Columns
Kishihachi's Opening: A Rookie Who Doesn't Draw
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 8: a rakugo performer reflects on timing and patience after reading about a rookie sword bearer from outside the old lineages who never drew her blade during her first night guarding a window room.
The Shore Diner: Not Rushing the Young Ones
Column 'The Shore Diner,' episode 7: a Fukagawa restaurant owner recounts his regulars' reactions to the report that a young giant approached Window 4, 'the Giant Plains.'
Notebook Outside the Window: The Tally That Stopped at Eight
Column 'Notebook Outside the Window,' installment 8: reading today's article about Window 2's counting song breaking on its sixth try, the independent researcher reflects that her own survey notebooks have always been, mostly, a record of the days things broke.
Beyond the Window: The Camera That Happened to Be Running
Column 'Beyond the Window,' installment 7: reading today's article about a patrol boat's camera clearly recording a Yuragi opening, the editor-in-chief recalls how little was recorded in 1975 and writes about the relationship between preparedness and chance.
Yume, On Location: Stairs Are Harder Than I Thought
The sixth installment of 'Yume, On Location': Yume shows up pumped to livestream the Tower Running meet, only to end up out of breath as a mere spectator.
Window Keeper's Log: The Night Three of Us Looked at the Same Paper
The fifth installment of 'Window Keeper's Log': a record of the night this window keeper sat in on the decoding team's first session over Window 5's sent object, previously reported.
Kishihachi's Opening: A King and an Old Man, Both 'First Generation'
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 7: a rakugo performer, himself a first-generation Drifter, reflects on the news that the visiting king of Rukai met privately with music teacher Ushio Kishiura.
The Shore Diner: A Souvenir Story About What Wasn't Seen
Column 'The Shore Diner,' episode 6: a Fukagawa restaurant owner recounts his regulars' reactions to the report that the visiting king of Rukai toured Window 1, only to find it closed.
Notebook Outside the Window: The Fact of Having Been Thrown
Column 'Notebook Outside the Window,' installment 7: reading the report that an object believed sent on purpose was recovered from Window 5 for the first time, the amateur researcher of Yuragi origin theory who writes this column reconsiders how she has long framed the question of whether the other side has intent at all.
Beyond the Window: Being Read Across the Sea
Column 'Beyond the Window,' installment 6: on learning that King Kaie III of Rukai reads this paper through the stream, the editor-in-chief thinks back over everyone who has read this newspaper since its 1912 founding.
Yume, On Location: Just Because a King Is Coming, Does That Mean You Get a Food Stall?
The fifth installment of 'Yume, On Location': Yume goes to cover a shopping street getting swept up in excitement over King Kaie III's upcoming visit, and ends up being told she was the one having the most fun.
Window Keeper's Log: The View a Child I'd Never Met Had Seen
The fourth installment of 'Window Keeper's Log': a window keeper who watches that same hillside street every night writes about how it felt to hear of the previously reported briefing over the Fukagawa North Elementary "shared dream" case.
The Sword That Stays Sheathed: The Word 'Redemption'
The third installment of a column by licensed sword bearer Chitose Kaname, on what she makes of the word 'redemption' ahead of the 18th's rematch with Hokuto.
Kishihachi's Opening: A Memorandum of an Opening
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 6: reading the news of the Window Treaty's interim agreement and its 'memorandum,' rakugo performer Kishihachi Ryutei reflects on what his own opening banter has in common with things that can't be said in public.
The Shore Diner: The Day They Attend the Same Ceremony
Column 'The Shore Diner,' episode 5: a Fukagawa restaurant owner writes about his regular customers' reactions to the news that a trial joint coming-of-age ceremony has been decided.
Notebook Outside the Window: The Hillside Fourteen Children Saw
Column 'Notebook Outside the Window,' installment 6: reading the report of fourteen Fukagawa North Elementary pupils who dreamed the same scene, the writer recalls a vague, unverified remark from one first-generation Drifter she interviewed for 'The Window of 1975' — that he thought he had dreamed of an unfamiliar landscape in the days right after arriving.
Beyond the Window: Just an Operating Chime
Column 'Beyond the Window,' installment 5: reading about the hearing that split over whether a robot's operating chime counted as 'speech,' the editor-in-chief recalls something a senior reporter told him as a rookie — that keeping records means choosing whose voice gets to survive.
Yume, On Location: I Tried the Breathing Thing in Front of a Window, Just to See
The fourth installment of 'Yume, On Location': after reading reporter Migiwa Tono's breathing-method column, Yume tries it herself by the window at Toshimado-Sabo — and gets caught by the owner.
Window Keeper's Log: The Day I Learned We'd Been Noticed
The third installment of 'Window Keeper's Log': a window keeper who has watched the market people of Window 5 raise their tablets writes about how it felt when the division revised its longstanding view.
Kishihachi's Opening: A Procession of Lights
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 5: rakugo performer Kishihachi Ryutei, reading of the lantern-like procession observed through Window 1, reflects on the lights his own people set out for 'Window Day.'
The Shore Diner: The Alley
A column by Takara Senou, who runs a small restaurant in Fukagawa 2-chome. On a quiet regular's reaction to the 'Bokyo no Kai' arrest, and the shop buzzing over Kameido's 'vanished alley.'
Notebook Outside the Window: The Flag Nobody Waved
Column 'Notebook Outside the Window,' installment 5: reading the report of Window 5's marketplace crowd raising tags, the writer recalls a first-generation Drifter's testimony from her research for 'The Window of 1975' — a man who said he never waved a flag.
Beyond the Window: The Hands That Raise the Tag
Column 'Beyond the Window,' installment 4: reading the article about Window 5's marketplace crowd raising tags, the editor-in-chief recalls the day, as a rookie reporter in 1975, he covered the intake camp for the first Drifters.
Yume, On Location: Turns Out the Drums Aren't Angry — They're Talking
The third installment of 'Yume, On Location': Yume wanders into Fukagawa's joint clan autumn festival off the clock, and ends up unexpectedly moved by how differently two clans play their drums.
The Sword That Stays Sheathed: The Night Before the Opener
The second installment of a column by licensed sword bearer Chitose Kaname, on the nervousness she saw in a young officer's practice the night before the autumn tournament opens.
Kishihachi's Opening: What the Bell Remembers
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 4: rakugo performer Kishihachi Ryutei, hearing the bell code's full-service debut, looks back on his memories from the era of the old collection facilities.
The Shore Diner: The Box That Got Opened
A column by Takara Senou, who runs a small restaurant in Fukagawa 2-chome. On the nearby drift-object container that got opened this week, and the regulars split between wanting an answer and preferring the mystery to stay.
Notebook Outside the Window: A Record of Opening It and Still Not Knowing
A column by independent researcher Karin Kokonoe. Hearing the results of the previously reported Fukagawa container opening, she finds her own work reflected in an ending where opening it still doesn't tell you anything.
Beyond the Window: It Didn't Come Back to the Start
The third installment of 'Beyond the Window.' On hearing that the Suzaki knocking had broken its own pattern midway through a second circuit, and what that made him think about the word 'regularity.'
Yume, On Location: The Night the Opening Remarks Were the Real Show
The second installment of 'Yume, On Location': Yume drops in on Kishihachi Ryutei's solo show and ends up laughing hardest at the opening remarks.
Window Keeper's Log: The Night I Forgot to Count the Tablets
The second installment of 'Window Keeper's Log': the window keeper on duty the night Window 5 stayed open for a record 87 minutes writes about the market scene, and what went uncounted.
Kishihachi's Opening: The Opening That Never Settles
Column 'Kishihachi's Opening,' episode 3: rakugo performer Kishihachi Ryutei looks back at the night his new piece 'Window Art' premiered at Kishibe no Uta.
The Shore Diner: The Line for a Full Stomach
A column by Takara Senou, who runs a small restaurant in Fukagawa 2-chome. On customers stopping by for a meal before tonight's Kishibe no Uta festival — and how regular customer 'Unit 3' reacted to the buzz.
Notebook Outside the Window: The Weight of the Word 'Confirmed'
A column by independent researcher Karin Kokonoe. On hearing the news of Genshu's 'confirmed' recurring Yuragi, she goes back and recounts every use of the word 'confirmed' in her own manuscript.
Beyond the Window: Why Just Once
The second installment of 'Beyond the Window.' On nearly lecturing a young reporter about a broadcast that left no recording — and stopping himself.
Yume, On Location: The Night I Got Let Off the Hook
The first installment of 'Yume, On Location.' With wall-racing season over and nothing to livestream, Yume waits in line at the new café off Haneda.
Window Keeper's Log: The Night the Watcher Touched
The first installment of 'Window Keeper's Log,' written by the window keeper on night duty at Window 3 the night the Watcher touched the glass.
The Sword That Stays Sheathed: A Job of Counting
The first installment of a column by licensed sword bearer Chitose Kaname, on a job measured by how many times the sword stayed sheathed.
Kishihachi's Opening: The weight of a sellout
Rakugo storyteller Kishihachi Ryutei's weekly column. On what he did, and didn't, change about rehearsing his new piece 'Madogei' after the festival sold out.
The Shore Diner: The Two That Stay Put
A column by Takara Senou, who runs a small restaurant in Fukagawa 2-chome. On how the regulars reacted the night the review board made its decision — and the running joke about the two containers that will stay sealed.
Notebook Outside the Window: After Interview No. 61, There Was No No. 62
A column by independent researcher Karin Kokonoe. On why the interviews for her next book, on the Nine-Day Fog, have stalled at number 61.
Beyond the Window: The forecast division on my desk
Editor's column. As this paper's four-panel comic begins, a word about my desk-mate.
Kishihachi's Opening: My granddaughter's wedding and thirty seconds
Rakugo storyteller Kishihachi Ryutei's weekly column. Last week he gave a thirty-second toast at the press conference of the actress who played his granddaughter.
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Unit Four Is Still Cleaning the Hallway Today
Fresh off its first Kiko Festival placement — and a Diet hearing cameo. Tokiwado's boarded robot.