a route which can only be described as a death trap. At the top I was amazed to find old ladies and old men walking about on this peak like it was a walk down to the shops… when I had to use the best of my spider skills to even traverse half of what they had done.
At the top were some chains and ropes etc, something to hold on to if a gale force 4 wind swept the place clean. Then before I knew it, we were on our way down again. There were several temples in this area, one called ‘Naka No Take Jinja’ was the place we had lunch next to.
Then we drove down the mountain, rather fast, to get back out on the open road. I think it was now the intention to find a pottery place. One has to remember, everyone here is speaking Japanese, the route and schedule are unknown to me, no-one speaks a word of English, this is deep countryside. I just had to go with the flow, which, I did.
We eventually found the pottery place (called Myugitobo) after much fart arsing about. Was interesting for about 5 minutes, but it seemed like we were going to be there for a few hours again, so I went to smoke with Gen while taking pictures of his car.
The evening drew in, we were onsen bound. Onsens are a funny thing, for us daft foreigners. Take all your kit off and sit in a hot outdoors bath with about 20 other large sweaty (same sex) bodies, not as bad as one might think, if your only purpose is to get clean. These places practically cover the Japanese countryside, and were mixed baths before the Christians came here with their segregation policies and ideals of covering up boobs & bollocks some 200/300 years back.
Went back to the house to eat a hearty meal and got paralytic.
My Golden Week Holiday! prt.1
Published 1st of May, 2002. Stored under diary
I had a few phone calls in Japanese from my Friends family out here in Japan, I couldn’t decipher much, but I did get down a date and a time, and a station to be at. Why did I have to be there at that time, I later found out, that they were taking me on holiday with them to Guma county (a few hours drive from Tokyo).
I headed off to the station to be met by the mother and father of someone who I haven’t even seen for a very long time. This was 10pm. We headed back to their place where I drank some beer, then was forced some more beer, beer seemed to flow from here and I wasn’t complaining. I was treated to a grand tour of the house and some vinyl junkie ranting, along with the spectacular sound system – two gigantic Tannoy speakers with a home made valve amp each.
At about 2am we were ready to depart onto the highway, as this was ‘golden week’, the traffic was jam packed. The car we were riding in can only be described as ridiculous. A 1970’s American sports gas guzzler. My legs were close to falling off by the time we got to the first pit stop, a rest station with free tea!
I travelled in the back of this car with a French translator, up front was the Mum and Son, in another car (a new Japanese ‘cappuccino’ suzuki) were the son’s friend on the wheel, and the son’s Father, the son is Gen. The family is Aoki. The French man is Mr Charles.
its all go
Published 30th of Apr, 2002. Stored under diary
For me and several people around me its all go right now, this period of the year holds many ups and downs, planning for the coming days of our lives. Here in Japan its something known as Golden Week. A holiday that stems over a few random days, giving rest to the faithfull hive.
Myself personally, with not that much to be getting on with, I’m biding time for my return to the shores of the UK… a place I have to return to, for work, life, and a large dead end on my adventure.
Working here in Japan has taught me many important lessons about life. Working for a Japanese company has shown me the path that I wish to take. Speaking another language has made me realise we’re all just a bunch of overgrown monkeys faking civilisation in the grandest of ways.
I have a thought for the day, and that is, dont let the fuckers get you down. If you see a mad mad today (which I havent) then take the advice of my cherished ex-collegue, stare that mad man in the eye and he wont bother you, look away and he’ll give you his full attention.
Worked on my first lump of freelance work yesterday, made me feel wanted and respected, good for a man who hasnt worked in over a month.
lost and found
Published 8th of Apr, 2002. Stored under diary
Wondering the streets of shibuya and met my good pal dave. We decided not to get drunk, even though we were both not currently working.
Went to yoyogi park and got drunk.
Let off some fire works, exchanged basic communication with other drunk japanese.
Time came to go home and as always I fell asleep on the train (its a hour jouirney to my house from Shinjuku), woke up near my station, got out of the train and then to my horror noticed I’d left my freaking bag on the train…
This is a tricky situation, my copy of a very important letter plus my USB mega brain holding 6 years of data were in that bag, loose it and I’m more fucked than a gaijin in a geisha house.
Today I managed to get the bag back, to my suprise, and the kind staff at the station even gave me a free rail pass to go and pick it up. It’s amazing communication one can make with the very most basic japanese skills at hand.
And, in my current situation, where I’m doing bugger all, Japanese is something I’ve decided to tackle (after living here for quite some time, daft boy).
On a side note, here’s the new site! Spanking isn’t it?
work is shit
Published 25th of Mar, 2002. Stored under diary
Unfortunatly, something very odd happened today.
Things haven’t been so hot at work, and I’ve only just got it together to start renovating my site once again (the first time in 2 years) and what bloody happens? Well I don’t have a job to go to. A big steaming pile of shite hit a fan. I’m now on holiday until May/June/July… When I shall start my big adventure to the United Kingdom, the mother land.
Sometimes life throws some funny shit at you, but my best advice is, don’t let any fuckers walk over you, stand up for what you think is right – if someone can’t handle that, then they should get off your case. At least you’re right, and stood up for your rights.
Not hard to guess what happened really.
spanking new home
Published 20th of Mar, 2002. Stored under diary
(on this date, the third incarnation of dadako team dadako was made live)
Welcome to my home. I kiss you.
jingle bells
Published 24th of Dec, 2001. Stored under diary
It’s Christmas Day.
So freaking what is the reply you’d get in Japan. No holiday here, as although Japan loves to use Christmas decorations, sing Christmas songs and dress up like Santa, at the end of they day – Christianity is not a religion out here, and the government would never not-on-their-nelly let it become a national holiday!
So, here’s a toast to Christmas Day, which I for one, have enjoyed missing, if only for one year. Next year I’ll hopefully have my Xmas in USALand, with the family. The BIG family. Looking forward to the madness! 
hanabi
Published 22nd of Dec, 2001. Stored under diary
Lazy day, lazy dog.
Woke up late and went to EnoShima with my Girly. Tomorrow is a holiday so we can go out and get drunk, yey! At EnoShima they have a 10 minute long firework display (may sound long, but its nothing compared to the hour long one at Atami). They were nice and colourful.
We drank coffee at an odd caf? that looked a little like one you might find on the Cornish seaside, and on our exit we were almost run over by Santa costume wearing motorbikers, they had sacks and all – feck knows what they were upto, but they warmed our hearts.
james jarvis?
Published 13th of Dec, 2001. Stored under diary
Wow! Today I met James Jarvis!
Funny that, because I used to love his illustrations in those old UK skate mags, world of pain and those other doodles he did for a clothing label which name currently escapes me.
Although when he asked; uh, why you want a photo wiv me? All I could think of saying was; because your works been in Face Mag and all that. Doh! Here’s me, all time genuine fan, sounding like a freaking noggin!
Anyhow, when I get the new site up, the before mentioned image will be displayed for all to see! Me with James. Best pals. lol.
bye george
Published 30th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
Oh my bloody hell god! It’s December already!
I have started thinking about 2002 already. It’s also my girlfriends birthday in 6 days… time for the consumerist drive to go into top gear! I need to send at least 5 packages to different places around the world, arse! It’s going to cost me the damn earth.
I just heard the news today
R.I.P. George Harrison.
I never met you, or knew you, but you’ll be missed by a lot of loving people. Can you hear me?
daily rant
Published 26th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
Well, thats another month coming to a close, and I really do have to ask myself do all ex-pats go mad?.
We have the usual term of acceptence by non-japanese here to think in circles of well whatever happens in japan it wouldn’t happen in my country. You’re all mad etc thing, which I can understand, hell my flat mate is like it! But I tend not to be on such a negative side. No, my condition is has evolved to be one of extreme opionion.
I am opionionated and I know it, I tend to let people know it too. In country where opionionation is personal, non-opionionation is public, I stick out like a sore forigner.
Still, at least I don’t find it nessicary to complain about Japan every other comment, in fact these days I find myself backing japan up!
This past week I have been very drunk most evenings out, and I noticed this. Gonna cut back on the booze for a few weeks, methinks.
new porkers
Published 17th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
Unsheduled trip to Sugar High in Shibuya bore some interesting results! Met many folk who I haven’t met for some time, and met some new folk from New York, highly amusing. Found out that a person I met called Dianna knows a guy called Kenzo who was in a project I worked on in June.
Swings and roundabouts, I tell ya!
To quote Hugh Riley who’s quoting Kurt Vonnegut: there are only 500 or so real people in the universe, the others are placeholder art
inevitably you run out of new people and start to see the old ones again.
night out
Published 15th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
Well, getting home on the train is a funny thing. Seems that certain train lines here in Tokyo close quite early, while others can stay open forever. I went to see my great mates Dave and Beth, who I never see hide nor hare of, mostly. We had some delicious egg and chips, guzzling fruity bar mixers and eating strange puds at a family resturant… But as I missed my last train I thought it might be nice, as I was there, to drink. And that drinking turned into meeting people, which turned into karaoke. Shit night really, compared, but got-me-through the night until I could get the first train.
I don’t think I’ll ever remember the names of people I meet, as Dave and Beth had long departed, the people I ended up with just choke my distant memories of what they may look like.
help!
Published 12th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
My god, its a year since I made Helpgame with Dan at Kleber. They are having some celebrations over there, so pop over and join in the fun!
coldness
Published 4th of Nov, 2001. Stored under diary
Damn its getting cold! brrr. Japans tempreture just drops without warning. The change from summer to autumn happened in a few days. The change from autumn to winter happened this sunday.
Well… I’ve been getting out and about these past few days. Things are going well, hopefully I can contact my sister to send me my winter jacket. That jacket cost me the best part of Âœ200… and now when I need it I ain’t got it.
EGM RPG
Published 19th of Oct, 2001. Stored under pixelart, press
Double page spread illustration for US magazine Electronic Gamer.
earthquake
Published 17th of Oct, 2001. Stored under diary
keep real, be trim eat like a ninja fight like a bee.
Too right mr grigg!
Bit of an Earthquake this morning, 6:30 am. Shook me about for a few seconds, was longer than the other earthquakes I’ve felt but less violent. Waiting for the big one still.
911
Published 11th of Oct, 2001. Stored under diary
Not a nice bit of news to wake up to, really.
Surreal. Many Japanese people here were making airplane shapes with their hands and crashing them into their arms asking me did you see? hehehe. Well its not that fucking funny… I’ll blame it on an in-ability to grasp seriousness. But then, I don’t think japan is all _that_ fond of America, with good reason. Many countries are openly similar. Personally, and this is my personal website, I have mixed feelings. On one hand its a tragedy of our generation, to see landmarks hit and the unpreparedness of America to accept this, New York for christs sake! On the other hand, good old USA has done some horrific things, acts of terrorism, killing, fighting, oppression to smaller countries it can’t understand. I feel sorry for the innocent, and a lot of innocent people died today.
tokyo games show
Published . Stored under diary
Now I was actually thinking of writing a nice big article about the Tokyo Games Show, but it was damn well shit.
X-Box was out in full effect but I think they has the worst games there. Sega had a lot of new titles in the pipeline for the Nintendo Game cube and the Gameboy Advance. But apart from that, the wasn’t much interest.
Girls! Yeah, there were just as many girls as the ones I showed in earlier reports of the Tokyo Arcade Machine Show, and the X-Box ladies were very nice! But, alas, there were too many people about to get some decent pictures. Not that I was just there to see the Game Girls, really!