Trip to Mashiko

Today's destination was Mashiko, a pottery village, with our friends Shinji Masuda and Steph (here on a business visit from the US). We went to the Higeta Indigo Dye Works, where Higeta Tadashi-san carries on the family business (200+ years) of hand making indigo dye and creating traditional indigo dyed and stenciled textile. To our surprise, Shinji knew Hegeta san and before we knew it, we were sitting down and having tea while Higeta-san described his work and inspiration. Please see the photo (Higeta-san on the left, Shinji is holding one of the 100 year old hand cut stencils). Later we visited many pottery shops and the home and workshop of Hamada Shoji, the master of Mashiko-style folk pottery and bearer of the title "national living treasure" before his death in 1978. Alvin

Street Scene in downtown Ota

There is a potential quilt in here somewhere. Click on the picture for inspiration.

Target Practice with the Blowgun

Here is one of our blowgun teachers, a target, and the blowgun itself. The darts had been put away already when this picture was made. There are about 15 people in this class, and we are a dangerous group for sure.

Shamisen Sensei, Mr. Sutou

Here are 2 short videos (31 sec and 5 sec) --and one snapshot--of Mr. Sutou performing in an exposition and then in his studio. Take a look and listen to the Japanese stringed instrument called the shamisen.

The Price of Eggs

A couple of weeks ago, on the evening television news, there was a story about egg farmers. Some of them hit the streets of Tokyo, giving out cartons of eggs to consumers as they walked along their way. A carton of ten eggs (the standard size here) was offered to each person along with a sincere apology, informing everyone that soon the price of eggs would be going up. The farmers were asking for the customers' understanding. It seems the farmers were enduring great losses because of the recent increase in the costs of feed and transportation and would have to increase the cost of a carton of eggs for the first time SINCE 1975! The current cost at the time of this story was actually 2 yen LESS per carton than in 1975. Most interviewees gave reserved understanding.

Hi Mom-Happy Mother's Day!

Your letters to me have marked the steps of my life. Thanks for being there for me.

Haniwa=clay figures at a burial mound

Haniwa are terra cotta representations of "everyday" people (doing their daily jobs) as well as warriors and animals who serve as company and guardians for the high-ranking dead. All are usually buried in a large earthen grave called a "kofun." The group pictured is outside the grave rather than inside, which is rare. There are some exhumed haniwa at the Tokyo National Museum at Ueno Park. (enlarge the photo for detail; some of these could have been replaced since we were here before, almost four years ago. The contemporary-styled ones on top of the kofun are recent since then)

Old and New (renovated)

click on the photo to enlarge it.

1 & 1/2 hour north today!! By car.

On our three day vacation (Golden "Week"=a national holiday), we went for a drive to hike and see the snow at the Tanigawa dake ski area near Minakami town. We left spring weather and had to wear ski jackets, hats, boots and gloves to walk around the ski area trail. We had camera problems, but here are 2 photos we managed to get. A foot onsen (spa) was a treat, afterwards.