Sunday 15 April 2012

Rain, Fabric and Sushi Rolls

It's a sunny morning after a very wet day yesterday and I heard from Al that it is frosty at home and he had to light the fire.  I have had my last night at Mr Sawa's and this afternoon will be meeting my Indigo Sisters at the Hilton in Shinjuku and tomorrow heading to Bryan's to start the Japanese Textile Study Tour.
Yesterday I met up with Carin and we were intending to visit the Japan Traditional Craft Centre but it had disappeared!  Carin let me know last night that she had discovered it is relocating and will re-open on 23 April.  I shall have to start a "next time list".  Instead of the craft centre and because of the wet weather Carin and I decided there was nothing for it but to go fabric shopping!  She was very self controlled and bought some Liberty lawn for her miniature quilt project.  I, on the other hand, was like a child in a sweet shop and I will share my purchases (in photo form) when I get home.  I was also amazed by the selection of notions and items for a wide selection of textile crafts in the shop we visited.
After a tasty lunch I headed to my little home in Yanaka to prepare for my next adventure - the sushi and sobu party!  Heading out into the rain with a couple from Holland and a family from Germany and led by Isao we boarded a bus (another new experience) and travelled towards Ueno.  After this I was lost but we ended up at Soba-House Daishizen and received a very warm welcome and discovered we were going to make the sushi and then eat it.  Readers of a certain age may remember the Generation Game?  It was similar!  The sushi rolls we made were cut to reveal a rose.  






Yoko made us some more that she cut to reveal a cherry tree in full blossom.  We also had sobu noodles which we told to slurp - and then I cleaned my glasses.  I discovered more about the elastic band which was in my bento box!  It was actually made from a gourd and the version we had last night was very tasty, I think the piece in the lunch box was a bit dry.  However, when I described the rice parcel to Yoko she said it was very special.  Look at Carin's comment on my last post and you will see that she has very kindly provided some links to show all of this.  The sushi evening was part of the programme of events organised by People's Educational and Cultural Exchange and was a great success.
So today....I am off to the Tokyo International Forum and a flea market/antique fair. Then off to meet up with Nat and co.  A massive thank you to Julie and Carin who have been such generous hosts and helped me to see and enjoy far more of Tokyo than I dreamed of.  They are both a delight and so when people say don't meet up with people you 'know' on the internet the warnings don't apply to quilters.  More news when I can.

2 comments:

  1. I'm amazed how you can keep running from one activity to another. I wonder if you might have found some potery at the antique fair ... or maybe some vintage kasiri...

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  2. Yes, Julie, Lis did indeed find some pottery!

    Today was another great day!
    First we took the tube to Nijubashimae, left the luggage in a locker at the station and walked up to street level where we saw the (Outer) Imperial Moat, then on to Tokyo International Forum and its Sunday Flea market. There was a fantastic mix of things for sale. Eg. Japanese pipes with their small heads and tobacco pouches,
    http://www.sarudama.com/miscellaneous/kiseru.shtml,
    the ink well and ink sticks, the soup bowls in lacquer (Japan), black and shiny, with gold decorations inside the lid and light as a feather, there was the Japanese metal pegs to hang clothes on a bamboo 'washing line', and the English ones!!!, the stencils of cut paper for printing kimono fabric, lots of kimono and you bought a small piece of shibori (tie dye) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdy42_ecGM
    and a small dish of Ontayaki pottery, http://japanartsandcrafts.com/ontayaki.html
    We walked up the slope inside the Forum to view the airy architecture, you saw Tokyo station's red brick facade and a Shinkansen train departing the station.
    We then had a sandwich lunch at Kobeya, but not until I had led you astray (again, ha, ha). By tube we crossed over to Shinjuku where we took the lift up to the 45th floor of the Metropolitan Governmental Office's observation deck. There you got a bird's view of Tokyo and saw many places you had seen or visited during your stay; the Baybridge and its monorail line, Tokyo Dome next to Korakuen Garden, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Sky Tree, Yuzawaya fabric shop, you saw Meiji Shrine and its wast green belt where you walked with Julie. There was the playground on the rooftop of a school, the slanting top floors of some buildings (to let the neighbouring buildings get sun light) and the cherry viewing parties in the park next to Hilton Hotel. Had the weather been a bit clearer you would have seen Mt Fuji and the mountain range that surrounds the capital.
    I was happy to leave you in the good hands of your friend Nat at the Hilton, but sad to say goodbye for this time.
    Thank you for visiting us in Tokyo and have a great time in Fujino!
    Much love,
    Carin

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I really appreciate your lovely comments, ideas and opinions, they make my day. Thank you for visiting Piece'n'Peace,
hugs, Lis x