2011年03月28日
Ogijima Again!
In early March, shortly before our world turned upside down, my son, Kento, and I took a day trip to Ogijima. This island has always been one of my favorites and it was one Kento had missed seeing during the Setouchi Art Festival.
I was expecting the island to be back to its pre-art festival state – beautiful, of course, but not crowded. To my surprise, the boat was packed and extra ferries were scheduled.
March, it turns out, is narcissus season and as the tip of the island is planted with thousands of them, Ogijima hosts a very popular hiking event at this time. It was actually heartening to see that the island has a good fan following among local Kagawans, art or no art. There were booths selling local produce and a crowd of people enjoying delicious local cuisine outdoors in the lovely sunshine.
We opted to avoid the flow of people to the narcissus fields and turned into the village, following our original plan to visit the remaining art sites. This turned out to be a wise choice as we had them almost entirely to ourselves!!
To my delight, I found that the outdoor Wallalley works are weathering well and fusing with their surroundings.
At Kawashima and Dream Friends, the number of Memory Drops, particularly those made by visitors, had greatly increased so that it felt as if we were entering a multicolored galaxy.
A galaxy inhabited by beetles perhaps.
At SEA VINE, a ceramic wave of flowers that pours through a window facing the sea, I learned that each porcelain piece is painted with a detailed scene from the Seto Inland Sea.
What painstaking work!
I had never noticed this on any other visit. It helped that the volunteers had time for a leisurely chat. Not only did we find out interesting bits of information like this but we also got to share our love for art and the islands. This love of art seems to be catching, as we discovered little bits of art all around the town.
In addition to the lacquer project, Maison de Urushi, which was just as beautiful as I remembered, we dropped by Onba Factory to visit with our friend, Yoshifumi Oshima.
Onba Factory has produced about 60 artful strollers to date and they are being used by local people all over the village now. We saw two on the ferry as well, not to mention this one at Dream Friends that blends right in to the art installation.
Onba Factory for me best captures the spirit and purpose of the Art Festival. Oshima is committed for the long term and he is working with the local people to find ways to revitalize the island by bringing in new and younger blood. Without children, he says, the island has no future; without new blood, it will be an island of cats within ten years. The spark lit by the art festival, however, is still burning. There are signs that the islanders are taking more initiative. In January, they held a very successful onba market in cooperation with the Oshimas. Villagers filled 10 onba with local products and lined them up as shops in Onba Factory. The goods were sold out within two hours.
Having caught up with the art festival, Kento and I rounded out our visit by hiking down to the lighthouse and the narcissus field. It takes only 20 to 30 minutes one way and the views are fabulous. There is a mountain trail as well, which takes longer. Although we did not take it, we met many along the way who had and although they looked tired, they also looked very happy.
Kento and I have made a date to go for a picnic in April or May, or maybe both. This island is very therapeutic and we certainly need that right now.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
ART SETOUCHI has planned a series of events for spring on different islands. The series was launched with Music Parade, an open air concert of musicians and street performers, at Sunport Takamatsu on March 27. Planned some time ago, Music Parade was transformed into a charity event after the earthquake/tsunami occurred. The opening of a new work by video artist Pipilotti Rist on Teshima is scheduled for April 9. Various other events are planned on weekends and national holidays until May 8.
House of Shodoshima
I was expecting the island to be back to its pre-art festival state – beautiful, of course, but not crowded. To my surprise, the boat was packed and extra ferries were scheduled.
March, it turns out, is narcissus season and as the tip of the island is planted with thousands of them, Ogijima hosts a very popular hiking event at this time. It was actually heartening to see that the island has a good fan following among local Kagawans, art or no art. There were booths selling local produce and a crowd of people enjoying delicious local cuisine outdoors in the lovely sunshine.
We opted to avoid the flow of people to the narcissus fields and turned into the village, following our original plan to visit the remaining art sites. This turned out to be a wise choice as we had them almost entirely to ourselves!!
To my delight, I found that the outdoor Wallalley works are weathering well and fusing with their surroundings.
At Kawashima and Dream Friends, the number of Memory Drops, particularly those made by visitors, had greatly increased so that it felt as if we were entering a multicolored galaxy.
A galaxy inhabited by beetles perhaps.
At SEA VINE, a ceramic wave of flowers that pours through a window facing the sea, I learned that each porcelain piece is painted with a detailed scene from the Seto Inland Sea.
What painstaking work!
I had never noticed this on any other visit. It helped that the volunteers had time for a leisurely chat. Not only did we find out interesting bits of information like this but we also got to share our love for art and the islands. This love of art seems to be catching, as we discovered little bits of art all around the town.
In addition to the lacquer project, Maison de Urushi, which was just as beautiful as I remembered, we dropped by Onba Factory to visit with our friend, Yoshifumi Oshima.
Onba Factory has produced about 60 artful strollers to date and they are being used by local people all over the village now. We saw two on the ferry as well, not to mention this one at Dream Friends that blends right in to the art installation.
Onba Factory for me best captures the spirit and purpose of the Art Festival. Oshima is committed for the long term and he is working with the local people to find ways to revitalize the island by bringing in new and younger blood. Without children, he says, the island has no future; without new blood, it will be an island of cats within ten years. The spark lit by the art festival, however, is still burning. There are signs that the islanders are taking more initiative. In January, they held a very successful onba market in cooperation with the Oshimas. Villagers filled 10 onba with local products and lined them up as shops in Onba Factory. The goods were sold out within two hours.
Having caught up with the art festival, Kento and I rounded out our visit by hiking down to the lighthouse and the narcissus field. It takes only 20 to 30 minutes one way and the views are fabulous. There is a mountain trail as well, which takes longer. Although we did not take it, we met many along the way who had and although they looked tired, they also looked very happy.
Kento and I have made a date to go for a picnic in April or May, or maybe both. This island is very therapeutic and we certainly need that right now.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
ART SETOUCHI has planned a series of events for spring on different islands. The series was launched with Music Parade, an open air concert of musicians and street performers, at Sunport Takamatsu on March 27. Planned some time ago, Music Parade was transformed into a charity event after the earthquake/tsunami occurred. The opening of a new work by video artist Pipilotti Rist on Teshima is scheduled for April 9. Various other events are planned on weekends and national holidays until May 8.
House of Shodoshima
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Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
Posted by cathy at 09:00│Comments(3)
│art
この記事へのコメント
Hi Cathy,
I always love getting updates about Ogijima from you (I follow a few Japanese blogs, including Mr. Oshima's, my wife translates, but it's not the same as being able to read myself - I gotta learn that Japanese language soon!).
Thanks.
Seeing the ferry and the port full of people with no festival around is really heart-warming.
:-)
I always love getting updates about Ogijima from you (I follow a few Japanese blogs, including Mr. Oshima's, my wife translates, but it's not the same as being able to read myself - I gotta learn that Japanese language soon!).
Thanks.
Seeing the ferry and the port full of people with no festival around is really heart-warming.
:-)
Posted by David at 2011年04月05日 03:38
Hi Cathy,
Found your blog while searching for info on Takamatsu & Megijima (and Shikoku in general too) and I've had an enjoyable read.
Will definitely return and revisit your blog and can't wait to finally make the trip here. :)
Found your blog while searching for info on Takamatsu & Megijima (and Shikoku in general too) and I've had an enjoyable read.
Will definitely return and revisit your blog and can't wait to finally make the trip here. :)
Posted by lina at 2011年05月10日 14:33
Hi Lina,
Thanks for the comment! I've been really busy but plan to upload some new articles soon. Hope you get to come here and enjoy these places in person.
Thanks for the comment! I've been really busy but plan to upload some new articles soon. Hope you get to come here and enjoy these places in person.
Posted by cathy at 2011年05月10日 23:02
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