Invasion of the Tetrapods

[Crispy]

If there is anything that I have found in commmon between all the Japanese my age I have known, it is a complete ignorance and disinterest in politics of any kind, even amongst polisci majors. I guess, as an American, I was always told that it was my duty to know what was up, while the Japanse don't have that feeling.

[kamome]

When the fact that Japan is about one-twentieth the size of the U.S. is taken into consideration, that means some 30 times as much concrete per square foot (30 cm) was poured in Japan as in the U.S.

I swear all that excess concrete is being poured on the street right under my bedroom window. Every frickin' night I hear jackhammers and constructions crews going up and down the road. And then there is another construction project at a hospital 5 minutes away that hasn't made progress in months. So not only do I lose sleep at night, I also have a worse commute in the morning.

[Taro Toporific]

...fetish for concrete reaches truly insane levels. Some 60 percent of Japan's coastline is plastered with retaining walls and festooned with millions of giant concrete tetrapods -- some weighing as much as 50 tons -- despite the fact that the ugly monsters actually contribute to the erosion of the shoreline...

[SIZE="6"]
Embrace the fetish![/SIZE]

More photos of tetrapod home invasion via flickr...

More info of via blog.livedoor.jp/sohsai.

[Mike Oxlong]

"...where wave is erased"

Yes, Japan leading the war against waves!

[Behan]

Concrete, because grass and trees don't deserve to live.

What's the obsession with oblierating nature about anyway?

[Taro Toporific]

Concrete, because grass and trees don't deserve to live.
What's the obsession with obliterating nature about anyway?

Oh, that's because one of the Four Affirmations of Shinto is, "Respect of nature.":rofl:

[Catoneinutica]

My copy of Dogs and Demons disappeared years ago, but Kerr wrote something about the Ministry of Land, Infra-blah, blah, blah, actually having a ministry anthem about that glorious day when Nippon shall be covered throughout its length and breadth with sublime concrete.

-catone
-wondering if any fg ever gotten a solution from a Japanese to the paradox of the Japanese claiming to love nature whilst flattening it with a gusto that brings to mind "The Smokers" from the 1995 cult classic Waterworld: If there's a tree, we'll ram it, and if there's a river, we'll dam it, 'cause I'm talkin' progress!

[Mike Oxlong]

Concrete, because grass and trees don't deserve to live.

What's the obsession with oblierating nature about anyway?

"For the Japanese...public works are just another chance to impose their exquisite sense of visual order on nature." -art critic Margaret Loke

[Mike Oxlong]

My copy of Dogs and Demons disappeared years ago, but Kerr wrote something about the Ministry of Land, Infra-blah, blah, blah, actually having a ministry anthem about that glorious day when Nippon shall be covered throughout its length and breadth with sublime concrete.

-catone
-wondering if any fg ever gotten a solution from a Japanese to the paradox of the Japanese claiming to love nature whilst flattening it with a gusto that brings to mind "The Smokers" from the 1995 cult classic Waterworld: If there's a tree, we'll ram it, and if there's a river, we'll dam it, 'cause I'm talkin' progress!

Ah, the Ministry of Construction (that was the name at the time of publication anyway) had that anthem written in 1948 "Asphalt blanketing the mountains and valleys...a splendid Utopia."

[hundefar]

Concrete, because grass and trees don't deserve to live.

What's the obsession with oblierating nature about anyway?

It is because the Japanese have lost their respect for nature, since they embraced western culture. Damn that Perry!

[TennoChinko]

While I will agree they are ugly, this is the first time I have heard the claim that they actually contribute to the erosion of the shoreline. Everything else I have read indicates that despite their ugly looks, they do serve a function in protecting the shoreline from erosion and also reduce the impact of a tsunami wave.

[Mike Oxlong]

While I will agree they are ugly, this is the first time I have heard the claim that they actually contribute to the erosion of the shoreline. Everything else I have read indicates that despite their ugly looks, they do serve a function in protecting the shoreline from erosion and also reduce the impact of a tsunami wave.

http://www.concretebasics.org/clctetrapods.html

"Critics, argue that in addition to posing a danger to swimmers, surfers and boaters, tetrapods actually accelerate beach erosion by disrupting the natural processes that shape the coastal environment. Tetrapods alter ocean currents and disrupt the natural cycles of erosion and deposition that form and reshape coasts. It turns out that wave action on tetrapods wears the sand away faster and causes greater erosion than would be the case if the beaches had been left alone."

[Behan]

Oh, that's because one of the Four Affirmations of Shinto is, "Respect of nature.":rofl:

So that's why some torii are made from concrete?

[Taro Toporific]

Kojicstage‏@kojicstage June 21, 2014
新潟市ではテトラポッドが収穫の時期を迎えています。今年は気温の高い日が多く、甘みが減るのではないかと心配されていましたが、テトラポッド農家の話によると、例年通りの味が楽しめるということです pic.twitter.com/qW7clhMIA1
Translated from Japanese by Bing
Undergoing a harvest time in Niigata City tetrapods. According to tetrapod farmers they are less sweet this year--High temperatures made many were worried, but enjoy as usual the taste of them.

crop-tetrapods.jpg

[Coligny]

Yum yum...

[Russell]

Is it possible to attach a title to this thread?

Something like "Invasion of the Tetrapods"?

[matsuki]

Oh, that's because one of the Four Affirmations of Shinto is, "Respect of nature.":rofl:

So that's why some torii are made from concrete?

Don't get me started....the concrete torii we're sandwiched in between took like 6 months to be encased in plastic (blocking traffic and causin countless near death experiences) only to fucking be painted the same shitty orange-red they already were. WTF?!!!

Oh...and I wonder if that're really Niigata? The mentality on the coastline there is more "plant a million fucking pine trees!" than tetrapods. (Which is actually kind of cool)

[Coligny]

A torii fall, that indicate which level on the shindo scale ?
I can never remember the oreder or the junk used for the metering/reading... Wasn't it like:
Flower pots topple
Garden Stone lamps collapse
Torii fall
Earth torn appart...

[Taro Toporific]

Don't get me started....the concrete torii ...

Ahh, the subtle Japanese beauty of concrete torii…

Concrete-torii.jpg

[yanpa]

Don't get me started....the concrete torii ...

Ahh, the subtle Japanese beauty of concrete torii…

Concrete-torii.jpg

That would be the 錆 part of わびさび

[matsuki]

To be fair, at least the ones by IPU and I are painted and look decent...but I have no fookin idea why it takes so long to paint something so fucking simple. Maybe the whole "take the longest, most difficult and time consuming path in everything" mentality is rooted in Shinto?

[IparryU]

To be fair, at least the ones by IPU and I are painted and look decent...but I have no fookin idea why it takes so long to paint something so fucking simple. Maybe the whole "take the longest, most difficult and time consuming path in everything" mentality is rooted in Shinto?

They look brand new now. I could have sworn that they built brand new ones. But i doubt it...

Sent from my SC-03E using Tapatalk

[matsuki]

tosiumitetora-img600x399-1393936449hftovd5579.jpg

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f136404592

[Taro Toporific]

tosiumitetora-img600x399-1393936449hftovd5579.jpg

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f136404592

TETRAPOD HOME INVASION!

pillow-tetrapods-500x.jpg

pillow-tetrapods.jpg

via

teto-gurumi-321x452.jpg

[Coligny]

Them buttplug all getta hardcore

[Taro Toporific]

Them buttplug all getta hardcore

Psshaw, you gotta become one with Nature in Japan.

tetra-tete-me-150x.jpg

[Coligny]

Thanks... More fuel for my nightmares, just what i needed...

[matsuki]

Taro looks like Aphex Twin's...tetrapod twin!

[Coligny]

Taro looks like Aphex Twin's...tetrapod twin!

Shhhh... Don't say that, he still believe he's Lucha Libre...

image.jpg

[Taro Toporific]

Taro looks like Aphex Twin's...tetrapod twin!

Shhhh... Don't say that, he still believe he's Lucha Libre...

Butt, butt, I am a Lucha Libre and Lowrider!

big-Taro_lucha_libre.jpg