■"Where the story goes" To the solo exhibition of artist, Ms. Kyoko Fujino
This time, I visited to “GALLERY AND LINKS 81.one/bis” in Ginza for the solo exhibition of artist, Ms. Kyoko Fujino. In fact, I was impressed at first glance, Ms. Fujino's portraits, especially the lively but a bit melancholy expressions of each child, expressing the subtle psychology, the depiction that captures the moment along with the bright and colorful colors and the combination with the collage. I wished to see the real pintings someday. Of course, it was my first time to meet Ms. Fujino and I was able to spend a good time listening to her story directly.
Ms. Fujino's works are used oil paintings, acrylic adhesive gel mediums and she makes full use of transfer technology (such as copying chiyogami and photographs on the screen). It seems that the young child model exhibited this time is an actual son who has a medieval atmosphere. I felt that the portrait was a girl, or that portrait was in her own childhood, but I felt that the atmosphere on his/her face was similar to Ms. Fujino's.
Especially, it seems to illustrate the inner changes and difficulties that everyone experiences in this age group. Simultaneously, on the other hand, the expressions of young children who have the potential for the future of life at its peak. In addition, she has been focusing on the inner world of people, along with these expressive depictions, while placing importance on the connection between people, she also feels a strong connection with living things and nature and expresses each world and story. In addition, through the works, it seems that Ms. Fujino hopes us to feel the feelings and future of children who are spending a sensitive period under the influence of the corona. At the same time, it also depicts that people will be healed from loneliness by nature in the corona misfortune. Ms. Fujino told me that she will be participating in an exhibition as an overseas volunteer activity in the near future by making use of her extensive overseas travel experience.
■Kiyomizu Ceramics, Kyoto "The 21st Exhibition of Japanese Artisans"
■In this exhibition, Ms.Yuko Hayashi, the 4th generation owner of Koson, a kiln that produces Kiyomizu Ceramics, celadon and white porcelain in Kyoto, will use scissors to cut into the ceramic clay with a very fine technique. There is indeed a Japanese confectionery called “nerikiri”, which is made from nerikiri (white) bean paste. It's fresh sweets. Ms. Hayashi used a pair of scissors to make cuts in the pottery clay, likening it to soft bean paste, just like making Japanese sweets.
Ms. Hayashi kindly talked to me with a smile while I was watching the work with enthusiasm, so I asked her some questions. I was interested in the fine kneading work, carefully carving flower shapes with scissors as if Imitating pottery clay like in Japanese sweets, which is not seen anywhere else. While inheriting the texture, usages, and functionality of traditional pottery, it incorporates the sensibility and techniques of a new generation by emphasizing the freshness of traditional pottery shapes and decorations.
I asked her if she used to make Japanese sweets, but she had never actually learned how to make nerikiri.
In addition, since she is the first female successor and ceramist at her own pottery, she has created pottery of various sizes, easy-to-use tableware for home use, white-based ceramics, nerikiri designs, and pastel colors including pink, green, yellow and blue. In particular, as a female artist, she told me that she would like to create works with a soft atmosphere and lightness that are easy to get close to, while being conscious of women while elaborately designing.
Moreover, I considered it was epoch-making to collaborate with a kimono obi (belt) pattern using Ms. Hayashi's work design as a motif, as an occasional co-creation initiative that makes use of the local ties of Kyoto. The name of the obi series is called “Koson obi”. In the future, I will continue to explore how Ms. Hayashi's deep designs are used in traditional Japanese obi fabrics to create a three-dimensional effect and ambience. The Koson Klin’s homepage and Instagram are also listed above.
■Iwate, Oshu City, Nambu Tekki at "The 21st Exhibition of Japanese Artisans"
I personally visited in Hanamaki City and on Kamaishi City in Iwate Prefecture as part of the reconstruction support’s travel and I took the "Sanriku Railway" between Kuji and Miyako on the Kita Rias Line. I remembered well that I listened to the storytellers of the sufferers of the disaster in the reconstruction area, visiting the Kenji Miyazawa Memorial Museum, interacting with the locals and experiencing traditional culture after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Therefore, it was one of my choices to visit the Nanbu Tekki exhibition.
This time, Koukougei Co., Ltd., which manufactures and seller of Nanbu Tekki, exhibited a number of products at the exhibition. I received a detailed explanation of how to select and use recommended products that match to our lifestyle. Recently, according to the spread of all-electric at home, there are also iron kettles with sturdy bottoms that can be used on IH stoves. Even so, I was advised that the proper temperature for IH is to avoid excessively high temperatures. The company supports and handles the works of Mr. Katsuhisa Sato, who is a Nambu ironware traditional craftsman and his family. Below, I will introduce Mr. Sato's various works and career, as well as the company's website. At the same time, knowing the history and advantages of Nambu ironware, the trust in the products backed by tradition, the effects on health, and the design, robustness together with functionality of the products, I thought we could use it for the rest of our life, once we obtain it.
■What is Nambu Ironware?
I would like to put a little bit of history here. Its production areas are centered around Morioka City and Oshu City in Iwate Prefecture. Nanbu Tekki, which is popular as a specialty product, representing Iwate Prefecture. It was developed in Morioka during the Edo period under the Nanbu domain, with tea ceremony kettles and iron kettles as supports. It seems that the casting of daily necessities, which took root in the former Mizusawa city of the Date domain from early on, developed as the main axis. Based upon this relationship, in 1959, the Nambu Tekki Cooperative (established in 1959) and the Mizusawa Casting Industry Cooperative (established in 1954) formed a coalition to promote the protection and promotion of common interests and promote and develop the industry. Then the association has been established. Even now, they inherit the traditional techniques and techniques of the past and handcraft tea kettles and iron kettles continuously. In 1975, Nambu ironware was designated as the first national traditional craft.
■About the petition of Nambu Tekki
In the future, I would also like to have an iron kettle made by Nanbu Tekki, so I have included its good points and effects here.
-Replenish iron
It is known that the eluted iron from Nanbu ironware, representative of Nambu iron kettles and tea kettles, which are effective in replenishing iron, contains a large amount of divalent iron that is easily absorbed by the body. It seems that the efficacy of iron supplementation of Nambu iron kettle has been scientifically proven.
-Anemia prevention effect
Nambu ironware is effective in replenishing iron. It also has effects that cannot be obtained with hot water boiled in aluminum or stainless-steel kettles. It was told that it would be good for preventing Alzheimer's disease.
- Purify tap water
Hot water boiled in an iron kettle removes most of the chlorine in tap water. Hard-to-drink tap water magically turns into a mellow taste. It seems that there is also an action to make drinks such as green tea, coffee, black tea and food delicious. Recently, it has become popular not only in Japan but also overseas.
-Difference between tetsubin and teapot
This time, Mr. Kouji also told me that although the iron kettle and the teapot are similar in appearance, the inner side of the teapot is enameled and is not made of iron. It seems that there is no effect of iron supplementation, so please be careful not to make a mistake.
■Kujo Orin at "The 21st Exhibition of Japanese Artisans"
From December 23rd to January 5th, 2022, The Japanese Artisan Exhibit (Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store) was being held, so I visited at the end of last year. The first place I visited was the Kujo Orin booth of Kyujo Yamaguchi Co., Ltd., as a representative manufacturer of Kujo Orin in Toyama.
For me, the use of a Tibetan singing bowl (I've attached a picture of the Singing Bowl) for yoga. Therefore, the orin as a Buddhist altar are also familiar crafts.
Mr. Hiroki Togawa, who came to the exhibition from the company to give an explanation, kindly offered me us a detailed explanation of the products. It is said that Toyama Prefecture accounts for 90% of the production of Buddhist altar fittings in Japan. In addition, Japanese orin used to be thought of as Buddhist altar fittings, but with the recent increasing popularity of yoga, mindfulness meditation, and healing salons, small, light, and cute, portable orin have also become products. At the same time, from musical instruments that allow us to enjoy sound, to tools for daily life, we are making things that enrich our daily lives and in new trials, the company is collaborating with musicians as part of their sound activities.
I think there are many people who don't know about Tibetan singing bowls. They are handmade by monks and craftsmen in Nepal and other close places, and patterns are carved. It is characterized by Indian astrology uses 9 planets, which correspond not only to the 7 chakras of man, but also to the 9 planets. The Tibetan Singing Ball makes a sound that is produced by playing a fairly heavy sound, which is called "overtone". The sound that can be heard in many layers is a mysterious sound that has a healing effect. As the country is different, the thing, shape, tone and use are different. From now on, in order to liven up the Japanese traditional industry as Japanese, I thought that it is wonderful if we would be able to incorporate the elaborate orin made with Japanese tradition as well as its excellent artisan skill into our daily life from familiar situations such as yoga and meditation.
■ About Kyujo Yamaguchi Co., Ltd.
Takaoka City of Toyama Prefecture, where Kyujo Yamaguchi Co., Ltd. is located, is famous as a traditional craft with over 400 years of metalworking. Takaoka city has a large share of the domestic market in copperware production. It seems that it is a casting town that accounts for more than 90%. Toyama Prefecture is responsible for the production and manufacturing of 90% of Buddhist altar fittings in Japan. The company is a long-established store founded in the 40th year of the Meiji era in the town of traditional crafts Takaoka Copperware. They are producing orin musical instruments with temperament, but they are focusing on the development of original products such as modern-style Buddhist altar fittings and orin with a new sense, as I have introduced earlier. When I received the pamphlet and looked at it, it seems that there is a very calm and wonderful showroom in Takaoka City, where we are able to actually ring the Kujo Orin with our own hands and hear the actual sound. This time, I also picked up a few orin and tried to differentiate the sounds of orin, which have different shapes and uses.
In particular, the company has been producing various products for a long time with the company's Buddhist altar fittings "Orin". The sound of Kujo Orin is "the sound of departure" from JR Takaoka Station, Hokuriku Shinkansen / Shin-Takaoka Station and Ainokaze Toyama Railway Station. At first, it was adopted as a chime for elementary and junior high schools in Takaoka City. So to speak, it seems that it also has become a soundscape of the city of Takaoka. The company's website and Instagram are introduced above.
■New Year holiday was blessed with good weather in this year. With the first sunrise of the year, I was able to bathe in the morning sun and spend a peaceful New Year.
On the last day of my winter vacation, I visited Kamakura again to meet up with a longtime friend of mine who lives in Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture. I was able to exorcise by going through the Chinowa. For lunch, we had lunch at the long-established Minemoto near Hachimangu Shrine. Then we took the Enoshima Electric Railway to Shichirigahama. According to recommendation of my friend, overlooking the sea in Shonan, I went to the restaurant,called Bills, known for its ricotta pancakes and organic scrambled eggs of Australia From Sydney, which is said to be the best breakfast in the world. In a perfect location where we can see the sea front of us, we had a large pancake and tiramisu with vodka, which seems to be really from Australia.
Additionally, we able to see the beautiful scenery of Shichirigahama Beach at dusk, Enoshima Island and the foot of Mt. Fuji in the distance. From here, Mt.Fuji is usually covered with clouds in the afternoon and cannot be seen. In order to see Mt. Fuji, it seems better to visit by the morning on a sunny day. On the last day of winter vacation, I had a relaxing time with my close friends.I'm sure this year will be a good year for me personally.
I have a feeling that this year is going to be a turbulent year for both the world and Japan, but everything that will happen on the earth from now on will be an awakening to humanity, learning and lessons for evolution and growth. I will spend each day cherishing it with the mindset that it is inevitable as well as we must experience it individually.
It hasn't been long since I started this blog in November last year.
I would like to express my gratitude to those who have been watching over me for a long time and reading my articles since started, those who are new to me here, those who shared my aspirations and then those who spent precious time with me.
I wish you all good health and happiness in the new year.
Thank you for your continued support this year!
I visited Meiji Shrine earlier at the end of 2022.
It was the end of the year at Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo and they were preparing for the New Year’s event. The chief priests also seemed to be busy having meetings. Also, this place is always crowded with foreign tourists and regular visitors with blessed with greenery, which is rare in the city. Taking a deep breath of the cold air while stepping on the pebbles and walking through the lush winter trees and flowers was exhilarating. At the same time, I also thought that we should not forget to pray for the peace of the world and to be grateful for the peacetime in our daily lives.
十一面観音菩薩立像 観音像を三十三応現身の群像と共に展示/ The thirty-three Kannon and a statue represents each of the various forms of Kannon Bodhisattva that has changed and appeared.
十一面観音懸仏（国指定重要文化財）*神仏習合思想から御神体である鏡の表面に仏像を表したもの。鎌倉時代のその規模や作風から中世東国を代表する宗教遺産として知られている。/ Eleven-faced Kannon Buddha
■It has been relatively warm on late December in the Kanto region. So, I visited Hase Temple, which is about a 15-minute walk from Hase Station, the third station on the Enoshima Railway from Kamakura Station. The nice weather continued therefore there were many tourists from inside and outside the country and there was a lively queue from the station to the temple.
When it comes to the symbol of Hasedera, it is known as Hase Kannon and when it comes to the symbol of Japan's largest wooden sculpture of Hasedera with 9.18 meters high. It is also known as Hase Kannon. According to records, in 721, the 5th year of Yoro, two Kannon statues were created from a huge sacred camphor tree that Tokudo Shonin found in the mountains of Hatsuse in Nara Prefecture. It is told that he was roasted into the sea to pray for the salvation of all living beings. After that, in the 8th year of Tenpyo, in 736, the statue of Nagai Kusunoki in Sagami Province, which suddenly appeared on the sea, was relocated to Kamakura and became the cornerstone of the founding of this land. Holding a cane in his right hand, he stands on a rock seat and is said to be called the "Hase-dera style" because of the unique appearance of the Kannon statue enshrined in Hasedera.
During the rainy season, hydrangeas are in full bloom along the scenic walking path on Mt. From the observatory on the seaside hill, under the clear blue sky of winter, I was able to enjoy a beautiful view of Yuigahama, the Miura Peninsula, and Sagami Bay.
