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What was once a luxury hotel in Tokyo’s Akasaka district is slowly but surely shrinking. By use of a new demolition method, the height of the former Akasaka Prince Hotel is becoming shorter by 6.4 meters every 10 days. The job is expected to be complete by April of this year. According to Taisei Construction Company, which is involved in the task, this is only the second time in Japan the new demolition method called the Taisei Ecological Reproduction System or “tekoreppu” for short, which works down from the top but leaves the building’s roof intact until the end, has been utilized. Using temporary pillars to support the existing roof, the building is lowered two floors at a time. Afterwards, the jacks attached to the pillars are lowered. By demolishing materials while leaving the roof intact, dust and noise is reduced. Using cranes to lower the scraps also generates energy, which can be used to power illumination and others. This is an extremely environmentally friendly demolition method that could be said to be the diametric opposite of utilizing explosives.

Finding Mashiko’s ｒustic eauty in this artisan pottery town

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About　two hours north of Tokyo, amongst the rolling hills of Tochigi Prefecture is the artisan town of Mashiko. Known for its own pottery style called Mashiko-yaki – it is simple and rustic, with brown and red as its primary coloring. What makes Mashiko pottery especially vibrant is that unlike many traditional Japanese styles with a long lineage and difficulty to apprentice into, pottery-making here is open to any interested newcomer, regardless of experience. Because the soil of the region is rich in clay, pottery in the Mashiko region dates back to the Japan’s earliest historical periods of Jomon and Yayoi.

Modern Mashiko-yaki dates only to 1853, when a potter “rediscovered” that local clay here was ideal for ceramics. But the Mashiko pottery brand name and local culture was established by a man called Shoji Hamada in 1924. The kiln culture Hamada developed in Mashiko would welcome anyone who wanted to try their hand at pottery and create their own style. Today, there are over 380 potters in this area, with about 300,000 visitors to Mashiko’s annual spring craft fair. Mashiko pottery today is not so much defined as any one style but from the clay used, though a simple look is common.

The wonderful thing about Mashiko pottery is that there are both exquisite and expensive museum-like pieces – usually large sized urns or intricate figurines. But the majority of the products are affordable and easy to use around the house. Decorative pieces can be whimsical and cute.

Tsukamoto Kiln is the largest producer of ceramics in the Mashiko area and boasts a four generation history of pottery making. Today, the Tsukamoto compound which is about a 15-minute walk from Mashiko’s main street, is a wonderful day trip from Tokyo any time of the year. There is a museum, a large shopping plaze, a coffee shop using exquisite tableware and restaurants offering the local specialty, kamameshi, a dish where rice with meat and vegetable is baked in a clay pot. But what makes a trip to Tsukamoto worthwhile is that visitors can spend a day here trying out the electric pottery wheel, shaping by hand or painting their original dishware.

I have heard that throwing (the term used for shaping clay using a wheel) pottery is incredibly healing and finally understood what that meant. It is astounding how relaxing silky, wet clay feels running through your fingers. The image that came to my mind was of former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa who was so stressed out from the bickering world of politics, he retreated to the pottery barn on his estate, churning out beautiful pieces of ceramics. It is easier than I expected. I am not particularly great at making crafts but surprisingly, I managed to successfully make a vase, a plate and a mug. My products were a bit “thick” but that is appropriate for the Mashiko’s rustic look. There are other studios that offer classes but Tsukamoto is an all-in-one destination. Other activities include shaping clay by hand which does not quite have the “relaxation” effect of a pottery wheel but there is more flexibility in creating unique objects. Painting on ceramics is also offered.

Using an electric pottery wheel:

1) Prepare by tying hair back, wearing comfortable clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. While it can be washed out, Mashiko clay is quite stiff and sticky.

2) Sit yourself at the wheel, adjusting the height of the wheel if necessary. An electric pottery wheel is considered harder to use than a kickwheel which you can control the speed by pumping your foot on a pedal. However, with the assistance of the instructor, even first-timers will have no problems using an electric one.

3) It is important not to spin the wheel too fast. However, it is difficult to gauge what is actually a fast speed. You might unconsciously speed up the wheel. You can take your foot off the pedal and the speed is maintained.

4) The instructor prepares the clay and shapes it into an easily to use size.

5) You wet your hands liberally before you throw (the term for shaping pottery on a wheel) the clay.

6) The instructor frequently comes over to check, gives advice and sometimes fiddle with your clay. Occasionally, the clay ends up lopsided and the instructor has to cut off the ruined portion because you cannot remold the clay to be useable again.

7)The first step of throwing the clay is to make an indent in the middle of the lump with your left thumb. Once there is a small well, push down the middle with both thumbs while the rest of your fingers are placed on the outside of the lump, holding it in shape. The general motion is to press down and make a hole from the inside and hold it in place from the outside.
8) To make a plate, you loosen the pressure on the outside and the sides will collapse into a shallow dish. To make a vase or a Japanese tea cup, much more pressure on the outside is necessary to make the clay taller.
9) After you have thrown the clay into the form you desire, you stop the wheel. With the special string attached to a holder, you cut the clay at the bottom of your object with the string and then gently placing it on the side.
10) Anything on the outside of the object can be “touched up.” The instructor says it’s fine if you cut your object a bit uneven because they can always sand it down flat before it is glazed. Scratches on outside surface can also be cleaned up. What they are not capable of is fixing the inside so that part must be molded carefully.
11) There are five different colored glazes to choose from. Within an hour, a person can usually make four to five objects. It is up to you how many to purchase.

The finishing process:
1) After the clay is shaped on the spinning wheel, it is left to harden in open air for two to three days. Then all the rough edges of the clay are smoothed out into a finished form.

2) Before the clay is fully dried, it can be bent in various shapes such as creating waves of the sides, bending it into eight octagon sides or cutting small incisions around the bottom.
3) A coat of watery “dirt” is painted onto the clay to make it stronger, less porous and less susceptible to breakage.
4) It is dried for 3 to 4 days.

5) The dish is put into a gas oven to be baked at 700 Celsius for about eight hours. For larger, more delicate ceramics, the heat may be too much and they are air dried for over a month before baking.

6) The dish is dipped in a pot of glaze. It can now be painted and color can also be sprayed on using an air compressor.
7) Finally the dish is put into the kiln to be baked for about 24 hours at 1260～1280 Celsius.

8) The dishes are taken out and inspected. Some handmade products do not last through this last kilning but at a professional kiln like Tsukamoto, they have enough experience to ensure most are delivered to the creator’s home about six weeks after the dishes are made.

Tsukamoto Kiln
4264 Mashiko machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi
TEL.0285（72）3223　FAX.0285（72）1139
https://www.tsukamoto.net/
Activities:
Spinning wheel is 2,700 yen ($30) for one item, each additional item is 1,200 yen ($13). (1 hour)
Hand shaping is 1,400 yen ($15) for 600 grams of clay which will make a mug and a small plate. (90 minutes)
Painting on pottery ranges from 500 ($5.6) to 1,300 yen ($14) (30 minutes)
Information: Call 0285-72-5151 to book appointments for pottery throwing (walk-ins are fine for the other activities)

Were My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away Inspired by This House?

In the old days when nothing blocked the view, cultivated fields could be seen across the train tracks. This recalls the train scene from Spirited Away.

The old house in Tochigi Prefecture where animated well-known film director Hayao Miyazaki (age 72) once lived as a boy has been converted into a popular gallery where ceramics and photographs by writers and artisans from both Tochigi and other locations are displayed and sold. This traditional Japanese-style house, which may have been an inspiration for My Neighbor Totoro and other films, can now be enjoyed as a space that is merged with contemporary works of art.

When Miyazaki was young, during the War Years, he moved from Tokyo to Tochigi, living in this house from the age of 3 to 9. It has black mortar walls, glass on which the family seal has been etched, and ranma (transom) sloped to prevent dust from settling. A Japanese garden also heightens its appeal. It remains virtually unchanged from their distinctive construction some 80 years ago.

In the DVD produced by Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli, the steep stairs of this house serve as a vivid reminder of the hidden staircase introduced in My Neighbor Totoro. According to the house’s present tenant, Mrs. Asuko Thomas, some visitors say the view of the railroad tracks that can be seen from the second floor reminds them of the train scene in Spirited Away.

In an interview with a vernacular newspaper, director Miyazaki once said, “For me, this is an important place. I think that house, its garden, its lights and shadows helped make me into something. I want to go back and visit there sometimes.” 

With the warmth of the white sliding doors and frosted glass windows, the weather outside quickly affects the indoor brightness. These contrasts of light and shadow make you feel the changes of nature with the warmth of the house.

Hajime Tamura ceramic art exhibition is held between May 11 and 26 Opening hours: １１：００－１７：３０ For more information, call Gallery Hanna at +81 (if overseas) 28-638-6123.

At the end of March next year, a public park is to be opened on the roof of a major junction of Tokyo’s Metropolitan Expressway. With an area of some 7,000 square meters and with a shape resembling the Colosseum in Rome, it will boast a track measuring the same 400-meter circumference as that used in general track and field athletics, varying from 16 to 24 meters in width (from 11 to 35 meters above the street level), and its vertical slope is about 6%. In the space created by the slope, some 1,000 trees of various heights have been planted, along with 30,000 plants for ground covering, enabling visitors to enjoy the changing seasons throughout the year. Beneath the junction’s roof, an “Opus Dream Plaza” measuring some 3,000 square meters in area will feature futsal courts or be available to host local events.

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A major traffic artery, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Expressway carries nearly one million vehicles every day, but at the same time is a source of air and noise pollution. An attempt to turn an unwanted nuisance into something attractive may be unique to a major city like Tokyo. The junction itself, in order to suppress auto exhaust and noise, is a massive slab composed of more than 120,000 cubic meters of concrete. Because the park is under the authority of Tokyo’s Meguro City, it has not been named “Laupta: Castle in the Sky” (as per the 1986 animated film by Hayao Miyazaki), but rather “Meguro Sky Garden.” Meguro’s popular mayor Mr. Eiji Aoki — who’s been nicknamed “Mackerel Pike of Meguro” from the famous annual fish festival of the same name hosted by Meguro — says, “By calling it the Meguro Sky Garden, we would like for it to be the kind of place where many people will be able to familiarize themselves with its appeal.

A major traffic artery, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Expressway carries nearly one million vehicles every day, but at the same time is a source of air and noise pollution. An attempt to turn an unwanted nuisance into something attractive may be unique to a major city like Tokyo. The junction itself, in order to suppress auto exhaust and noise, is a massive slab composed of more than 120,000 cubic meters of concrete. Because the park is under the authority of Tokyo’s Meguro City, it has not been named “Laupta: Castle in the Sky” (as per the 1986 animated film by Hayao Miyazaki), but rather “Meguro Sky Garden.” Meguro’s popular mayor Mr. Eiji Aoki — who’s been nicknamed “Mackerel Pike of Meguro” from the famous annual fish festival of the same name hosted by Meguro — says, “By calling it the Meguro Sky Garden, we would like for it to be the kind of place where many people will be able to familiarize themselves with its appeal.

1 Smart phones (1)

2. Tokyo SkyTree (3)

3. Facebook and other SNSs where users register their real names (27)

4. Robot vacuum cleaners (21)

5. Salt yeast (127)

6. “Sugi-chan” (entertainer) (-)

7. Characters for promoting local regions (-)

8. Female idol groups such as AKB48 (5)

9. London Olympics (-)

10. Low-cost Carrier airlines (LCC) (39)

In November 2011, Dentsu Research conducted a nationwide survey of 1,000 male and female adults from age 20 to 69. The respondents selected smart phones as the most conspicuous item of 2012. Several years earlier, cell phones which folded on a hinge were the main type use, but now their share of the overall market has declined sharply — an indication of how rapidly the world of information technology is changing. The 3rd place item in the survey, facebook and other SNSs, also showed major gains in the number of users. These are now widely utilized for promotional activities by corporations as well. In forth place were robot vacuum cleaners, some 300,000 of which were sold in Japan last year. They had first made their appearance several years ago, but more recently the increase in number of companies manufacturing them has led to greater consumer recognition.

Shiokoji or salt yeast rose to 5th place from 127th the year before. Salt and yeast are mixed with water and fermented and matured to create a traditional Japanese flavoring, which has been used from ancient times to pickle or preserve vegetables or fish. More recently the item has found its way into cookbook recipes and has been introduced on TV programs.

Sugi-chan, stage name of popular entertainer Eiji Sugiyama, came from out of nowhere to be ranked 6th place. The performing girls’ troupe AKB48 declined from 5th to 8th place, but still remained in the top 10.

According to analysis by Dentsu Research, this year Japan will continue to show signs of its having overcome the inconveniences to living created by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and it is supposed the economy will shift from one of contraction to a more optimistic one in which consumption reflects livelier and brighter mentality. The report says there will be such tendencies that people try to find better results than their expectations, they are willing to find newness in old things, or want to be alone, but at the same time, seeking out relationships with others.

Silent Beauty of Sado Island

Sado Island, just off the coast of Niigata, has quietly been getting on with life for centuries. The island with a population of just over 60,000 floats on a sea of stories, involving: exile, gold, extreme population growth then decline, a boom in tourism amongst Japanese mainlanders in the 90s that is slowly petering out, while also laying claim to being the final sanctuary of the endangered Japanese Crested Ibis, or toki in Japanese. This island has a plethora of stories to tell and luckily for inquisitive visitors, some kind and friendly folks more than happy to tell them. Hidden secrets wait peacefully on the island for those willing to take a trip to hear them.

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Seisuiji Temple

Seisuiji is an atmospheric old temple which can be found hidden away in a forest of pines in the Niibono area on the island. The three Chinese characters used to write the temple name, Seisuiji (清水寺), are the same three used at the famous temple in Kyoto, Kiyomizudera – clear water temple. The difference being that in Kyoto, the Japanese reading is used for the characters, and on Sado the Chinese reading is used. Seisuiji was established during the 9th century by a Buddhist monk from Kyoto, ostensibly for inhabitants of Sado Island to pray at, without having to go all the way to Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. There are resemblances between the two temples.

Sado Gold Mine

Sado struck gold in an area known as Aikawa in 1601. It had been dug for 388 years and one of the largest gold mine in the world at that time. The excavation caused a surge in population growth during the period as ambitious mainlanders flocked to the island in search of fortune. At its most productive period during the Edo era (1603-1867), the mine was producing 400kg of gold per annum. The gold mine was functioning up until 1989 under the Mitsubishi banner, but is now open to visitors wishing to take a peek into the lives of the miners in days of yore. There are two courses on offer – a historic one looking at conditions in the Edo period, and a slightly more modern course which looks at conditions in the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Shukunegi Village

Shukunegi village is a well-preserved old town, with a distinctive quaint feel to it. The windy streets are all tied in with Shukunegi’s history as a port town inhabited by ship craftsmen, hence why those wooden houses have a ship-like feel to them. As well as hidden cafes and restaurants, the village is host to many stories. As you wander through the streets, you may notice some houses with small doors. This was due to a taxation law based on the size of a house’s door – thus people made their doors smaller to pay less tax. Crafty!

Noh Theatre

With approximately 35 Noh[1] stages on the island (making up about a third of the total number of stages in the whole of Japan), Sado Islanders are passionate about this art form which is rich in tradition and history. The large presence of Noh stages on the island, and the passion of the local people for it, can probably be put down to the fact that one of the big names of Noh, Zeami Motokiyo, was sent to Sado as a political exile during the 15th Century. During the spring and summer months, arts festivals and events are rife on the island, and in June, Noh plays can be seen throughout the island every Friday.

Taraibune: Barrel Boats

For those looking to try something unique to Sado, taking a ride in a taraibune (a small boat made from a barrel) is well worth a look. Traditionally used in fishing for abalone and other sea creatures that dwell in rocky areas, the barrels allowed for easy access to areas that other boats were not so maneuverable in. Visitors can take a ride in a barrel boat from Ogi Town.

How to Get to Sado

There are a number of ways to get to Sado island from Tokyo. The fastest is to take the Shinkansen from JR Tokyo Station to Niigata, then take a bus from JR Niigata to Sado Kisen Terminal. From Sado Kisen Terminal, a quick hop on the “Jetfoil” will take you across to Ryotsu Port on the Island in roughly one hour. Once on the Island itself, getting around by bus, rental car or bicycle is no problem at all. For those on a tighter budget, a highway bus will take you from Shinjuku to JR Niigata, followed by the bus to Sado Kisen Terminal. From Sado Kisen Terminal, there are also ferries which take approximately 180 minutes and are cheaper than the Jetfoil.

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[1] Noh is a musical dance drama that was developed fully in the Muromachi period (1338-1573) by Kanami and his son Zeami and supported by the samurai (warrior) for a long time. Noh is characterized by the masks the actors wear, which have primary importance in the plays.

Hyakunin Isshu is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese waka by one hundred poets. Waka is classical Japanese poetry composed in combinations of five- and seven-syllabled lines. There were several different forms of waka in ancient times, but most styles gradually disappeared except for tanka, the dominant style of waka composed in 5-7-5-7-7 syllabled lines. It can also refer to the card game which uses a deck composed of cards based on the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. It was compiled by Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241) while he lived in the Mt. Ogura’s villa, Sagano district of Kyoto. There are several methods of playing the game that are relatively less demanding and thus are easier to play. Due to the simplicity of some of the rules, it has been a popular game amongst the general public. Games are sometime played in official national competition.

Something that foreign people who come to Japan never fail to be surprised at is Japanese railways. They make no secret of their surprise at “Trains that come exactly by the timetable – it’s amazing” and “If the train is just two or three minutes late they even apologize and say ‘We are terribly sorry’.” However, that’s partly because in Japan, the railways are a means of transportation for citizens that is indispensable to everyday life.

A museum related to those railways is located in Saitama Prefecture, and is the largest museum of that kind in Japan. The museum was opened on October 14, 2007 by an foundation affiliated with East Japan Railway Company (JR East), based around a theme of the history, technology, and inner workings of the railways. The museum has proved very popular ever since it opened, and reached the five million visitor mark in April last year. That’s well over one million visitors a year.

The museum brings out the attraction of the railways with features such as a collection of roughly 580,000 items (around 2,000 of which are actually exhibited), 36 real trains on exhibit, Japan’s largest diorama model railway, and train driving simulators.

A woman in her 30s who was visiting for the second time said half-jokingly, “Coming here temporarily turns me into a Tetsuko! (Female railway fanatic)”

The spacious museum building, with a floor space of 28,000m² spread over three floors, is divided into six zones. It’s kind of railway theme park where you can see, learn, ride and play – so there’s something to enjoy even if you don’t like railways so much. In addition, there are also restaurants where you can savor curry and rice served in a bygone-era dining car or try the special meals supplied to train crew only. You can also purchase popular ekiben boxed lunches and eat them inside the train exhibits (limited trains only). It feels like a simulated experience of a real little train journey.

A man from Tokyo in his 50s seemed to find it deeply moving. “Ah, those were the days. This brings back memories of the old days when I used to board a train with a lady and go off on a journey. I’d like to go back to those times!” A woman from Saitama Prefecture in her 20s was intrigued. “The trains in the old days were more stylish. If there were trains like these today, I’d like to ride in them.” A male also from Saitama in his 30s said, “Next time, I’d like to bring some drink here and have a party in one of the trains.”

However visitors can freely eat and drink in some of the exhibition trains, alcohol is not permitted.

The five train driving simulators are particularly popular with children. The simulators offer an authenticity that even adults can enjoy, which includes the use of real footage of the Yamanote line actually running through central Tokyo. In addition, the train driver experience class features the actual training equipment used for developing professional train drivers, which must be a constant delight for railway fanatics. The facility gives the impression of being something that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of their generation. Indeed, many visitors bringing their families are seen on weekends. Noting the popularity of this museum, West Japan Railway Company (JR West) is also planning a railway museum in Kyoto. Scheduled to open in spring 2016 for a total project cost of seven billion yen ($77 million), the museum aims to attract 800,000 visitors a year.

150 Series steam locomotive (first steam locomotive)

This was the steam locomotive used when Japan’s railways first started operating in 1872. Made in the UK, it connected Shinbashi and Yokohama – a distance of roughly 29km – in 53 minutes. It is also listed as “kokuho”, a nationally important cultural asset.

The original Shinkansen bullet train

This is the front part of the 0 Series train that was put into service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, which started operating in 1964. It is the main attraction of the Shinkansen-related exhibition. You can actually go inside and experience what it was like in a 0 Series car at the time.

Japan’s largest HO scale model railway diorama

The diorama intricately recreates not just railways, but also buildings and even people. The lighting changes for nighttime, midday, and morning, while detailed performances such as fireworks going off are also a must-see.

Stove trains

Even today, stove trains are in active service in cold northern areas such as Hokkaido. It’s said that some people place a mesh on top of the stove and grill dried squid.

Driving experience

Although there are five simulators, including trains in current use, the main attraction is the D51 Series steam locomotive. You can experience just what it was like to actually operate a steam locomotive. The specifications are authentic and it cost 100 million yen ($1.11 million) to make. Tasks such as loading coal into the furnace with a scoop, and the shaking and rolling of the train, are intricately recreated.