Bye Bye!

Well, I'm off to London again tomorrow morning! These last three months have whizzed by and I've had a fab time in Tokyo, despite the heat. I'll miss Neil so much, but am really looking forward to catching up with family and friends, as well as fitting in a trip to New York - woo hoo! I'll be back on the 27th october, so see you then.....

Supermarket matsuri

I was coming out of my local supermarket yesterday and was greeted by this happy bunch. They were carrying a portable shrine and working their way around the neighbourhood, blessing local buildings. One guy seems to have forgotten to put his trousers on.....

Baseball

On sunday night we went to a baseball game. I am embarrassed to say that I lived in America for 12 years, only went to one baseball game the whole time I was there, and have no idea of the rules. Luckily Neil was clued up on that, so was able to explain what was going on. I'm still not completely sure what was happening, but had a fab time soaking up the atmosphere - mini cheerleaders, breakdancing mascots, cheering, singing crowds, beer girls selling beer from backpacks through a hose, flag-waving fans. The game was between the Yakult Swallows (a local team) and the Chunichi Dragons, from Nagoya. We had great seats with a fab view, but soon after we arrived there, we realised we were in the opposing team's seats - oh dear. It wasn't long into the game however, that the opposing team started doing very well, so then we were glad to be there and cheered along (and attempted to sing) with the rest of them. My only fear, was being hit in the face by a ball! There were several near misses when the ball came speeding towards us and hit the crowd somewhere behind. I didn't fancy heading back to England with a broken nose....

Yamato Shrine Sale

I went to my first shrine sale yesterday and it was heaven! They are basically Japanese versions of flea markets/antique markets, usually held around a shrine, although this one didn't seem to have a shrine anywhere nearby. They sell all kinds of things from kimonos and obi to old scrolls and baskets, often at discounted prices if you are willing to forage. There was an endless amount of juicy stalls selling the most amazing Japanese artefacts and fabrics and it was heaven. Becky and I went a bit wild, but came back with some amazing finds.

September morality poster

This month's subway poster illustrates something that I am very familiar with, living here in Tokyo and the joys of being a gaijin on the subway. I feel two feet taller than most people and as wide as a bus, so you are often aware of people over compensating the space needed for you to sit next to them, or they just don't sit next to you at all! At first this upset me, but now I relish in having the extra room.....

Mugs

Here is the latest update on the pottery classes. I got these pieces back the other day and am amazed the handles didn't fall off! And you can actually drink from them, even if they are a tad heavy... I also practiced my sumi-e painting on some of the cylindrical pots - all the different classes are coming together in their own weird and wonderful way!

Cricket

Well, the cicadas have now passed on and their frenzied noise has been replaced by the dulcet tones of the crickets - a very summery, romantic sound. With them, some cooler air has come and it's rather pleasant now. This little blighter passed away on our balcony, so I decided to take a photo of him the other day - he's not that small at 8cm long! In fact, he is still there as neither of us have been brave enough to scoop him up....

Uemura Shoen

This morning I went to a stunning exhibition showing the works of Uemura Shoen. She was a Japanese artist who died in 1949 and her works were inspired by "Bijinga" drawings which are portraits that show beautiful women in a realistic, yet refined style. She decided to take this style a step further and work the sketches up into beautifully intricate paintings and apparently her work has no equal in this class of artwork. Her style is actually very modern and her paintings are heaven for anyone interested in printed fabrics and surface pattern. Each painting uses beautiful colours and patterns, paired with an ethereal style of painting.

Flanders exhibition

It's been a cultural few days for me so far. Yesterday I went to an exhibition at the Bunkamura centre and in the evening I went to my book group.

The exhibition was called "Lights of Flanders" and focused on Belgian artists in the 19th century who had set up an artist colony in flemish rural villages. Here, they captured the countryside and people of Flanders doing everyday things, but in idyllic settings where the sun is always shining and the life is relaxed. I had never really been aware of these artists' works before and was transfixed by the beauty of some of them. Perhaps it's because I hadn't seen them before, but they seemed fresh to me. Many were done in an Impressionistic style which is something that I don't usually like. Maybe this is because we have seen their work so often - such as Renoir, Monet etc - that it becomes too familiar. Anyway, I was very glad I went!

In the evening I went to my book group and we discussed "The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver. The story is told from the point of view of a boy who works in the house of Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera. I had been excited about reading it as the writer is very good and the subject matter interested me. It took a long time to get into and if it weren't for the book group I probably would have given up, but I'm glad I stuck with it as it grew into an interesting, juicy historical novel.

Meguro Park

Yesterday we went to a lovely park, just 7 minutes walk from Meguro station. I have been calling it Meguro Park, but apparently it's real name is the Institute for Nature Study. Most Japanese parks are extremely manicured and although they are beautiful, can be quite sterile. This one is definitely more like a nature reserve where the flora and fauna has been left to their own devices. It was almost like walking through a tropical forest in the heart of Tokyo, with crickets chirruping, birds singing and the "residents" basically loving their little haven in the city. There were also many big spiders in webs, which I tried to avoid as much as possible.........

If you look at the website, they have a great view of the park from above.

White beach

On saturday we went to the most gorgeous, sandy, empty beach! Chris and Becky had been the week before and raved about it, so the four of us headed off early on saturday morning, for a day of playing in the sea and lying in the sand. The beach is in Shimoda and takes about 2.5 hours to get to. We took the shinkansen for part of it and then a very scenic train journey along the coast. They kindly make the train seats facing outwards towards the window so that you can enjoy the view, and it is stunning! At Shimoda station, it was a short taxi ride out to what they call White Beach, a lovely little haven with white sands, clear water and little beach shacks selling food and drink. It was heaven and we couldn't quite believe we were so close to Tokyo! We'll definitely be heading back again.

Furniture in Meguro

Becky and I went to some gorgeous shops in Meguro yesterday. It's a whole street full of modern/retro furniture shops, all beautifully styled and maddeningly expensive. Some of them included Acme that sells mainly reclaimed furniture, and Brunch which makes a lot from scratch in beautiful woods. We also stumbled across the Claska hotel which has a beautifully styled shop and bar, as well as a roof terrace. We went up there and soaked in the view of Tokyo in the breezy, balmy afternoon air.

Rain!

We haven't had rain for weeks and weeks and now it's all come at once! It has poured all day. I'm lost as to what shoes to wear as it's still really humid, so wellies are out of the question. I don't fancy getting trench foot!

Costume museum

I went to a stunning exhibition the other day at the Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum in Shinjuku. It is a small museum, but full of beautiful textiles. This one mostly showed a selection of sarasas as well as wood block prints and tie dye from around the world.

Kokedama

There is a lovely shop near where we live in Nakameguro called Green Scape that sells Kokedama. They have been know as the poor man's bonsai, but I think they are a totally different thing and, in a way, have more beauty than a bonsai. It basically consists of a ball of soil covered in moss, with a plant arrangement "growing" out of it. They are like living sculptures and each one is beautifully arranged. Because of the small size of the ball, the plant will typically remain small and the inside of the ball allows the roots to develop. I thought these were temporary pieces as I couldn't imagine the ball being enough sustainment, but it seems that they can last for quite a while and even if the outside moss goes brown, you can replace it with new moss and it rejuvenates. I'm still not sure about my ability to keep something so delicate alive though....

A home away from home

We were hanging out on the balcony last night, having a beer and listening to the cicadas and I was really warmed by the view into our apartment. We have been here a year now and it really feels like home...

Jaaaaaaazzzzz

Yesterday we headed up to the International Forum as we had heard that there was an antique fair on. Sadly it wasn't on as there was a jazz festival on instead. It was really nice and we hung out under the trees for a bit and soaked up the atmosphere. We then strolled to Hibya park and had a drink.

Buddhas and shaved ice

I met up with my gallery group yesterday and we went to an interesting exhibition showing Buddha statues from Nara. Afterwards we all went for shaved ice at a nearby restaurant which is very old and has been there a long time. The shaved ice was fab and I chose green tea and black beans. It looks a bit scarey but was v tasty and great in this hot weather.

Cicada

While I was taking a photo of the sunflowers, I suddenly realised my nose was a whisker away from this ugly blighter! They make an amazing sound, but aren't so nice to look at. My immediate reaction was to run away as quickly as possible, but I summoned up the courage to take a photo. He was about 2.5 inches long and looked like he could pounce at any point. I know they fly, but I'm pretty sure they don't jump! We've started to see their little dead carcasses lying on the pavement - I guess this is their time to start leaving this world. I'll miss their chatter.....

Sunflower update

Even the sunflowers are sick of the heat! They are looking very sorry for themselves. It's still in the mid 30s here and as hot and sticky as ever. I think everyone is now ready for some slightly cooler air...

Fuji-san

Fuji-san has become my new best friend after our trip to Hakone and he was out in full glory yesterday evening. This was the view from our balcony.

Homeward bound

After a fab day, we trotted to the station, looking forward to a comfy ride home in the Romance Car, only to find that for some reason the Romance Car had been cancelled! Our lack of Japanese language meant that we never really knew what had happened, but we just joined the masses on a chug-a-long train that slowly cranked it's way along a track. We had no idea where we were going or how we were going to get home, but knew we were vaguely in the right direction. We ended up on a slow train back to Shinjuku and felt very ravaged by the end of it all. We will try and remember the Romance Car as this image of space-age sleekness instead of the disappearing train....

Open Air museum - Hakone

After heading back down the mountain on another ropeway and then a cable car (we really did seem to try every form of transport this weekend!), and having lunch and a beer in Gora park, we headed to the Hakone Open Air museum, a really beautiful place set into the surrounding landscape and beautifully curated. We spent a good hour and a half wandering round the grounds, taking in the Henry Moores and Picassos that were scattered around and taking in some live jazz that was being played on one of the lawns.

Black eggs - Hakone

After the stunning views on the cable car, you are spat out at Owakudani - fittingly called Hell Valley because there are bubbling pools of sulphur everywhere! A stream of people head to these stinking pools, take a photo of the bubbling mass, eat the famous black eggs that are supposed to be very healthy, and then trot off again. Part of me felt that I should have tried the eggs, but the combination of the foul stench and the searing heat put me right off them - can't imagine why! Even Hello Kitty had her own black egg outfit...

The ropeway - Hakone

After stepping off the pirate ship, the station for the ropeway is right there, so there's no way of missing where you're supposed to go next! A very organised cable car system takes you up the side of the mountain so that you can look down over lake Ashi and the surrounding hills..... and then suddenly.....Fuji-san appears in all his majesty!!!!! I have to say, I let out a little scream when I saw him and even though he was covered in cloud, he was stunning. I can only imagine how amazing it must be on a clear day and fully intend to head back again to see him in all his majesty. We could even hear deep booms coming from his area and although it was probably just thunder, I like to think he was saying hello....

The Pirate ship - Hakone

After an amazing sleep, with the lake breeze and the crickets chirping, we had a tasty buffet breakfast which made up for the lack of a meal the night before. We fuelled up, checked out and then headed to the Pirate Ship - yes, they have reproductions of what can only be described as galleons that charge backwards and forwards across lake Ashi, ferrying hundreds of tourists on the Hakone loop. We had to do it at least once and it was included in our special discount pass, so we joined the masses and sailed serenely up the lake, taking in the stunning view and soaking up the gorgeous sunshine.

The Prince Hotel - Hakone

The Hakone trip can easily be done in a day, but we decided to take our time and stay overnight. After a bus trip from the station to the lake and a wander down the cedar tree avenue, which was beautiful, we were ready to check into the hotel and relax. The Prince Hotel is right on the banks of Lake Ashi and has stunning views of Mount Fuji and the surrounding area. It was so lovely to be somewhere quiet and peaceful, where the air was clear and we could breathe! The hotel has a slight feeling of being lost in time, but I loved some of the original decor.

After a nap in the room with the lake breeze filtering through our window, I went for a massage and then we went for dinner. It was a gorgeous meal, but tiny and extortionate! We came out of there £100 lighter, with hungry bellies and nowhere to go as we were in the middle of nowhere! Luckily we found a convenience store in the hotel and stocked up on Pringles to take back to the room. By 9pm, the place really was a ghost town, but then on a wander round the grounds, we realised that everyone was in the onsen, steaming themselves and wallowing. Every guest room provides a set of pyjamas for each guest and people put their jim jams on in their room and then scuff down to the onsen in their provided slippers where they wallow in the calming waters looking over the lake. It sounds gorgeous but we sadly did not partake. We love the idea of doing it, but would like to go together and the baths are separate for male and female. Maybe one day we'll feel a bit flush with the cash and reserve a room in a ryoken with its own private onsen....

The Romance Car to Hakone

We went to Hakone last weekend, which was a lot of fun. Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and is less than 100km from Tokyo. It is situated around lake Ashi and has stunning views of Mount Fuji. We were really excited about seeing Fuji-san "in the flesh".

There is a well used route that most people seem to do when they go there and it involves a series of trains, ropeways and trams to get you around the "circuit". You can get a special pass that lets you use all of these for a discounted price, which was well worth it, and to get to Hakone, most people take the "Romance Car" train from Shinjuku station. I have to say, we were partly expecting to find a bright pink carriage with rosebuds on every seat, but it was just a regular train. It was a comfortable ride and we were well impressed with the seats that went right into the nose of the train so that you felt you were driving. We desperately wanted those seats, but so did hundreds of other people....

Quilt show

I went to a quilt show yesterday which was very interesting. There was quite a variety in styles and techniques, and some beautiful ideas. I especially liked the ones using traditional Japanese fabrics and the subtlety that can be created with them.

Another caveman pot

I went to my pottery class yesterday and collected a bizen pot that I made last week. Bizen is Japan's oldest pottery making technique and involves no glaze. The pot is fired at a much higher temperature than it would if it had been glazed and interesting affects can be created using different natural elements. With my pot, I wrapped straw around the pot and then put it in the kiln at about 1000 degrees. The straw creates red and brown scorch marks where it touches the pot. There are many very interesting affects (click here to see) that can be achieved using this technique and I'm excited to try more.

Foot attire

I'm always intrigued by the endless foot attire there seems to be on offer here. I love the "toe socks" or gloves for your feet (a pair of which I had when I was young), but am more intrigued by the little lacey "socklets" that women wear here. They only just fit over the toes and back of the heel and I guess it's to avoid getting smelly feet, but ends up looking a bit like an after thought. I also can't help thinking it's just another excuse to be cutesy. You often see women wearing these little lacey numbers with sandals and other open toed shoes which seems to defeat the object of wearing open toed shoes....

Samba!

Yesterday, Neil and I headed to the streets of Sangenjaya to check out a Latin-themed festival. Neil was in his element as we were surrounded by bikini-clad, be-feathered ladies doing high kicks all the way down the street! The judges looked rather sombre in comparison, with their token feather in hat. It's a serious business judging something like this, but someone's got to do it! It was a lot of fun and the music was fab.