A traditional Japanese garden at a ryokan in Karatsu featuring a Takeshi/Taki showroom.
This waterfall is the site of a June festival during which thousands of fireflies pulsate on either side magnificently.
Rice paddies!
Lunch on the other side of the bridge.
Brand new kiln. Built by the kilnmaster. Yes, he exists.
The fourteenth generation first born Nakazato potter's studio.
The old kiln.
The Nakazato compound even has a small shrine behind it.
Macha tea!
Tools!
Kick wheel!
Shigetoshi's home and studio is well equipped. This is the brother of the first-born and also part of the fourteenth generation of Nakazato potters.
On the way up to the Karatsu Castle, a giant tree with extremely long supported branches loomed.
Karatsu castle at spring time.
Kyushu's cherry blossoms are just now blooming.
Mary hurt her leg earlier in the week and waled down stairs very fun. Then Jon raced her down the stairs in the same funny walk fashion. Maybe you had to be there.
Takeshi Nakazato's home and studio. He is another son (fourteenth generation) of the National Living Treasure potter/thirteenth generation potter. He is the fifth brother and makes some extremely beautiful and animated pieces. His work with wood-firing kilns on the island of Tanegashima is pretty rad.
The current apprentice at work.
This path leads up to the house.
Below is a small creek, then the work buildings (studio, gallery, storage, etc.), backed by fresh rice paddies.
It smelled like wood stove in here.
The studio.
This high windows provided great light for wheel work.
On the way up to Mount Aso in a different part of Kyushu.
The caldera.
Uneo Park.
A short stop in Ueno after my flight from Kyushu to Tokyo let me soak up the sun and visit the zoo. I soon headed down to the shinkansen for the long journey up north.
A great big old tree in Yuzawa.
The view from the onsen in Tazawako. This lake is the deepest lake in Japan and never freezes, despite it's northernly location, due to an active volcanic activity below. Yay caldera lakes! More photos to come. :)
