Karinko

This zine collects diaries I wrote, photos I took, recorded sounds and radio recordings from my study abroad on Penang Island, Malaysia, between October 2023 and August 2024. It is about 70 pages long and contains diary pages, photo pages, and project pages. The project pages compile things like records of cooking for myself during my exchange, hawker food, and 'meals I'd like to serve when Takako Matsu comes to my house'. Also, there are several QR codes in the book; scanning them lets you listen to locally recorded sounds (the azan/prayer call, sounds from the streets) and a solo radio where I talk about what happened that day.

Below is part of a diary entry that inspired this zine. I wanted to include it here in the hope that it conveys a bit of what it was like.

'I feel completely down at times, fall completely in love at times, scream, run, wake up early for no reason, or can't get out of bed until evening. Nothing goes well, something always hurts, but I can't help being so happy with this life. It's similar to the feeling near the end of a long-distance run when you taste blood in your mouth and still psych yourself up and take another lap. Lately it's felt like that all the time, and it's been fun.'

I hope this book can travel to many places.