Fancy Soya — 45°31′ N

Two Objects

1,000 items. 30 years. My collection contains two records of Soya Misaki. One is a sober lantern marked with the coordinates 45°31′ N. The other is a piece of “Fancy Retro” with a gradient of pink and blue. Its palette is identical to those in the talent shops of Harajuku from that era.

1995: The Shop at the Tip

In 1995, at the shop near the cape’s monument, the shelves were crowded.

I already had a Hello Kitty Mini-Cho-chin in my bag from a previous stop. On the shelf in front of me was a fox version. I did not want it. I stood in the wind coming through the door, looking at the creature with its oversized eyes and a red ribbon. The sharp intensity of a wild fox was not there.

I took the fox to the register and paid. The smooth, bright surface of the lantern felt indifferent to the cold air outside. I tucked it into my bag and left.

2026: The Shelf

I returned to the same area. The wooden racks that once held the Mini-Cho-chin have been replaced by rotating metal stands. These stands, filled with Hello Kitty keychains, occupy the center of the stores.

In one shop, I searched the shadows of the shelves and found a few remaining lanterns in a dusty corner. They were not visible from the entrance.

The Mask

The fox stands at 45°31′ N. In 1995, it was one of several options on the shelf. Today, its descendants—the global characters—are the primary objects on display.

The Residue

1,500 kilometers of travel. This ribbon-wearing fox is the fragment that remains.