Me, Myself and I Head East.....: Day 15 Thursday 24th October

I decided to start the day with a search for another case....nowhere cheap so will have to bite the bullet and brace myself! Had some sort of direction from the hotel and was checking the map when a very helpful Japanese lady came to assist. She spoke English and wanted to practice. She aided the search and giggled when I explained why I needed another suitcase....I bet she thought I was bonkers. We had a long chat and I felt sorry to leave her as it was so good to be able to actually converse with someone. I was able to ask some questions that had been on my mind, trivia, but I wanted to know!

Eventually got underway and returned to hotel to leave case to be sortedlater.
Next stop a Mizuhiki shop with lovely displays. Wanted to do another lesson but they were full today and didn’t speak English! I was now on the other side of the Saigawa river so decided to explore for a while. It is an old samurai area with old samurai houses mixed in with newer houses, some with corrugated, rusting panels on the outside. Not what you would call a rich area by my impressions!

I came across a doll museum and waved goodbye to 800 yen to go in. First a complimentary drink, matcha or water...I had water as as I don’t like the powdered tea! After a chat with a student by the name of Mika, I learned that it was she who was to be my guide. I had a personal tour of the museum where all the exhibits were explained. This was what period the dolls were from, how they were made, what subject although usually this was the Emperor and Empress and entourage, for wedding celebrations. Samurai also featured as they would have been gifts for boys on boys day.

A lot of photos later and I was back outside continuing my wander. I was heading for a particular Yuzen dyeing workshop where I hoped to have a dabble. Memories of yesterday’s hunt for an address came to mind as again I went a very round about route! Eventually I found the building, more by luck than anything else, not only because the reception was on the first floor! Outside just a sign and a staircase!

Again this was very interesting, and trying to use a long thin brush is not as easy as you might think. I had opted to work on Washington paper, pertly on cost but also the silk versions would have to be steamed etc and wouldn’t be ready for posting for over a month....you had to pay 2200yen for shipping at this end and then there is the question of post office charges and tax to think about. It wasn’t difficult...paper meant you took your efforts home straight away and was much cheaper, although dearer than many workshops of this type.

By the time I exited this workshop with gallery attached, it was too late to go anywhere else. I also needed an earlier return as wanted to play with suitcase!

Pleased to report that all purchases except books for a braiding pal are safely tucked away in new case. Thankfully it has good wheels so I might have to run to keep up!

Rain forecast for remainder of my trip....another typhoon which will impact the weather but isn’t expected to make landfall in Japan, although heavy rain expected. More devastation ahead to the folk of north west Japan. Got to check my train will be running by Sunday....

And now for pictures...Mizuhiki string craft, dolls then Yuzen dyeing with an odd view along the way....although blogger will mix them up, no doubt!!

Manhole cover from outside somewhere...

Empress wearing 12 kimonos as is required for ceremonies.

Mizuhiki and roll poly doll

Gold leaf doll and chest

Samisan and drum used by geisha for entertaining.

Display of clay dolls on map of Japan

Another samurai holding a baby

This is a shuttlecock in the foreground, the rackets or bats are further down, liked the Temari too!

Close up of a toy doll, it was weenie!

Typical street view

Kids being headed around. They loked a bit young to be away from home so assume they are fairly local!

Bats for tennis type of game, see abov

Another Emperor

Puppet of Empress or princess, can’t remember which. She was big at about a metre high and took 3 people to operate, one for the head and one for each arm.

Street view of samurai area

Master crafts woman at her colouring!

More dolls

Explanatory plaque

Mika my guide at doll museum posing for me

Priceless art!

Bridge over the river with 2second pause in traffic!

Blue blue blue

Outside a wet fish shop, it was closed!

Fan with gold leaf

Yuzen

Another shrine tucked between normal street buildings

Another view

Passed a shop called Gold Knot...it is selling tatting pendants etc that have been treated with gold leaf. Kanazawa produces 75% of the gold leaf in the world. The humidity aids the manufacturing process.

Russian dolls, don’t forgetRussia is next door to Japan. This style of doll originates from Japan although today associated with Russia. The dolls go down in size to a ridiculously tiny size!