Some of the things we did in Tokyo (well, and outside Tokyo, cause I'm including a trip to Nagoya), not including amazing restaurants but trying to hit all the fiber stuffs, in no particular order. I'm filling in links as I get them posted.
- Random pics of things I've seen in Japan.
- Mingaikan (Japanese Folk Crafts Museum) had their annual exhibition and sale of new works. No pictures were allowed. We saw stunning weaving, shibori, pottery, brooms, baskets. This may have been the highlight of my trip. Amazing.
- I was fleeing Harajuku, walking down that big shopping street that runs right over the Chiyoda line in Omotesando; there was a little shop selling hand woven jackets. Some patterned, some saori, Again, no pics, no name... I think it was close to the Apple store. My eco print vest was much admired. Language failed.
- Okadaya in Shinjuku is a 9 story? craft store with everything in it. Next door they have 4 or more floors of fabric.
- National Museum of Art and it's crafts building.
- Arimatsu Narumi ShiboriKaikan Tie dye museum in Arimatsu near Nagoya with stunning Edo period warehouses. I've posted pictures that my DH took here.
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology has more looms with iterative improvements and spinning equipment than I have ever seen!!! It covers technologies from the back strap loom and drop spindle on up to very modern machines with an emphasis on early 20th century innovations. Oh yeah, they also have a huge warehouse of automotive stuffs. While you're in Nagoya, eat the traditional Hitsumabushi, or bowl full of eels.
- Kabuki-za.
- Oji Fox parade on New Years Eve. I found out about it from Time Out Tokyo, which meant all the foreigners in Tokyo also knew about it and half showed up. It's not a costume party or New Years eve ball, it's a family event. Here's a human dressed as a fox dressed as a human and some other photos are here. We bailed on the parade after some time; it takes and hour to go the small distance between the two shrines in Oji; and ended up seeing some fabulous things which the dark made impossible to photograph. We watched a slow procession of foxes (it looked to be some upper class foxes with their retainers, guards, drummers and pipers), and witnessed families lining up to ring the temple bell and make their prayers at midnight. It was a great experience.
- Cat temple.
- Jazz shows, particularly http://www.shimpei-musicworld.com/profile and how the language of jazz differs in other countries; I thought the language of music was universal!
- The Cover Nippon in Tokyo Midtown for traditional crafts at a Tokyo Midtown price... I scored an antique silk shibori kimono here for 10000 Yen.
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