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7月 17, 2017 0

Marine Day

Today is a public holiday in Japan.

It’s called 海の日(Umi no hi) means Marine Day.

As you know Japan is an island, it’s a day to thank the blessings of the sea.

It’s held on the third Monday in July so we had a bit long weekend:)

Wakalture’s activities
http://www.wakalture.com/activities/

7月 17, 2017 0

Advanced Calligraphy course

As I have over 22 years of experience and license to teach Japanese Calligraphy, I’ve made an activity “Advanced Calligraphy”.
Another one, “Beginners Calligraphy” is only for experience to just try one of traditional Japanese cultures.

At this Advanced course, I teach more skills and techniques. 

This is for people who…
would like to know Japanese Calligraphy deeply
would like to start to learn Japanese Calligraphy
has experienced Japanese Calligraphy somewhere already
learns Japanese Calligraphy


As she is into arts, she decided to make this day “art day”.
Wakalture is close to Ueno where has many museums.

I also prepared her own Calligraphy tools such as brush, ink, ink stone etc… as she wanted to buy:)

The end of the course, she asked me if she could come back the next day!!
I was so impressed and happy as this meant she liked, enjoyed it. And she though it was worthy:)
Fortunately, I was available in the morning. So she could come back to learn more!!

At the first day, we went for lunch together after the lesson.
We had tempura soba at a local soba restaurant.
The owners are actually my friend’s parents from elementary school !!lol

Wakalture’s activities
http://www.wakalture.com/activities/

This is her review on Trip advisor:)
“A must-do to experience in Japanese culture”
Add Wakalture to the top of your list. I signed up for one two-hour class. I enjoyed it so much that I took another class the next day. I suggest spending a couple hours with Wakana and then walking nearby to some of Tokyo’s popular attractions. 

Pros:
– Learning Shodo art and being introduced to Japanese language.
– Opportunity to experience Japanese culture outside of hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
– Her studio is located in a residential area that is less touristy and more traditional. She is located among family-owned shops and restaurants. 
– I walked to Ueno Park. It has a huge pond, places to sit, a market, museums, and shrines.
– Wakana is patient, friendly, speaks English well, and treated me like a good friend. 

Cons:
– I was commuting from Yokohoma, and the subway ride took an hour and a half each way. If I had I been staying in Tokyo, Wakana’s studio would have been quick and easy. She is located near several subway stations.

Visited June 2017
7月 12, 2017 0

Summer greeting card

 
I did a workshop making summer greeting card “Shochumimai” (暑中見舞い) at Keio department store in Shinjuku.
I’ve done another workshop making new years card before. Then they offered me again fortunately:)

Summer in Japan is super muggy. So we send the card to wish their health.


They were all Japanese. I usually teach Japanese Calligraphy (Shodo) to foreigners. But I’ve found the Japanese were almost same as foreigners. I mean things I taught them. Only except they know Kanji so that I didn’t teach order of strokes. 

Calligraphy is a Japanese traditional culture.
But unfortunately most of Japanese don’t know about it well.
Especially younger people and my generation, we don’t really use brushes to write:(
It’s a good opportunity to experience/know our traditional culture:)

Wakalture’s activities
http://www.wakalture.com/activities/

6月 22, 2017 0

Full day of Japanese experience!!

This awesome family from Australia came to Wakalture for the beginners Calligraphy (Shodo) class in the morning then Tea ceremony class in the afternoon!!

The guy, Matt, he message me through Wakalture’s Instagram:)
And decided to take the classes!!

They picked their own favorite word. 
They wrote 双子(futago) which means twins:) Yes, they’re twins!!
First time to have twin guests:D

Next to them, she wrote 家(ie) which means home. She wanted to write family(家族) but it’s a bit too difficult so picked 家:)
Matt picked a perfect word “journey” 旅(tabi).
On the left of Matt, she wrote SUSHI(鮨):D!!
On the right of Matt, she is Japanese who lives in Australia then picked the word 豪 which means Australia:)

After they had lunch, I took them to the place for Tea ceremony.
It’s just 5 minutes away:)
First, they were served Matcha green tea with this Japanese sweets, Nerikiri.
This shows Japanese seasons. So this is a rose and it was the season for rose in Japan.
In March, other guests had cherry blossoms sweets *not taste just looking!
 
Very nice to drink bitter tea after tasting the sweet rose:)
Then, they made their own Matcha green tea and served their family!!

She (on the left) was impressed that her daughter made it for her:)
I spent only a half day but it was enough to see how great family they are!!

Bisui sensei (Tea ceremony teacher) gave a chance to wear Kimono too:)
 
Her birthday was just around the corner and she wished to wear Kimono so it was a perfect present for her!!
I saw she was almost crying…!!;) She looked super happy!!

They are family but live different parts of Australia. Then planed to get all together here in Japan!! How cool is that:D I’m glad we could show them our culture:)

5月 31, 2017 0

Rose garden

I went to Ikuta ryokuchi rose garden last weekend:)

The garden opens in late spring and autumn.
It was the last day so some of them were dying unfortunately 🙁
But still very beautiful!!

There were a lot of kinds and colours of roses!!
This rose garden is a bit far from the city but it’s free entrance:)

Web site (Ikuta ryokuchi)
http://www.ikutaryokuti.jp/hp/forein_en.html

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