Fragments of Tokoname

Just few minutes from our workshop, a steep slope down to this humble little cozy cafe, owned by this super warm hearted auntie. Budget meals at 500 yen, sometimes with free beer/fruits/ice cream. She’s damn nice. And here’s Ricardo(Portugal) and Chris(USA), hanging out drinking.. joking around.

Each year there’ll be ten participants, but this year they had 7 for IWCAT 2008. Here’s the 6 of us.. missing out Karen. From the left we have Chris, Mark, Kristen, me, Ricardo & Ian. having our lunch at Sagawa Museum of Art.

My Dear Host-Father in Tokoname.

I was surprised when i met my Host-family. Just him alone, a 62 year old man, handicap because of a stroke and living on his own. ” Well I’m here and as long as the Tokoname organisers are alright with it, i do not have any issues, and it’s part of life ( u just have to work around with what u have )”…that was what i thought. But once i get into his car, i realised that showing my extra care and concern for him is just seriously something not worth showing. He made me sit still in the car and wait for him to get into car..”No, no,no… you sit.. ” that was what he said to me.

After picking me up from the station, he brought me to a traditional home-based eating corner (it’s so small and cozy, not suitable to be labeled restaurant or …) and here i had my first small experience with tea ceremony. My host-father by the way is a certified and well-known tea master and ikebana master too.

So imagine the strict discipline i had at his home. Making sure i polish my army boots (kiwi till shine) before i leave for the workshop. Making sure that i have the proper table manner, proper way of holding chopsticks(i have this special way of holding chopsticks and cursing u at the same time with the same hand). Have to be home by 7pm, and no drinking and riding bicycle (well it;s against their law man, but still every evening i’m almost there with my face super red and alcoholic breath). Methods of eating the fish and also finishing my radish (killer). These are nothing actually, nothing bad enough… just that I as a Singaporean with a luxury of choices and confusions would never have found myself in this similar situation( other than my service ) here.

The above were something to laugh about and to entertain my friends about my experience there. My host-father, as a host and also as my pseudo-father in Japan, taught me so much about Japan’s culture and the Japanese. He was very nice and even though he’s handicap, he never allow me to help wash dishes or use the washing machine. Make sure i bath, i collect my 2L mineral water, that i learn tea ceremony and ikebana, and also make sure that i write my daily events into his dairy. It was quite funny, for the 1st week or so.. he remembered that i’m from Singapore, but from then i became Japanese and could somehow understand whatever he said.

There are many experiences that i’ll never forget. The shrines that he brought me to and the monks and volunteers that he introduced to me. The fish shop-keeper (auntie with funky hair style). My mornings of mini tea ceremony before i leave home. The sake every dinner ( i was already drunk before dinner ). Me having a scare when i see him lying on the floor when i returned home (apparently he was just napping, i thought he fell and….). Being his tea ceremony student for a day. Talking to him about meeting this nice Japanese girl during sunset (romantic isn’t it, too bad no english no japanese). Laughing at each other.

Very grateful for his efforts, and all from Tokoname. too many names to type.. and it’ll seem like some award winning speech. Well for those who sincerely and humbly wanna learn more about ceramics, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS APPLY OR SEND AN EMAIL TO THEM. or contact me for more info about their residency.

Ryokan At Shigaraki, IWCAT Study Tour

Getting to the traditional Japanese Inn at Shigaraki.

Dinner at the ryokan.. and u have to wear the yukata for dinner.. but first u’ve got to take a nice hot bath with ur buddies.. hahahaha..

my daily route from host-father’s home to workshop at tokoname

the starting point… daily at about 8am.

Along the breakwaters, enjoying the gentle breeze and the nice ride along the quiet town… i missed the life there now..

then turning into a short-cut.. hahahaha after getting lost and wandering around.. i managed to discover this path.

Usually i’ll be the first to reach the workshop, then slowly one by one the artists would arrive and this friend reminds me of one of those actors on ” whose line is it anyway?” not only the looks but he’s a real nice and funny dude.. HAHAHAHAHA

Tea Ceremony In Tokoname

During our residency in Tokoname, we had to learn about Japanese Tea Ceremony. So the organizers managed to arrange with a tea master to teach us and allow us to experience the whole process of it. Well it’s damn tiring to sit in that position plus trying to remember the procedures involved just to drink tea.it’s tough and at the same time really amazing how this affects the culture of ceramics in Japan.

Really enjoyed the ceremony, nice tea, nice sweets.. but legs were sore, mind’s a little vague about what’s actually happening. But i appreciate all the effort given to provide us with this experience.

Beer in Tokoname

picture of taka-san, akane-chan, momoe-chan, chris and i drinking by the port of Tokoname and the beautiful clouds.

the most hilarious night of all during the Residency. hahahaha actually this is part one. we’re at this ryokan in Shigaraki ( we’re there for a study tour)

while at the Shigaraki’s Bon Festival.

here u go.. part 2, this game always gets everyone high fast. real fast.

the result of part 2 drinking session.

the pottery master on the left gave us a wonderful treat of food and beer & sake, follow by his demonstration of trimming tea bowls. POWER LA BOSS!

most of the time after working on the clay all day, we’ll drop by the supermarket for a cold beer. sometimes we’ll head to the port, the playground and the last day… we hang out just outside the supermarket. And it was a beautiful day, with beautiful clouds.