Study Japanese with Ken Tanaka: The Power of Music and Coffee

When I was a university student, a band that I was in (and am still “in,” even though I’m an ocean away) – Special Dental Team, wrote several songs with Japanese titles and even one with Japanese lyrics. In retrospect, I do recommend this as a study tactic to be stressed in my 50 Study [...]

Ken Tanaka and Keiichi Niita (Video)

In this video, Ken Tanaka meets photographer, Keiichi Niita, who worked with Terry Richardson for a number of years. The theme of Niita’s show was, “Japanese people should be more open.” After briefly speaking with Niita, Tanaka also visits another gallery, which is showcasing work by two up and coming artists, Martha Chan and Dominique [...]

The Perspective of David Foster Wallace: Video

The sky in Japan has clouded over. Airplanes rumble overhead. A typhoon is coming this weekend. At six o’clock in the morning, I find a video that I want to share with you. Thirty minutes with David Foster Wallace speaking at the “Artists on the Cutting Edge” series from The University of California Television Channel [...]

Oden with Tanaka, Ken

It was a rainy and slightly muggy Tuesday evening as I caught up with Ken Tanaka in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. Amidst the neon blur of Shinjuku, we found ourselves enjoying Japanese “oden” and sharing some wonderful conversation. Thank you Ken for taking the time to meet up and converse. I hope you will find the [...]

Eyeslit-Tube and Eyeslit-Vimeo

I am working on media for both the Vimeo channel and a new (as of today) Youtube channel for Eyeslit’s viral content. At this point, you can experience original music and abstract viral projects. The viral addresses are: Eyeslit-Tube Eyeslit-Vimeo Both channels contain almost identical content, so please choose your favorite and check back regularly [...]

Japanicity: Three Questions w/ Ken Tanaka （田中けんさんとミツの質問）

“Three Questions” is a song by the Kentucky based musician Bonnie “Prince” Billy from his “Master and Everyone” album. This haunting and beautiful song has been with me since winter 2004 and today I would like to incorporate the idea of “three questions” into The Eyeslit-Crypt. It is really quite simple. I choose one person [...]

The Japanicity of Ken Tanaka and the Social Media Community of Youtube

As stated on his Youtube “helpmefindparents” profile, “Ken Tanaka lives in a reality that is likely very different from your own. In this reality, rather unreal things can and do happen.” I have been fascinated by Ken Tanaka ever since seeing his first Youtube video last year. At the time of writing this, having achieved [...]