Monday, November 10, 2014

Japan

So we are in Japan at the moment.
And it's pretty bloody fabulous.
We went to this little quilt show called "Yokohama Quilt Week" which is pretty funny because it goes for only three days. And it's really not that little. Pretty freaking huge, actually. I'm really glad I went. I've never thought my quilts fitted into any particular style. Are they traditional or modern? Both? Who really gives a shit? I quite possibly don't. But it was so good to see that there are Japanese quilters who think like I do with fabric and colour. Except they probably keep to their 1/4 seams better than I do.
I particularly loved this quilt called "Toy Box" by Yukari Otsuka. I'll post more photos when I get home in a couple of weeks and also share my reactions to the show - I took better photos with my good camera.
So yeah - we've been eating a lot of Japanese food (so much yakitori, not enough ramen in my opinion) and the other night at our ryokan we had a fellow explaining the ins and outs of sake. Was rather brilliant. As a result last night I dulled my foot and back pain with a large Asahi beer and a chaser of hot sake. No pain walking home.

The good news (ha! So much good news! I'm in freaking JAPAN, people!) is I found not one, but two Nomura Tailor shops in Kyoto. I dreamt last night of Nani Iro and I need to find an afternoon to go back and get more. I have declared the summer of 2014/15 the summer of Nani Iro tops and skirts.
I'll be honest - the first couple of days here were full of anxiety. It was a massive drama just getting any airline to fly us to Japan thanks to storms in Sydney - and we made it just fine (albeit on a different airline and different service to what we had paid for), but our luggage didn't for two whole days. But now all four of us - us and our ports - are reunited we are having a fantastic time. Not that running around running around Tokyo for half a day looking for t-shirts that fitted us both wasn't fantastic fun! Impossible, but fantastic!
My husband has been practicing his (terrible) Japanese on the staff at Starbucks. He's pretty cute especially when he gets his hand movements for "two shots of coffee" wrong.

How's the serenity?


More later. We're off to find ourselves a bamboo grove.

15 comments:

  1. Yay! You made it - I did wonder. Good to see you both at the airport. Look forward to photos on your return��

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Bea! Only just! We got to Melbourne and Jetstar were all "uh uh no way you are getting on this plane now piss off you Qantas customers" so we ran (literally ran!) to qantas where the duty manager got cranky and tore jetstar a new one. And then he took our bags and said "trust me - I'll send them JAL and you'll get them in the evening. And spee so didn't. But we are good now and it's just so wonderful to be here. You would seriously LOVE IT. And should consider it a honeymoon destination.

      Hope you eventually got to Sydney OK! xoxo

      Delete
  2. Sounds amazing. This is one excited post!! Enjoy the rest of your stay ��

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh it's so wonderful! And you'd love the fabric here - so much variety!!

      Delete
  3. So glad things have settled and you're having an amazing time! Totes gel of all your Nani Iro! If you can find a kushikatsu place (rep fried things on a stick!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Still haven't had kushikatsu! It's on the list!

      Delete
  4. Michelle I'm going with friends in January to another little quilt show in Tokyo so it's really interesting to read your posts. Hints for shopping in Kyoto and more please!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Chris you lucky duck! Can I come?

      I shall be sure to share my tips when we return!

      Delete
  5. Happy sigh. Great reading and great pics, see you when you get back.
    Jan xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. So awesome. So jealous. Can't wait
    To see your fabric purchases!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lea! Fabric purchases (so far!) are in my next post! Also lots and lots of notions that didn't make it to the camera ...

      Delete
  7. Can't wait to see what you get inspired to sew after seeing such fab quilts!!'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! My mind was buzzing with inspiration when I left there! What an experience it was.

      Delete
  8. Boy, would I love to visit Japan. This was a fun post to browse through. :D

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! I love reading your comments, but if you're anonymous please tell me who you are.