Film info

Creator / Collector

Description
The film opens with the interior of a house in western decor but we observe the hanging shoji, a type of curtain which is made of rice paper, opaque and thin so that allows the light to pass through it.

We are transported to a playground where young children climb, exercise and play.

The filmmaker takes footage of the streets.

The Kagurazaka district is located in Tokyo near Iidabashi Station. During the Edo period its main road was across the Ushigome Bridge in the castle's exterior ditch and it was a hub of entertainment, which is something that continues to this day. The area has still retained a traditional Japanese atmosphere and walking along its alleys we will find traditional okiya houses with geishas, temples and small sanctuaries.

Kagurazaka hosts the annual Kagurazaka Awa-odori festival every fourth weekend of July, and groups of dancers and musicians in traditional costumes sing and dance in its streets.

Coordinates

Film Information

Holder
Bonar, Andrew Graham

Quality
HD (1440x1080)

Sound
Yes

Color
Yes

Duration (seconds)
186

Format
Super 8mm

Creator's description


My temporary home in the district of Kagurazaka, Tokyo. It is a Japanese house, but furnished in western style. The windows are covered with screens which let in a pleasant diffused light.
Just opposite the gate of the house is a children’s playground. Let’s go and see what the kiddies are up to, shall we?
The streets near the house are narrow, quiet and clean. Unfortunately their picturesqueness is somewhat spoilt by the presence of poles at the side of the road carrying numerous cables. They say it is too risky to lay the cables underground because of the frequent earthquakes, but I don’t know if this is the real reason.
This is the main street in Kagurazaka. It is gaily decorated with red and yellow plastic leaves to signify that the season is autumn.
The local temple. After the visit, the obligatory family photo.
From up here we can look out over the rooftops of Tokyo stretching into the distance.
Bonar, Andrew Graham