Kiyoko in Nagasaki

Our daughter Kiyoko joined us on June 06 to escort us to USA in case Goro refuses to go back.


Ms.Kiyoko and Peco chan



Kiyoko and Shelley find the heart of Nagasaki

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony ladies.

Kiyoko and Shelley drink Ocha!

At a fancy Japanese/ Chinese Restaurant.

On the river of Nakashima.

After our run at Nagasaki Peace Park.

However, she decided to enjoy her stay in this historic beautiful city with us. You can see the attached photos of how she enjoyed her stay in Nagasaki.

Goro and Shelley with friends in Japan



Goro and Mr Ogawa at Nagasaki harbor



Always free sprit Akira Kurita and Goro

Mr. and Mrs. Ogawa at Hasami (country side of Nagasaki)



Juki and Shelley at Nagasaki Harbor




My old buddy Tome-san



Tomesan and Takahira took us to dinner

Shelley and Mrs. Keiko Miyahara became good friends

My brother Seiji and Goro playing GO game



Goro, Shelley and Juki during trip to Nomo peninsula

 

Shelley with 500 cranes from SBCC students for tsunami victims

Goro Fishing at Ioujima



Mr. Ogawa fishing at Ioujima



Goro with the family grave

The family and friends are the big reason why we wanted to go back to Japan every so often. We have met so many family menbers and friends in this 3 month stay in Japan. Also, we met a few cool people that we could be good friends with if we stay longer. I am hoping that we will keep in touch with each other till the next time we meet. Our only reget is that we could not meet our good friend Akira & Eriko and thier daughter Ayano since we escaped from the earth quake in Tokyo.

Shelley's Nagasaki Ceramic works

It has been lots of fun learning new techniques, new glazes and seeing what I can do in a new studio.  Here are photos of the work I have done.



This is Tasaki-sensei and his wife Ako with their two French bull dogs, Anko, black, and Kinako, white.  They are in front of his studio, Yutoriro, which means relaxed fire.

This is one side of the studio with the Shimpo wheel I ususally used.

This the opposite side of the studio.  You can see it is divided into a retail sales section, with a customer, and then you can see into the back room with the sink and kiln.

I am working on the second of the two Shimpo wheels, finishing a large bowl using a lovely black clay he has in the studio.



Another large bowl using the black clay.  This was a definite Japanese influence from a bowl I saw in someone's house.

This is a deep ramen bowl for Goro, black clay and one of the blue glazes in the studio that is translucent.

3 inches high x 4 inches wide, lidded jar made from one piece of black clay using blue translucent glaze.

5 " wide rice bowl, black clay, thin glaze of translucent blue

Second try at small lidded, one piece jar.  There were carvings on the first  one that did not show up.  Tasaki-sensei showed me how to make them show up.

This is the bowl I was working on in the picture of me at the wheel.  It is black clay with white glaze.

S

A series of white clay cups using a wonderful kind of wax relief.  The wax he uses is not wax, but some chemical that dries instantly and is easy to use.  Cobalt blue glaze is painted over wax.

Two noodle bowls using wax relief and painted cobalt glaze.

Four mugs, carved pictures with iron oxide and green glaze.

10" high vase, green glaze over iron oxide

8" high vase, two tea cups, green glaze with iron oxide.

The following are plates and bowls on which I painted scenes from the  beautiful spring here in Japan.

                                               12" wide salad bowl

9" wide plate

9" wide plate,  and one last painted plate is still to be fired.

I have really enjoyed my ceramic experience in Nagasaki and will share some new techniques with anyone interested when I get back.

Meeting Uncle & Aunt at beautiful fisherman Village SHIMABARA

My uncle Masayoshi has been my father figure since my father died when I was young. He is tall and strong, great Sake drinker, a bit wild and rough, but has a sweet smile ( he is a handsome man and charmer too), Of course he is a great fisherman. I always love the way he calls my childfood name--Tat-chan.

Shelley and I visited his fishing village Shimabara with his two sons Tsukasa & Hiroyuki with his wife Chizuru-san. Hiroyuki did the driving and took us to my grandfather Taizo's grave for flowers and incence before reaching Uncle's house. He is 82 years old now, but he is still the man.


beautiful fisherman villege




Hot spring foot soaker at Obama. The smoke is natural steam from ground




Shelley and Chizuru-san at Obama



Aunt Yoko,Chizuru-san,Hiroyuki,Uncle Masayoshi, Tsukasa and Tatsuo(Goro)



Hiroyuki, Masayoshi and Tat-chan



Uncle's brother Tetsuo-san,Hyroyuki,Uncle's cousin Masashi,Shelley,Chizuru-san,Aunt Yoko, and Uncle Masayoshi

 on

Cousin Tsukasa and me

Fresh food from the sea and their farm

Ceramics for dinner

Hi everyone,  Japanese live ceramics, love ceramics and use ceramics daily in their lives.  Here are some photos from a formal  dinner showing the amazing variety of ceramic ware used.  They mix styles and colors. The Japanese deeply appreciate ceramics from their hearts and souls.

My sensei here is Tasaki-sensei.  He is able to have a studio and shop  in Nagasaki by renting out two front spaces of his shop to a small coffee shop and a cookie vendor.  Yes he only sells cookies, almond and rosemary, 3 for $2.00.  The front vendors use the one bathroom in the studio.  Tasaki-sensei gives lessons to local people and sells his ware.  I wonder if this could work in the US?

Anyway, on to the photos.

I begin with a hello and the international peace sign.  I am standing in a lovely river that runs through Nagasaki.  I have my new parasol as most women here have sun hats or parasols or both.  The sun can get very hot and the days humid, or as they say in Japanese, "jimay-jimay" which means sticky, hot and uncomfortable.

The next photos are from a tempura dinner that a friend took us to at a restaruant.  Check out all the ceramic ware and food!

Tempura

Two sauce pots

Sorry if some of the photos are a little out of focus.  I am becoming a very good beer drinker!

Rice bowl

Three inch dish with pickled vegies

Four inch dish with dessert

Two inch sauce bowl

Small serving bowl

Tea cup

Two more varieties of serving dishes.  The food at the far right is a sea snail that is cooked in the shell with sauce and served.  Very good.  Japanese version of escargot.

The miso soup was cooked with clams in their shells.  Here are the empty shells.

Sayonara from this heron in the river, and for Merrillee,

hello from the koi that also live in the river and that you paint on your beautiful bowls.