Tom Beyer on tue 1 oct 96
>From the "dream of a lifetime" department...............
>I am lucky enough to be going to Japan in mid-October for about 18 days, and
was
>wondering if anyone out there on the CLAYART list had any suggestions, tips,
>must see's, or whatever to share with me. I would appreciate any and all
>suggestions whether it is about general travel in Japan or is more pottery
>specifc.
Sounds great. I just came back (in June) from a 3 week trip to Japan (my wife's
grandmother lives just outside of Hiroshima). We stayed in Hakone for a couple
of days and went to both the Hakone Outdoor Sculpture Museum (really great place
on a nice day, lots of modern sculpture, great kid's play area, etc), and the
MOA (?) Museum. The MOA has quite a collection of old pots which I found a bit
of a snooze except for some really great Jomon flaming pots. They are so
different from the rest of Japanese pottery - quite startling. This museum also
has a fairly nice moss garden.
We also visited Imbe which is fairly close (just west of Kyoto towards
Hiroshima) where Bizen ware is made. There's a museum which is ok and LOTS of
potters and display shops. There was one display shop that was like travelling
back 100 years. It was run by a tiny little old woman, chain smoking
cigarettes. She served tea and sweets, and was busy putting together a really
amazing ikebana with some bamboo shoots that were about 6-8" in diameter, 3-4'
tall, in a really big rough Bizen pot. The final effect was of an ants eye view
of giant asparagus shoots thrusting out of a lava field.
The one other pottery related thing that we did while we were there was to go to
Hagi. This town was the locus of the Meiji restoration and also happens to be
where a large number of Korean potters, who were kidnapped during various wars
quite a while back (500-600 years), were brought back to (Kyushu also has a
number of pottery towns that were created in this way). The local traditional
ware is made of a toasty redish clay and milky semi-clear glaze. Simple but
exquisite when done well. It might be a little far for you to get to (it is at
the western edge of the main island) but is worth a visit.
Well, I lied; there was one other clay related thing that we did while in Kyoto.
We visited the Kenjiro Kawai house/museum. It is worth a visit not so much for
the pots, they have some of his pots but there are other collections (for
instance, the Ohara museum in Kurashiki, which has a collection of Hamada,
Leach, Tomimoto and Kawai ware), but for getting a feel for the way in which he
surrounded himself in a beatiful atmosphere and for his wood carvings and
furniture.
Have fun (I'm jealous!),
mgiles@Onramp.NET on wed 2 oct 96
At 10:52 AM 10/1/96 EDT, you wrote
>MOA (?) Museum. The MOA has quite a collection of old pots which I found a bit
>of a snooze except for some really great Jomon flaming pots. They are so
>different from the rest of Japanese pottery - quite startling. This museum
also
>has a fairly nice moss garden.
>
This brings back memories--we were stationed in Japan in the early 60's. My
mother
draggged five kids through every china shop and pottery display she found.
Hakone
was a favorite day or weekend trip. That moss garden was my favorite place in
Japan. I have somewhere a 32 year old ten-year-old's very careful pencil
rendering
of the garden. Hated the pots. Wish I could go back and see them now.
Kristen Giles
Martin A. Arkowitz on thu 28 jan 99
my husband is off to japan on business on feb 26 and i am tagging along! we
will be staying 10 days at chiba univ in the vicinity of tokyo (i think). i
would like to visit some pottery villages within an hour or two train ride from
chiba-any suggesstions? also places of interest to go in tokyo?? i would
appreciate any and all info to help me make my trip enjoyable.
tia
eleanor arkowitz
e-mail address---- Martin.Arkowitz@Dartmouth.EDU
June Perry on fri 29 jan 99
There's a wonderful craft department store in Tokyo. You can pick up some
Shigaraki clay, wonderful throwing tools, colorants, etc.
The village of Mashiko which is outside of Tokyo about an hour or hour and a
half would be very worthwhile. The Hamada Shoji home/studio complex is open
for visitors. It's gorgeous! He had his own little museum with his collection
of pottery and chairs. It's a beautiful complex. Also, the town is filled with
potters. On one of my trips there I met some American apprentices and if you
find some, they can be a big help in locating other potteries in the area.
Shimaoka, who was Hamada's apprentice for about 20 years, is within walking
distance of the Hamada complex. I don't know if his pottery is open without
calling; but it would be worth a call. I was there with a group and he was
most gracious -- gave a throwing demonstrations, welcomed us into his home to
tea, and sold us pottery at very good prices and signed our boxes. He also
speaks English very well. From there you can walk through the back trails and
visit other potters. He can call ahead for you and point you in the right
direction.
The town of Mashiko if filled with pottery. You'll see a lot of commercial
work with Hamada's glazes and glaze techniques! :-)
If you buy anything, make sure you either hand carry it home or pack it
yourself and send it. Pottery I bought there arrived in pieces, wrapped only
in one layer of thin tissue! :-( Fortunately, I hand carried my other
purchases. Also, when I was there, they did not take charge cards! All the
stores had mastercard signs in the windows, but they were just for decoration.
Things may have changed since then, but in case they haven't, take plenty of
cash!
In Tokyo the department stores are great places to see pottery. Check of
Daimaru (not sure of the spelling here.), and others. They run regular
exhibitions.
Have a wonderful time!
Warm regards,
June
Debby Grant on fri 29 jan 99
Dear Eleanor,
We spent 10 days in Japan in 1985, mostly in Kyoto where there
is plenty to see as far as pottery goes. However, if I remember
correctly, Kyoto is 3 hours from Tokyo by bullet train. Mashiko
is not too far from Tokyo and should not be missed. You can
even get on a tour from Tokyo. We took an overnight tour that
included the potteries of Mashiko, a paper making center, a Samurai
flag painting center and a bus ride up the mountain in Nikko to
see the red faced monkeys. We stayed over night at the Kanaya
Hotel in Nikko and this was truly a highlight of our trip. In Tokyo
itself there are lots of galleries and shops featuring pottery. We
loved Japan and I'm sure you will too.
Have a wonderful trip, I'll see you next summer and we can compare
notes.
Debby Grant
hasebe on sat 30 jan 99
I went back to Japan last fall, and found a nice 5 mile-walk from Roppongi
to Shibuya, Tokyo through Kotto-douri. (antique street in Aoyama) There
are about 8-10 recent pottery galleries and many antique stores who carry
old pottery, which are all nicely displayed with different theme. It is
located places, a bit hard to find though. This walk was actually better
than spending a time at department stores, since these galleries carry
Sakka-pieces (sort of one of kind), rather than Kama-mon (small to large
scale production pieces).
Have fun.
Debby Grant wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Dear Eleanor,
>
> We spent 10 days in Japan in 1985, mostly in Kyoto where there
> is plenty to see as far as pottery goes. However, if I remember
> correctly, Kyoto is 3 hours from Tokyo by bullet train. Mashiko
> is not too far from Tokyo and should not be missed. You can
> even get on a tour from Tokyo. We took an overnight tour that
> included the potteries of Mashiko, a paper making center, a Samurai
> flag painting center and a bus ride up the mountain in Nikko to
> see the red faced monkeys. We stayed over night at the Kanaya
> Hotel in Nikko and this was truly a highlight of our trip. In Tokyo
> itself there are lots of galleries and shops featuring pottery. We
> loved Japan and I'm sure you will too.
>
> Have a wonderful trip, I'll see you next summer and we can compare
> notes.
>
> Debby Grant
--
Hodaka Hasebe
hasebeh@eznet.net
Pittsford, NY
pduncan on sat 30 jan 99
Tokyu Hands is the name of the "craft" department store. It is very
much worth a visit, you may take several hours to see the whole store.
If you like hardware stores and craft stores....DON'T miss it. Pam
Pam in WI
I would buy a pass for the "Bullet Train" here in the US and travel with
it in Japan. It is worth the money, only if you buy it here.
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