LOWELL BAKER on thu 16 sep 99
Last week my family and I returned from three wonderful weeks in
Japan. I was graciously shown around by old and new friends from
Tokyo to Osaka. Isamu Misoguchi, see the upcoming article on
the Nanban Kiln in CM, October 1999, took me under his wing from
Tokyo to Nara. Isamu is setting up a studio in a small farming
village near Shizuoka, Japan. I had the great pleasure of seeing
Masanori Yamazaki, see my article in CM 1983, The Increadible
Noborigama. Masanori is now a studio potter/craftsman potter in
Seto. And I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Pike, formerly on
this list and the guy who got this trip started, in person for the first
time near Nara.
In the three weeks Holly, Jackson and I were only on our own for
four days. This was one of those trips where everything worked.
There were literally no hitches during the entire three weeks. The
raku Museum in Kyoto being closed for exhibition change was
however a disappointment, but we found plenty to occupy our time.
We walked and looked at clay until we could walk and look no
longer. I found that I could go into antique shops and see and
handle wonderful pieces. Many of the shop owners, when they
saw how interested I was in the work would take me into their
private collections and let me handle extraordinary pots.
I had the privilege of giving a slide talk on my sawdust burner and
the sprayed paper reinforced clay process in Shigaraki at the
Ceramics Cultural Park.
Japan is absolutely everything people say it is. The Japanese are
possible the most hospitable people on the earth. Japan is a
continual contradiction. It seems to be running headlong into the
21st century while at the same instant looking back into thousands
of years of history. Skyscrapers tower over ancient temples and
200 year old houses/shops. Japan is one of the most beautiful
places I have ever been and over crowed and over industrialized at
the same time. It is the land of the bullet train and two hour teas.
It is the place where you will be happy to find a $200 per night
Ryocon where you ( I won't quote my wife exactly) have to walk
down the hall to poop in a hole in the floor.
Save your money, because it isn't cheap. With the wonderful and
generous hospitality of Japanese friends we spent over $1200 per
week per person. Everyone who is interested in clay should at one
time in their life visit this place where clay and the handmade clay
object is used so commonly in everyday life and valued so highly.
As soon as we recover in the VISA/MC category and forget the 14
hour flight I am ready to go back.
Thanks for listening. I'm happy to be home.
W. Lowell Baker
The University of Alabama
| |
|
