The Japanese word for brush calligraphy – shodo – literally means ‘the way of writing’, which I think perfectly captures the essence of it.
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Enter the geisha
When I went to the kimono design studio to work on my noren curtain (more on that soon), I was not expecting to have a geisha come in for a spot of shopping…
Do What You Love interview – Ali de John of The Makerie
I am thrilled to share this interview with a warm and generous soul who has inspired me for some time. A fellow retreat organiser, Ali DeJohn started The Makerie in her hometown to give people the gift of uninterrupted creative time shared with a loving community that is often hard to carve out of our everyday lives. Ali is constantly inspired by anything handmade, homemade and everything cozy. The smallest, most meaningful moments in life are the most magical to her and she feels quite lucky to live in beautiful Boulder, Colorado with her husband and two young children. Today Ali shares an insight into what makes her tick, and just how she has made it possible to do what she loves.
Ohara
Although we have just left Japan, I still have a lot of adventures to share with you here on the blog so I will continue to share these over the next few weeks, starting with Ohara…
Kyoto cafes part 8 – Sagano-yu
Do you ever go into a particular cafe and feel all the tension leaving your shoulders as you give a sigh of happy comfort? That is how I feel when I go into Sagano-yu cafe in Arashiyama, a beautifully restored old Japanese bath house which is now a cafe and shop.
Thank you Japan
It has been amazing. There are so many people and places to thank for making it such a special experience. Here are just a few of them.
Japan: The price we paid, the memories we made
Any bold move, big change or great adventure requires a sacrifice of some kind. This is true in business, life and travel. It’s simple economics – every choice you make has an opportunity cost. Every dollar you spend on a plane ticket is a dollar you can’t spend somewhere else. And the bigger the challenge, the greater the risk… but of course the bigger the reward can be.
Today I found myself sat pondering what we have missed by taking a leap, packing up and moving to Japan for six months.
Shops like this…
When I look back on my time in Kyoto, one of my fond memories will be of time spent wandering around the cities many tiny shops. There is something very special about the way in which Japanese people lay out their spaces, present products, and create an experience for guests (which is what you feel like, rather than a customer).
I am talking about shops like this one – Pao is a clothing and ‘zakka’ accessories/stationery/lovely things store run by the vivacious Junko.
I visited her on the day of a blue moon, and after we had chatted a while about papermaking and all sorts, she reminded me to look up to the night sky for luck and happiness that evening…
Kyoto cafes 7 – Amuca
Packing up and moving on
Six months.
180 days.
Half a year.
It seemed like such a long time back then.
Now it is hard to believe our Japan adventure is nearly over.
As we pack up our things, empty our flat, fold up our memories and tuck away our plans, we head out, hand in hand, for a new adventure.