After completing his studies, Dirk Schwieger went to Tokyo. He initially published the resulting comic experiment Moresukine - Weekly from Tokyo on his blog. Schwieger does not follow his individual interests or impulses in his explorations but works through the tasks his followers give him. The booklet, later published as a compilation by Reprodukt, offers impressions of Tokyo in particular and Japanese (popular) culture in general.
Extracts from "MORESUKINE: WÖCHENTLICH AUS TOKYO":
Dirk Schwieger likes to be inspired on the road: An Erasmus stay took him to Reykjavík for a year and left a lasting impression on him. It was there that he came up with the idea for a comic project about elf sightings, which he is currently still working on. After completing his studies, he went to Tokyo.
Built in 1938, the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo never ceases to amaze visitors. Why? Because a Bauhaus villa is enthroned here in the middle of a Japanese garden. And because what was originally the family residence of an industrial magnate combining personal lives with works of art in a whimsically beautiful way.
You have to get used to the constant background noise in Tokyo. It surrounds you everywhere and at all times. Roaring people on every street corner and on flatscreens aren't everything: In Tokyo, telephone booths, cash and ticket machines, traffic lights, escalators and, and, and... Assistance in everyday life is what the locals call it.
If you want to understand Japan's culture, you have to try okonomiyaki. The basic ingredients of the dish are water, cabbage, flour, egg and dashi. To this, all sorts of things are added as desired. For example, oyster sauce, fish flakes or seaweed. By the way, okonomi means flavor, in the sense of what you want, and yaki means fried or grilled.
Origami - this is the centuries-old, intricate art of folding a piece of paper. There are even paper folding congresses. However, the Origami House gallery in Hakusan is the only one of its kind in Tokyo. And there seems to be nothing that cannot be artfully folded. And despite the amazing skills, only a few artists can make a living from their work.
For Western souls, the boundaries between "public" and "private" quickly blur in Japan. For example, because the housing situation is extremely cramped, living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms can quickly become public spaces. Otsuka, for example, is a residential area with numerous love hotels and yakuzas.
Sushi, the epitome of Japanese cuisine, is not a part of everyday life there. The combination of leavened rice and raw fish is eaten on special occasions. Natto, on the other hand, is traditional. The fermented soybeans seem inedible to untrained palates, i.e. to almost all foreigners. This is due to the moldy smell and slimy consistency.
Mount Takao is home to one of Japan's most biodiverse ecosystems. Located about an hour west of Shinjuku, it offers picturesque views and breathtaking panoramas. Protecting the subtropical biodiversity is the job of the tengu. There is even a shrine dedicated to the red-skinned guardians of the forest, half-man, half-bird.
Going to the bathroom in Japan can quickly become an experience. Even in public. Because the toilets there are equipped with every comfort. For example, the temperature of the toilet seat can be regulated or unpleasant noises can be masked with music. However, you first have to find the right buttons - especially the flush button...!
Marie Schröer on "MORESUKINE"
If the term ‘graphic travelogue’ had been coined for one particular book, then for Dirk Schwieger’s collection of episodes – Moresukine: Uploaded Weekly from Tokyo."
