Tag: 2017

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Japan

12 souvenirs from Japan that I just couldn’t resist

Usually I associate souvenirs with kitsch, plastic gifts made in China and faded postcards of doubtful beauty. Over those two years travelling I’ve rarely been tempted to enter a gift shop less even to buy a single thing. Japan has changed it all. The amount of effort and creativity put in so many little objects here makes them unique and really worth buying. Not to mention the tradition and the beauty that go with them. Below some of gifts that I couldn’t resist, even having in mind that I will have to carry them around. Others I will have to get next time.

  1. Multi-functional piece of cloth- Futoshiki

So simple and traditional and yet so functional. The technique of folding a square cloth around anything has been around for centuries. Previously it was used to carry things and to wrap gifts. The patterns and colors were a way of expressing the purpose of the gift and feelings of the generous person. After World War II part of this beautiful art got pushed out by cheaper and more common plastic and paper. But it hasn’t died just yet. The material can be folded in a really nice bag, actually many different types of bags, only imagination is the limit. That variety of a humble piece of material and the idea of supporting something so fragile pushed me to buy some for myself.

  1. Colorful and very unusual socks

Patterns of sushi, shrines, Mount Fuji, cats and soooo much more can be easily found in any shop selling socks. They are colorful, fun and many are divided in “two toes” or even “five toes”. That makes them perfect to wear with your flip flops, as weird as that sounds. We especially loved the collection available in some Don Quijote. Cheap and just brilliant.

  1. Arty, colorful postcards

Japan has numerous different techniques when it comes to postcards. They can be painted, made from recycled kimonos, washi paper. Options are countless and they all look stunning and one of a kind. I don’t think there is any other country I have seen with so many different patterns and so much art and love put into postcards. Honestly I felt sad I had to send them out… Obviously I kept a few for myself 🙂

  1. Fragrant bath salts

We never really appreciated the benefits of a bath. Not until we came to Japan. Here it has almost a ritual like importance and is supposed to relax you after a tough day. And it really does. But the addition of fragrant, Japanese bath salts is the cherry on the top. The smell is as divine as the package looks.

  1. Playful carnival-like facial masks

I know it sounds weird but in what other country can you become a panda or a cat for a few minutes? Only in Japan. The masks are not only playful and cute in a weird way but also very soothing and relaxing. Perfect little detail going in the bathtub. For more picky customers there are also ones that will make you look like a geisha or hello kitty.

  1. The most beautiful bathrobe - Yukata

Yukata is a kind of casual kimono. It literally means “bathing cloth” and at the beginning it was used just as such, since it’s so easy to just wrap it around you and it can dry the leftover moisture from your skin. Nowadays some wear it as a summer version of the kimono. We got them at one of our Airbnbs and I absolutely loved mine. They were colorful, playful and really comfortable to wear. Jandirk wasn’t overly impressed, yukatas for men lack patterns and are generally kept in darker tones.

  1. Fans for the hot summers ahead

Fans are something that have been in use for centuries and perfected over the time. Now only the imagination and budget is the limit. The can be foldable or rigid, bamboo or paper based. They come in unbelievable variety of forms and patterns. In museums we even saw some covered in gold… those I probably wouldn’t buy as a gift even for my best friends.

  1. Everyone’s necessity- chop sticks

They come in a variety of shapes and designs. We especially loved very simple wooden ones. There is a certain charm in the fact that no two chop sticks are exactly the same since no trees are identical.

  1. Something for the stomach- matcha and green tea

Before coming to Japan we have never tried matcha and we were not big green tea drinkers. Here we got thrown into deep water, we saw and tasted matcha not only as a powdered green tea just served as a drink but also in variety of deserts and snacks. We fell in love with its strong flavor and even stronger green color. It’s one of those ingredients that we will take with us and incorporate in our daily life. Same with the cold green tea that became indispensable to us over those months….

  1. Traditional or modern pottery

This one has totally stolen my heart. I hope one day we will return with an empty suitcase and full bank accounts to buy some of so many stunning pots, mugs and plates. We especially loved collections available in small, cozy ateliers in one of the old pottery towns- Tokoname.

  1. The famous "folded paper"- origami

This beautiful technique of folding paper into complicated but beautiful shapes is especially dear to my hearth. Many of the gifts that I got from Jandirk were origami folded animals and flowers. Here in Japan he could go even crazier with all the variety of paper available. Every Japanese person knows how to fold at least a few basic figures, they learn that at school. It has been a nice beginning of a conversation for us and sometimes a nice evening activity with a little origami battle.

In many shrines and museums we saw origami bookmarks and cranes that we could just take for free.

  1. Something for the soul- sake

Sake comes in such a variety of tastes that I just can’t imagine someone wouldn’t enjoy it. It can be sweet, it can be very dry, it can be clear or contain particles of rice, it can be served cold or hot. There is something for all taste buds out there. I don't think there is anyone that could resist the traditional sake serving. The liquid is supposed to overflow from a shot glass or wooden container onto anything that is under it. Being raised in Poland in a society that drinks vodka and likes to show its generosity, I'm shocked we never came up with it.

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Oman

How much does it cost to travel in Oman? Our budget and tips

For those who expect Oman to be cheap… You can stop reading right now. Oman is very much a destination completely off the beaten track especially for backpacking tourists. There is almost no infrastructure like hostels or cheap guesthouses. The buses in between the cities are also a rare sight so the best option is to rent a car. To crazy ones that would like to hitchhike and wait for those precious rides in the boring, desert sun… good luck 🙂

In Oman we miraculously spend only 933 euros over 12 days. So that makes almost 39 euros per day per person.

 

So let´s explain how it turned out so “cheap” 🙂

Where did we go?

Our journey started in Muscat, later on we continued along the coast passing villages and going further and further south to Sur and Al Hadd where there is a beach known for being a turtle nesting area. From the coast we went camping in the desert and then back to civilization in the old town of Nizwa. From there we went to see the mountains and valleys on our way back to the capital.

How did we travel?

In the capital we traveled by bus which wasn’t too expensive (1 OMR for us both for a ride, around 2.5 euro). For the rest of our route we rented a car. Unfortunately travelling by bus was just not an option. Although buses between the main cities do exist, they are not very frequent and to get to the villages we would have to try hitchhiking… And renting a car didn’t turn out to be so expensive. We managed to get one for 172 euro for 7 days. I don’t have to tell anyone that as one of the countries rich in oil, petrol was not a deal breaker in our budget (on petrol we spend 15.3 OMR so around 37 euro).

On buses, car rental and petrol we spend a total of 238 euros.

Where did we stay?

In Muscat we stayed in possibly the only hostel in the country and it’s listed on Airbnb. We didn’t find it there. The owner of the hostel was a friend of our friend and he offered us staying there for free. Idrees was just such an amazing host, he really made us feel at home and helped us with everything. He also explained that hostels are not really welcomed in the country since backpackers and cheap travelling is not really desired. Surprisingly camping is no problem. So that’s what we did for a few nights. To be clear there are no campsites so also no toilets, showers and commodities like that. Just nature…

Our total of 124 euro for accommodation we spend for 3 nights in Nizwa in an Airbnb. For that money we got a really nice room with private bathroom and only a 10 minutes ride from the historical town of Nizwa.

What did we eat?

On food and eating out we spent a combined 262 euros. The 118 euro we spend on eating out was mainly fast food and coffee to use internet. Majority of the times we bought food in the supermarket and cooked ourselves also while camping.

How expensive are museums, tours etc?

On tourism we spend 20 euros for entrances to some forts and the Royal Opera House in Muscat. From what we researched online, tours are very expensive. For example 2 days (1 night camping) tour to snorkel was 85 OMR so around 200 euro… and that’s pp. That was actually one of the cheapest things I found. Going to the desert with a tour was out of reach even for our dreams.

Where did the rest of our money go?

In the 145 euro for equipment we included some clothes that we bought as well as 17 OMR (around 40 euro) that we spent on mattresses and sleeping bags. Buying those was actually cheaper than renting. The rest of the camping gear we borrowed from the hostel.

In the 144 euro for miscellaneous we included our one month visa for Oman (20 OMR each so around 95 euro together), car insurance and sim card that we bought to have mobile internet while camping (sim card + 1gb internet was just 2 OMR so around 5 euro).

How to get to Oman?

We came on a bus from Dubai and that was the cheapest option and costed only around 27 euro for both of us (not included in this budget). It took 7 hours and at the time when we used that option there were 3 buses per day and it was operated by a company called Mwasalat. There was also the same option going from Abu Dhabi.

How to rent a car in Oman?

We rented a car via Pepe Car which is available only to a few nationalities. That was the cheapest option really. We got a great, functional, medium sized car for a smashing price of 172 euro. To go with it we bought an insurance from an external company to cover the potential damages. We always did that one because it turns out cheaper than adding it to your rental option. It’s also good idea to check renting over various days, in our case renting for 7 days was cheaper than 5…. Weird but true:)

For renting a car in Oman we just brought our European driving license. They didn’t require an international one.

Our tips to save money in Oman

  1. Airbnb is the best option for cheap but decent accommodation, there you might find “hostels” set up by private people as well as affordable rooms. Researching double rooms at Airbnb we noticed they were cheaper than most of the dorms available. Anyway cheap accommodation is pretty limited so….
  2. Camp! You can camp almost everywhere and there are no campsites which makes it immediately cheaper, you only need to rent or buy the equipment. The downside is lack of public toilets and showers… The only option is a bucket and a quick shower in the sea… Just watch out so that the locals don’t see your naked flesh. It’s a Muslim country so they won’t appreciate it.
  3. Rent a car 🙂 public transportation is pretty bad and renting a car can be pretty cheap, not to mention how cheap the gasoline was! 🙂

P.S. Exchange rate used for the overall budget 1 OMR = 2.46 EURO

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Nagoya, Japan

Our favorite cherry blossom spots

Spring is the most popular season among tourists coming to Japan. All dream of seeing the cherry blossom and that's the time to do it. Most crowds hit Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. Prices there double and triple which scared us away and made us think of an alternative…

Those turned out to be endless. Spring in Japan goes from February in Okinawa to May in Hokkaido and there are many different types of cherry that bloom earlier or later than the others. We decided to go for the cheapest option, the most off the beaten track possible and it turned out to be the area around and in Nagoya. We got very lucky with that one. There were crowds where we wanted them, on picnics and festivals but we also found peace and the feeling of discovery in so many other places. Having seen the pictures and videos of crowded streets and parks in both Kyoto and Tokyo, we knew we made the right decision.

So to all of you that would like to see nature in its full glory but don’t know where, a short list from us 🙂 and believe me no picture can give you the smell of the fragrant cherry flowers or the feeling of excitement when the petals fall off the trees creating a kind of snow, carried by the wind. You just have to see it with your own eyes. Don’t forget to check the cherry blossom forecast before going!

  1. Enchanting tunnel nearby Ogaki

This one is by far the most spectacular cherry blossom spot we could ever even imagine. It’s one of those where no picture can explain the full glory of it. We discovered it completely by accident, just walking around from the Sunomata Castle. We spotted a few sakura trees and decided to take a closer look, following the trees we were getting deeper and deeper into the tunnel that in our mind should end “just after the next turn”. In reality it literally stretched over few kilometers and there wasn’t a single tree of another kind getting in the way of that marvelous spectacle.

  1. Little “one night” Sunomata Castle

According to the legend the castle was built in just one night and for that many call it a “one night castle”. Although it’s really tiny I can’t believe something that precise and beautiful could be constructed overnight. We loved it because of the surrounding cherry trees and secluded location. Not to mention the proximity to the absolute number one -“the enchanting tunnel”.

  1. Celebration town of Iwakura

This little town north of Nagoya definitely knows how to celebrate spring. During the cherry blossom festival it had just enough people to get the atmosphere right and few enough not to get annoyed with queues and waiting. Sakura was beautifully scattered all over the place with the epicenter of flowers and food stands on both sides of the river. In the evening the riverbed was bathed in warm, pink light coming from charming, little lanterns hanging above it.

  1. Park like no other- Tsurumai park

The place that showed us what hanami (enjoying beauty of flowers) and sakura (cherry) are all about. The park was not only one of the hot spots for the spring festival but a stunning picnic where people shared memories, joy, delicious food and a sea of sake. Many were literally sleeping under the trees guarding their special place under the fragrant cherry trees. There was music, there were dances, amazing food and with a bit of sake even the normally cool and collected Japanese were approaching us. We wish we could celebrate spring like that every year!

  1. Castle with a view in Inuyama

Just about when we already felt like we didn’t want to see any more castles we decided to give a chance to the last one… the one in Inuyama. We never regretted it. The castle itself was pretty empty inside but the view from its terrace was just breathtaking and the cherry blossom alley leading towards it was a little treat.

  1. Stairs to pink heaven at Yamazaki-gawa river

Very calm destination with stairs allowing a great picnic and chilling under immense cherry trees. Plenty of space, trees and stairs so everyone can really get their own little piece of paradise. We loved this place because it was really popular among families and we just loved watching parents trying to take pictures of cute, little kids dressed up for the occasion. Nothing makes us laugh more than a little human running away from a shot 🙂

  1. Nagoya castle

The most traditional spot to enjoy the blossom in the area but we wouldn’t skip it for the world. I dare to say that the most spectacular cherry trees in there are actually the ones surrounding the castle from the outside… Although the best view is from the walls within it. Those trees must have been the biggest and most wide-spread we have seen and from a distance they looked like an impressionism painting.

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Kyoto, Japan

Our favorite spots in Kyoto

After Tokyo, Kyoto has grown to be the biggest hot spot for everyone visiting Japan. Historical sites that miraculously survived World War II, Japanese crafts, ladies dressed in kimonos and so much more. Everyone can find something interesting here. So did we. Although at the beginning we were afraid of massive crowds, our fears faded away very fast.

  1. Our “little” secret garden of Gyoen National Garden and Imperial Palaces

Biggest surprise in Kyoto. In wonderful spots like these we expected crowds pilgrimaging  their way through the sites but I guess since it’s for free most people skip it. Somehow in Japan for most it’s hard to believe that there would be something remarkable to see that is free of charge.

The Gyoen National Garden is immense and beautiful every season of the year. In spring it’s blossoming with plum flowers, magnolias and famous cherries. In autumn maple trees turn red and even in winter they have flowers in season.

In the heart of the garden there is the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Sento Imperial Palace. It’s where the royal family lived and many of the most important ceremonies where performed so there is plenty to see. Everything is well maintained, beautiful and huge. The park surrounding the palaces is an oasis of peace in this often hectic city so we spent a fair amount of time strolling through it on various days.

With hours to explore, we discovered that the park has one more hidden gem, Kaninnomiya Mansion, old noble residence with a little garden and pond on its own. Before the capital was moved to Tokyo there were 200 households of imperial family members and court nobles, just like this one. Now only this one is standing and with a huge effort it was brought back to the original style from the Edo period together with a small teahouse. It shows simple beauty of Japanese architecture and it doesn’t hurt that that one is also free of charge.

  1. Bamboo madness of Arashiyama

This area of Kyoto is mostly known for its bamboo forest which seems to be the only one in the world judging by the crowds 🙂 We went after sunrise so we had it all for ourselves and we had enough time to walk around the neighborhood. Surprisingly it’s a very peaceful almost rural part of this booming city. It’s just perfect for a stroll through alley's of trees and houses. Not to mention the variety of small, charming temples scattered absolutely everywhere.

  1. Endless red tunnel of Fushimi Inari shrine

Probably the most famous Shinto temple and the most visited place in Kyoto. But it’s well worth it. We went there at sunrise and managed to skip the crowds. Not many people are crazy enough to crawl out of bed so early during their travels. The temple is beautiful but it’s the tunnel of red toris that everyone is coming for. A few kilometers of those gates lead beautifully through a forest to the top of a mountain which scares many and creates massive crowd mainly at the beginning. Along the way there are many statues of foxes that are believed to be messengers of the god of rice that the temple is devoted to.

Walking up hill we saw many signs offering setting up a tori gate. It turns out that they are donated by companies and individuals so if you want to prolong the tunnel and have some spare yen, there is still a chance! 🙂

  1. Evening vibes of Pontocho street

It’s the oldest entertainment street in Kyoto and in the evening it’s just magical. Dim light of street lanterns, numerous restaurants and tea houses and all of it in a very, very narrow street. Many of the spots there have a nice view on the other side so the river.

We heard it is the second best place after Gion to spot geishas going to their appointments. We didn’t have the luck but we still enjoyed its vibrant, busy atmosphere in the evening.

  1. (Mostly) window shopping in Nishiki Market and Sanjo-kai Shotengai Market

Nishiki Market is a one of the oldest shopping streets in the city. It offers a variety of shops selling fish, fruit and vegetables. Here we learnt a lot about Japanese cuisine, tasted many of the pickled veg and many types of sea weed. Worth a visit. Although we preferred less touristic Sajo-kai Shotengai Market with almost the same variety and also quite some nice cafes, restaurants and gift shops.

  1. The old days in Gion and its temples

Probably the most touristic spot of Kyoto and for a good reason. The number of people in kimonos per capita is the highest in the world. For us it was impossible to say whether those were tourists or locals dressed for the occasion. Surprisingly most of the visitors are Chinese and Koreans so for us pretty close to Japanese beauty… especially in kimonos. We had fun guessing, that’s for sure.

Ladies and gentlemen in kimonos are not the only attraction of Gion. Strolling through streets of machiya, wooden merchant houses, we really felt like we were travelling in time and walking alongside the Geishas from “Memoirs of a Geisha”.  Most of the neighborhood is crowded both with people and gift shops. To be fair, the souvenirs there are not cheesy, we spotted many stunning postcards as well as the best matcha cookies that still hunt our taste buds. For those who are not traveling on a shoe-string there is a treat of ice cream covered in golden leaf for a bargain of around 9 dollars. Possibly the most expensive ice cream that we have ever seen. The queue in front indicated that the business was doing pretty well.

Following the crowd you won’t miss the temples that are an absolute must see. Going with the flow we found Yasaka Pagoda and the Yasaka shrine and Kiyomizudera Temple further up. From there we had beautiful views over the old district and new, booming Kyoto in the far. Breathtaking sight even shared with hundreds.

Not too far off the beaten track there is Shirakawa Canal, absolutely charming part of Gion that was deserted every single time we went there.

  1. Even more olden days in Higashiyama District

One of the best preserved historic districts of Kyoto. To recreate the feeling of the olden days the city removed telephone poles and repaved the streets in recent renovation. The street has served travelers for centuries with its small cafes, restaurants and nowadays also gift shops. For food lovers there are plenty of pickle shops as well as rice cake stands.

  1. Magical athmosphere of Ishibei-koji Lane

It’s by far the most magical pedestrian lane in Kyoto. As part of the preservation project it’s forbidden to take pictures there. It’s the only place in the booming city where we could actually hear the shutter of the camera if there was any. It was beyond quiet even though there were a few chic restaurants and bars there. And the best part of it is that you leave the modern world outside, no cameras, no noise, no cables, nothing modern, just you and the old wooden houses.

  1. Contemporary side of Buddhism in Nishi Hongwanji Temple

Temple of one of the biggest Buddhist sects in Japan and the emptiest sight of Kyoto. There is not a single soul visiting the temple and it’s a shame. It’s not only massive but also a XVI century construction of somehow contemporary Japanese Buddhism. Not that there is anyone there to talk about it, the people in at the nearby information sadly don’t speak any English.

It turns out the temple is also a UNESCO site.

  1. Priester courters in Ninnaji Temple

Another UNESCO heritage site with underwhelming crowds. Maybe there is something about the word “sect” that scares people away. Ninnaji Temple is the head temple of another sect of Buddhism and was completed in 888. Unfortunately the nature and wars didn’t let the buildings from the 9th century survive. The oldest bit of the sight is from the XVII century. We especially enjoyed Goten, former residence to the head priest consisting of many smaller rooms connected by corridors and surrounded by rock and sand gardens as well as a pond.

  1. Zen gardens in Tofukuji Temple

Before visiting the Tofukuji Temple I associated zen gardens mostly with little, office size, sand treys with a pair of tiny rakes for a stressed businessmen to relax. Seeing it in real-life size was an incredible sight. The temple is as many in Kyoto but sitting down and looking at the circles and harmoniously placed rocks in the sand is an ultimately relaxing experience.

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Nakasendo map, Japan

From a map to the hike- our short adventure with the Nakasendo route

Maps in Japan are an art apart. Even the simple ones just by the roads are detailed, beautifully painted and hyper practical. It’s an art mastered through centuries. I still can’t forget the kilometers of map from the Edo period, we saw in one of the castles. Every single house, barn and bridge was painted on it and the undisturbed line of a trail was continuing throughout the meters of paper. It looked very simple but that’s where the charm of the country is- in its simplicity and perfection.

Later on we were given a map inspired by these old maps in a tourist information shop in Nagoya. The enthusiastic woman was going on and on about how stunning the old Nakasendo route was and the villages that we would pass on our way. Nothing convinces us like someone else’s enthusiasm so we decided to walk a small part of the trail.

Nakasendo route was one of the five most important paths connecting the empire in the Edo period and one of the two linking Tokyo with Kyoto. Out of over 500 km we chose the most popular 8 km in hope for a bit time- travel experience.

We started in Magome which was one of the post towns along the way. What didn’t survive the fight with time, was restored and Magome is now a charming, little town focused along one street on a slope of a mountain. Thankfully the amount of tourists is inversely proportional to the meters above sea level and so the top part of the village is far from crowded. Lower part is another story… there the amount of flashy-dressed, loud Chinese would drive a saint mad, not to mention them in combination with selfie sticks. It’s a shame as the old houses recreate a feeling of Japan from centuries ago and it is really magical.

We were happy to leave the crowds behind and start walking through the forest to Tsumago, another post town on Nakasendo. Entering the hike we got excited by frequent bells that we needed to hit to scare the potential bears away. Soon we realized that seeing any animal could only be a miracle… The path was far from secluded and it was constantly crossed or paralleled by a road where cars were passing all the time. Even though we tried to turn our heads around and listen to the sounds of the forest and waterfalls… we just couldn’t get the cars out of our mind. Sadly the map was prettier than the hike itself.

Fortunately it wasn’t all lost, it’s Japan after all. We passed some lovely houses, few of which were open… Those who know me are familiar with my passion of sneak peaking in people’s houses so that little treat made my day. We also visited an old “rest house” where we enjoyed smoking in an open fire with a cup of green tea and some Japanese sweats. Just like in the olden days the house was there to greet the travelers and help them recharge before heading further. A bit of sugar and tea managed to lift our spirits and get us back on track.

After a 3 hour walk we completed the tiny part of Nakasendo and ended up in Tsumago, the best award we could hope for. Tsumago was an oasis of piece and it really brought us back in time. The residents did their best to preserve and since late 60s to rebuild the houses and enchanting spirit of the past. Now a whole street of restored buildings as well as some back allies made it feel bigger than Magome. We felt we could emerge in the past and the fact that cars are forbidden on the main street and electricity cables are concealed helped our imagination even more. Strolling through the streets we imagined how it must have been to travel in Japan in those days. How crazy is it to think that a few hundred years ago many didn’t even know much about anything outside of their village…

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Tokoname, Japan

Tokoname- the Pottery Town

Ceramics was my passion when I was a little girl and not because I saw “Ghost”. I just liked playing with clay, creating little animals and painting them. The whole process was just fascinating for me and I never could understand how something so plastic as clay could become so hard by just putting it in the oven. Now I can’t understand how come I ever stopped… Especially when we went to Tokoname…

Tokoname is a small village on Chita peninsula famous for its pottery. Tradition there dates centuries back and judging by the amount of people that we saw there, it’s fighting for survival. Not many people are going to buy a plate for 40 euro when they can drive to IKEA and buy a whole set for the same price. Especially since young Japanese are fascinated with anything that is western. For tourists on the other hand most expect a village of old grandmas trying to clay something together, something not very sophisticated or stylish. That’s what Jandirk thought for sure so it was a challenge to get him to join me. But as soon as we got there it was clear he was wrong.

Entering the village we followed the signs of “The Pottery Footpath” passing 39 beckoning ceramic cats just along the road. They are an interesting tribute to Maneki Neko, the famous figurine of a cat that brings luck. Tokoname is the biggest producer of those. And cats in general are very popular subject of plates, cups and ceramic sold in the town.

Instead of grandmas trying to clay something together, Tokoname is full of small ateliers. They are all different in sizes and styles. Some are a part of someone’s garden or entrance where figurines and pottery are left unattended with just price tags and a collection box for the money. I get an impression that stealing is not a well-known concept in Japan. Some of the studios are a messy sight of work in progress and sadly dust on the pottery indicates that the pieces don’t fly out of the door as soon as they are made… Pots, cups, little chopsticks holders, it all made me feel a bit sad that my backpack was not filled with yen to spend. Especially the last atelier left me hoping that one day I will be able to switch from IKEA to a rather niche table setting. Just in case that would ever happen I tried to ask if it was possible to buy the things online and to my surprise none of the shops had a website…

To come to my senses and remind myself that I can only collect photos and memories we went to explore the village a bit more. My favorite part was a little “Clay Pipe Hill” made from clay shochu alcohol pots and another specialty of Tokoname, clay pipes. In the middle of that path we spotted “The Takita family house” that once belonged to one of shipping dealers in the area. Up to the 20th century the town was very much involved with shipping goods to Edo (Tokyo) and the house feels like a journey in time.

We left Tokoname with a strong feeling that someday we will get beautiful ceramics for our house either by going back to Japan to buy it or by learning how to make it…

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