What has happened since we last spoke about the Kamibun Artist in Residence?  Harada san has had a fever and he still has a cold.  Each morning he makes this loud honking noise as he ejects hana mizu from his nostrils.  I’m worried about him because he seems fragile.  He doesn’t know how to cook proper food for himself.  He’s been eating dried instant ramen and ugly plastic containers of microwave rice (we don’t have a microwave) from Wada shop.  I try and cook something for him when I can.  I’ve been taking him on these walks around Kamibun, usually in search of old houses lost in the jungle.  It’s not easy getting to these places and he’s done well to keep smiling (perhaps he enjoys it?).  Yesterday we went up the hill directly infront of my house.  I knew there were at least two houses hiding up there from looking at the map.  Harada san filmed the entire trip.  More on that later, now we’ll have a look at Harada san’s anti ghost preparations:

Above, a trap to catch ghosts.  The little arms help to guid the ghost into the net at the bottom.  I asked him how he can tell if he’s caught one he replied ‘I don’t know’.  I asked him what happens when the net is full, he replied ‘I don’t know’.  Hopefully it gives him peace of mind though.
Below, small bowl of salt in the bedroom.

I asked him what the ghost looks like and he replied ‘I don’t know’.  He can’t actually see it but he feels something bad in the corner by the toilet…

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We walked up a little path and it was overgrown and difficult and steep and rocky.  This house did not have any direct road access – you had to walk through the forest each time you needed anything.  Imagine at night having to make your way through a pitch black jungle just to get to your car.  I think that as soon as the sun sets you would have to stay indoors; it’s just not practical.  So after a while we found the old house and it was very overgrown but the structure was in good condition.  I was shocked to see a modem and an antenna outside the front door!  It meant that this house has only been empty for a couple of years!

We return to the main road and a little old man was sitting there.  He told Harada san about the house and that an old lady had been living there by herself up until 2 years ago.  It’s incredible!  How fascinating it would be to talk to this old lady.

It was a beautiful day.  The old man pointed out the flower bulbs washed down the hill by the recent typhoon.  They are higabana.  Harada san filmed him.

So how is the residence going?  Harada san is still collecting data.  He will process it all in Tokyo.  I’m not sure if he will have an exhibition and where and when that might be.  I’ll grill him later.

Next, another walk.  Up behind Kamibun shrine.  There’s a house up there…somewhere.