Tokyo Weekender - October 2017
A day in the life of a geisha. Find your perfect Kyushu. Plus Q&A with anime director Keiichi Hara, are robots taking our jobs?, Explore Japanese cuisine at GINZA SIX, and Tsukuda guide
A day in the life of a geisha. Find your perfect Kyushu. Plus Q&A with anime director Keiichi Hara, are robots taking our jobs?, Explore Japanese cuisine at GINZA SIX, and Tsukuda guide
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@mizrama: Alec, are you worried about robots taking<br />
your job [page 26]?<br />
@bapawn: Fortunately, I think that coming up with<br />
witty copy and changing diapers is still at least a<br />
decade away. But I think the rise of robots in different<br />
occupations has the potential to really change the future<br />
“works.” Do you think there’s any kind of job that will<br />
be beyond the capabilities of robots in the future?<br />
@mizrama: That’s difficult to say without properly<br />
understanding the technology. But I did hear that the<br />
robot staff at Henn-na Hotel aren’t able to make up beds<br />
or answer certain questions. So it seems the technology<br />
is still relatively limited, at least in terms of completely<br />
replacing humans. I wonder if they’ll make robot geisha<br />
one day?<br />
@bapawn: Well, I’ve seen Pepper and Asimo put on<br />
some impressive moves, but I don’t think they’ll be able<br />
to rival the aesthetic heights that geisha seem able to<br />
ascend to. And that’s a good thing.<br />
@bapawn: Yes, Keiichi Hara was an interesting<br />
character to interview [page 30]. For a director whose<br />
films often soar into flights of fancy, he was very<br />
serious and thoughtful. I’m glad he’ll be getting some<br />
recognition at this year’s <strong>Tokyo</strong> International Film<br />
Festival.<br />
@mizrama: Getting back to robots … I wonder if<br />
humanoids will ever feel the need to take vacations and<br />
travel? I just spent three days in Kyushu to research this<br />
month’s special feature about the island [page 18], and<br />
now I’m wondering if at some point we’ll be sending<br />
robots on press trips!<br />
@bapawn: Robot or not, I think they’ll be clamoring<br />
to head down to Kyushu. There’s just something about<br />
that part of Japan; everything seems to move a bit more<br />
slowly.<br />
@mizrama: Absolutely. Even though we packed in a<br />
huge amount of activities, it never felt rushed. Both the<br />
food and air somehow seem fresher.<br />
@mizrama: I’m sure Sayuki, the geisha we interviewed<br />
this month, would agree [page 24]. Presumably,<br />
creatives like the anime director you interviewed<br />
would feel the same.<br />
@bapawn: Hmm. Maybe there’s a gap in the market for<br />
a Kyushu <strong>Weekender</strong>...<br />
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TOKYO WEEKENDER | OCTOBER <strong>2017</strong> | 5
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