Kamaka Pottery

Kyoto Images

2012-02-10T09:44:00.004+13:00

Wandering through some of the back streets of Kyoto is a very rewarding experience. These old houses with their wooden shutters were real treasures. The Imperial Palace is worth visiting as well. The gravelled area outside the main building seems rather uninteresting but must be spectacular when all the costumed officials are assembled here.

More Kyoto Images

2012-02-07T11:24:00.003+13:00

Following the other two pictures of the Hongashi Temple this view is looking out from the entry towards the lovely lantern and bell tower. The Kenzan dish was another in the collection of the Kyoto National Museum. There is an image of a more colourful Kenzan dish in Edmund de Waal's "The Pot Book", along with many other lovely, interesting and definitely weird pieces of ceramics.

Higashi Honganji, Kyoto

2012-02-04T09:55:00.002+13:00

When we first saw this temple we could not believe the huge size of the pillars, the lovely details in the fine woodwork, or the high sheen on the polished entrance. No shoes are allowed onto this wooden entrance and the many stocking feet have worked this miricle.

Two Pots

2012-02-01T10:01:00.002+13:00

The blue and white dish is by Prof. Zenji Miyashita of Kyoto. When he came to New Zealand he demonstrated this technique which, as you can imagine, was very time consuming but facinating to watch. The cut out vase is by Sanyo Fujii and was made when he was with us in 1983 and fired in our anagama. It was one of the first pots to sell at our joint exhibition in Osaka in 1984.

Ikenobo Ikebana

2012-01-29T08:33:00.002+13:00

When we were in Kyoto we were given tickets to be able to attend the autumn exhibition of the Ikenobo School of Ikebana. What a wonderful experience! On a later visit to Japan we were again able to see their exhibition and on both occasions we were permitted to take photographs.

Views from Kyoto

2012-01-26T11:36:00.004+13:00

The top picture is of the Sanmon Gate which is the one Akira Kurosawa used as a model for his film "Rashomon" I would love to know the story behind the huge rock used as a fence with it's row of partially cut holes.

More from the Kyoto National Museum

2012-01-24T11:23:00.003+13:00

This head rest, or pillow' does not look very comfortable although it is very beautiful The bran filled pillows used now are only a little more comfortable. I do not know who made the shino tea bowl but it was a real treasure.

The Eastern Hills of Kyoto

2012-01-21T10:16:00.003+13:00

If you are ever in Kyoto do take a walk through the Eastern Hills - easy walking and very beautiful, especially in spring and autumn. The Nanzenji Temple is magnificient and from there is the "Phyllosophy Walk" which leads to the Okazaki area and the best antique shops.

More from the National Museum

2012-01-18T10:25:00.004+13:00

Two more images from the Kyoto National Museum. A mid to late Jomon pot and some tomb figures. I would have liked to have handled the pots to feel their weight and balance but that was not possible. Most were behind glass. The tomb figures were very expressive and one would look really great in my garden.

The Heian Shrine, Kyoto

2012-01-15T11:33:00.003+13:00

This is another very old shrine and when I took this photograph it had just celebrated its one thousandth year. It had all been recently re-furbished. The gardens were fabulous with this pond and its round stepping stones. No! That is not Estelle walking across.

Some Very Old Pots

2012-01-12T08:35:00.004+13:00

These two pots were photographed in the Kyoto National Museum. If you ask permission it is often possible to photograph pieces in these public collections. The top picture is of an Mid Jomon pot which would be about 5000 years ago. The lower picture is a Later Jomon piece possible made about 3000 years ago

Wonderful Wooden Construction

2012-01-09T11:53:00.004+13:00

The size and construction methods of wooden buildings in Japan are just amazing. These photos are of Kiyomizu Dera in Kyoto - just a short walk up the hill from the Kawai Museum.

Two Pictures from The Kawai Museum

2012-01-06T09:36:00.003+13:00

This wonderful stool was part of Kawai's collection and the small Japanese wheel looked so good against the shoji screen that I couldn't resist photographing it. When we were in Japan we wanted to buy a Japanese type potter's wheel. The salesperson at Shimpo advised us not to as the very dry atmosphere in New Zealand would cause the wood to split. We did, however, purchase an electric Shimpo wheel and de-airing pug mill and later two more Shimpo wheels. They were wonderful!

Wonderful Places in Kyoto

2012-01-03T11:47:00.004+13:00

If ever you are in Kyoto make sure you visit Kanjiro Kawai's home which is now a museum. There are many wonderful artifacts and his kilns are still there to be seen. Of the many potter's places we visited this was perhaps the most interesting from an historical point of view.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T10:43:00.003+13:00

More from Bizen

2011-12-28T08:43:00.003+13:00

This is another beautiful old pot from the Imbe Museum collection. While in Tokyo we were given a letter of introduction to Fujiwara Rakusai-san of Imbe. We found his place without too much trouble and spent a most wonderful afternoon with him. He could not understand English any more than Estelle or I could understand Japanese.
With the language of potters we seemed to communicate extremely well and he showed us many of his ceramic treasures as well as his kilns and workshop. He was a wonderful gentleman.

Seasons Greetings

2011-12-25T10:40:00.002+13:00

Two Bizen Pots

2011-12-23T08:05:00.003+13:00

These two photographs were taken at Imbe in Japan in 1978. We have always loved Bizen ware and understood the process used to produce it. On later visits, when we were viewing the Bizen pots in the department store collections, we would be approached by the manager or one of his staff, and told of the methods used. They were often somewhat confused about the process and, having succeeded ourselves with producing Bizen wares, we had to smile at their confusion.

A Different Salt Glazing

2011-12-21T10:24:00.003+13:00

In 1978 Estelle and I visited Tokoname and in a small gallery saw these pots made by Masaaki Shibata-san. We thought they had been salt glazed but somehow seemed different from the usual salt glazing. On talking with the gallery owner we were told that the pots had been fired with rippings from logs that had been rafted for a long distance through the sea. The outside of the logs had absorbed salt from the water and, when used in their firings, had released the salt giving these unusual effects.

With Friends in Japan

2011-12-19T09:07:00.004+13:00

My friend Kanji-san feeding a swan on one of the hydro dams we visited after which we went to a fish shop to get a fresh fish for tea. Harumi-san, Kanji's wife, had just caught a fresh fish from this tank, knocked it on the head, and taken it into the shop. Kanji looks as shocked as Estelle and I were at seeing this but the sashimi we had for tea was delicious.

A Kenzan Dish and Thinking of Christmas

2011-12-17T11:22:00.003+13:00

A comment posted by Cambria Pottery about an earlier posting of some Kenzan dishes reminded me of this picture of another unusual Kenzan serving dish. The other picture is of Estelle and me talking with Kumau Ohta in his home with the newly formed garden in the background. Somehow it reminds me of Christmas as it was mid summer in Japan when we were there and, in New Zealand, Christmas is our summer time.

Lions and Dolphins

2011-12-15T09:10:00.003+13:00

These pieces were being made at the Daibutsu Tile Factory in Kyoto for the refurbishment of the Heian Shrine in Kyoto. Even larger dolphins were made for temples like the Todaiji in Nara. Wonderful clay work.

Large Ceramic Sculptures

2011-12-13T10:45:00.004+13:00

This small castle is at Hirosaki and, although not shown in this image, has wonderful ceramic sculptured "Lion's Head" and "Dolphin" ornamentation on the end tiles and roof finials. We visited the factory and saw these large pieces being very skilfully made.

Matsushima

2011-12-11T09:06:00.004+13:00

Having spoken of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in my last blog, I wondered how the beauty spot of Matsushima had fared. Considered by the Japanese as being one of the three best beauty spots in Japan. It would have been in the path of the tsunami although the shape of the inlet may have protected many of its features. There has been no mention of damage that I have seen but, of course, there were so many other things damaged that were more important at the time.

Aizu Wakamatsu

2011-12-09T08:52:00.004+13:00

We visited Koichi Takita-san when we were in Japan and found him to be such a friendly and generous person as well as a very good potter. He had worked as an instructor in Colombo and his English was excellent. A mutual friend and I have tried to contact him following the earthquake and tsunami without success. He seems to have moved away from Aizu Wakamatsu. I was wondering whether anyone has any information regarding his where-abouts and how much he was affected by the March disaster.

A Couple of Snakes

2011-12-07T09:10:00.002+13:00

Jets seem to fly over Hawke's Bay from Chile to Australia as there are no New Zealand airports in either direction indicated by this contrail. The "Snake" container is made from a very long extruded tube twisted back in its-self. On our first visit to Japan we were waiting at the airport in Okinawa to return to New Zealand. Two customs officers came and spoke with us asking whether NZ was a very mountainous country. They seemed to know quite a lot about NZ and that we were from there. We said that NZ was much like Japan with lots of mountains. They then wanted to know whether we had snakes in NZ - which we don't. They then told us that in Japan there is a saying that "Every mountain has it's snake" so why did NZ have mountains but no snakes?

More Pond Pictures

2011-12-05T08:33:00.003+13:00

A couple more pictures of my Iris and Water lilies. I must try and find some more pot images but I have already posted all the best ones on my blog and I am not making new work.

Iris and Water lilies

2011-12-03T10:03:00.003+13:00

Nothing like Monet's Garden but I do enjoy the Iris and Water lilies at this time of the year.

More Flowers from My Garden

2011-12-01T08:42:00.002+13:00

Here is another picture of iris from my garden. These are water iris and are most prolific but only flower for a short time each year. The other is an earlier photograph of the cystus by the steps with the house in the background.

Iris Flowers

2011-11-29T11:07:00.002+13:00

My Iris are looking great this year so I thought I would share these pictures with you.

Manuka Bushes

2011-11-27T09:51:00.003+13:00

New Zealand Native Manuka bushes do well here and are flowering well at the moment. It was interesting to see these shrubs being sold in Japan as something very special. Maybe people in other countries also find them special but, other than these cultivated varieties, they are often considered to be a weed in New Zealand.

Flower Arrangements

2011-11-25T08:58:00.002+13:00

These two arrangements were done by a ikebana teacher for an exhibition we had in Gisborne. Using two almost identical containers for the top picture and a triple container of Estelle's for the second picture. People do not often buy two containers to use like this but they can lead to wonderful arrangements.

Backgrounds for Flower Arrangements

2011-11-23T15:53:00.005+13:00

These backgrounds all rest, or are balanced, on small suitably shaped containers set behind them. The square one and the beaten one are mine while the flower shaped one was made by Estelle and all were fired in our anagama. The peonies in my last blog would look great in any of these.

From a Special Garden

2011-11-21T11:30:00.003+13:00

Yesterday I visited a very special garden and an old house that is being lovingly restored. Peonies do not grow well in my garden so it was a thrill to see these ones looking so gorgeous.

Two Tall Containers

2011-11-19T09:59:00.003+13:00

The pleasure of having a large anagama kiln is that tall containers like these will fit so easily. The arrangements were done by an Ikebana teacher for an exhibition we had in Gisborne some time ago.

Two Buckets by Estelle

2011-11-17T08:36:00.003+13:00

These two buckets were made by Estelle and have been shown in several exhibitions of our work. In Japanese they are known as "Oke" and, although made of clay, often look like traditional wooden ones.

Not All Flowers Are White.

2011-11-15T08:35:00.003+13:00

Sadly the blossom trees are all finished as we had a cold southerly wind that stripped the last blossoms away. The white wisteria is looking even better now as it has come out more and is even more pendulous.

Again Some White Flowers

2011-11-13T11:20:00.003+13:00

Estelle's favourite flowers were nearly always white so there are many different white flowering shrubs and plants in the garden. I am not sure about the spelling of the name of the lower flower but it is of the "cystus" (?) family. There are others in the garden but not large ones like this. The top picture is of a dogwood called "Eddy's Wonder".

Two Pots from 1st. Firing of Kamaka Anagama

2011-11-11T08:48:00.005+13:00

These two cut sided vases of mine were recently returned to me for my collection. They were from the first firing of our anagama and were really not appreciated at the time as the firing was not to our expectations. Peter and Diane Stichbury who helped us with this firing liked them and took them off. They have now returned them to me, along with several other pieces which are all part of our history.

WW2 Spitfire at Neighbours

2011-11-09T10:28:00.006+13:00

Last evening there was a different sound in the air. My neighbour had arrived home with a World War Two Spitfire. It is what's called an 80 or 90% true restoration.
It was the first time I had seen a Spitfire other than in a photograph. Sadly there was no chance of getting a flight as this plane has only one cockpit. There is no knowing what type of aircraft Gerry may arrive home with so life is always interesting for me.

Matsui Museum, Japan

2011-11-06T10:50:00.004+13:00

These lovely pots together with Bingata dyed materials and large wooden chests were wonderful to see. I am sure that Ali Baba would have found these pots very acceptable.

More Views from My House

2011-11-04T08:45:00.004+13:00

Two pictures from my house. The top picture is of a small wild garden by my back door , the other is from my dining room window. Both these gardens basicly look after themselves by self seeding or permanent plantings and need very little maintenance.

Growing Grass

2011-11-02T09:10:00.003+13:00

With frequent Spring showers the grass growth this year has been phenomenal. Having had problems with my old mower I decided to change to a new large ride-on mower which I find to be very good. My old tractor was taken as a trade-in but I heard yesterday that it had been sold on to a collector for restoration. This is great news as I had had it for forty-two years and it was about twenty years old when I bought it. It was very reliable and I was sorry to see it go but it seems to have gone to the right person.

Fujina Pottery

2011-10-31T08:48:00.003+13:00

The next pottery we visited in the area along the Japan Sea coast was the Fujina Pottery. With these stacks of wood it was obvious that we had reached the right place. This pottery is mentioned in one of Bernard Leach's books and his influence was still apparent in their work. Somewhere along the way they seemed to have lost Bernard's ability to pull good jug handles - theirs were really not very good but obviously made in the Leach style. It was from this area that I got the idea of making lanterns using mostly found materials.

Banshozan Pottery

2011-10-29T09:51:00.002+13:00

Unfortunately I was unable to get any photographs of this pottery's work but the kiln was an excellent example of a climbing kiln and their garden was exquisite. The reference to this pottery in the book "Modern Japanese Ceramics" does not fit with my recollection of their work which was more Mingei style. The Banshozen Pottery was situated on the Japan Sea coast South-West of Matsui.

More Pictures from My House

2011-10-27T10:20:00.000+13:00

These pictures were taken looking out my dining room window where the blossom trees and dogwoods are now flowering beautifully.

Some Views out my Windows

2011-10-25T10:31:00.003+13:00

Here are two images looking out my sitting room window to a black bamboo which was sparkling with raindrops. The other is looking out my bathroom door towards a lovely blossom tree. All my windows and doors look out onto gardens and next blog I will post two more images.

Copper Glazed Pots from Yunotsu.

2011-10-22T10:11:00.002+13:00

These copper glazed pots were made by Umeo Yamamoto-san at Yunotsu, Japan. I am not sure whether the colours were from the natural materials he used or the way he fired but I had never seen a copper glaze with so much variation of colour before. Sadly we could not communicate very well so it was hard to be sure of his techniques.

Blossom Petals

2011-10-20T09:20:00.002+13:00

The weeping blossom tree near the workshop has been very lovely this year but now the petals have ended up floating in my pond.

Another Clay Crusher

2011-10-18T10:23:00.004+13:00

This small water-powered clay crusher was being used but small and in such a picturesque setting it seemed more like a model. We were impressed by the way the potters at Koshibara could put their wet pots out in the sun to dry without any warp-age or cracking. It is something we cannot do in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. If they got an afternoon shower, which often happened in this mountainous area, they rushed to carry the pots inside and just mopped the excess water away. Amazing quality clay.

Koishibara and Onda

2011-10-16T09:02:00.004+13:00

Everyone remarks on the wonderful sounds these clay crushers make day and night. If you lived there for very long they would only become background sounds. The clay in this region comes as hard lumps and these water driven clay crushers render it into a fine powder ready to be wet down and wedged ready for use.

Famous Mashiko Kilns

2011-10-14T09:19:00.004+13:00

These photos were taken in 1978 - I wonder how they might look now after the March 11th. earthquake. The top image is of Shimaoka's kiln and looks a bit like an earthquake might have been through then. The other is Hamada's kiln with Atsuya and Estelle looking inside. Everything around Hamada's kilns and workshop was very tidy.

Some pictures from Mashiko

2011-10-12T09:12:00.003+13:00

Most potters who get to Japan will make a visit to Mashiko and we were no exception. This bamboo shop was a wonderful place to explore and I wish we had been able to bring some of the things they had home. That is a problem when travelling - how to carry or send things back home. Hamada's workshop and compound was a wonderful experience. Much damage was done in Mashiko at the time of the March earthquake and will take a long time to repair.

More Spring Pictures

2011-10-10T11:04:00.003+13:00

The top image is one of many flowers on a ground cover that open only when the sun shines on them. The blossom looked so lovely the other day after a shower of rain.

Two Kogo from Tokyo Exhibition

2011-10-08T10:24:00.003+13:00

When we were in Tokyo in 1978 we saw a most marvellous exhibition of these small incense boxes (Kogo). They were collected by Georges Clemenceau, the French Statesman while he was in Japan. He collected a total of 3,500 some of which were shown at this exhibition from the Montreal Museum, Canada where they are now housed.
I was able to take three or four pictures before I was politely stopped - the catalogue was much better anyway.

Found in Tokyo

2011-10-06T10:59:00.003+13:00

This oasis is to be found in Tokyo, the entrance to the Hatakeyama Gallery is very quiet and special. The tiled-roof building is visible from the Hatakeyama entrance and we were told that it was over 400 years old. Wonderful places to search for.

The Hatakeyama Collection, Tokyo

2011-10-04T11:16:00.003+13:00

These two pieces I photographed at the Hatakeyama Collection in Tokyo when we were taken to see them on our first visit to Japan. This was also where we were first introduced to Chado, the Japanese Tea Ceremony. What a wonderful experience. The Celadon vase is Korean and, of course, the tea bowl is by the first Kenzan. Needless to say this was not the bowl we used for our introduction to the Tea Ceremony.

October Spring Pinks

2011-10-02T09:54:00.003+13:00

I hope you are not too tired of Spring pictures from my garden but soon it will be Summer and not so many flowers are available to photograph. Our Summers are often very dry and quite hot and my garden suffers as a result.

Kumao Ohta-san

2011-09-30T08:46:00.004+13:00

Estelle and I were taken to visit Ohta-san's workshop in 1978 and experienced our first taste of wood firing by being allowed to stoke his large noborigama a few times. We stayed a few days in Koishibara and were able to experience some of his workshop practices as well. These photos I took of Ohta-san making teapots and putting on vine handles. The vines were from wild wisteria which grows in the near-by forests. Sadly, Ohta-san has since died but the workshop is now run by his son. A wonderful DVD called "Potters at Work" by Marty Gross about Koishibara and Onda is available from www.martygrossfilms.com

Things Japanese

2011-09-28T10:00:00.003+13:00

These things I would like to share with you. The tea pot and cups are by Kumao Ohta-san from Koishibara in Kyushu. I will show some more of him working in my next blog. The tray is also Japanese. I cannot remember where we bought the wooden doll but it is so serene and peaceful we could not resist having it.

Sakura

2011-09-26T15:47:00.006+13:00

These pictures were taken this morning - the cold nights have delayed the flowering so that, even today, the blossoms are not all fully out. We had a young Japanese man call once who asked if he may sit under this tree for awhile. He was very homesick and it reminded him of the lovely blossom viewing parties that they have in Japan each Spring

More Spring Flowers

2011-09-24T09:56:00.002+12:00

Blue is not an easy colour to photograph but I could not resist trying with these early spring flowers. I hope you will enjoy them too.

Wall Bottles

2011-09-22T08:58:00.002+12:00

These two wall bottles were made by Estelle. The top image is of an anagama fired ring bottle. These Estelle found fun to make and she made many variations. The decorated wall bottle was made when we were doing glazed wares and was found by my son on TradeMe. I enjoy having it back home.

It's Spring

2011-09-19T09:35:00.002+12:00

I took these photos a few days ago when the blossoms of this Hollywood Bell tree were at their best. Now they have all gone but the sakura has started to flower and will be most lovely by the end of this week.

Japanese Lights

2011-09-17T10:18:00.002+12:00

These two light fittings we purchased in Japan in 1978. The light over the dining room table was made long before the Beijing stadium was even thought of. The small hall light is very simple but so well crafted. The plate below is by Taizo who was a great friend of Paul Reps and a lovely man.

Early Spring

2011-09-15T09:02:00.003+12:00

The Ash trees by the pond will not get their leaves for awhile yet but the azaleas are starting to flower which seems early. The marsh mallows are looking bright and it won't be long before the water lilies and iris come up and flower. The cock pheasant shown on the last blog was in my showroom yesterday but, fortunately, did not knock over any pots. It might have ended up in the oven if it had.

Maori Carvings and a Visitor

2011-09-13T11:05:00.002+12:00

This picture is of just a small part of the carvings at the Marae at near-by Paki Paki. I do not really understand their carvings as they often depict their ancestral history. It would take years to fully understand all the stories. The cock pheasant has been a constant visitor over the last two or three years. Last year he and his mate had two chicks but I have not seen them for some time now.

Recent Pictures

2011-09-11T09:59:00.003+12:00

This evening cloud photographed during August was really spectacular. The trimmed trees often intrigue overseas visitors where animals are not so common. Sheep will reach as high as they can to eat the leaves from under the trees and make it look as though the farmer has been out trimming and tidying.

Two Tea Bowls

2011-09-09T09:57:00.000+12:00

Here is another piece of Oribe ware but this time a rather commercial product. It is the same with the Shino bowl. A Japanese art critic and a friend gave us these tea bowls in 1984 with the advice that we should not continue with our natural ash anagama firings but should concentrate on doing Shino and Oribe. As much as we admire these styles we only wished to pursue the old style anagama fired aesthetic. We never understood quite why they wanted us to change our ways - perhaps they thought it would be more modern.

Oribe Kogo

2011-09-07T09:42:00.002+12:00

Estelle and I purchased this small Oribe Kogo (incense box) from a small antique shop in Kyoto. It is a beautiful example of Oribe ware and wonderfully crafted and fired. I have always wondered who made it - the lady in the shop was unable to understand our questions. I doubt that it was anyone famous as we did not pay a high price but it would still be nice to know.

Flowers

2011-09-05T09:35:00.002+12:00

The white magnolia I picked and showed on my last blog still looks great. All the flowers that were left on the tree are now ruined as we had a hard frost the next morning which burnt them all badly. This photo was taken the day I picked the others. The pink camellia looks well in this lovely basket made by a New Zealand artist.

Spring Flowers

2011-09-03T10:38:00.005+12:00

These yellow pokers I found in the garden yesterday. I probably should have photographed them a couple of days earlier so they looked their best. This cube container, together with some lovely flowers, is so easy to arrange that I use it quite often.

Where Ideas Come From

2011-09-01T09:26:00.003+12:00

Officially today is the first day of Spring in New Zealand and it is easy to be inspired by the early flowers and bursting buds. I wondered whether Tetsuzo Shimaoka was thinking about a white Japonica when he was decorating this lovely plate.

Two South Island Photographs

2011-08-30T09:39:00.004+12:00

Driving through the Nelson Lakes area is very pleasant as these lovely Beech Forests always seem so restful. We do not have them in this part of the North Island. The road across the Southern Alps via Arthur's Pass was improved a few years ago with this spectacular viaduct through the Otira George. It is a wonderful feat of engineering.

Drawings

2011-08-27T10:12:00.000+12:00

These are a couple of my drawings used occasionally when decorating pots. The houses were drawn originally when Estelle and I were travelling on an over-night train to Niigata in Japan. I awoke early and saw this scene passing by and quickly sketched the image before it was too late.

Winter and Spring Pictures

2011-08-25T11:01:00.004+12:00

A couple of winter and spring photographs from around my garden. I love seeing stacked wood and after it is properly dry a little rain does no harm.
On my last blog I showed an image of "Grass Orchids" My friend, Phillip Smith, a landscape gardener from Auckland, suggests that they are not orchids - but are probably members of the Iris family. He reckons that they're a species of Romulea, a South African bulb that is naturalised in grass in parts of NZ.

Spring Days

2011-08-23T10:45:00.005+12:00

Our days are starting with hard frosts which give some lovely images like these camellia leaves rimmed with white. Later in the day it warms up enough for the little grass orchids to appear. They are quite tiny being only about 10mm. across. I was told they were grass orchids but they do not have the usual shape of an orchard so I do wonder about the name.

Lovely Kenzan Plate

2011-08-21T09:19:00.004+12:00

I recently found a translation of the poem on this square dish by Kenzan. It was decorated with the heron by his brother Korin. I thought I would share it with you.

“Raising its head, it does not aspire to pierce the heavens with its shrill cry,

but only to startle people into enlightenment.”

Early Spring Blossoms

2011-08-19T09:44:00.004+12:00

This pink blossom called "Geisha" was out at the end of May - before the middle of our winter. It is slightly perfumed and makes a wonderful show when there is very little else. The brush drawing I did some time ago but is a little like a reflection of the photograph.

White Flowers.

2011-08-17T09:54:00.002+12:00

Estelle loved white flowers - they were always her favourite. I do not know the name of this camellia but photographed it in someone else's garden. The white Japonica grows well here and looks good in the Japanese basket. We bought the basket in Japan many years ago and I use it regularly for flower arrangements.

Snow on Hills Close to Home

2011-08-16T11:24:00.002+12:00

Most winters we get a light dusting of snow on these hills but yesterday it was quite heavy. These photographs were taken from behind my house looking across the buildings and runway of the aerodrome. Today it is sunny and somewhat warmer.

Leftovers

2011-08-14T09:44:00.003+12:00

A couple of photographs you may enjoy. The packaging was in Kanji-san's workroom and I have no idea what it may have contained - I wish I had asked. The graphics are so clear and simple that I could not resist photographing the box. The picture of Mount Fuji was taken on a previous trip as last time it was too cloudy to see the mountain. It is mostly luck that gives a photograph like this, which was taken from the shinkanzen travelling at 300 km. per hour, without also getting a very blurred image of a power pole.

Last Days of My Trip

2011-08-11T09:39:00.005+12:00

Although it was very wet Harumi-san and I were able to get to see the Bizen Gallery Aoyama which is a 'MUST VISIT' if you are in Tokyo. Also please visit their web site http://www.bizenpottery.com and a related blog "Shizen to Bizen" at http://japanesepottery.blog74.fc2.com/ They are lovely people and Taijiro Ito-san's photography is just wonderful.
The yukka flowers were near the Folk Craft Museum and made a lovely display. My friends made sure I was on the right train to the airport in plenty of time for my flight home - total waiting time was five hours but, fortunately I had a good book. I always find it sad leaving Japan and, every time, would like to stay longer.

Eating Places in Tokyo

2011-08-09T10:51:00.002+12:00

My friend, Kanji-san, claims that the best noodle restaurants are in the Ebisu area of Tokyo. We had lunch at this one and took this photograph of the flower arrangement behind the reception desk. The luncheon consisted of three separate noodle dishes - first fine "somen" noodles, then a quite different tasting, medium sized noodle dish, and lastly, a dish of udon (buckwheat) noodles. Any one of the dishes would have made a satisfactory lunch. The evening before we all went to another restaurant for a fish meal. This meal was also large but so delicious that nothing remained when I had finished.

Looking Up and Looking Down in Tokyo

2011-08-07T09:54:00.005+12:00

This partially built communications tower was already huge but, when finished, will be the tallest communications tower in the world - or so I was lead to believe. I could not resist photographing yet another enamelled man-hole cover on the street near-by.

In Response to Gaijin

2011-08-05T09:42:00.000+12:00

The response of students to foreigners (gaijin, which means "barbarians") always amuses me for they always seem to be happy and polite. Especially to ones like myself with a beard. I think they may be given credits for the number of foreign people they speak to but, as always, they are much bolder when with their peers.

In the Grounds of Senso-ji

2011-08-03T11:20:00.002+12:00

In Autumn in Japan there are often lovely floral displays. How it was possible to make this display and have all the flowers in full bloom at the same time I do not know. The Five Storied Pagoda was built in 942 but has, of course, been rebuilt since then. First in 1648 and then in 1973 as it had been burnt to the ground during the war in 1945.

Large Lanterns at Senso-ji

2011-08-01T14:20:00.003+12:00

These very large lanterns are symbolic of the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo. They really are magnificient.

Two More Photos of Senso-ji

2011-07-30T10:17:00.002+12:00

The top photograph shows the entrance to the Senso-ji with the crowds of people even on a wet day. The lower photograph is looking back from under the large lantern towards the Hozomon Gate. This gate was first erected in 942 but was rebuilt in 1964 after the damage inflicted by World War II.

Burning Incense at Senso-ji

2011-07-28T09:10:00.004+12:00

This huge cauldron is for burning incense and the people around it are exposing themselves to the perfumed smoke to help gain good luck in their lives. Senso-ji was founded in the year 645 as a Buddhist Temple to the Bodhisattva Kannon long before Tokyo (or Edo) was founded. Although most, if not all, of the buildings were destroyed during the 2nd. World War they have been lovingly re-built to their original designs. They look really ancient and it is hard to believe that they are really only a little over fifty years old.

A Wet Day in Tokyo

2011-07-26T11:06:00.004+12:00

In Japan rain never seems to be a problem and everyone is very dexterous at dodging each-other's umbrellas. Harumi-san and Kanji-san guided me to see the Senso-ji, (the Asakusa Kannon Temple). The streets leading to the temple were crowded with people and there were lots of small souvenir shops. Leading to the temple was this road lined with hundreds of lanterns.

Walking in Tokyo

2011-07-24T09:54:00.003+12:00

Walking from the Craft Museum I could not resist photographing the Palace Gardens on the opposite side of the road and this marvelous fence which seemed to enclose a private residence. The rough textured concrete was in itself fascinating but was added to by these colourful plates set in at about two meter intervals. Each plate seemed to be intact, no cracks or chips, and made a wonderful decorative element.

A Snake Kiln

2011-07-22T08:54:00.002+12:00

Having spoken of a Hebegama, or snake-kiln, I thought those interested in kilns might like to see a couple of pictures I took in 1978 on our first visit to Japan. They show the front of the kiln and rear exit flues of Mr. Ikuda's kiln in Tamba. Without a panoramic camera it was not possible to photograph a side view as the kiln is very long. They are only about a meter wide and the same high, and must be quite difficult to load.

Two Pots from the Folk Crafts Collection

2011-07-20T10:38:00.000+12:00

These are scans of postcards from the Japan Folk Crafts Museum. I tried to photograph Bernard's plate while I was there but it was behind glass and did not photograph well so I purchased this postcard. The large Tsubo from Tanba has a natural ash glaze from one of their Hebegamas (a snake kiln) which is a great description of that type of kiln.

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Tokyo

2011-07-18T09:03:00.002+12:00

Our next visit was to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, or Mingeikan, which is a lovely place to see more traditional craft work. This decorated pot, possibly an early Kawai, I photographed while there. Again "No Photographs" but no security people, so we did take a few pictures. Nearly everything was written in Japanese so I cannot be sure who made this pot.

The Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

2011-07-16T09:45:00.000+12:00

The entrance to the Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, is marred by, what I thought was, a very ugly sculpture. The exhibition that was on was "About the Tea Ceremony" which was mainly contemporary pieces but also showed some old master's work. It was all very lovely. Earlier this year "Ceramics Monthly" had an article and some photographs of this exhibition. The bamboo sculptures were near-by and reminded me of the local "Vine Sculptures" competition when the grapes are pruned.

Some of Kanji's Stereo Projection Equipment

2011-07-14T09:12:00.003+12:00

Just some of Kanji's equipment for 3D projection. At first Kanji-san made his own cameras by putting two cameras together with linking mechanisms. Now he uses projectors and cameras with consecutive serial numbers so everything is matched as close as possible. No wonder he has won international prizes and has done research work for NHK the Japanese National TV broadcaster. The amount of wiring needed must be just about a world record for a "Mare's Nest".

In Tokyo

2011-07-12T10:54:00.003+12:00

My arrival in Tokyo was marred by not being able to find a friend at Tokyo station. It was little wonder as it is such a huge place with alterations disrupting the flow of people. With help from the friendly staff at the Station Master's office my problems were resolved. Next morning I was able to meet with my long time friends the Murakamis. Kanji-san is involved with research into three dimensional photography, both still and movie. He always has his camera and took photos of me on the subway so I took this one of him with a couple of other passengers. His place of work is a wonder-world of early 3D cameras and projection equipment.

In Kyoto

2011-07-10T09:05:00.002+12:00

Estelle and I lived for seven weeks in Kyoto on our first visit to Japan in 1978. Having taken many photographs then, and on more recent visits, I did not take many this time. I found it sad to see so much traffic and so many changes to central Kyoto. My next destination, and last for this trip, is Tokyo and I took this photograph of the Shinkanzen as it arrived at the platform. High speed trains are such a wonderful way to travel.

Pots in Kyoto

2011-07-08T09:26:00.004+12:00

These two pots were made by Sadamitsu Sugimoto who resides in Shigaraki and fires an anagama kiln. On our visits to Japan Estelle and I have tried to meet him several times, having been given his name before we left on our first trip in 1978, but have never succeeded. There is a little pottery shop in Kyoto that has his work and I was able to visit and photograph these pieces. I do not know the name of the shop, only how to find it. They remembered me from a previous visit and kindly gave me two catalogues of Sadimitsu-san's exhibitions that had been held in Tokyo. Such kind people.