David R Munson//Somewhere in Japan
@somewherein.jp
Photographer, essayist, educator, bricoleur, wanderer, weirdo. Everything is interesting.
Travel book! davidwroteabook.com
Prints drm.darkroom.com
Photography davidrmunson.com aleatorist.com
Writing somewherein.jp
Links davidrmunson.com/links
Travel book! davidwroteabook.com
Prints drm.darkroom.com
Photography davidrmunson.com aleatorist.com
Writing somewherein.jp
Links davidrmunson.com/links
Couldn't find the picture I was intending to post and lost enthusiasm, but found this one, so here's a big (30cm!) mushroom from about 18 months ago, out in western Tokyo.
January 13, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Couldn't find the picture I was intending to post and lost enthusiasm, but found this one, so here's a big (30cm!) mushroom from about 18 months ago, out in western Tokyo.
It's even better when it's also included in English with no better clarity of meaning.
Also, this is new:
Also, this is new:
January 13, 2026 at 9:07 AM
It's even better when it's also included in English with no better clarity of meaning.
Also, this is new:
Also, this is new:
Had an unkind thing to say about an awful person and their suffering, but that's not who I want to be.
So instead, here's a favorite local cat, in a place I've never seen it before.
So instead, here's a favorite local cat, in a place I've never seen it before.
January 13, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Had an unkind thing to say about an awful person and their suffering, but that's not who I want to be.
So instead, here's a favorite local cat, in a place I've never seen it before.
So instead, here's a favorite local cat, in a place I've never seen it before.
Found a strip club today that offers a student discount, which isn't something I've ever thought about as a thing that might exist.
January 11, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Found a strip club today that offers a student discount, which isn't something I've ever thought about as a thing that might exist.
Rode to Adachi-ku to teach, mostly followed the path along the river. And you know what? These gates suck. There's too many of them, and they're entirely too hard to get through on a bicycle.
January 10, 2026 at 12:51 AM
Rode to Adachi-ku to teach, mostly followed the path along the river. And you know what? These gates suck. There's too many of them, and they're entirely too hard to get through on a bicycle.
Wanted a recharge nap, and he joined me. I need to get up again, though, and he's not having it.
January 9, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Wanted a recharge nap, and he joined me. I need to get up again, though, and he's not having it.
"this level of emotion" is apparently a challenge to achieve
Color me skeptical.
Color me skeptical.
January 9, 2026 at 2:52 AM
"this level of emotion" is apparently a challenge to achieve
Color me skeptical.
Color me skeptical.
The beard had run its course, so I have dispensed with it.
January 8, 2026 at 1:50 AM
The beard had run its course, so I have dispensed with it.
Good. Because, much like deep dish isn't pizza, this isn't a hotdog:
January 6, 2026 at 1:41 AM
Good. Because, much like deep dish isn't pizza, this isn't a hotdog:
The beard isn't going to last, but I'm open to interesting steps along the way of shaving it off...
January 5, 2026 at 12:58 PM
The beard isn't going to last, but I'm open to interesting steps along the way of shaving it off...
I'm looking at track hubs again. There's no need for me to—I've already got a wheelset built up with Phils, which are pretty much impossible to beat IMO, but still. DT Swiss, Zipp, Level, Mack, etc. They all tickle me so.
January 5, 2026 at 12:36 PM
I'm looking at track hubs again. There's no need for me to—I've already got a wheelset built up with Phils, which are pretty much impossible to beat IMO, but still. DT Swiss, Zipp, Level, Mack, etc. They all tickle me so.
New cleat day! Also, building up the heels of my shoes with some excellent Shoe Goo, one of the best products I know, which regularly lets me get a ton of extra mileage out of my shoes.
BTW, I do have cleat covers. I just tend to forget them...
BTW, I do have cleat covers. I just tend to forget them...
January 5, 2026 at 2:31 AM
New cleat day! Also, building up the heels of my shoes with some excellent Shoe Goo, one of the best products I know, which regularly lets me get a ton of extra mileage out of my shoes.
BTW, I do have cleat covers. I just tend to forget them...
BTW, I do have cleat covers. I just tend to forget them...
Woke up, rolled over in bed to see this
January 3, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Woke up, rolled over in bed to see this
"How do you foresee this affecting the markets?"
I wonder what it feels like to have no soul.
I wonder what it feels like to have no soul.
January 3, 2026 at 2:34 PM
"How do you foresee this affecting the markets?"
I wonder what it feels like to have no soul.
I wonder what it feels like to have no soul.
Good thing I like him so much
January 2, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Good thing I like him so much
Every December 31, I take a photo at midnight, using a long exposure so that the image captures the end of one year and the beginning of the next. This year, the ringing of the bell at a local temple.
January 1, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Every December 31, I take a photo at midnight, using a long exposure so that the image captures the end of one year and the beginning of the next. This year, the ringing of the bell at a local temple.
The bike is basically done! Never thought I'd be able to pull it off before the end of the year, but here we are anyway. Viathon R.1 frameset, Knight wheels, GRX 1x11 drivetrain, Panaracer tires.
Need to get some shorter cranks eventually, but beyond that, it's all good to go.
Need to get some shorter cranks eventually, but beyond that, it's all good to go.
January 1, 2026 at 5:49 AM
The bike is basically done! Never thought I'd be able to pull it off before the end of the year, but here we are anyway. Viathon R.1 frameset, Knight wheels, GRX 1x11 drivetrain, Panaracer tires.
Need to get some shorter cranks eventually, but beyond that, it's all good to go.
Need to get some shorter cranks eventually, but beyond that, it's all good to go.
Did some more stitching and here's the outside view. I could stitch more, but that makes it stiffer and experience tells me this will hold up just fine.
Now, the other side.
Now, the other side.
December 31, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Did some more stitching and here's the outside view. I could stitch more, but that makes it stiffer and experience tells me this will hold up just fine.
Now, the other side.
Now, the other side.
Reinforcing my warm jeans before the thighs blow out completely. I'd rather spend an hour with the sewing machine than buying another pair that will still inevitably fail while otherwise in good condition.
December 31, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Reinforcing my warm jeans before the thighs blow out completely. I'd rather spend an hour with the sewing machine than buying another pair that will still inevitably fail while otherwise in good condition.
Final numbers for the day. Could have gone just a bit more and made it a full marathon distance, but I'm tired and beat my old one-day record by 20k steps already, so whatever.
My feet are pretty dead, but overall I'm feeling good.
My feet are pretty dead, but overall I'm feeling good.
December 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Final numbers for the day. Could have gone just a bit more and made it a full marathon distance, but I'm tired and beat my old one-day record by 20k steps already, so whatever.
My feet are pretty dead, but overall I'm feeling good.
My feet are pretty dead, but overall I'm feeling good.
The epic photo walk event is finished, but I'm not. Not quite. Already walked from Urawa to Shibuya, now refueling with curry and katsu, then going to photograph a bit more before grabbing the train home.
December 30, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The epic photo walk event is finished, but I'm not. Not quite. Already walked from Urawa to Shibuya, now refueling with curry and katsu, then going to photograph a bit more before grabbing the train home.
You might beat us there but probably not by long. You can get me on LINE now easily than here to coordinate
December 30, 2025 at 12:46 AM
You might beat us there but probably not by long. You can get me on LINE now easily than here to coordinate
"Unfun" was always my go-to Jawbreaker
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 AM
"Unfun" was always my go-to Jawbreaker