Brown, Fuzzy & on the Go: Domo-kun in England

Domo-kun at Paddington Station | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Domo-kun, the fuzzy brown mascot of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), has enjoyed a worldwide cult following ever since the internet exposed him storming after a kitten across a rolling hillside in 2001. But that scandal and his flatulent nature haven’t slowed him down. In fact, nowadays, you may see him in seasonal costumes at Target or emblazoned across the chests of hipsters, Hello Kitty buffs, and everyone in between.

Back in 2003, I coaxed this pointy-toothed curmudgeon out of his underground cave and have since accompanied him on various adventures around the world. He has gnawed on Slim Jims from a Nebraska gas station and indulged in decadent delights from Parisian patisseries. He has spied kangaroos in the Australian wild and witnessed the changing of the guards in South Korea. He has chilled with chicks in Italy and dodged bulls in Spain.

How did he come to allow me into his inner circle? Easy—I rescued him from what would’ve been a rather invasive investigation conducted by FBI agents Mulder and Scully, whom you might remember from The X-Files.

On the table | Canon PowerShot A80, 13.6mm, 1/30, f8, ISO 100

We haven’t taken a trip together since 2010 because he’s a busy critter and it’s hard to coordinate our schedules. Hopefully we’ll re-unite soon. Until then, here are some photos from our first two trips to England, when we hit London’s main attractions, enjoyed high tea at Leeds Castle, and explored the mystical landmarks of Salisbury Plain. The first batch of him was shot with my very first digital camera (a compact 1.3-megapixel Fujifilm FinePixA101), the second with my second (Canon PowerShot A80, which had manual functions and a handy flipscreen).

Big Ben | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/80, f8, ISO 200

Westminster Bridge | Canon PowerShot A80, 13.6mm, 1/50, f8, ISO 200

Outside the Dali Museum | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/80, f8, ISO 200

Trafalgar Square photobomb | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/200, f8, ISO 50

Nelson’s Column, Trafalgar Square | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/80, f8, ISO 50

Subway entrance | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/400, f8, ISO 50

Cindy Sherman at Gloucester Road tube station | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Mind the gap | Canon 5D, 32mm, 1/30, f4, ISO 1600

Escalator | Canon 5D, 24mm, 1/20, f8, ISO 1250

Tower Bridge | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/50, f2.8, ISO 50

View from St. Paul’s Cathedral | Fujifilm FinePix A101

British Museum rotunda | Canon 5D, 24mm, 1/60, f8, ISO 400

Phoning home | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/50, f8, ISO 100

Ambulance | Canon PowerShot A80, 7.8mm, 1/125, f8, ISO 50

Camden color | Canon 5D, 24mm, 1/160, f8, ISO 100

Camden pop art sale | Canon 5D, 73mm, 1/100, f8, ISO 200

Open-air donuts | Canon 5D, 24mm, 1/13, f8, ISO 100

Party time at Oxford Circus | Canon 5D, 24mm, .6sec, f8, ISO 250

Bus pass | Canon 5D, 24mm, 1sec, f8, ISO 200

Tea at Leeds Castle | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Stonehenge | Fujifilm FinePix A101

View from Glastonbury Tor | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Castle Comb cemetery | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Lacock | Fujifilm FinePix A101

Ice cream break | Fujifilm FinePix A101

I’ll be sharing photos from our other forays together so please check back soon. [4/15/13: Italian adventures posted here.] And for those of you who can’t get enough of my 1994 KALX playlists, redundant as they’ve been so far, here’s one from 19 years ago on this very day. How did I think Operation Ivy would segue nicely after John Coltrane? And Miles Davis after Pinhead Gunpowder? My mind boggles….

* = feature play
$ = request

3/04/94: FRIDAY 9:30am-12pm

GBH – Race against Time
POISON IDEA – You’re Next
CHANNEL 3 – I’ve Got a Gun
ASTRUD GILBERTO – Girl from Ipanema
COUNT BASIE – Yessir That’s My Baby

* JOHNNY PEEBUCKS & THE SWINGIN’ UTTERS – Here We Are Nowhere
TOY DOLLS – Razzmatazz
BUMBLESCRUMP – White Out
EATER – I Don’t Need It
JOHN COLTRANE – My One and Only Love
OPERATION IVY – Jaded

* THE RAMONES – 7 and 7 Is
* SCREW 32 – Tools for the Job
THE CLASH – Career Opportunities
THE BUZZCOCKS – Late for the Train

$ SUBURBAN LAWNS – Anything
* BEASTIE BOYS – Egg Raid on Mojo
* TEEN IDLES – Deadhead
* NEW BOMB TURKS – This Place Sucks
HARRY CONNICK, JR. – Joe Avery’s Place

FUZZBOX – XX Sex
THE SLITS – Shoplifting
GRIMPLE – All Grown Up
PINHEAD GUNPOWDER – I Wanna
MILES DAVIS – High Speed Chase

HANSON BROTHERS – Road Pizza
SCREECHING WEASEL – I Don’t Wanna
* TEENGENERATE – Wild Weekend
COPOUT – Blind
MR. T EXPERIENCE – Bridge to Taribithia

NAKED RAYGUN – Jettison
* RHYTHM COLLISION – Cheers
THE REZILLOS – Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In
DEAD MILKMEN – Takin’ Retards to the Zoo
* PHILIP GLASS – Mad Rush

THE DISRUPTERS – Young Offender
THE NE’ERDOWELLS – Food
* FAITH – Face to Face
CIRCLE JERKS – Hypnotizer

SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET – Fortune Teller Chicken
THE MISFITS – Spinal Remains
DISCHARGE – Two Nuclear Stockpiles
* THE PANDORAS – I Live My Life
THE SURFARIS – Beat ’65

OLD SKULL – Love Is Hell
* AGRESSION – Intense Energy
GORILLA BISCUITS – Forgotten
SECOND STORY WINDOW – Pole to Pole
SURF PUNKS – Wave Spy

EVERREADY – Never Walk Away
* JAWBREAKER – Boxcar
VELVET UNDERGROUND – I’ll Be Your Mirror
$ 2000 D.S. – Higher and Higher
ALL – Gnu Theme

* VILE CHERUBS – Man with a Photograph
BAD BRAINS – Attitude
MINOR THREAT – Screaming at a Wall
THE ADOLESCENTS – I Hate Children