iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 14h

I have now entered a language “Grey Zone” In Mandarin, I can say enough to tell them what I want, but not enough to understand any answer that is not a clear “yes” or “no” Also I say enough initially, that they assume I understand all, but I dont I may be here some time😬

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 17h

For permanent residents in 🇯🇵, may know this already, but immigration told me that if you are abroad and your Zairyu Card (not residence, which is permanent) expires, then as long as your multi entry visa is valid, you can get back in & renew it quickly there will be no problem.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

My mum sent me a video of her and her friends dancing in a “disco” - where everyone wears headphones to hear their own music. A bunch of old folks laughing, and bobbing around in silence, is delightful, disturbing, and funniest thing I have seen for a while I have to say.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

🇹🇼For 6 months, whenever I have popped out for a coffee, I have passed this little shrine, but never noticed it before. Today I heard a bird call, so turned my head for the first time, and there it was. Doesn't seem to be on Google maps.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Kudanzaka Night (九段坂夜) Artist : 🇯🇵Kiyochika Date : 1880 Passersby carry paper umbrellas and hand-held lanterns to navigate a dark, rainy night. A rickshaw hustles across the wet, reflective street near the famous stone beacon then visible from Tokyo Bay.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

When I first came to 🇯🇵 I had no job, no place to stay, and little money. However I said to myself, if I needed to teach English to survive, that would be my signal to leave. Nothing wrong with teaching, both my parents were teachers, but it's just not my thing. But never did.

static.klipy.com

Jeff Goldblum: Life Uh Finds A Way (Jurassic Park)

ALT: Jeff Goldblum: Life Uh Finds A Way (Jurassic Park)

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Ushigome Kagurazaka (牛込神楽坂) #3 Artist : 🇯🇵Tsuchiya, Koitsu Then: 1939 Now: When I first came to 🇯🇵, I got offered 2 jobs, one at Goldmans, and the other at startup. I chose the startup in Kagurazaka, our tiny office was this top floor, above this 🇫🇷bistro.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

So I went to a vegetarian buffet, again And they hand me a questionnaire which I though was the usual : how was the food, service, value for money? etc but turns out to be some odd existential questions🤔 Honestly, I think this world is just too fk’n weird for me now.🤷‍♂️

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Ushigome Kagurazaka (牛込神楽坂) #2 Artist : 🇯🇵Tsuchiya, Koitsu Date : 1939 A historic geisha district in the Ushigome area of Tokyo. A rainy night, wet stone reflects light spilling from paper lanterns as woman walks down the street in a vibrant blue kimono.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Kagurazaka (神楽坂) Artist : 🇫🇷Noel Nouet Date : 1937 An atmospheric, quiet, evening in Kagurazaka. Warm light glows softly from swaying lanterns as figures in traditional kimonos step down a alleyway. I worked there many years, still has this authentic charm.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I really like this youtube channel - Fads. youtube.com/@fads?si=mzG... My thoughts on tech, Elon, AI, DCs are completely aligned with this guy. And he is from North England, like me. Only downside is the obvious glee he derives from telling us bad news..😬

youtube.com

Fads

Hi! I am Fadel - a writer, journalist and filmmaker who focuses on the intersection of tech, the economy, and internet culture. I hold an MA in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour from the Univer...

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Pondering life this morning, simultaneously thru the windows of : 🇬🇧London 🇹🇼Taipei 🇯🇵Tokyo Taipei has been great, learned a lot here in the last 6 months, but I am getting ready for a change now, back to 🇯🇵. I can stagnate easily I think.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Actor Portraits Artist : 🇯🇵Sharaku Then 1794 : A mysterious Sharaku revolutionized art with his raw, personality-filled portraits of actors, but failed to gain popularity & disappeared in 10 months. Then costing ¥500 in todays money. Now : some reach ¥50M each.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A typhoon seems to have pulled one of the trees outside down into the swimming pool area. Also now the pool is pretty icy every day, and the wind sets up harmonics that make it a bit of a battle. I guess time to switch indoors. As in life, too short a season.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Floating World🇮🇳 Ajmer Gate, Jaipur (ジャイプールのアジュメル門) Artist : 🇯🇵Yoshida Date : 1931 Features the vibrant pink-sandstone Ajmer Gate in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with elephants carrying riders passing through the main archway alongside local townspeople and animals resting.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

🇬🇧Dawn has quite subtle colors at Canary Wharf this morning…

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Night View of Sumigawa River, Tokyo Artist : 🇯🇵Yasuji Then : 1884 a 🇯🇵man in a bowler ponders Now : Looking forward to returning to my home in 🇯🇵 soon, on my deck overlooking Sumigawa river, pondering, glass of wine in hand & listening to jazz on a balmy evening.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Imperial Departure from the New Imperial Palace" (新皇居御出門之圖) Artist : 🇯🇵 Chikanobu Date : 1888 Emperor Meiji and procession departing from the newly constructed Meiji Palace in ornate western-style horse-drawn carriages surrounded by military guards.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Seen runaway M&A before. When acquirers continue to buy and strip companies of cash to pay for the previous acquisition fail. Now in AI, the debt is ballooning to get compute, so they want to slow down, but give the reason of human threat rather than their unsustainable business model.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Floating World🇪🇬 The Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt Artist : 🇯🇵Hiroshi Yoshida Date : 1925 The Great Sphinx (prior to restorations). Shown under a bright cobalt-blue daytime sky with a caravan of travelers and locals riding camels and mules across the desert foreground.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Japanese🇯🇵 buffet did not disappoint. Especially the Wagyu, which was exquisite, and unlimited.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Brick Western Buildings on the Yokohama Coast (横浜海岸外国館煉瓦造図) Artist : 🇯🇵Ikumaru Date: 1898 A multi-story red-brick building with foreign architecture. Outside horse-drawn carriages, rickshaws, and people in both traditional kimonos & Western clothes.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Well if its any consolation, after working on application of AI at an industrial scale for a while now, I honestly believe that the biggest threat from AI is the hype, leading to the current immense capital destruction. Now (over)valued at 40% of the US market I heard…

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 General MacArthur's HQ - Tokyo in Spring/Dai-ichi Life building, facing Palace Artist : 🇯🇵Hokuto,Tamamura Then 1946 : An example of his work during the occupation era. Now : In Dai-ichi, MacArthur’s office is still maintained as a museum, but not open to the public.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Battle of Ueno (上野戦争) - 3 of 9 panels Artist :🇯🇵Yoshitora Date :1868 (Contemporaneous print) The temple is engulfed in fire as samurai and the government military clash in chaotic hand-to-hand combat on the forested slope of Ueno hill in the 1868 civil war.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Great Buddha at Kamakura Artist : 🇬🇧 Charles W. Bartlett Date : 1916 During a 1915–1916 trip, famous print publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō commissioned Bartlett to create 21 woodblock prints based on his watercolors of Japan, India, and Ceylon.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Going to Japanese Karaoke. Been over 20 years since I sang Japanese karaoke as I admit I am not a fan. But someones mother passed away 🙏 and she loved enka, so we are going to honor her this way. Dulce et Decorum Est🫡

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Seafront in Yokohama (横浜海岸通り之景) Artist : 🇯🇵Hiroshige III Then : In 1872 a mix of traditional 🇯🇵 boats bedside a large foreign-flagged multi-masted ship, with foreign merchant buildings and houses (ijinkan). Mt Fuji visible. Now : A high rise skyline.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Floating World 🇯🇵 Dusk View of Tokyo Station Artist :🇯🇵 Ishii, Tsuruzo Date : 1928 The south Marunouchi entrance to Tokyo Station. The red-brick facade, featuring early 20th-century pedestrians in Western hats and suits, vintage automobiles, a cyclist, and lit windows.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Tokyo Station Artist : 🇯🇵Ishii, Tsuruzo Then 1928: Pre war Now: For years I passed thru every working day, it was not fully restored from WWII bombing which left it as a 2-story bldg. It took another 67 years, until 2012, when it was finally restored to 3 floors.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

🇹🇼It’s a nice day here for a change. Passing the National theatre.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 Ikenohata, Shinobazu Pond, Ueno, Tokyo Artist : 🇯🇵Yasuji Then : 1897 Famous for its lotus blooms in the summer and migratory birds in the winter Now : Though living in Tokyo over 30 years, a place I had never been, and the art actually motivated a visit.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Some women acquaintances got together to rate the men in our circle and one told me “You came top - 95/100!” 1st thought - whats wrong with you? I’m a walking encyclopedia of flaws 2nd thought - where did I lose the 5 pts🤔? 3rd thought - Ah, the 2nd thought answers itself🤣

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Floating World🇬🇧 View of the Bank of England/Royal Exchange, London Artist : 🇯🇵Kojo Kokan (古城江観) Date : 1930 Captures the bustling, atmospheric energy of Bank junction in the City of London during the interwar period. Cars, omnibuses, fedoras & a Zeppelin floats above.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Then & Now🇬🇧 Bank of England, London Artist : 🇯🇵Kojo, Kokan Then : 1930 Pre-WW2. An intriguing work, with the then common Zeppelin/Blimp overhead, calm before storm. Now : Key buildings haven’t changed. Had our 🇬🇧office just round the corner, on the left for many years.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Sakunami Hot Springs (作並の湯) Artist:🇯🇵Kasamatsu,Shirō Shirō Date: 1954 Sakunami Onsen is a famous hot spring located along a mountain river valley near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture. Shirō's style combines scenic landscapes with intimate depictions of bathing.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Then & Now🇯🇵 The Giant Lantern of the Senso-ji Temple Asakusa, Tokyo Artist : 🇯🇵Kasamatsu, Shiro Then : 1934 Now : This is an example where I took the photo first and then acquired the art later, so the angles don't quite match, but does show that some scenes just catch the eye.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 The Great Lantern of Kannon Temple, Asakusa (浅草観音堂大提灯) Artist :🇯🇵Kasamatsu Shirō Date : 1934 A perspective of the iconic giant red paper lantern and temple’s pre-WWII visitors. This wooden hall and lantern were destroyed in the Tokyo firebombings.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Nigatsudō Hall, Nara(奈良二月堂) Artist :🇯🇵Hasui Date :1934 Depicts the famous "Second Month Hall", a sub-temple of the Tōdai-ji complex perched on a hillside overlooking Nara. A solitary figure carries a glowing paper lantern near the illuminated wooden hall.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Famous Places along the Tōkaidō (東海道名所之内) Artist :🇯🇵Hiroshige II Date : 1863 Depicts a daimyō lord's entourage traveling along the tree-lined highway carrying decorative tsuma-jirushi (spear covers) and lanterns past the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Cormorant Fishing(鵜飼之圖) Artist :🇯🇵Tomikichiro Tokuriki Date : 1960 A traditional fisherman in a straw skirt guides the hunting birds using leashes attached to their necks. They can catch, but not swallow, the fish. Flaming torches attract fish in the water.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

So Nvidia will buy Hugging Face for $12B. 10 years ago I set up a prototype repository - called SignBoard - for trained machine learning models to be used in equity trading, before LLMs existed. But I admit I never pushed it hard. Well, fuuuuuuuuuuuu🤣 Easy come, easy go🤷‍♂️

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Mount Fuji from Lake Yamanaka(山中湖) Artist :🇯🇵Takahashi Date : 1930 A calm spring day where the delicate white blossoms and gnarled tree frame a pale, distant Mount Fuji over Lake Yamanaka. Small sailboats and a lone boatman drift across the quiet water.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 Arakawa River at Night(荒川の夜) Artist :🇯🇵Tsuchiya Koitsu Date : 1939 A tranquil, atmospheric night on the Arakawa River. A full moon filters through a pine tree, casting a reflection across the water. A sailboat drifts along as distant figures cross the bridge.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Floating World🇺🇸 America: Enjoying Hot Air Balloons Artist :🇯🇵Yoshitora Date : 1867 An imaginative 🇯🇵 perspective of Americans gathering to inflate, launch, and enjoy hot air balloons. Workers and spectators manage ropes, barrels and a crane to anchor and inflate the aerostats.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Floating World🇯🇵 View of the Coast of Oshu (奥州海岸一覧) Artist :🇯🇵Kuniteru II Date : 1868 A steamship sailing along the coast of northern Japan during the boshin civil war. The background is a map, with labelled red cartouches identifying towns, mountains, and harbours.

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

🇹🇼Taipei, everyone relaxing down by Tamsui river last night.✨🌟✨

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RedSamurai @redsamurai.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

🇹🇼 Full moon, Live jazz, And a balmy breezes, Can be idyllic here between storms.

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