Journey to the East - Travel to Japan

09/07/2024

Arita and Imari in Japan are well known for their spectacular porcelain products.
Now something different. How about biscuits with the traditional porcelain motives printed in the icing? Well here they are!

23/04/2024

The final day of 2024 Artisan Tour of Kyushu Japan was just as memorable. We started with a visit to a bamboo factory where bamboo cut from the mountains is processed ready for bamboo crafts. Once again the owner talked to us about the lack of labour to carry on this trade.
We then visited Jigoku Onsen Museum to simulate how rain drops become onsen (hot spring) water over 50 years. Onsen is a hallmark of Beppu, and we enjoyed various forms of onsen for the rest of afternoon. The farewell dinner was at a Japanese Italian fusion restaurant. It was an amazing sensory experience of visual and taste. We all commented that it could be better than Michlin restaurants in cities!
It was wonderful 12 days and I felt so privileged to showcase such remarkable Japanese artisans to oue esteemed guests on this tour. I thank you Fumiko san and Kimiko san, all our local partners and our staff who made this tour possible!

21/04/2024

Today was all about bamboo craft, which Beppu is famous for. We firstly visited Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Craft Center and saw master pieces as well as historical pieces used for daily life. Among others we admired the works of late Shounsai Shono, a living national treasure lived in Beppu who raised status of bamboo craft to an art form. They were amazing. Thanks to Japan's only dedicated training center on bamboo craft here in Beppu, there are talented young artists emerging. We made our own piece of bamboo pendant under the kind instruction of master bamboo artist.
By the way today's lunch was one of the best sushi I ever had!

20/04/2024

Japanese swordmaking has been a mysterous craft even among Japanese, and today we visited Mr Koroki, a master swordsmith. We learnt so much about the swordmaking process, the industry and market over the two hour workshop. We even had a chance to try our hand with the hot steel and the finished product, and learnt how to appreciate this art form.
The afternoon visit was slightly away from traditional craft, but still a big part of Japanese culture - a taiko drum performance. It was held at a small theater where we felt the energy of the skilled young performers directly. It was fantastic!
Driving through beautiful mountain ranges of Mt A*o and Mt Kuju, we arrived at our final destination Beppu, famous hot spring city. After long day of driving, we enjoyed a Jigokumushi dinner, steamed by the natural geothermal steam!

19/04/2024

Another day of visiting people who are passionate about their traditional crafts. Firstly we visited a local ikan workshop, weaving and indigo dyeing. It involves painstaking process but the outcome is so beautiful. The afternoon visit was to a Japanese traditional insence maker. Mr Baba is quite a character and comically talked about his aging, declining business due to increase in artificial colouring and fragrance, lack of successor, etc.
We had lunch at the top of tea plantation, at Yame. It is a growing region of high quality green tea. We walked through the plantation with a tea farmer and were lucky to encounter harvesting.

19/04/2024

Today we moved to a town called Yame. Yame has preserved its old townscape as well as its traditional craft industries. Here we visited a family business making wooden buckets, a maker of Buddist alters and a maker of chochin, traditional paper lanterns. Lunch was at a restaurant housed in an old sake brewer. Tonight accommodatiom is also very unique, a renovated old merchant house in old town.

17/04/2024

Turning focus on woodcraft today, our fascinating tour continues. This morning we visited a traditional furniture maker who uses rare Yakusugi ceder. After walking through the workshop where skilled craftpeople are working, we arrived at a museum-like showroom. Sadly many of them are the last pieces as yakusugi is no longer available.
We then moved to Kumiko workshop and admired the precision and artistic patterns of the panels. The pieces are cut at 1/100 milimeter! The lunch today was unagi (eel) as we were in unagi capital of Japan.

17/04/2024

Our last stop on the theme of ceramic was Kyushu Ceramic Museum. It is an excellent museum showing the development of Japanese ceramic and its link with Europe, China and Korea. After stopping at a spectacular azarea garden and a cute bakery cafe for lunch, we focused on another famous Japanese craft, washi paper. In the beautiful rural workshop, we created our own piece of washi. We finishef the day with mouthwatering Saga wagyu beef (which i forgot to take a photo being too busy eating!).

16/04/2024

On Day 5 we continued our study on Japan's ceramic tradition focusing on porcelain today. Firstly we visited the old village of secret kilns. At Imari and Arita we also visited kaolin quary, raw material of porcelain, and many gorgeous studios both traditional and modern styles. We met some artisans who we interacted with and talked about the porcelain production process. Being inspired by so much beautiful porcelain all day, we finish the day at a relaxing onsen rokan surrounded by prestine nature.

14/04/2024

On Day 3 of 2024 Artisan Tour of Kyushu Japan, we visited Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, the most prominent shrine of Kyushu and had a guided tour of unique art work related to shintoism by shinto priests.
Day 4 was dedicated to Japan's pottery tradition in one of the most highly regarded pottery towns, Karatsu. Here we visited the national treasure level gallaries, and even had chance to create our own under the guidance of a Karatsu potter. The accommodation tonight is sublime ryokan. The service, the food, the building, everything is first class traditional Japanese hospitality.

12/04/2024

Now I'm in Fukuoka, the capital of Kyushu, and I joined our another brand new tour, 2024 Artisan Tour of Kyushu Japan. The theme of today was Hakataori silk fabric, historically highly regarded fabric for kimono especially, obi. At a factory running for 160 years, we learnt the history, process and difference with other kimono fabric. It was so fascinating and informative.
After a guided walking tour of historic town center, we celebrated Toshiko's 88th birthday at seafood restaurant. (I hope she doesn't mind me mensionning her age but she looks so fabulous!)

10/04/2024

Our last destination on this 2024 Cherry Blossom Tour of Sea of Japan Coast before reaching Kyoto is Fukui. It is much less known to international tourists, but we had some fascinating experiences including zen meditation at Eiheiji, one of the most prominent zen temples in Japan, unique geological formation of Tojinbo cliff, another beautuful cherry blossom at Ichijodani archiological site, music and games with geisha at onsen town of Awara.

08/04/2024

We had gorgeous two days in Kanazawa. The cherry blossoms this time is possibly the best i have seen. The sea of pink flowers everywhere and photos just cannot do justice! Of couse we had many wonderful experiences such as guided walks of samurai district, Omicho Market, tea ceremony, geisha district and wagyu teppanyaki dinner.

06/04/2024

We had a few wonderful days in Toyama. After picnicing under the gorgeous cherry blossoms in Takaoka Kojo Park, we arrived at a wood carving town of Inami. Here we watched superb level of artisan skills at museum and shops, and even had a workshop by one of the local wood carvers to make our own piece. Accommodation here is one of the highlights on the tour where we had our own villa each, a beautifully renovated old house decolated by the local artisans.

04/04/2024

Another fascinating day in Toyama. First we visited a beautiful Japanese garden and tea houses which belonged to the first governer of Toyama. Then we moved to a local fish market and watched highly prized local crabs caught this morning being auctioned. After a sushi lunch at a tiny local sushi restaurant, we cruised on Matsukawa River under the tunnel of cherry blossoms! Unforgettable.

04/04/2024

Our brand new cherry blossom tour, 2024 Cherry Blossom Tour of Sea of Japan Coast started. After a wonderful (but crowded) two days in Tokyo seeing the early stage of cherry blossoms, we travelled to the Sea of Japan coast. Here there is no crowed, with wonderful local people and food we are enjoying our first night at a vary traditional onsen ryokan.

31/12/2023

Eating vegan tucker at restaurant is not so bad, just order a round of bacon with it !

28/12/2023

The last of the four prefectures of Shikoku is Kagawa. We visited many art and gardens in Takamatsu including Ritsurin Garden, Isam Noguchi Garden Museum and George Nakashima Memorial Gallery. We also hopped across to Teshima and spend time at Teshima Museum before finishing the tour at forever-popular Naoshima.

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas!
Shikoku means four countries, and the third country (called prefecture now) we visited is Ehime. We stopped at Uwajima, one of the largest pearl producers in Japan, and stayed at the wonderful Kiya Ryokan. Ozu is a home of Garyu Sanso, beautiful villa and garden. Uchiko has many traditional buildings, one of which is the Uchiko Kabuki Theater. Dogo Onsen is Japan's most historic onsen town. To top them all off, the magnificent Shimanami Kaido.

23/12/2023

Our next destination was Kochi. We visited Kochi Castle, one of only 12 original castles remain in Japan, Sunday Market, Chikurinji Temple which was celebrating 1300 year anniversary, Yusuhara Village with 5 public buildings designed by Kengo Kuma. We also enjoyed light walking among prestine nature at Nakatsu Gorge, and washi paper making in a beautiful mountain setting.

21/12/2023

Belated posting on my last trip with 2023 Architecture Tour of Shikoku. The tour covered Japan's architecture from ancient to contemporary, by famous architect to local gems. The first post is on Iya Valley. We really enjoyed staying in a renovated farm house, and truly remote nature and culture.

09/08/2023

So you have seen Tokyo?

We went to a random suburb a just a few stops on the underground. It was as amazingly interesting day! A few snaps of what we expeienced in this one suburb.

06/08/2023

Looking for gem in Japan

Following the festival in sendai we moved on to Matsushima via Shiogama.

05/08/2023

Looking for new gems in Japan day 12

We are in Sendai. Later we will see another festival.

04/08/2023

04/08/2023

Looking for new gems in Japan days 9 & 10

First, the Nebuta festival in Aomori city. The colour and the excitement!!. The floats were so bright that the camera overexposed the pictures of the floats yet not enough light to capture the dancers without movement blur. However, in the end this added to the pictures bringing you the atmophere.
Then we drove south west to Akita. For Akita's Kanto festival. On the way we paused at an interesting old village.
The Akita Kanto festival was quite different. The lanterns on long poles, the balancing tricks, the drummers, and the amazingly cleaver kids with their own lantern stands. We thought this was an even better event than the magic of the Amori festival

We scored these two days' gems 10/10 for the experience and the buzz.

02/08/2023

Looking for new gems

A bit of down time, still found some great things in Amori prefecture. Tonight we see the Nebuta festival in Amori city.

31/07/2023

Looking for new gems in Japan days 5 and 6

We left Sado Island, returning to Niigata for the night and then started north once more.
We stopped at Murakami, a small town that offers streets kept as they were in Samuarai times. For those who have been to Japan, think Takayama, without the hoards of tourists. A top new spot!
Then continuing on 'Highway 101', with its beautiful coastal scenery, to Amori prefecture. Now we are at the top of the main island of Japan (Honshu). We headed for Juniko - translates to 12 lakes. The camera just didnt stop. What a magnificent place. We walked with a wonderful guide who told us about the nature and fauna that surrounded us. Todays new gem scored 11/10!

29/07/2023

Looking for new gems in Japan day 5
If you have been following our journey, you will know we visited a onetime very prosperous gold mine on Sado Island. Today we went to walk in the small villages where the miners lived. Mostly they have returned to nature, so the guides stories and some imagination in this picturesque area were essential.

Today's pictures are just a small selection from what we saw and did
Todays rating of new gems was another 9.5/10