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It seems that everyone we met gave us gifts! When we got home, we laid them out on the dining room table for this photo. There is actually more than what you see here. The day we were riding the train to Kyoto, Maya-san noticed I was sweating so, naturally, she gave me a fan. It's hand-painted by her fellow artist friend with the character for "Wind". I'll add a photo of that fan in a couple days. Mizue-san's niece Hiroko-chan also gave us a beautiful ceramic plate she made. The glazing and the form were so pretty, and it was signed and embossed with her seal. But that plate never even made it back to our hotel. I managed to break it when I let my backback drop to the floor in the karaoke box. (It's a pretty clean break, so I'm going to try to glue it back together. I know it won't be the same, but I will try to make it LOOK good.) I'll post a picture here when I've repaired it. |
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This detail shows the handkerchiefs that Sakura-san gave us on the day we were leaving. And the thick stack of her postcards that Mizue-san gave us that same day on the train going to the airport. My favorite cards are all in there, and the one on top reads "Aete yokatta". (It was nice that we could meet.) Ee, yokatta. Yes, it was indeed. |
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This detail shows, at the top, the decorative comb, several toothpick holders, and the purse that Nobara-san gave Christeen for o-miyage. Just below that, Midori's gifts are several of her postcards (in the one on top, the angel is asking the weather cock "It's morning so why aren't you crowing?"), some of her buttons, some tiny blank books (she's encouraging us to get creative), and two stationery pads of incredible paper that seems to have cherry blossoms embedded in the paper pulp! In the lower right corner, this is probably the best shot of a set of coasters with embroidery of classic Japanese design motifs. (These were given to us, I think, by Wadatchi. I confess, I was confused by the sheer volume of gifts given to us that day by as yet unfamiliar people.) |
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On the left is a drawstring purse given to Christeen by Shirukku-san. The note, on cute paper, reads "Howard-san, I'm happy that we could meet. Enjoy Japan's springtime before you have to go back home. I wish you health and long life. Shiruku." So nice. At center-right are two owl items given to us by Megumi-san: a keyring and a mimikaki (for cleaning your ears). Megumi-san said "Please think of me whenever you clean your ears.") Haha! |
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This original tanka poem was written for us by Mizue-san's childhood friend Onaka-san. I still have to look up a few of the characters. I'll post a translation here soon, but it seems to be about crossing the sea to foreign lands, meeting people, and finding warmth. (Poetry is difficult.) |
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Featured here is a display set of traditional dog-creatures for New Years, hand-made by Maya-san. There is lots of symbolism I can't fathom: The cords are red-and-white, so they are good omens; barrels on their shoulders are filled with something auspicious; stalks of rice are always a good omen in a place that calls itself "Mizuho no Kuni" (the land of the water-stalk plant). It goes on. We will put them up at New years. It might help 2007. To the right of the New Years dolls are the special glasses that Mizue-san gave us. They are made of titanium! but they do not taste metallic. They impart no taste to anything. Another boasted quality is that a glass of beer in these vessels will keep its foam head longer. |
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Here is more detail of the comb and purse that Nobara-san gave us (as well as the toothpick pouches with mirrors). |
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Fumiko-san presented us with these wari-bashi (splittable pairs of chopsticks) in wrappers hand-decorated with little Japanese doll figures made of cut paper pieces. You gotta zoom in on these. They are too cute. And everything is laid out on top of a furoshiki (wrapping/carrying cloth) that was given to us by Midori-san. |