Shakin' in the '50s

No I'm not talking about dancing to R&B or Rockabilly.

This is the 1850s, specifically 1855, when Edo was hit with a major quake.

Ansei Edo Jishin (Ansei Edo Earthquake) 安政江戸地震

Given the social tensions of the time this, and other events were given a social interpretation of a society gone wrong and needing rectification.

Seismic fishiness

This week I continue the seismic series I began last week.

In Japan there is a legendary catfish whose motions underground cause earthquakes. The two entries below relate to that catfish (as well as to the natural catfish).

namazu (catfish) 鯰

namazu-e (catfish picture) 鯰絵

Not only did Ono-san in Tokyo suggest these entries he sent me a link to a multipage series of modern namazu-e drawn in response to the Tohoku earthquake that has so dominated the recent news.

私家版・「鯰絵大作戦」

The whimsical nature of many of these illustrations is very much in the tradition of the late Edo Period prints.

Starting a seismic series

Ono-san in Tokyo has suggested a series of earthquake related entries for the Anime Companion Supplement.

With the disaster in Japan on many people's minds I think this is s good series to do at this time. Fortunately everyone I know in Japan is fine, tho' it took three days for Taki to get home and post that fact on Facebook. I had no idea he works at Fukushima Dai-ichi, and his office was right in front of Unit 1.

What with various things (taxes are done!) I only have the energy for one entry today. Expect several interrelated ones next week as a set.

This week's entry is on one of the pioneers of seismology in Japan.

Terada Torahiko 寺田 寅彦