Japan a dream come true
In the early 80’s I loved the study of Japanese Art and Architecture. Of my academics, images of Japanese paintings, temples and objects remained a curiosity and a reference for my life.
The temple ISE, Todiji, Ogata Korin, The Tale a Genji, Haniwa figures remained favorites of the quite lecture hall full of images and highlights of all things Japan. To my great fortune I also acquired a lifelong Japanese American friend who is now my husband.
Although we share different experiences and a different approach to Japan we have more in common and as we planned our trip those similarities and differences became important to the ultimate joy of our journey.
I had Japan on my mind as I discovered pottery later in life. Not realizing the strong influence Japan would have on my practice. The aesthetics is so profound it’s overwhelming. Shapes, function, minimalism, glazes the characteristics unbridled.
The seed for our adventure was planted in early 2019 to celebrate an anniversary and decade birthdays. For a number of reasons, it was pushed back to 2023. Our planning started early in the year with friends that could devote two weeks while we planned for three.
Although we knew a tour would not suit our style but the concept of planning a trip in a country so diverse was overwhelming. We each made lists and more lists trying to narrow our sites. With the help of a Japan insider and with mounds of options we charted our course.
Kyoto, with its’ vast number of temples, gardens and museums became a natural multiday destination. From Kyoto we could reach Nara, Osaka and all the special sites within the city. So many sites in Kyoto from the favorite Aryshiyama (bamboo forest) to the tranquil discovery of Ryoanji and Hein. I coined the phrase the “in between” to describe the places on your way to… At Aryshima it was the lovely Udon lunch and special gift shops between gardens. At Ryoanji the tea house and rock garden.
Kyoto is full of alleys and the temptation to enter each time consuming but well worth it. A dark alley lead to three small restaurants each more compelling than the next. We were fortunate to choose one with a young chef. Seated above the cooking station we watched the theatre of cooking. This would be the first, but not the last, opportunity to see the magic and precision of prep and plate.
From Kyoto we rented a car to travel southeast to Ise and then onto Naoshima and Teshima.
The Shinto Temple at Ise was on my mind for 4 decades. A special place rebuilt every 20 years. It was the mecca for me and the intention of traveling to that region. A spiritual place, sacred ground. A small commercial district has formed near the Shine offering lots of shopping and dining. The way to the Shrine is along a path leading to various buildings all rebuilt on the 20-year cycle. We learned a place holder is set to house the new site so the Shrine is built were the last previous shrine sat. The respect for space, tradition and () essential to the soul of Japan.
The wedded rocks were a big bonus. Ise is slow and impactful. The wedded rock sitting when the tide is high a glorious site to behold. In Japan these spaces are respected. Lots of tourist but the rocks have their own space only to view at a distance, on a beautiful day the rope linking the 2 rocks glow.
We stayed in the town of Toba right on the ocean off the beaten path with very little commercial space. The Grand Toba Hotel is a bit worn but glorious views, large rooms, and an Onsen that reaches to the sea made it a wonderful compliment to tight streets of the large cities.
From Ise we drove further south to Naoshima knowing we had only a few options to catch the car ferry to the Island. My lovely friends noticed on the drive we were about to pass Bizen. I had given up hope of visiting this ceramic city but when Todd offered to detour how could I refuse. Bizen is a small ceramic village. The clay body and firing techniques are intrinsic to that place. The next week a full open studio with thousands of collectors expected. I was grateful to have the opportunity to visit without crowds. The weather was beautiful. The few streets had displays of each potter. Just touching each piece my heart skipped a beat. This is a beloved place. Grateful to pick up a few treasures and endless memories.
On to Naoshima and My Lodge, which sits at the top of a windy road with barely enough room for our SUV to pass, it was a measured dance of navigating each bend in the road. We toured many of the special spaces created for art and architecture fans. Noashima was enchanting, but Teshima was the brightest star.
A ferry takes you to the island of Teshima where you can easily access a bus or electric bikes to tour the island. Our primary destination was the Teshima Art Museum and lunch at the ShimaKitchen. Teshima, like Naoshima is a mecca for Todeo Ando fans, The Teshima Art Museum is hard to comprehend unless you visit. It does not show art, it doesn’t have permeant collection. It is more like an art object or piece of sculpture. The space is built of concrete. The domed structures rise from the ground. Shoes are removed before entering this magic space. The shape of the structure and the open ovals in the ceiling offer a bold cast of light. The floor of the museum is covered in tiny holes that allow water to be released. These beads of water flow into one another like mercury. Floating, merging, moving, undulating into larger pools trickling off in another direction. It is a sound free space with no photos allowed, it has a spiritual quality like I have never witnessed. Stunning.
Often travel includes cultural references that charm and at times annoy. Japan was all charm. Even the language barrier wasn’t an obstacle. With Google Translate and the little we picked up using Duolingo it was a pleasure. People are incredibly friendly and helpful. So many of the tips we received from others before we left Boston were key to our success as tourist travelers. Suica Card, global WiFi and knowing enough basic language to be polite helped in many ways.
In country flights are plentiful. Although I love to travel by train in some cases the time commit is just too great. We scheduled two in country flights. One from Tekamatsu back to Tokyo and another from Tokyo to Sapporo. The Haneda airport in Tokyo was a quick train and monorail from our hotel. Our flight to Sapporo was a full flight on an enormous jet. I could not believe the traffic between those 2 locations. We planned 2 nights in Sapporo/Hokkaido to see the Todao Ando’s Buddha on the Hill. In the freezing rain we traveled to see this exquisite sculpture. I’ll call it a sculpture because Buddha sitting on his lotus measures…
Our final week was spent in Tokyo. It wasn’t our first choice, and I don’t really need to go back, but it was an eye opener. Tokyo is the easiest city to navigate by train. Subways travel in every direction and connect in multiple stations. Place any request into google maps and a full itinerary will display. Each connection clearly organized including the track and specific train car to board. It took a while to understand a specific train car would open to most efficient exit to reach the destination.
Tokyo is a vast city with lovely neighborhoods of very expensive international brands. It was a shock to find each neighborhood included multiple outlet of repetitive brands like Dior, Gucci…
It was much harder to find Japanese designers and independent shops. Just a few highlights: Pigment (painting supplies displayed beautifully) Itoya stationary shop 6 floors of their own brand.
Another great surprise was to see pottery and art in unexpected locations. The Muji hotel had a full exhibition of Japanese craft. Mostly pottery and wood. Gorgeous pieces for sale arranged by artist. I visited this space 5 times during our 3 stops in Tokyo and never tired. Department stores had small showrooms of local craft. On our way to the Mori Museum we stumbled onto an exhibition that included an unexpected collection of 10 artists in ten disciplines. If you leave time for detour the unexpected will follow. So many treasured moments and places to revisit.
Every aspect of this adventure pulls me toward our next visit. Japan, a dream come true.