SURFS ... down

The other morning I woke up early(ish) and hit the road. But this time it wasn't about the yummy yummy squid. With board, wax and wet suit in tow, I took off for the beach. I drove an hour and a half to Keiya on Itoshima. Sure there are closer places to surf but this is my favorite point. A beautiful cape with 33.3 Km of shoreline, most of it sandy beach. One of my favorite places in Japan now that I think about it. The weather man had told me it was going to be warm and sunny. The oceanographers told me there were going to be waves.

I had the day off and I was determined to make it a great one!

I don't know where my sun, warmth and waves went but would like to make abundantly clear that I saw nothing of the sort. It was gray. Gray and damp. I would compare it to the drizzle of London in the fall but I have never actually been to London. Ok... umm... it was not unlike the drizzle of London (Ontario) in the fall.

The one good think to come out of this fools errand was I got to go to Natty Dread. Natty Dread is a hand made beach side restaurant that can't even boast running watter amongst it's charms. But what it can boast is, what has to be Japan's finest Jerk Chicken. A spicy, smoky, slow cooked over an open flame piece of heaven.

Mark

Daigoro Dragons

A few weeks ago I wrote that I had been out to see the good folks at Daigoro Gama in Okawachiyama, Imari. I recently noticed that Dave has been adding more of their products on the Secret Kilns site and man do they look good.

I marvel at the thought and attention to detail that is put into every piece. This dragon is a great example. Sure, the dragon is as impressive as it is foreboding, but look closely at the porcelain waves jetting up from underneath. What an exquisite marriage of design and motion.

The Daigoro kiln produces so much impressive ceramics, but I think it is their dragons that set them apart for me. If you have a look at the vases in the Secret Kiln shop, you can see what is probably my favorite Daigoro piece, an unbelievably detailed vase featuring two fierce dragons. Love it!

Mark

Sun Sun Sun ... Here it comes

Well we had our first rainless Monday since some time the Regan administration. The weather here in Arita was quite beautiful in fact. Never mind that it rained all day today (Tuesday), I'm just happy to have that nasty streak over.

It was a good weekend. On Saturday Dave and a few other friends came over for an evening of sumo, stories, poker and a VERY late night mountain top BBQ.

Sunday was the "undokai" (Sports Festival) at the Jr. High just down the road. While I, thankfully, have yet to generate offspring, it's a fun morning. Lot's of, screaming, not quite synced katas and neighborhood pride. Excited kids everywhere and half the town watching them.

After that I went to a wine tasting that ensured that I said "sayonara" to the weekend in style.

Mark

Life is Change, Squid is Good

Living in Japan will change a man. Perhaps living anywhere will change ya. Perhaps just living changes all who are blessed to go on doing so.

Yesterday before sitting down to watch a day of sumo I drove out to my favourite squid place. A little BBQ place near Karatsu. It's on a secluded beach on the far tip of a peninsula that darts deep into the Tsushima Strait at the very bottom of the Sea of Japan. Sure there are closer places that sell squid. Hundreds I suppose. But this place is my favourite and the long drive through mountains and farm land is just part of the experience.

How strange this would have seemed to me a few (well ... it may actually be a few more than a few) years back. I had eaten squid before I came to Japan. It was a dare. Now I have a "favorite squid place". I recommend it to friends and when I haven't been there for a while I find myself missing it. "Life is change. Growth is optional." Indeed.

Mark

Tell me why I don't like Mondays

It was a beautiful weekend but the new week somehow brought yet another rainy Monday with it. How many weeks/months (years!?) can this unlucky trend last?

I had a small BBQ on Saturday night. Just a couple friends making Jerk Chicken and having a few drinks together. The weather in Arita is great right now. Warm in the days, but not oppressively hot like it will be in a few weeks. Then becoming cool and crisp in the evenings. Reminds me a lot of Canadian summers.

Mark

It Is Finished...

The heat of the day is over and the temperature is slowing dropping like the pink sun over Arita. A beautiful end to what has been a beautiful Ceramic Fair. I cannot remember tokiichi weather ever being as nice as this years was. I really don't think it could have been any better.

But it's over now. The horrific traffic outside my house is dissipating. Potters, ceramicists, sales people and vendors will all sleep long and well tonight.

"Otsukaresama" friends ...

Mark

Busy Weekend

Well, Sunday evening is drawing to a close and what a weekend it's been. On Saturday I spent most of the day at the Arita Ceramic Fair. On Saturday evening a collection of friends and weary pottery shoppers gathered in my yard for a BBQ/bonfire. This morning Dave and I were back into pottery mode, hitting some of the kilns who didn't set up a shop in the downtown area. This evening I have mostly been relaxing and wishing tomorrow didn't have to be as busy as it's going to be...

Most of the people in my area who are not working at Tokiichi seem to stay as far away from it as possible. I however still enjoy getting out battling the crowds. I think I may even be energized by it. I don't go to the to the fair to buy pottery as a rule, but it is a good chance to see the pottery that thousands of artists have been working on in a relatively short time. And it's a great oppertunity to catch up with the artists themselves. Some potters I see a few times a month, but in the past couple days, on the other hand, I have met SO MANY artists who I haven't seen since last years pottery fair (the 106th I believe).

So there are 3 days left. The weather (and therefor crowds) has been great.

I think Dave is schedualed to take some people on a tour of Okawachiyama tomorrow. I would like to pop by myself but I have a ominous feeling that I will probably be luck to have time for lunch tomorrow, let alone a leasurely stroll in Imari.

Mark

The storm has started

So Tokiichi started yesterday to great weather and what I hear was fantastic crowds. I was too busy to make it yesterday and today has been just as hectic but I will be spending the whole weekend enjoying the pottery and crowds. Can't wait! I'll be sure to put some pics up.

Mark

Rain, Rain Go Away ...

As if anyone needed another reason to hate the day!? It has rained in Arita every Monday for 2 months now. WHAT IS WITH THAT!?

Forgive more pics hastily snapped while I should have been concentrating on the road. But, for weeks now Arita has been in "Calm before the storm" mode. The streets have been almost empty. Restaurants and bars void of all but the staff.

The reason is "Tokikiichi". The Arita pottery fair. Many of Arita's potters sell the majority of pottery all in that one fun/crazy/busy/tense/sleepless week. So for months the artists have been creating and storing as much pottery as the can, cause they know come the 29th of April people will POUR in. I don't mean pour like your Mom's Ice Tea on a lazy Saturday afternoon. This is "pour" like, "What in the name of all things good and true is that?! How will we survive!?". That kind of pour. They say the population of this small town grows by 1,000,000 if you can imagine.

But the "calm" is done. The storm hasn't started so I guess this is the "brewing" phase. People are scurrying around setting up stalls and temporary shops and restaurants. Schools and non pottery related work are shutting down so EVERY possible hand, no matter how big or small can be freed up for Tokiichi.

Exciting!

Let's hope the rain stays away ...

Mark

Beautiful Day

Today was the nicest day of 2010 (so far).
Absolutely gorgeous.
Flowers blooming everywhere and happy people playing, talking, working or relaxing outside.
It was sunny and warm as I drove out between the mountains to Okawachiyama. I had to do a little work at Daigorou Gama. I shouldn't even call it "work". A short but beautiful drive to meet with friends and look at exquisite pottery is a day a prince would envy.

Mark