Finishing Japan Journals

Treasures of my trip to Japan last year include the go shu in or red stamps received at the Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines that I visited. The monks stamp three red images and then hand-letter a blessing, the name of the temple and the date for 3000 Yen or about $3. I made this accordion book to hold them. Many Japanese take spiritual pilgrimages and document their journeys with go shu in stamped in their accordion books. One of my resolutions for 2008 is to finish my Japan journal. I will be posting these pages in future posts.

Collaged Calendars

I'm really enjoying my 2007 collaged calendar. The visual images bring me right back to the experience just like a remembered fragrance. I include copies of my art, drawings, photos, covers of books read and notes. The borders highlight words that express the month. It's a great way to catalog time with friends and family, accomplishments, see progress made, journeys taken and new directions being formed.

Japanese Treasures

It's great to be home again and I have so many special memories of people and places from Japan. In Kyoto, I painted this little dorei doll, a clay bell that looks like a geisha. In other regions of Japan, dorei dolls are painted to represent the zodiac animals or Daruma- an Indian monk known for his religious devotion. He sat in meditation so long he lost the use of his legs.

After painting the dorei doll, I searched for Saiun-do, a little shop in the Gion or geisha section of Kyoto that sells supplies for Japanese painting. The top photo shows Anekoji preparing the wonderful materials I purchased and am eager to use. The watercolor gansai paints are made from plant pigments developed over a hundred years ago by the original shop owner. The soft colors go with suiboku-ga, or the Japanese ink paintings.

Of course, one needs the brushes, brush holders, sumi ink sticks, a suzuri ink grinding stone, water holder to rinse brushes, and a tiny vessel to add water for ink preparation. The single handle with five brushes bound together is called a renpitsu- unique to Japan. It's used for large sweeps of color where a gradation of shades is desired with one stroke. Anekoji demonstrated how to use the brushes and the different ink colors. I wanted to take her demo book home with all of it's soft colors, brush strokes and muted tones. I felt very honored when she had me sign her guest book along with other painters from all over the world.

Now it's back to unpacking, getting prints made of the photos I took and finishing my Japan journal.

Tokyo Sights

Last Sunday, we went to Yoyogi Park to see the Harajuku girls and rock bands. The next day I passed through Shibuya Station and captured a photo of Tokyo's "Time Square". The highlight of the week had to be Tsukiji Fish Market. We got up at 4am to be there at 5 to see the market open up and the tuna auction. The world's largest fish market- 400 species of seafood weighing over 2500 tons from all over the world arrive every day. It trades 10 times the volume and five times the value of New York's New Fulton Fish Market. Women control the money in tiny little booths scattered throughout the market. Business is based on a handshake, very low tech with workers respected for their skills and knowledge. The surprising thing is that it doesn't smell fishy. They use seawater to clean everything and make ice to chill the fish. Jean spoke to an operator of one of the fish moving vehicles and he invited us to ride with him to a sushi place- a highly unauthorized and hair raising view of the market which not many get to experience. The sushi meal tasted great- fresh right out of the market.

Mt Fujisan, Koyasan & Takayama Mountain Trip

Japan is a country of mountains and volcanic hills. Memmorial Day the clouds cleared at Mt Fuji's timberline or Fifth Station- a treat this time of year when it's a 50-50 chance of seeing the mountain. The otherside remained in clouds all day.

Mt Koya is south of Osaka. It took four trains, two subways, a cable car and a bus to get to Koyasan from Tokyo. This sacred mountain is home to Shingon Buddhism. I stayed in a temple, attended early morning services and a fire offering. The vegetarian meals provided at the temple looked beautiful and tasted good. The coiling dragon garden is the largest rock garden in Japan. Over 200,000 memorials line the path to Okunoin Temple through a cedar forest to the resting place of Kobodaishi, the founder of this esoteric faith similar to Tibetan Buddhism.

The next train trip took me to Takayama on the other side of the Japan Alps from Nagano where the winter Olympics were held. The train followed the Hida River canyon to Takayama. The city is often called "little Kyoto" with its preserved neighborhoods of old style wooden houses. You can always tell who is visiting a home, temple, museum or inn by the shoes at the door. At the folk art history museum I met a group of junior high school students who wanted to speak English with me. I taught them how to say "see you later alligator". In the afternoon, I visited the Hida Village with homes from the 1600's to see how folks lived then.

My last week is in Tokyo visiting the fish market, another temple, garden and museum along with some last minute shopping. It's hard to believe that four weeks flew by so fast.

One Week's Journey- Nikko, Kyoto & Matsumoto

Sunday, May 20th, we took a bus tour northeast of Tokyo to Nikko- Shogun country. The Toshogu Shrine and Pagoda are set in an old growth cedar forest. We enjoyed the scenary of Lake Chuzenzi.

Monday, I took the Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto and stayed in a traditional ryokan with tatami mat flooring and a futon for sleeping. I loved the ryokan's NE neighborhood with the Kamo Rivier walk with its local use for cycling, walking, practicing musical insturments, relaxing, jasmine and bird watching. Bicycles are a major mode of transportation in local communities.

A few sight seeing highlights of Kyoto- Kinkaku-ji or Golden Temple, the Heain Shrine garden and the bamboo forest at Shoren-in. Upon opening the door of Saiun-Do, a traditional Japanese painting supply store, I felt like I walked into Old World Kyoto. The Fujimoto family has owned the store since 1863 and has sold art supplies for Japanese painting to artists all over the world. The selection of brushes, inks, paints, etc. was amazing and a feast for the eyes and imagination.

Saturday, we visited 16th century Matsumoto Castle. On the way, we got our first glimpse of Mt. Fuji and Japan Alps. Today, we're off on the subway to Design Festa at Tokyo Big Sight Convention and Exhibition Center with 6,000 artists displaying their work. Tomorrow, Memorial Day, we go to Hakone and Mt Fuji. It may be another week before you get a travel update. This next week I go to Koyason and Takayama- to the mountains. Sayonara for now.

Harajuku- Mod & Lively Young Japan

Harajuku brings a colorful change to the black suits of Tokyo business districts which claim most areas of the city. On Takeshita-dori, shops sell all kinds of mod clothes and trendy accessories to mostly young Tokyoites. Walking the back allies close by, I found the altered building of Design Festa- a feast for the eyes with all kinds of graffiti and 3-d wall scultptures. Next weekend, we're going to their two-day art exhibit with over 6000 artists at the Tokyo Big Sight Convention Center. I can't wait to find out what we'll see. Sunday, we go to Shogun country- Nikko and next week I'm off to Kyoto for a week.

Zojo-ji Temple

Zojo-ji Temple in Shiba Park stands as one of Tokyo's grandest Buddhist temples. The 1612 red-lacquered Sanmon Gate is original. Omizuko line one side of the temple grounds and represent aborted, miscarried and stillborn babies. Their colorful crocheted caps and pinwheels are donated to console their spirits. The wind made the pinwheels twirl and spin-movement the camera didn't capture.

Jean's cousin, Kasuki, visited us Tuesday night from Osaka. He spoke a little English and we talked some. Thank goodness Jean speaks Japanese. He's a baseball fan and knows all the Japanese players in the Major Leagues. Tokyo has two baseball teams- Giants and Sparrows. He roots for the Sparrows. He text messages with ease and is very computer savvy like most young people here.

I'm alternating days of sight seeing with shopping days. Wednesday, I visited a four-floor fabric store and a seven-floor creative, art supply & hardware store called Tokyu Hands in Shibuya. It's raining today so I'm going to the Bunkamura Art Museum to see the "Modigliani & Hebuterne- a tragic couple" exhibit- Parisian artist,Jeanne Hebuterne, loved and modeled for Italian artist, Amedeo Modigliani.

Kamakura and the Great Buddha

Saturday Jean, Jo Ann and I visited Diabutsu, the Great Buddha of Kamakura, an hour train ride southwest of Tokyo. He is the largest Buddha in Japan at 40' tall and weighing 93 tons.

I received another Go shu in (red stamp) with the temple name, date and recognition that I was there. I enjoyed watching an art class draw the Buddha and surrounding temple buildings and wanted to join them for the day.