The Kingdom of Kitai
The Dream Tunnel, 2017
48min sound installation
Kettle, Parts of vintage pipe organs, nine-channel sound system, tales of the Kingdom of Kitai
Sound effect and voice by Peter Brauch
Various dimensions
ULTERIOR Gallery
48min sound installation
Kettle, Parts of vintage pipe organs, nine-channel sound system, tales of the Kingdom of Kitai
Sound effect and voice by Peter Brauch
Various dimensions
ULTERIOR Gallery
Ambient sound combined with a 48-minute story full of Eastern symbols floats up from within eight vintage pipe organ pipes, and from inside a large tea kettle. The sound echoed in the pipes and kettle resembles the sounds from a tunnel. The narrators are nine god characters: Kettle, Pickax, Central-Control-System, Mountain, Turbo-Sazae, Helmet, Water, Decorative-Paper- Ball, and Crystal. Although the narrative is about the practical world of civil engineers, the hollow objects and the Eastern story of the gods make the atmosphere mysterious. The gods’ story expresses a contradiction between the promises of technological development and its unintended fallout. According to the gods, the nation’s dream project, whose success was believed in by animals, was never completed.
The sample sound and more installation views
The Official Trailer
The sample sound and more installation views
The Official Trailer
photo : courtesy of Ulterior Gallery
The Script of The Dream Tunnel
<Nine gods>
1. Kettle
2. Pickax
3. Central Control System
4. Mountain
5. Helmet
6. Turbo-Sazae
7. Water
8. Decorative Paper Ball
9. Crystal
Kettle Kan, Kan, Kan1. I am a kettle in the Kingdom of Kitai. Every day I sit on a powerful kerosene heater. I have to make steam to keep off the dry air and also be ready for tea when the workers come back from the site. The construction site is a 24-hour operation with two to three shifts. From morning to night, the office I am in is intense. The main staff meet with government officials and subcontractors for an hour; then they meet by themselves for half an hour; at night they spend an hour at daily reports. Everyone shares accommodations and meals, so I am super busy.
Pickax I am Pickax. I leave mommy and kids and hustle to dig a hole. I will come back for the busy season on the farm and for Bon Festival2. I am used to it now as I have done it for nearly ten years. The whole village goes to work together. I am with everybody -- the 60-year-old former chief, the board of education, naughty boys, childhood friends – we all dig a hole together. Dig Dig Dig. All Day. All Night.
Water I am Water. Some of me flows on the earth’s surface into the ocean. Some goes up to the sky, becomes clouds, rain, or snow, and goes down to the land. I am everywhere. I move around and never disappear -- the Great Wall, Machu Picchu, the Suez Canal, the Pyramids, Daisen Kohun, Hashihaka Kohun, and the Panama Canal. I have explored the history of the surface of the Earth.
Pickax This time I am surprised to discover a new guy, Shield Machine3. He came for the special tunnel project. He is huge and cylindrical with a round face. How can he dig a hole with a round face? He said his face has a huge front cutter that spins holding the soil and digging into the mountain. Gariko Gariko4. He astonishes me! My small pointed nose has no chance!
Kettle Everyone from the site comes back with mud, sweat, and oil. It’s tough work. When they return and bathe, they drink my tea and smile with relief. I am also relieved. The moment they can sit down for Mah Jong5, Hanafuda6, or TV, the atmosphere changes to relaxation and laughter.
Pickax Oh. Do I work by riding in your mouth? I’ve got it. Yes, we will help each other. We will put out the muddy water, make it soft, and make it easy for you to dig ahead. Mr. Oil Jack pushes you. I am relieved. If I lost my job, mommy would be so angry.
Central Control System My name is Central Control System7, announced at the Civil Engineering Society, and am the most advanced robotics. Though I should be more attractive, I have been colored vermillion at least. Since I am simply a reinforced structure, no one can imagine that I care about my looks. I am the first artificial intelligence and the newest robot in the Kingdom of Kitai.
Water A long time ago, I ran into the Tone River8 in the Kingdom of Kitai. That river was the mother of flood and wetland. One morning, a rooster’s voice crowed into the Kingdom. “We would be happy to help re-route the river.” When I came back to the Kingdom, the river ran in a totally different direction.
Kettle The Kingdom of Kitai has a history of craft and engineering. There are precious artisans such as welders, stonemasons, carpenters, scaffolding builders, surveyor and engineers. The civil engineering and building world is organized by the reign of 20 or 30 companies where the best artisans are employed. There are 100 companies, under those, 1,000, and the total is about 500,000 companies within this pyramid structure. This structure prepares many levels for the employees who have high school or college diplomas in engineering to learn, developed their skills and work hard to make a prosperous kingdom. We work as one with deep feeling. Once, the Kingdom of Kitai fell into ruin and was shaken9, but we never lost our feeling for one another. As long as we remember this, the Kingdom will be all right. When we complete a job, we all do “three cheers” to keep up our spirits and show satisfaction in a job well done.
Central Control System I like to think about color. My friend, Point sitting below me changing the rails direction taught me the meanings of colors. Each company has different color for their helmet which represent their philosophy. Red is for passion, sky blue is for forever, yellow is hope, green is safe. He told me my vermillion is vitamin color and raises the energy.
Turbo-Sazae I am Turbo-Sazae10. I was living in the Tokyo-Iso layer which lies 30 meters beneath the water’s surface. It is a three-million year old stratum and was then at the bottom of the ocean. I was so surprised when I was dug out and called a “monster” shell. Well, I guess I am at least three to five times larger than the current species. The oyster is ten times those of today because there was no one eating them. The shallows are warm; the seaweed is thick like the forest. Ah, I miss my hometown. I should go home.
Helmet The civil engineer is the sculptor of the earth. The two-line helmet like me symbolizes the chief engineer. Three lines symbolize the director, but two lines is really the one in charge. When there is a fatal accident, I am the one fully responsible. I have to be super helpful. I research technology all over the world – Europe, East Asia, South America, the U.S. I was in The Hope Inspection Team. I study sewage, subways, thermal power, hydroelectric power, nuclear power and how to dispose of nuclear waste. I explained our shield method at the World Tunnel Conference in Caracas11.
Pickax Hi, Bamboo. It’s been a long time. How are you? What? A representative for a requiem for the God of the Land12 when we dig the Kitai Tunnel? I have been selected? Wow! That’s a serious job. I am honored and happy to do that. It will be a great story to tell mommy.
Mountain I am Mountain. I am huge and never move. I understand that they want to make a tunnel to reach the other side of me. The Kitai Tunnel13 is the dream project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Pickax Bamboo became a rite specialist. He had been active on the construction site as there were not enough pipes to put the concrete between the reinforcing bars. I remember workers saying “heavy, heavy,” as they cut and carried him from the mountain.
Water In that new river, I met a weird group. They tried to mingle into the new water, drift in the fresh air, and stay on the cultivated land. They were quiet for a while and little by little invade. As the God of the Land sees this, she easily expels them with thunder. But they are not afraid of the thunder and come back thinking it is just a natural phenomenon. They do not know how ignorant they are. They transform themselves and come in.
Pickax Hello, everybody! Straw ropes, white paper, omiki14, rice, salt and products from land and sea…and Bamboo15. I met you already. How is the meeting? OK. Heap up sand about 50 cm while I drive it into the sand saying, “A!”16 OK. Then the Shovel will come saying, “Yeah!”17 What an important role I have! I am nervous and uptight with the responsibility. It’s the same feeling as a dog who has an important job.
Helmet In Europe I saw sophisticated designs in the power plants with interiors so simple and stylish that they don’t seem like job sites. Our Kingdom’s just looks like factories. In our culture we care about one another, but our leaders do not respect workers. They give no thought to a healthy environment or the importance of vacations. In this Kingdom, most are poor equally and work very hard for daily life except few, we cannot really have the time to think about the system of this society. However, we excel at achieving the purpose by uniting peacefully. We have to succeed to complete this dream project at any cost. This is different from the usual tunnels. This tunnel will lead us to the next world, and this is the greatest project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Central Control System Recently I heard that Grandpa Trolley fainted on the job. The Point sitting told me it’s my fault. After I began working here, the job became 10 times harder. I feel so bad for Grandpa Trolley, but I can’t change speed even though he fell. I am artificial intelligence, and what I am controlling is just to divide three materials — mud, concrete and segment — and divide them into each track. All are so heavy. A segment is 2 tons. I put two of them one time on the grandpa Trolley… With that heaviness, the grandpa Trolley runs so fast. He is very old. It is all programming, and that’s the only way my body moves.
Mountain Suddenly, water blasted out of a shaft. The door of the Shield machine shut off control of the air pressure in the tunnel; but before we knew it, eight were locked in the hole. Water began to fill the hole, and soon small heads were bobbing like mini tomatoes sandwiched between the water surface and the ceiling. I thought, “That’s the end.” Like a miracle, the company on the other side of Shield opened the heavy door with Mr. Oil Jack. The water ran crazily, and everybody flew out. Dohooooooooooo18!
Helmet Last night, I was working late to alter the plan. It has to address mountains, types of soil, water, flooding, speed of water flow, and the unexpected. Plans have to constantly change. In the construction world, the plan is 70%. If the plan is good enough, the job is almost success. But nobody knows what the soil and water condition is before we dig. So, it is the civil engineer’s job to observe them and to make the right decision on the process. My selection influences safety. But I cannot make it perfect. The calamity happens when you forget. Civil engineering is the technique of everlasting incompletion. Tomorrow morning I will meet with the government office and subcontractor to get the funds approved.
Crystal I am Crystal from Switzerland enshrined at the entrance to the nuclear power laboratory. I was living under the mountain for a long time. Now I am a prisoner locked in a glass room on display to the public. Everybody looks at me as a guardian deity, but I know they really don’t want my power.
Decorative Paper Ball I am Decorative Paper Ball19. The last review process for the Kitai Tunnel is soon and on schedule. The march of hope heading to completion. I cannot wait for the celebration. It’s my turn! It’s a happy event. We stretch a red and white curtain and make arrangements with all the workers. I open my mouth, Paka20 — and there comes a shower, thunder, snow, and light. After that, everyone drinks sake with dried fishes and squid.
Kettle In the Kingdom of Kitai, the civil engineering industry decides all business by agreeing on prices as well as responses to accidents. I attended a meeting on contract bid-rigging. Beaver’s company had gotten this special tunnel project called “The Kitai Tunnel”, but there was a fatal accident, so that nomination was canceled. The second in line, the Mole Group, got this job and a percentage of the down payment; and the problem was settled among themselves. Though the Mole Group was officially in charge, the Beaver Company stayed on the job and wore the Mole Group’s uniforms and helmets as a deception. This allowed for a faster result.
Pickax In our heyday of hand-digging, it was Doro Doro21. Even the shield machine joins in to help, the frontier is covered with mud, oil and sweat. We will construct the 2-ton segments together and move forward with Mr. Oil Jack pushing the segments. We can do a maximum of 12 rings in a day, about 10 meters. Digging 600 meters for double track will take three to four years; concrete, rails, and electric wires added will bring the total to seven or eight years. We couldn’t do it without Shield Machine, a huge job becoming bigger and bigger and harder and harder.
Crystal I have the power to see through and predict. I can project an image to show you, but it won’t happen if you don’t hope to see it. Until now, I’m enjoying myself.
Central Control System Grandpa Trolley is from the northern part of the Kingdom. He is very patient and quiet; he never complains. He cannot go home, either. Everybody admires me as I can perform heavy jobs quickly. I may become big-headed. Grandpa Trolley did not show any resentment towards me, he even smiled, saying that he cannot wait to retire. He has been with the railroad for 40 years! Did I quicken his retirement?
Decorative Paper Ball The Kitai Tunnel is filled with everybody’s hope for this kingdom. I am very honored as I can have an important role at this big public stage. Ah, I cannot wait to see the other world which everybody is happy to talk about. Everybody is working so hard with mud and sweat, so it must be a wonderful place…
Water I didn’t doubt their cheerful voices and chatting. Then I felt suddenly sick, so I bowed politely and left. I just floated into the ocean as I was so sick, got better, and then noticed how strange they are. They look normal, but that is deceptive.
Decorative Paper Ball Oh that guy… recently I saw him sometimes. What is he doing at a corner? Ah, I feel sick. I want to lie down a little bit. Sorry.
Water It may be already lurking in the Kitai Tunnel too. When the accident happened one after another, you need special attention. These accidents must be signals from the God of the Land. With her sign, you should suspend the process and tidy the condition. Otherwise, you will dig toward the wrong way. It is terrible if the world you connected to was an irreparable place.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (EXPLOSION) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Central Control System What happened?! My body doesn't move… Hey, Point, I cannot move. Hey.. Dosuuuuuun!!22 An accident happens! OMG, what’s going on?!
Mountain The Shield Machine is like a 1,300-ton underground ship, and I have a huge stomach ache with having it. I can’t endure it. The firm ground cracked and the water rushed into the hole through the crevice. Dooooooooooooooooon!23 The rumble of the earth. Everybody shouted warnings to escape. Mountain comes!!!!!!24 Woooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The water spout and mud wash away from the world. The only thing to do is to swim desperately to escape. If you flap your arms and legs, you may become buoyant enough to float. Even those who think they cannot swim do, but some sink like stones. Once buried, you cannot rise. Everybody has necks stretched out like extreme ostriches. With the accident, a face tag was never turned back to white.
Decorative Paper Ball Then I fainted. I woke up with the huge sound of crushing. Center Control System suddenly stopped. It was not a power failure. Then the point didn’t change, and the collision occurred. This was not normal. I felt the construction should be suspended, but my mouth was still closed at that time, and everybody continued to work. There was a wire that slipped off a two-ton segment. The bolt holding the wire fainted like me. Sutooooon!25 One worker crushed; bones spring out. Then the moment when Mountain crushed came down. We purify the land with salt and omiki. Then it ends.
Turbo-Sazae I should depart now. The way home will be so long. Hey, Shield Machine. Thank you for digging me out. Because of you, I can go home. My body is still hard to move as it has been fossilized for so long but will relax soon in the ocean.
Helmet Where was that huge rock salt stratum? The badgers dug a big hole, and it’s very deep. They put all the nuclear waste in the hole. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa26. Though the hole will shrink from compression little by little, the rock salt stratum will shrink by only a tiny fraction. Nobody can handle nuclear waste. The waste which put in the rock salt stratum is a low level of nuclear waste, however it still takes 1,000 years to transform it into a safe substance. The higher level ones takes more than 150,000 years. Who watches that long? Even the angry goblin cat cannot wait. Everybody has been involved in this fishy business. I believed it, too.
Crystal Helmet left Turbo-Sazae and is floating by himself. Turbo-Sazae’s pace is slow, like a cow listening to the fly on his back. Helmet couldn’t endure the slowness. Turbo-Sazae’s pace does not match Helmet’s. Turbo Sazae is walking and collecting information. She knows that time equals safety.
Turbo-Sazae What? The Helmet? The helmet buried in the mud in that accident? Oh, he is wandering around still not understanding his own death. Oh no… I’m so sorry. Hah? Do I take him with me? To my hometown? I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or not.
Central Control System Nowadays, I understand that the new generation of AI is having an influence on Shogi27 world as well as in medicine where it allows the creation of new ideas from huge databases.
Turbo-Sazae Well, my hometown is a great place, and Shield Machine asked me to show the Helmet the big, wonderful world. Where did he lean such a flattering tongue?
Decorative Paper Ball In my unconscious, I had an unusually clear dream. I was a gadfly flying in the sky. The sky was covered by a mysterious thick cloud. I couldn’t see an inch ahead. I didn’t know up from down. I heard singing in the distance and flew to the sound. The cloud disappeared, and two tunnels appeared. The song was from the tunnels. I flew closer and found it was a Pig’s nose. I asked the Pig about the song of homesickness for the workers far from home. He taught me the song, and we sang it together. It was beautiful. The Pig cried saying, “I no longer have a hometown.”
Crystal Helmet’s time at the Kingdom of Kitai was wonderful, but the world passage was not easy. Well, before that, he was even at the harder site, in the war. He spent too many years completing his role without time to think. It may take time to get out of the thinking mode, but he must start to notice. If he gets another journey, he will be able to consider another step.
Turbo-Sazae I agree that the Helmet has a good spirit. He was a very hard worker and was thinking about future for the Kingdom of Kitai. He just seems a bit obsessed like a boar who got wind of danger. Once he had a terrible accident and was in a hospital for a while, but he had the indomitable belief. “I will go back!”
Mountain My friend mountain told me that he has a huge dam with private foreign capital. Nowadays, many cities build dams with private foreign capital because they do not have enough workers, but the company executives are not there and do not look out for the details. Their priority is profit, and they see only short-term. My friend do not understand why they have to dig a hole or make a dam there. The workers don’t know, either. They are robots without spirit. No one can tell him what the completion of the tunnel is supposed to achieve. As it is, his forest and river will die in the end.
Kettle Recently, the Kingdom of Kitai could have had the Olympics28 to benefit the whole country. It would have brought in a lot of money and given a huge step up to technology but for a small bit of carelessness which caused a terrible accident. It might have been the result of overwork. Safety is an everlasting issue. The Beaver has been working on a modification all night to take to the subcontractor into the morning.
Helmet This is the first time I have traveled to an ocean inspection. I feel weird. I am wondering, did I die, too? I remember attending a meeting after the accident. Hmmm, my memory is fading away. I am not sure. How can I explain this landscape? This is the bottom of the ocean. Am I to ride on Turbo-Sazae? I don’t understand at all. The bottom of the ocean there are strangely shaped creatures. From their point of view, I must be very odd with this half-moon shape.
Turbo-Sazae Helmet was the one who really longed to see the other world which will be connected by the Kitai Tunnel… Yes, he needs time to think. My hometown is very far, and it’s true that it will be good to have a traveling companion for me too.
Water When we didn’t have electricity a long time ago, we would say “hi” when we passed in the twilight. We wanted to show that we were not foxes or raccoons29. Now the night shines like a disco ball though the darkness pushes in. Faces are visible. They smile, so no one asks for identification, no guarantee of true character. With the illumination, the city prospered; but our blindness never changes. Don’t forget that.
Crystal Poor Helmet, he couldn't see the completion of the Kitai Tunnel. It’s all right. The dream project is just postponed. It is not easy to connect to the place you want to reach. However, if you keep believing, it exists. And someday somebody will reach there. It can be Helmet.
Central Control System I cannot follow the speed of this change. I think the Point is more clever than I, and he tried to explain things in a way easier for me to understand. “The desire is endless. Although we can believe any power we like, we should avoid the situation where a hen turned into a migratory bird. Safety First. Work Second. We need to go back to the basics.” I think about this every day. However, the Kitai Tunnel will be connected to the other world soon. Then my feelings will clear up.
Kettle Kan, Kan, Kan. When this Kitai Tunnel is completed, we can connect to the other world. We are workers for the future.
Pickax I am one of workers for the future. I am grateful for the job.
Helmet This tunnel will lead us to the next world, and this is the greatest project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Mountain There must be a forest filled with dreams, a land where youth can grow, and a new social structure with a true philosophy. We shouldn't be hurry for this special tunnel. If everybody proceed quickly, it will not be connected to the place where they hope.
Water Once possessed by these characters, you don’t realize it. Before you know it, you are in their company. I know it as I joined them a long time ago. Their stream is strong. A dialogue with the unknown is important, but don't forget where you are from. Once you take part in their stream, you cannot return for ten years, and your participation can change world flow. Swim with awareness; don’t force yourself; sense with all your nerves; read the flow.
Helmet Hey! You have a great headlight! Can we be friends? Can I ask you a question? Am I dead? But I am talking with you right now. Still, am I dead? Uh, you mean my role in the Kingdom of Kitai is complete? OK. So I won’t have to wish our good luck every day, get into the deep hole, get muddy all over, fly over the world, nor worry about the future of the Kingdom. I can rest easy now. Oh no, wait! I forgot about turning back my face tag!! Everybody must be worrying!
Turbo-Sazae OMG!!! Where is the Helmet? I lost the Helmet. He disappeared while I was napping. He swam away by himself? Or was kidnapped? I have asked the ocean already, but she has not answered. It’s impossible to find the tiny helmet in this huge ocean world. If he takes things too easy, he will pay a lot. And if the ocean is angry, she will not reply any more. Uuuuu…what a selfish guy. He disappeared when he ran like a boar and again like a bubble with his own indiscretion. That’s why I wasn't sure if it’s a good idea to take him with me..
Crystal As I expected, Helmet is moving toward the Shio Land30, a legendary country where all things can be transformed and reborn. His body wasn’t damaged, so he will be as he is now, the reverse of his figure as a helmet. The Shio Land will tell him the way for his next journey. He will leave Shio Land, and stop by the future Kingdom of Kitai, which will be very different from his time. He will find some friends along the way, let them ride on him as a boat, and head to a far-away country in the sky called “Iki31.” Iki is a daughter of Shio Land and is the wife of the Kingdom of Kitai. She is usually hidden behind clouds; but when Helmet goes closer, she will invite him with her deep inhaling. This will be the civil engineer’s intangible journey. Oh, somebody’s coming. Talk to you someday soon.
-footnote-
1 Sound of metal
2 A Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. Family gather, visit and clean their ancestors’ graves as the ancestors’ spirits revisit this world at this time. This traditional event includes a community dance festival, known as Bon-Odori.
3 A excavator which is used in the Tunneling Shield Method for the large man-made tunnels.
4 Sound of digging the hard surface
5 A tile-based game from China. It is usually for four players.
6 A playing cards from Japan. “Hanafuda” means flower cards.
7 It locates at the control office. All the trolleys are controlled by this system consisting of the observation monitor and AI sensors. It manipulates to change the materials including rails, segments, scaffoldings and other materials between the ground and the bottom of the tunnel.
8 Famous as a wild river in Japan. Every time it flooded, it changed the route by itself and gave the surrounding a huge damage. On the same time, it was an important for the fertile soil. For the flood measures, cultivating new rice fields, the role as a big waterway and the military purpose, the Tone River had been under construction between 1594 - 1890.
9 In 1945
10 A species of sea snail living around the eastern Asia. A common edible shell in Japan. A nocturnal creature.
11 In 1984
12 The greeting rite for the God of the Land. It holds before the construction starts. With many offerings and a Shinto priest witness, starting to touch the land is allowed. After this rite, the safety of the construction is guaranteed by God.
13 1946 Research for the geology. 1961 Starting the construction. 1985 Completion.
14 The sacred sake which is offered to gods.
15 The casts of the Requiem for the God of the Land.
16 A call to talk to the companion.
17 A call to answer to “A.”
18 Sound of a lot of water run with a strong forth.
19 Originally the medicinal herb or spices in the Japanese brocade pouch is decorated with flowers and five colored strings which people wish the longer life and healthy life. Currently, it uses at the opening of Railroads, highways, schools, elections, wedding party, and any celebration with a global shape and paper tapes, confetti, or balloons in it.
20 Sound when the container opened.
21 Sound of muddy
22 Sound of the heavy thing falling on the ground
23 Sound of explosion
24 In construction world, the workers shout “Mountain Comes!” when the mountain collapses.
25 Sound of falling speedy and straight
26 Sound of force, power and energy.
27 A Japanese chess-like board game for two players
28 In 1964
29 Twilight in Japanese is “Tasogare,” “Tare so Kare” which means “Who are you?” Before we have electricity, it was a custom to ask “Tare so Kare” each other at sunset.
30 Commonly called “Dragon City.” They had the advanced high technology.
31 Commonly called “Neo Dragon City.” This country was built in the sky by Dragon City’s high technology.
Copyright © 2017 by Gaku Tsutaja
All rights reserved.
<Nine gods>
1. Kettle
2. Pickax
3. Central Control System
4. Mountain
5. Helmet
6. Turbo-Sazae
7. Water
8. Decorative Paper Ball
9. Crystal
Kettle Kan, Kan, Kan1. I am a kettle in the Kingdom of Kitai. Every day I sit on a powerful kerosene heater. I have to make steam to keep off the dry air and also be ready for tea when the workers come back from the site. The construction site is a 24-hour operation with two to three shifts. From morning to night, the office I am in is intense. The main staff meet with government officials and subcontractors for an hour; then they meet by themselves for half an hour; at night they spend an hour at daily reports. Everyone shares accommodations and meals, so I am super busy.
Pickax I am Pickax. I leave mommy and kids and hustle to dig a hole. I will come back for the busy season on the farm and for Bon Festival2. I am used to it now as I have done it for nearly ten years. The whole village goes to work together. I am with everybody -- the 60-year-old former chief, the board of education, naughty boys, childhood friends – we all dig a hole together. Dig Dig Dig. All Day. All Night.
Water I am Water. Some of me flows on the earth’s surface into the ocean. Some goes up to the sky, becomes clouds, rain, or snow, and goes down to the land. I am everywhere. I move around and never disappear -- the Great Wall, Machu Picchu, the Suez Canal, the Pyramids, Daisen Kohun, Hashihaka Kohun, and the Panama Canal. I have explored the history of the surface of the Earth.
Pickax This time I am surprised to discover a new guy, Shield Machine3. He came for the special tunnel project. He is huge and cylindrical with a round face. How can he dig a hole with a round face? He said his face has a huge front cutter that spins holding the soil and digging into the mountain. Gariko Gariko4. He astonishes me! My small pointed nose has no chance!
Kettle Everyone from the site comes back with mud, sweat, and oil. It’s tough work. When they return and bathe, they drink my tea and smile with relief. I am also relieved. The moment they can sit down for Mah Jong5, Hanafuda6, or TV, the atmosphere changes to relaxation and laughter.
Pickax Oh. Do I work by riding in your mouth? I’ve got it. Yes, we will help each other. We will put out the muddy water, make it soft, and make it easy for you to dig ahead. Mr. Oil Jack pushes you. I am relieved. If I lost my job, mommy would be so angry.
Central Control System My name is Central Control System7, announced at the Civil Engineering Society, and am the most advanced robotics. Though I should be more attractive, I have been colored vermillion at least. Since I am simply a reinforced structure, no one can imagine that I care about my looks. I am the first artificial intelligence and the newest robot in the Kingdom of Kitai.
Water A long time ago, I ran into the Tone River8 in the Kingdom of Kitai. That river was the mother of flood and wetland. One morning, a rooster’s voice crowed into the Kingdom. “We would be happy to help re-route the river.” When I came back to the Kingdom, the river ran in a totally different direction.
Kettle The Kingdom of Kitai has a history of craft and engineering. There are precious artisans such as welders, stonemasons, carpenters, scaffolding builders, surveyor and engineers. The civil engineering and building world is organized by the reign of 20 or 30 companies where the best artisans are employed. There are 100 companies, under those, 1,000, and the total is about 500,000 companies within this pyramid structure. This structure prepares many levels for the employees who have high school or college diplomas in engineering to learn, developed their skills and work hard to make a prosperous kingdom. We work as one with deep feeling. Once, the Kingdom of Kitai fell into ruin and was shaken9, but we never lost our feeling for one another. As long as we remember this, the Kingdom will be all right. When we complete a job, we all do “three cheers” to keep up our spirits and show satisfaction in a job well done.
Central Control System I like to think about color. My friend, Point sitting below me changing the rails direction taught me the meanings of colors. Each company has different color for their helmet which represent their philosophy. Red is for passion, sky blue is for forever, yellow is hope, green is safe. He told me my vermillion is vitamin color and raises the energy.
Turbo-Sazae I am Turbo-Sazae10. I was living in the Tokyo-Iso layer which lies 30 meters beneath the water’s surface. It is a three-million year old stratum and was then at the bottom of the ocean. I was so surprised when I was dug out and called a “monster” shell. Well, I guess I am at least three to five times larger than the current species. The oyster is ten times those of today because there was no one eating them. The shallows are warm; the seaweed is thick like the forest. Ah, I miss my hometown. I should go home.
Helmet The civil engineer is the sculptor of the earth. The two-line helmet like me symbolizes the chief engineer. Three lines symbolize the director, but two lines is really the one in charge. When there is a fatal accident, I am the one fully responsible. I have to be super helpful. I research technology all over the world – Europe, East Asia, South America, the U.S. I was in The Hope Inspection Team. I study sewage, subways, thermal power, hydroelectric power, nuclear power and how to dispose of nuclear waste. I explained our shield method at the World Tunnel Conference in Caracas11.
Pickax Hi, Bamboo. It’s been a long time. How are you? What? A representative for a requiem for the God of the Land12 when we dig the Kitai Tunnel? I have been selected? Wow! That’s a serious job. I am honored and happy to do that. It will be a great story to tell mommy.
Mountain I am Mountain. I am huge and never move. I understand that they want to make a tunnel to reach the other side of me. The Kitai Tunnel13 is the dream project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Pickax Bamboo became a rite specialist. He had been active on the construction site as there were not enough pipes to put the concrete between the reinforcing bars. I remember workers saying “heavy, heavy,” as they cut and carried him from the mountain.
Water In that new river, I met a weird group. They tried to mingle into the new water, drift in the fresh air, and stay on the cultivated land. They were quiet for a while and little by little invade. As the God of the Land sees this, she easily expels them with thunder. But they are not afraid of the thunder and come back thinking it is just a natural phenomenon. They do not know how ignorant they are. They transform themselves and come in.
Pickax Hello, everybody! Straw ropes, white paper, omiki14, rice, salt and products from land and sea…and Bamboo15. I met you already. How is the meeting? OK. Heap up sand about 50 cm while I drive it into the sand saying, “A!”16 OK. Then the Shovel will come saying, “Yeah!”17 What an important role I have! I am nervous and uptight with the responsibility. It’s the same feeling as a dog who has an important job.
Helmet In Europe I saw sophisticated designs in the power plants with interiors so simple and stylish that they don’t seem like job sites. Our Kingdom’s just looks like factories. In our culture we care about one another, but our leaders do not respect workers. They give no thought to a healthy environment or the importance of vacations. In this Kingdom, most are poor equally and work very hard for daily life except few, we cannot really have the time to think about the system of this society. However, we excel at achieving the purpose by uniting peacefully. We have to succeed to complete this dream project at any cost. This is different from the usual tunnels. This tunnel will lead us to the next world, and this is the greatest project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Central Control System Recently I heard that Grandpa Trolley fainted on the job. The Point sitting told me it’s my fault. After I began working here, the job became 10 times harder. I feel so bad for Grandpa Trolley, but I can’t change speed even though he fell. I am artificial intelligence, and what I am controlling is just to divide three materials — mud, concrete and segment — and divide them into each track. All are so heavy. A segment is 2 tons. I put two of them one time on the grandpa Trolley… With that heaviness, the grandpa Trolley runs so fast. He is very old. It is all programming, and that’s the only way my body moves.
Mountain Suddenly, water blasted out of a shaft. The door of the Shield machine shut off control of the air pressure in the tunnel; but before we knew it, eight were locked in the hole. Water began to fill the hole, and soon small heads were bobbing like mini tomatoes sandwiched between the water surface and the ceiling. I thought, “That’s the end.” Like a miracle, the company on the other side of Shield opened the heavy door with Mr. Oil Jack. The water ran crazily, and everybody flew out. Dohooooooooooo18!
Helmet Last night, I was working late to alter the plan. It has to address mountains, types of soil, water, flooding, speed of water flow, and the unexpected. Plans have to constantly change. In the construction world, the plan is 70%. If the plan is good enough, the job is almost success. But nobody knows what the soil and water condition is before we dig. So, it is the civil engineer’s job to observe them and to make the right decision on the process. My selection influences safety. But I cannot make it perfect. The calamity happens when you forget. Civil engineering is the technique of everlasting incompletion. Tomorrow morning I will meet with the government office and subcontractor to get the funds approved.
Crystal I am Crystal from Switzerland enshrined at the entrance to the nuclear power laboratory. I was living under the mountain for a long time. Now I am a prisoner locked in a glass room on display to the public. Everybody looks at me as a guardian deity, but I know they really don’t want my power.
Decorative Paper Ball I am Decorative Paper Ball19. The last review process for the Kitai Tunnel is soon and on schedule. The march of hope heading to completion. I cannot wait for the celebration. It’s my turn! It’s a happy event. We stretch a red and white curtain and make arrangements with all the workers. I open my mouth, Paka20 — and there comes a shower, thunder, snow, and light. After that, everyone drinks sake with dried fishes and squid.
Kettle In the Kingdom of Kitai, the civil engineering industry decides all business by agreeing on prices as well as responses to accidents. I attended a meeting on contract bid-rigging. Beaver’s company had gotten this special tunnel project called “The Kitai Tunnel”, but there was a fatal accident, so that nomination was canceled. The second in line, the Mole Group, got this job and a percentage of the down payment; and the problem was settled among themselves. Though the Mole Group was officially in charge, the Beaver Company stayed on the job and wore the Mole Group’s uniforms and helmets as a deception. This allowed for a faster result.
Pickax In our heyday of hand-digging, it was Doro Doro21. Even the shield machine joins in to help, the frontier is covered with mud, oil and sweat. We will construct the 2-ton segments together and move forward with Mr. Oil Jack pushing the segments. We can do a maximum of 12 rings in a day, about 10 meters. Digging 600 meters for double track will take three to four years; concrete, rails, and electric wires added will bring the total to seven or eight years. We couldn’t do it without Shield Machine, a huge job becoming bigger and bigger and harder and harder.
Crystal I have the power to see through and predict. I can project an image to show you, but it won’t happen if you don’t hope to see it. Until now, I’m enjoying myself.
Central Control System Grandpa Trolley is from the northern part of the Kingdom. He is very patient and quiet; he never complains. He cannot go home, either. Everybody admires me as I can perform heavy jobs quickly. I may become big-headed. Grandpa Trolley did not show any resentment towards me, he even smiled, saying that he cannot wait to retire. He has been with the railroad for 40 years! Did I quicken his retirement?
Decorative Paper Ball The Kitai Tunnel is filled with everybody’s hope for this kingdom. I am very honored as I can have an important role at this big public stage. Ah, I cannot wait to see the other world which everybody is happy to talk about. Everybody is working so hard with mud and sweat, so it must be a wonderful place…
Water I didn’t doubt their cheerful voices and chatting. Then I felt suddenly sick, so I bowed politely and left. I just floated into the ocean as I was so sick, got better, and then noticed how strange they are. They look normal, but that is deceptive.
Decorative Paper Ball Oh that guy… recently I saw him sometimes. What is he doing at a corner? Ah, I feel sick. I want to lie down a little bit. Sorry.
Water It may be already lurking in the Kitai Tunnel too. When the accident happened one after another, you need special attention. These accidents must be signals from the God of the Land. With her sign, you should suspend the process and tidy the condition. Otherwise, you will dig toward the wrong way. It is terrible if the world you connected to was an irreparable place.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (EXPLOSION) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Central Control System What happened?! My body doesn't move… Hey, Point, I cannot move. Hey.. Dosuuuuuun!!22 An accident happens! OMG, what’s going on?!
Mountain The Shield Machine is like a 1,300-ton underground ship, and I have a huge stomach ache with having it. I can’t endure it. The firm ground cracked and the water rushed into the hole through the crevice. Dooooooooooooooooon!23 The rumble of the earth. Everybody shouted warnings to escape. Mountain comes!!!!!!24 Woooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The water spout and mud wash away from the world. The only thing to do is to swim desperately to escape. If you flap your arms and legs, you may become buoyant enough to float. Even those who think they cannot swim do, but some sink like stones. Once buried, you cannot rise. Everybody has necks stretched out like extreme ostriches. With the accident, a face tag was never turned back to white.
Decorative Paper Ball Then I fainted. I woke up with the huge sound of crushing. Center Control System suddenly stopped. It was not a power failure. Then the point didn’t change, and the collision occurred. This was not normal. I felt the construction should be suspended, but my mouth was still closed at that time, and everybody continued to work. There was a wire that slipped off a two-ton segment. The bolt holding the wire fainted like me. Sutooooon!25 One worker crushed; bones spring out. Then the moment when Mountain crushed came down. We purify the land with salt and omiki. Then it ends.
Turbo-Sazae I should depart now. The way home will be so long. Hey, Shield Machine. Thank you for digging me out. Because of you, I can go home. My body is still hard to move as it has been fossilized for so long but will relax soon in the ocean.
Helmet Where was that huge rock salt stratum? The badgers dug a big hole, and it’s very deep. They put all the nuclear waste in the hole. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa26. Though the hole will shrink from compression little by little, the rock salt stratum will shrink by only a tiny fraction. Nobody can handle nuclear waste. The waste which put in the rock salt stratum is a low level of nuclear waste, however it still takes 1,000 years to transform it into a safe substance. The higher level ones takes more than 150,000 years. Who watches that long? Even the angry goblin cat cannot wait. Everybody has been involved in this fishy business. I believed it, too.
Crystal Helmet left Turbo-Sazae and is floating by himself. Turbo-Sazae’s pace is slow, like a cow listening to the fly on his back. Helmet couldn’t endure the slowness. Turbo-Sazae’s pace does not match Helmet’s. Turbo Sazae is walking and collecting information. She knows that time equals safety.
Turbo-Sazae What? The Helmet? The helmet buried in the mud in that accident? Oh, he is wandering around still not understanding his own death. Oh no… I’m so sorry. Hah? Do I take him with me? To my hometown? I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or not.
Central Control System Nowadays, I understand that the new generation of AI is having an influence on Shogi27 world as well as in medicine where it allows the creation of new ideas from huge databases.
Turbo-Sazae Well, my hometown is a great place, and Shield Machine asked me to show the Helmet the big, wonderful world. Where did he lean such a flattering tongue?
Decorative Paper Ball In my unconscious, I had an unusually clear dream. I was a gadfly flying in the sky. The sky was covered by a mysterious thick cloud. I couldn’t see an inch ahead. I didn’t know up from down. I heard singing in the distance and flew to the sound. The cloud disappeared, and two tunnels appeared. The song was from the tunnels. I flew closer and found it was a Pig’s nose. I asked the Pig about the song of homesickness for the workers far from home. He taught me the song, and we sang it together. It was beautiful. The Pig cried saying, “I no longer have a hometown.”
Crystal Helmet’s time at the Kingdom of Kitai was wonderful, but the world passage was not easy. Well, before that, he was even at the harder site, in the war. He spent too many years completing his role without time to think. It may take time to get out of the thinking mode, but he must start to notice. If he gets another journey, he will be able to consider another step.
Turbo-Sazae I agree that the Helmet has a good spirit. He was a very hard worker and was thinking about future for the Kingdom of Kitai. He just seems a bit obsessed like a boar who got wind of danger. Once he had a terrible accident and was in a hospital for a while, but he had the indomitable belief. “I will go back!”
Mountain My friend mountain told me that he has a huge dam with private foreign capital. Nowadays, many cities build dams with private foreign capital because they do not have enough workers, but the company executives are not there and do not look out for the details. Their priority is profit, and they see only short-term. My friend do not understand why they have to dig a hole or make a dam there. The workers don’t know, either. They are robots without spirit. No one can tell him what the completion of the tunnel is supposed to achieve. As it is, his forest and river will die in the end.
Kettle Recently, the Kingdom of Kitai could have had the Olympics28 to benefit the whole country. It would have brought in a lot of money and given a huge step up to technology but for a small bit of carelessness which caused a terrible accident. It might have been the result of overwork. Safety is an everlasting issue. The Beaver has been working on a modification all night to take to the subcontractor into the morning.
Helmet This is the first time I have traveled to an ocean inspection. I feel weird. I am wondering, did I die, too? I remember attending a meeting after the accident. Hmmm, my memory is fading away. I am not sure. How can I explain this landscape? This is the bottom of the ocean. Am I to ride on Turbo-Sazae? I don’t understand at all. The bottom of the ocean there are strangely shaped creatures. From their point of view, I must be very odd with this half-moon shape.
Turbo-Sazae Helmet was the one who really longed to see the other world which will be connected by the Kitai Tunnel… Yes, he needs time to think. My hometown is very far, and it’s true that it will be good to have a traveling companion for me too.
Water When we didn’t have electricity a long time ago, we would say “hi” when we passed in the twilight. We wanted to show that we were not foxes or raccoons29. Now the night shines like a disco ball though the darkness pushes in. Faces are visible. They smile, so no one asks for identification, no guarantee of true character. With the illumination, the city prospered; but our blindness never changes. Don’t forget that.
Crystal Poor Helmet, he couldn't see the completion of the Kitai Tunnel. It’s all right. The dream project is just postponed. It is not easy to connect to the place you want to reach. However, if you keep believing, it exists. And someday somebody will reach there. It can be Helmet.
Central Control System I cannot follow the speed of this change. I think the Point is more clever than I, and he tried to explain things in a way easier for me to understand. “The desire is endless. Although we can believe any power we like, we should avoid the situation where a hen turned into a migratory bird. Safety First. Work Second. We need to go back to the basics.” I think about this every day. However, the Kitai Tunnel will be connected to the other world soon. Then my feelings will clear up.
Kettle Kan, Kan, Kan. When this Kitai Tunnel is completed, we can connect to the other world. We are workers for the future.
Pickax I am one of workers for the future. I am grateful for the job.
Helmet This tunnel will lead us to the next world, and this is the greatest project for the Kingdom of Kitai.
Mountain There must be a forest filled with dreams, a land where youth can grow, and a new social structure with a true philosophy. We shouldn't be hurry for this special tunnel. If everybody proceed quickly, it will not be connected to the place where they hope.
Water Once possessed by these characters, you don’t realize it. Before you know it, you are in their company. I know it as I joined them a long time ago. Their stream is strong. A dialogue with the unknown is important, but don't forget where you are from. Once you take part in their stream, you cannot return for ten years, and your participation can change world flow. Swim with awareness; don’t force yourself; sense with all your nerves; read the flow.
Helmet Hey! You have a great headlight! Can we be friends? Can I ask you a question? Am I dead? But I am talking with you right now. Still, am I dead? Uh, you mean my role in the Kingdom of Kitai is complete? OK. So I won’t have to wish our good luck every day, get into the deep hole, get muddy all over, fly over the world, nor worry about the future of the Kingdom. I can rest easy now. Oh no, wait! I forgot about turning back my face tag!! Everybody must be worrying!
Turbo-Sazae OMG!!! Where is the Helmet? I lost the Helmet. He disappeared while I was napping. He swam away by himself? Or was kidnapped? I have asked the ocean already, but she has not answered. It’s impossible to find the tiny helmet in this huge ocean world. If he takes things too easy, he will pay a lot. And if the ocean is angry, she will not reply any more. Uuuuu…what a selfish guy. He disappeared when he ran like a boar and again like a bubble with his own indiscretion. That’s why I wasn't sure if it’s a good idea to take him with me..
Crystal As I expected, Helmet is moving toward the Shio Land30, a legendary country where all things can be transformed and reborn. His body wasn’t damaged, so he will be as he is now, the reverse of his figure as a helmet. The Shio Land will tell him the way for his next journey. He will leave Shio Land, and stop by the future Kingdom of Kitai, which will be very different from his time. He will find some friends along the way, let them ride on him as a boat, and head to a far-away country in the sky called “Iki31.” Iki is a daughter of Shio Land and is the wife of the Kingdom of Kitai. She is usually hidden behind clouds; but when Helmet goes closer, she will invite him with her deep inhaling. This will be the civil engineer’s intangible journey. Oh, somebody’s coming. Talk to you someday soon.
-footnote-
1 Sound of metal
2 A Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. Family gather, visit and clean their ancestors’ graves as the ancestors’ spirits revisit this world at this time. This traditional event includes a community dance festival, known as Bon-Odori.
3 A excavator which is used in the Tunneling Shield Method for the large man-made tunnels.
4 Sound of digging the hard surface
5 A tile-based game from China. It is usually for four players.
6 A playing cards from Japan. “Hanafuda” means flower cards.
7 It locates at the control office. All the trolleys are controlled by this system consisting of the observation monitor and AI sensors. It manipulates to change the materials including rails, segments, scaffoldings and other materials between the ground and the bottom of the tunnel.
8 Famous as a wild river in Japan. Every time it flooded, it changed the route by itself and gave the surrounding a huge damage. On the same time, it was an important for the fertile soil. For the flood measures, cultivating new rice fields, the role as a big waterway and the military purpose, the Tone River had been under construction between 1594 - 1890.
9 In 1945
10 A species of sea snail living around the eastern Asia. A common edible shell in Japan. A nocturnal creature.
11 In 1984
12 The greeting rite for the God of the Land. It holds before the construction starts. With many offerings and a Shinto priest witness, starting to touch the land is allowed. After this rite, the safety of the construction is guaranteed by God.
13 1946 Research for the geology. 1961 Starting the construction. 1985 Completion.
14 The sacred sake which is offered to gods.
15 The casts of the Requiem for the God of the Land.
16 A call to talk to the companion.
17 A call to answer to “A.”
18 Sound of a lot of water run with a strong forth.
19 Originally the medicinal herb or spices in the Japanese brocade pouch is decorated with flowers and five colored strings which people wish the longer life and healthy life. Currently, it uses at the opening of Railroads, highways, schools, elections, wedding party, and any celebration with a global shape and paper tapes, confetti, or balloons in it.
20 Sound when the container opened.
21 Sound of muddy
22 Sound of the heavy thing falling on the ground
23 Sound of explosion
24 In construction world, the workers shout “Mountain Comes!” when the mountain collapses.
25 Sound of falling speedy and straight
26 Sound of force, power and energy.
27 A Japanese chess-like board game for two players
28 In 1964
29 Twilight in Japanese is “Tasogare,” “Tare so Kare” which means “Who are you?” Before we have electricity, it was a custom to ask “Tare so Kare” each other at sunset.
30 Commonly called “Dragon City.” They had the advanced high technology.
31 Commonly called “Neo Dragon City.” This country was built in the sky by Dragon City’s high technology.
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