Plenty of Nothing

Yamada-shiki No. 1

A model of Japan's first airship, Yamada-shiki No. 1, which made a single flight in 1909. Source.

Hey, Let's Head Over to Shibuya

This has got to be the most disquieting hot air balloon ever flown, and future generations won't even believe it existed because the photos all look so much like a cut and paste job by Terry Gilliam. Source.

Mitsubishi Mizushima

Source.

Firefly Map of Japan

Source.

Shakōkidogū

This earthenware figure or dogū from the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory (14,000 to 300 BC), was found in Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture in 1886 and held up by Erich von Däniken in 1968 as evidence of extraterrestrial contact. Its snow-goggle eyes give it the name Shakōkidogū in Japanese. You only have to look at photos of Aomori in wintertime to see why snow-googles would be a thing. Today the figure is emblematic of Tsugaru, and Dogizaka FC have it on their crest.

Matches:

J2: Thespakusatsu Gunma 2 - 1 Mito HollyHock (June 4)

JFL: Nara Club 0 - 0 FC Kariya (yesterday)

Tohoku Div 1: Nippon Steel Kamaishi [0 - 2] Dogizaka

Dogizaka FC is written 筒木坂FC, which Google Translate insists is Tsutsugizaka FC.

Tohoku Div 2 N: Gonohe SC (五戸SC) vs Akita Cambiare [postponed]

[Gonohe did manage to get a game played in May, losing 6 - 0 to New Pearl Hiraizumi Maezawa.]

How can a person follow Dogizaka FC or Gonohe SC?  Both have pages at Transfermarkt. Aomori Goal magazine, which has a Twitter account in Japanese, covers both clubs.

PK-35 [0 - 0] TPS

The SWF Championship was supposed to begin this weekend, but so far nothing. [2020-21 is null and void, and the new season will start in August. The messaging on this has not been very clear.]

Developments:

Shaun Rodgers, Justin Johnson, Rabin Omar and James Wallace have been released by Morton. Chris Millar, Kalvin Orsi and Craig McGuffie are also not returning. Aidan Nesbitt has signed with Falkirk.

Morton have signed defender Alan Lithgow, formerly of Hearts, Stirling Albion, Clyde, Dumbarton, Ayr United, Stenhousemuir, Airdrieonians and Livingston. Gary Oliver has signed a one-year extension.

Stephen Farrell has left Stranraer to take on the managerial role at Dumbarton. Billy Dodds is the new manager at ICT.

Jim Duffy is joining the backroom staff at Ayr United.

Queen's Park will groundshare at Partick Thistle's Firhill Stadium this season.

[The Canadian league will start June 26th with the first 32 games being played in Winnipeg.]

How do things stand in the Japanese leagues?

J1:    After 20 games Kawasaki Frontale are tops, followed by Nagoya Grampus and Yokohama F Marinos.

J2:    Albirex Niigata lead, followed by Kyoto Sanga and FC Ryukyu. Our guys Mito HollyHock are tenth, as always.

J3:    After 9 games Kataller Toyama and Roasso Kumamoto lead.

JFL:    After ten games our guys Iwaki FC are tops, followed by Honda FC and FC Osaka.

Hokkaido:    This league is just starting.

Tohoku:    This league is just starting.

Kanto:    After seven games Briobecca Urayasu are tops.

Hokushinetsu:    After four games Niigata University of Health and Welfare and Fukui United are undefeated.

Tokai:    This league is just a game or two into its season.

Kansai:    Ococias Kyoto lead after four games.

Chugoku:    Fujifilm lead after three games.

Shikoku:    FC Tokushima and Tadostu FC are undefeated after four games.

Kyushu:    Okinawa SV are tops as usual.

WE League:    The new women's pro league hasn't started yet, but Nadeshiko 1 and 2 are well under way with Iga FC Kunoichi Mie on top of division 1.

Mito HollyHock in the 1990s:

Mito FC:

1994                                                                                 Ibaraki Div 4

1995                                                                                 Ibaraki Div 3

1996                                                                           1st, Ibaraki Div 2

Prima Ham Tsuchiura:

1994    18    10    2            6    36    25    +11    22     3rd, KSL

1995    18    14    3            1    48    13    +35    45     1st, KSL

1996    18    12    4            2    58    15    +43    40    2nd, KSL    P

Mito HollyHock:

1997    30      3    0    1    26    24    69     -45    10    16th, JFL

1998    30      7    1    0    22    37    69     -32    23    14th, JFL

1999    24    13    3    0      8    48    32    +16    45      3rd, JFL    P

Sources: Japanese Wikipedia, RSSSF.

Seasons of Gonohe SC:

2020      4    1    0      3      3    16    -13      3    5th, T2N

2019    18    6    1    11    30    71    -41    19    9th, T2N

2018    18    3    4    11    27    66    -39    13    8th, T2N

2017      9    8    1      0    35      9   +26    25    1st, AP1

2016      8    3    1      4    13    16      -3    10    5th, AP1

2015      8    5    1      2    18    11     +7    16    2nd, AP1

2014      7    4    3      0    12      6     +6    15    2nd, AP1

2013

2012

2011

2010      9    2    0      7      9    24    -15      6    9th, AP1

2009    11    5    1      5    23    24      -1    16    7th, AP1

T2N = Tohoku Member of Society Soccer League, Division Two North

AP1 = Aomori Prefecture Member of Society Soccer League, Division 1

I haven't yet found a source for the Aomori league, Division 2.

(Sources: Wikipedia, RSSSF.)

The Ikeda Mission in Egypt

On the way to France in 1864 the members of the Ikeda Mission took time to visit the Sphinx. Photo by Antonio Beato. Source.

Terajima Munemori

Portrait of Japanese diplomat Terajima Munenori, painted in 1900 by Kuroda Seiki. Kuroda, himself a peer, had trained in France, and could turn out an impressionist canvas if called on.  Source.

Kankiten

The Hindu deity Ganesh came to Japan via Buddhism and is seen here as the two-bodied god Kankiten. Source.

Shirabyoshi by Shoen Uemura

Source. Shirabyoshi. Uemura.

Ema

Ema (literally, "horse pictures") are those votive images sold at Shinto shrines, and can include a painting of nearly anything, but this one really does have a horse. Source.