Welcome

I’m coming back from my 16 night holiday in Japan feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some of the art-y highlights of the trip and how that might translate into my work over the coming year and beyond…

Also, just if you’re wondering where to start planning your own trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, here was our itinery: I wouldn’t have changed a thing! This agenda gives room for getting over jet lag, relaxation, countryside, and city.

• Arrive to Tokyo Haneda
• 2 nights in Yokohama
• Shinkansen from Shin-Yokohama -> Fukuoka (Hakata)
• Car rental from Hakata, drive to Aso region
• 4 nights in Aso
  • Visit Kumamoto, Mt Aso, Takachiho Gorge, Taketa, Miyaji
• 3 nights in Yufuin
  • Visit Yufuin, Beppu, Oita
• Drive back to Hakata, stop at Hita on the way
• Shinkansen back to Tokyo
• 6 nights Tokyo
• Fly home!

Landscapes

The holiday was a tale of two halves: the countryside and the city.
While in the Aso region we were absolutely spoilt to huge vistas, looming mountains, powerful volcanos, and you-couldn’t-imagine-it valleys.
I was taking mental photos throughout of the way clouds formed on the mountains, the mist, and shadows. It was just beautiful.
On the other side, we visited Tokyo and saw Temples, skyscrapers, lights, and people.

Both of these left me buzzing about drawing more landscapes and backgrounds in my work.

Language

Now, I know you can’t draw audio into a picture so hear me out.
I was really proud of myself that I made a real effort to speak as much Japanese as I could during this holiday (even if by the end I was relying a little on the English menus in Tokyo restaurants! It got exhausting!)

Speaking the language though makes all the experiences feel deeper somehow, like I was more of a part of it rather than a spectator. It helped me feel like less of a burden to the Japanese people too!

I’m keen to keep my Japanese skills sharp, so I am thinking of including more text in my work, but only as much as I understand. Kanji for example. Either written into the work, or things like ラ-メン on packaging or shop signs.
I also got a hiragana and katakana stamp set which I can’t wait to use somehow!

The Everyday

When people think Japan they think shrines, temples, bamboo, food, technology, kimono, geisha, samurai, castles, mt Fuji…

While of course I still love all these things and they will for sure be showing up in my work, I want to include the ‘quieter’ things. The things that when you’re there you just know it, even without seeing any of the aforementioned.

Streams, rivers, road crossings, signposts, wires hanging over streets, flora and fauna, convenience, respect for nature, people, and spirituality. I want to capture all these, if I can.

There’s plenty in my head for me to work on over many months (along with all my other projects I’m working on – argh!)

No doubt you’ll be seeing some of the above playing out into my creations soon.