Mashiko Pottery Festival

Back in Japan, I'm excited to attend the Mashiko Pottery Festival.  I collect pottery coffee mugs and occasionally purchase other handmade items, so I look forward to doing some shopping.  We travel for about 3 hours on our tour bus.  There's lots of storage under the bus, so we all have our rolling shopping bags for our goodies!  It's comfortable, but no bathroom.  Luckily we take a break at a highway rest area.  It's been a long time since I've stopped at one.

Our bus - I actually took this picture so I could find it again when we stopped. :)

At the Mashiko Pottery Sales Center parking lot

We arrive at the festival, and it's huge - there are about 500 tents set up, most of them full of pottery.  I'm concerned that I won't find coffee mugs because so many people drink tea here, but my fears are quickly laid to rest when I see them at the first booths.

Inside the Sales Center

We start at the Mashiko Pottery Sales Center, a permanent structure.  It's large parking lot is filled with tents - and it looks like a lot.  But then as I walk to the main street (Jonaizaka Dori) they continue on both sides of the street as far as I can see.  This is going to be fun!

There are also little pockets of booths, so if you go off the main road you might find 10-20 more potters set up in a cluster.  Some of my favorite pieces come from here and they're a little less crowded than the main street shops.

A "secret" niche of items

This district has produced pottery for more than a 1000 years.  It's considered "earthier" than some of Japan's other pottery centers, and viewed more as folkcraft and modern tablewear vs artwork. In the mid-1900s, Shoji Hamada was one of Mashiko's most famous potters and is credited with elevating the area's status.  Currently there about 400 working kilns here.

The dye vats and fire pits.

Indigo dye is also a product of this region, and I stop in at Higeta Indigo Dye Workshop where you can see the process at work.  This is a ninth-generation business, so I think they've gotten good at it!  Unfortunately, it's also expensive - about $150 for a tunic style shirt - so I skip making any purchases here.

 

Scarves for sale

I decide there's no way I can keep an arrangement safe from harm while shopping
and on the bus ride home.  Bummer!

There are also some booths with handmade jewelry, and a custom flower arrangement seller.  He had a crowd of people watching and it was fun seeing him make his creations.   Overwhelmingly though, it's pottery for sale, at a variety of price points.  I find plenty of coffee mugs that cost $15, but also ones that are $75.  It's the same with the kitchenware - nice works are $20, but we do see a vase that is $5000 (no one bought it).  Most prices seem to be one third to one half of what they would cost at a gallery.  What a deal! 

It's a gorgeous fall day - the trees are changing colors and there's no clouds in the sky. What a perfect day to be outside.

The actual colors!

Those aren't feet at the bottom of the statue...

There's one other famous resident in Mashiko - the giant tanuki statue near the Sales Center.  Tanuki are Japanese raccoon dogs, though they're not related to raccoons at all (they're part of the Canidae family, like wolves and foxes).  They're prevalent in Japanese folklore and in the past few centuries they're seen as having a harmless, jovial lifestyle focused on bestowing humans with good fortune and prosperity.  What makes them chuckle-worthy is how they are depicted - usually with a giant scrotum.  

Here's the story of how that came to be (thank you, mnn.com):

actual tanuki

Believe it or not, the mythical tanuki's exaggerated scrotum has nothing to do with male virility or sexual over-indulgence. The origin of this defining characteristic dates back to 19th century, when metal workers wrapped gold in tanuki skin before hammering it into gold leaf. The strength of the tanuki's skin was so great that, according to legend, a tiny piece of gold could be hammered thin enough to stretch across eight tatami mats. Because the Japanese terms for a small ball of gold ("kin no tama") and testicles ("kintama") are so phonetically similar, the image of a tanuki with a gigantic testicular region is now associated with good fortune and stretching one's money.

Our tour group...and the giant tanuki statue

Since they represent prosperity and good luck, look for the statue at the entrance of Japanese bars and restaurants!

Everyone's happy with their acquisitions and we have a fun time at the back of the bus for the trip home.

Cheers!

When I unpack my items I find my pieces are unbroken (sigh of relief).  Here are my new coffee mugs...




 

 

...and one of two matching serving bowls.

Relaxing

Taking time for a romantic dinner before we leave

We do spend some time relaxing during our vacation!  As part of our "honeymoon" package, we're able to enjoy two hours at the hotel spa. 

Steve gets a lesson in spa treatments. He decides to go for a run and returns 15 minutes before our appointment time.  At this point we should already be at the facility!  He does a fast clean up, and the spa calls to check on us while he's showering.  At least now he knows!  After we arrive and fill out our paperwork (and do other important stuff like pick out our scents for the oil massage) we change into our robes and disposable underwear.  I tell Steve you'll always think you have the underwear on backwards, but if you take it off and turn it around, it will feel the same!  Sure enough, he doesn't think it's on right.  I don't think these things are actually meant to fit anyone.

After our massage, we get a scrub, then a yogurt mask. Steve hates the yogurt. I don't think he'll be trying this at home (or eat the yogurt crumble at breakfast in the morning).  After we rinse that off, we have a flower filled bath.  The entire surface of the large tub is covered with a variety of different colored flowers, and it spells out "I heart U".  So pretty, and we're disappointed we're not able to take a picture.  Then we finish up with time in the steam room, a cool bath, and a hot tub. It's a relaxing way to start the evening!

Next we have a complementary dinner under the stars.  We have a special place all set up for us - here's some close ups. 

Luckily no breeze tonight!

It took some time to position all these flowers so perfectly.

We have six courses of artfully arranged, good food.  It's more of a European theme, but we try some new things, like beetroot sorbet (different, but surprisingly tasty)...

Yummy!

The food coordinates with the tablecloth!

Almost full

 ...and the moon pops out every once and awhile from the clouds.

Bali is known for its spas, so we visit Karsa, one of the top ranked ones on Tripadvisor.  Prices are unbelievable, too - between the two of us we have six hours of services, and it cost $75.  I could do this every day!  It's beautiful here, too.  We choose the outdoor treatment rooms, though I'm worried it'll be too hot.  But the thatched roof and ceiling fan keeps me from sweating.  When you're in the massage beds they have pretty flowers below your face - it's a nice touch.  I decide to try one of the specials, a 30-minute chakras alignment.  It doesn't seem to do anything for me.  I should have had the extra back & neck massage like Steve.  He skips the scrubs and masks this time.

The path leading to the rooms.

Our room - we start with massages.

I wish my phone could catch
all the beautiful colors.

Steve relaxes at the cafe while I finish my appointments.  My last one is a pedicure, and I move to a different facility for it.  There's a beautiful view of the water lily ponds and the moon coming out.

This picture is actually from dinner, but you get the idea
of Steve's version of relaxing!

one of our courses

We have dinner another night at the hotel restaurant, where we are also entertained by several Balinese dancers. This performance doesn't have all the costumes and props like the other one we saw.  Again, I see the relationship with "Bollywood" style dances, along with the Hawaiian hula, and even the Japanese geisha dances. Steve is able to stay awake, unlike when we saw the geishas!  Maybe it's due to our meal - we select an 8-course Indonesian dinner, with accompanying wines. We enjoy trying all sorts of dishes!  The wines come from all around the world - Indonesia doesn't produce a lot of wine. 

picture from the dance

I didn't realize they did so much with their
eyes when they dance - but it's very
conspicuous, even from a distance.

Of course, I spend time in our balé and and the lounge chairs.  In the shade with a light breeze it feels great. I decide to work on my tan (I don't get a lot of sun in Tokyo) and once I move into the light it's very hot.  I'm glad to have the pool to jump in to cool off.  I'm only in the sun for ninety minutes and I put on sunblock, but I still burn a little. It's a strong equatorial sun!

View from our private pool - I will miss this!

Bali Culture

Volcano selfie!

We decide to spend a day exploring the area around Ubud.  This time we have a driver/guide from our hotel, and he's wonderful at driving (thankfully!) and explaining the area to us (also good!).  He tells us Japan had possession of Bali in the early 1940s, and so people, including his grandfather, learned Japanese.

One of the immortal creatures

We start the day watching a Balinese style dance at Batubulan.   It's similar to "Bollywood" style dancing, and this performance tells a story regarding the gods and other immortals.  I like the music better than the geisha dance we saw in Kyoto.  I learn the instruments are only played while in the group - never individually (then how do they learn how to play them?).

The "band"

Looking stylish!

Our next stop is Goa Gajah, the Elephant Cave temple.  It was built sometime in the 9th century to ward off evil spirits.  It had disappeared into the jungle, but was rediscovered by the Dutch around 1923.  To visit the temple, Steve has to put on a sarong.  It's his first time wearing one! 

The entrance to the cave...why does it look like it wants
to eat me?!  I thought this was a sanctuary.

The elephant statue - lots of offerings
being made daily.

Steve relaxing on the roots of the banyan tree.

At the temple Steve likes getting to play with a few of the instruments when we come across them set up and not being used. He's lucky our guide is there, or I would have told him not to touch them!

From there we go to the scenic Tegenungan Waterfall.  It's about 65 feet high, and we walk down a lot of large steps to get to the base.  (I find I lead with my right foot when I go down stairs, but lead with my left when going up them.  I wonder if that means anything?)  I'm wishing I brought my bathing suit like Steve - it would feel good to cool off in the water!  But it doesn't really matter, because it's a long walk back up the stairs from the waterfall and even Steve is sweaty again.  The high steps aren't a problem for Steve, but I get a quad workout with all the huge steps I have to take - obviously no building code here!  Luckily, our driver meets us with cold, damp towels (he sits out the hike) so we're able to refresh ourselves a bit.

Where we start our climb down to the waterfall.

That's Steve, waving his arms under the waterfall!

We drive to the Kintamani area for lunch with a fabulous view - Mount Batur.  It's an active volcano with a caldera lake.  We're feeling pretty safe, since the last time it erupted was in 2000.  It's also about 10 degrees cooler up the mountain, so that's a nice break from the 95-degree temperatures and humidity we've been feeling all morning.

It looks like a postcard!

Continuing on our drive, we go to Tirta Empul, the Holy Spring Water Temple. We're very lucky - that night there's a full moon, which coincides with a cleansing festival they have here. So there are hundreds of people there, getting ready to be cleansed in the pools, give their offerings, and perform special dances. Everyone looks like they're happy and they're having fun.  What a treat to view a part of Balinese culture!

People move from one spout to the next - nine in total.
  Each one is for cleansing & praying about a specific thing.

I think our guide is watching to make sure Steve doesn't
decide to jump in the water to be cleansed!

I finally learn the meaning of the umbrellas - they are a sign of prosperity and welcome.  They've been everywhere, from our check-in counter at the Tokyo airport to shops to street corners. 




The offering are traditionally carried on people's heads...again, lots of talent (and good posture)!

She's using her hands, but still - wow!

 


There are different prayer services....

Yes, even the boys dance!

...special dances....

Not like a Louisiana parade though - no candy is thrown to the crowd.

....even a parade!

Bonus points if you catch a fish.

It's not all work though!  Kids have time to play with the fish...





 

I think they're playing poker.

...and adults relax "backstage" until it's their turn to perform!










Lots of cool statues are around, too.  This one is similar to the ones we see at the crossroads.  The fabric "skirt" wrapped around the statues and some of the trees indicate they are holy.
 

He looks very tough!

Very cool looking!

Is he scratching his back?

I finally have a chance to take pictures of the carvings that might translate into quilting designs.  It's been difficult - not because pretty carvings are hard to find, but because it's hard to get a good picture while traveling in a car.  
 

This would make a nice border pattern!

A little overexposed so you can see us better.

The final stop on our tour is the Tegallalang terraced rice fields.  This is my favorite view of the day!  I'm not sure why - it's very green and geometrical, but I can't figure out why it's so pleasing to my eye.  It just is!

Look - hourglass blocks!

It doesn't have anything to do with this being the only place I saw quilts for sale (I saw this afterwards). 

So pretty!