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Japan – Day 22 (return to Tokyo!)

Oh, Kansai…it’s been so much fun being here again, but it’s time to move on! I got up and finished packing then headed to the train station to catch the bullet train back to Tokyo. It was a little sad having to leave, but I had to smile when a rainbow appeared over by the mountains in the distance. I love you too, Kansai!

The trip to Tokyo was uneventful, and getting through Tokyo Station wasn’t bad. I got to my hotel early, but fortunately my room was already cleaned so I got to check in early. After checking the room, settling in, and taking a quick shower I got on the subway to TeamLab Planets.

I had such a great time at TeamLab Borderless a few weeks ago I decided I needed to visit their sister site. Planets is much smaller than Borderless, and there are actually directions to walk in. The first room was a bit of an exercise because it was basically a room of gigantic bean bag chair type things that you have to crawl and roll over. Then you have to roll up your pant legs because the next exhibit is a knee-high pond and they project flowers and koi all over the surface. The koi actually move depending on how the guests move and what we’re doing using motion sensors and detecting where the light breaks off, so it was really neat. There was also a replica of my favorite room at Borderless, the LED strand room, as well as the most vertigo inducing ceiling and wall projection room where you have to lay down to look up. Planets is much smaller than Borderless, it only took about an hour to go through, but it was still cool! If you had to only pick one though then definitely go to Borderless. Afterwards, I stopped at a curry place to get some dinner, then went back to the hotel to plot out my last few days here in Japan. Tomorrow I’m (hopefully) getting up EARLY to hit the fish market, but we’ll see!

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2014 Comics

In 2011 I started making little comics, just for friends and family to see. They aren’t always the most original, but they make me laugh and that’s all that matters. Here are the ones from 2014. 🙂

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The Legendary “Shit Fountain” of Chicago

For years I’ve been hearing about a “Shit Fountain” somewhere in Chicago. I’d ask where it was but no one could answer me for sure, and many people thought it was just a rumor or joke people talked about using faked photos. It recently popped into my brain again in the middle of the night earlier this week, and I decided that fake or not I needed to see for myself.

So I did a little searching and found an old blog post from 2016 where someone had posted pictures and an address. An equally curious friend and I hopped on the Blue Line and went to the location (1001 North Wolcott Avenue, the northeast corner of Wolcott and Augusta) and tracked down this fabled oddity of oddities. Lo and behold, success! We found it!

IT’S REAL YOU GUYS! Here is a brief summary of the story via Atlas Obscura:

“Artist Jerzy S. Kenar installed the public poop as a winking tribute to all of the dogs in the neighborhood who are known to trample and defecate upon his flowers. The metal make sits atop a three-foot sandstone pedestal like a classical Grecian bust and slowly dribbles water into a shallow basin. While the piece may seem disgusting or in poor taste, it has garnered almost no outcry from the community who seem to truly enjoy the whimsical statement. Technically the statue sits on Kenar’s private property so the city is not concerned either.”

We spoke with some neighbors that were hanging outside (and laughing with us as we were taking our photos), and the artist does indeed own the building the fountain is in front of. He also owns the building next door, which is also his art studio! We were there kind of late so the studio was closed, but the neighbors laughed in good humor about it and mentioned some of his other exhibits, like the “Flying Penis” display comprised of a bunch of flying dicks in the air. They also pointed out a curved ladder to heaven and weaved wood sculpture on the wall of the gallery. This has all piqued my interest, I may need to visit again to see inside his studio!