Tag: bath

Naoshima- the power of art

Naoshima could have been one of those lonely, sad, grey places. In the 50s and 60s it was booming and there were 8000 people on the island. All thanks to a Mitsubishi factory which was and still is the biggest employer in there. Sounds like a beginning of a science fiction movie but the machines really did take work of many of the locals, leaving the island to a certain death with the drastically declining population. Many left in search of a job, education and better life. With only 3000 people Naoshima was disappearing when art came…

Benesse Holdings, a big Japanese company was searching for a home for their big collection of art. They wanted it to help the locals and they decided that Naoshima would be a perfect place to do it. Art would bring tourism to the island, tourism would bring jobs and jobs would bring people back.

Now the island is a must see for every art lover coming to Japan.

The first thing we spotted while entering the harbor on this small island was the red pumpkin with polka dots. I was contemplating its beauty from the deck when we reached the port and tourists started to flow out of the boat, running to the pumpkin. Everything to take an “alone” picture with it or because they were afraid it might get eaten if they waited any longer… 🙂

The beauty of Naoshima is also in its size, it’s a really small island perfect for a day trip on a bike. So straight from the ferry we went to rent a bike and hit the road. First we went to where it all started in 1992 so to the Benesse House Museum. Although it was the first one to be build, it struck us with the harmony and beauty of already a well developed concept. The exhibition of modern art was unbelievable and it included a massive ant house made of colorful sand and divided into flags of the world. Ants were building tunnels that would eventually make a flag collapse and colors to mix beyond recognition.

As much as we loved the museum we were a bit disappointed we couldn’t see the Oval, the most famous part of the building. At least the most famous looking at all the pictures and posters promoting it. In fact only the lucky ones with willingness to spend “a bit more” get a chance to see it. It’s part of the hotel.

Except for the “mother museum” there are also two more in the area Lee Ufan Museum and Chichu Art Museum. All three of them follow the theme of art in harmony with nature and they are rather small and in our humble opinion a bit overpriced. 1030 yen (around 10 dollars for Benesse House) for a visit that takes maybe an hour including ohhh and ahhh and me trying to take a picture from every angle possible is a bit too much in my opinion. Even for an admirable concept of helping a dying island with its population.

Cycling down to the beach we saw many open-air art works. But none of them was as impressive as “Pumpkin”, yellow sister of the one we saw by the port. This one was more peaceful, situated on the edge of a concrete pier that otherwise wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Sitting nearby on the beach we were admiring the Instagram-queue created by the Japanese tourists. Every one of them was waiting patiently in a line for their chance to get a lonely shot with the famous pumpkin. Only the kids didn’t seem to understand the laws of social media photography and were constantly interrupting the photo sessions with short sessions of pure fun.

Art has a unique way of giving new life to old and neglected things. That’s what happened with empty houses in Honmura area. Through the Art House Project lifeless spaces were converted into works of art and got the local community even closer to beauty. Ando Museum tights it all together with a background story of the island and the architect who stands behind the majority of the transition of that God forsaken place.

For me there was a certain cherry on the cake on our way back to the ferry. “I love yu” bath is a great example that modern art can be far from serious. The building screams “fun” with all of its colorful tiles, crazy t-shirts and palm trees in front of it. We were tempted to go in but unfortunately we didn’t have towels or eagerness to strip so we only sneak peaked through the door…

Just before going to Naoshima when I was doing a bit of a research of what was there to see I realized that it’s not the only island included in the Benesse Project. It has expanded on two more islands nearby with similar stories and some extraordinary museums. Unfortunately time and availability was not on our side with that one and we couldn’t visit Teshima and Inujima. Maybe it’s for the best, one more motive to come back 🙂

Handful of practical info:

  1. To get to Naoshima we took a ferry from Takamastu Port (slow ferry takes 50 minutes and costs 520 yen so around 5 dollars one way, speed boat takes half the time but costs more than double the price- 1220 yen so around 12 dollars). The other way to get to the island is to take a ferry from Uno Port which can take you either to Miyanoura Port or to the other side of the island- Honmura Port.
  2. The only way to get to Teshima is to get a ferry from Naoshima which is not very frequent. That very same ferry follows later on to Inujima. To see all 3 of the islands requires a bit of extra planning…
  3. The best way to see Naoshima is to rent a bike, it costs only 300 yen (around 3 dollars) for a whole day and it’s cheaper than bringing your own on the ferry. For the lazy, there is a bus option 🙂
  4. Naoshima is not a paradise for travelers on a shoe-string. Chichu Museum costs 2060 yen (around 20 dollars) and Lee Ufan and Benesse House cost 1030 yen each (around 10 dollars). To visit one of the Art Houses it’s 410 yen (around 4 dollars) but there is also a joined ticket to visit all 6 of them and it’s “only” 1030 yen (around 10 dollars). To finish off Ando museum is another 510 yen (around 5 dollars). Adding bike rental, ferry fare and maybe something to eat and you know you have to love art deeply to pay for all that 🙂
  5. There are many restaurants on the island as well as a few grocery stores and a 7 eleven so there is no way to die out of hunger 🙂

Open post
Plum blossom, Kyoto, Japan

You know you’re in Japan when…

It’s been more than a month since we arrived in Japan and every day we discover new, fascinating details that make this country truly unique. Nowhere else in the world have we seen modernity and tradition blended together in harmonious unity. Nowhere else have we seen inventions that left us wondering: why didn’t we ever think about it?? So we know we are in Japan when…

  1. The toilets are not quite like at home…

Already at the airport we realized that we landed in a world apart. “Western toilets” as they call them here are more western that we could even imagine… The seats are warmed, bidet options are built in and in public toilets there is usually an option to play some relaxing sounds to make you feel comfortable if you decide to stay for a little longer.

  1. You end up soaking in a bath

Rather than taking a shower, Japanese prefer to soak a bit in the bathtub. It’s their time to relax and chill out after a long day. In many houses bathtubs are filled by pushing just one button. A computer pours the exact amount of water needed and the temperature you like. When your bath is ready and warm, a female voice reminds you that you should dive in.
Onsens (hot springs) are another obsession here. Everyone goes there and every single person we met was recommending us one in each place we’ve visited. Some say that onsens make the Japanese look younger…

  1. 3 seconds rule really can apply

After 2 years travelling we sadly realized that there is dirt and garbage almost everywhere…. Except for here. Here if my cookie falls on the ground I would still pick it up and eat it. Everything is clean and gets washed before it’s even dirty.

  1. The search for a garbage bin begins

Although Japan is the cleanest country we have ever seen we still can’t seem to figure out where to throw away the garbage. Searching for a bin is a time consuming task. Mostly our patience runs out and we end up pushing our rubbish into can-only trash next to a vending machine…

  1. In a soup restaurant everyone is slurping

Making noises while eating is showing how much you enjoy it and a soup is the best way to do it. So people slurp loud and often. In Fukuoka there is a whole street serving ramen noodles in the evening and the sounds coming out there are like an orchestra.

  1. You see masks not only in operation rooms

We still don’t know why so many Japanese wear face masks. Some say because of the allergies or contagious diseases.  We also heard theories that it’s because of the fact that they simply don’t want to show their whole face…

  1. Eyes get bigger

Special contact lenses are very important especially for women. For most they are there just to make their eyes look bigger but some ladies go extra far to change the colors of their eyes. All to make them look more western. Another option is to use a special glue to lift the eye lid so that it looks bigger and more divided. There are even surgeries to achieve that…

  1. Starbucks has never been so popular

In every city we have been to it was packed. Friday night, middle of the day, doesn’t matter. It’s almost the same with McDonalds and some other western chains. Everything that is western is hip and exotic so McDonalds is a good spot for a teenage date. We have seen a few of those. Mount Everest of being romantic.

  1. You upgrade your socks

Constant taking your shoes off makes you realize how boring the ones we buy are. Here they have fun patterns of sushi, geishas, anime and everything you could imagine. It has to be cute, flashy and stylish. And preferable a section for each toe or at least a separate one for the big toe. We don’t have to tell you we are already crazy for those 🙂

  1. There is matcha everywhere

Matcha is a powdered green tea and it’s everywhere. In deserts, snacks, mains. On every street there is a commercial of something with matcha, every gift shop or supermarket sells tons of packages of the tea and matcha-flavored goodies. Highly addictive!

  1. You change slippers everywhere

There are slippers to go to the garden and other ones to go to the toilet and obviously completely different pair to just walk around the house. That doesn’t even end at home. Going to the doctor you take off your shoes and put special slippers on as well… Same goes for some temples and museums.

  1. You don’t have to be drunk to sing your heart out

Karaoke is completely different in Japan, here you literally get a room to do that. There are plenty of entertainment centers where you rent karaoke rooms with your friends. There is nothing better than to chill out on the couch with people you feel comfortable with and sing your heart out!

  1. People care about each other!

Walking into a train or metro people scoot over on a bench to make place for us two. They know we prefer to sit next to each other than on two ends of a carriage. They stand neatly in queues, they don’t cheat, they help, they smile, and they treat others like they would like to be treated. That’s one of the things we could learn from the Japanese society.

  1. The moss is not only part of the forest environment

Moss is omnipresent in Japan and it gives it this mysterious, green look. We were already wondering how come it’s everywhere even in city gardens when… we spotted moss stands on a market. It turns out here you buy pieces of it to put it in the gardens. Mystery solved!

  1. Plastic food has never looked so good

It’s all about the look and who wouldn’t enter if at the entrance you see all those delicious dishes! And you don’t even need to read the menu which you wouldn’t be able to understand anyway unless you speak Japanese. Plastic food is everything and it has to be perfect. Often we catch ourselves staring and thinking if the food on display is real or not…

  1. You bow, bow and bow once more

You have done something wrong if you don’t spend your day bowing in here. It’s very universal, works for hi, bye, thank you and anything else 🙂

  1. You get your receipt handed to you with two hands…

That one we couldn’t really figure out. Why all the cashiers were giving us the change, receipts and everything with two hands?? Apparently it would not be polite to hand it with just one hand.

  1. There are vending machines everywhere

Even in the middle of nowhere or in a small village there are still vending machines. Five types of cold and hot coffees seem to be the basic human right and luxury in here! Not to mention the selection of teas and soft drinks. Except for drinks there are also vending machines selling cigarettes, ice cream and small snacks. One thing is sure, you won’t ever get hungry or thirsty in this country.

  1. You forget that the supermarket isn’t a restaurant

Every single supermarket has a wide selection of already prepared dishes, beautiful sushi and even more perfect sashimi. We often take our time in the fish section to watch the mesmerizing process of fileting fish and cutting it into thin, even pieces. We always wonder how it’s done in a restaurant if in the supermarket it looks like art already.

  1. You can’t figure out the smoking rules

We were delighted to realize that there were only some assigned areas for the smokers to enjoy their addiction. But then we were enjoying our sushi in a restaurant and out of the sudden a cloud of smoke drifted towards us. We were shocked to discover that in most places you can smoke and there are no non-smoking areas… It turned out to be a bit complicated to find fume-free spots…

  1. Signs are too cute to go against them

Japanese people are all about being polite so the forbidding signs need to be colorful, fun and cute enough so that no one feels pressed to follow the rules. Every single day we discover charming, little signs showing how you collect your dog’s poo or how you should cross the street. We can’t help but smile every time we see one of those.

  1. You collect your stamps everywhere you go

Train stations, tea houses, museums, castles… there are stamps everywhere. We got completely hooked we can’t stop collecting them. Especially since some are really stunning and for us they are like very light souvenirs that don’t cost anything.

How we fell in love with Japan. Our first days in Osaka

For Jandirk Japan has been a dream waiting to happen. He loves manga, Japanese food, origami and Studio Ghibli. For me it was a brand new destination on my bucket list. A few years ago I didn’t even want to go to Japan. In my mind it was a futuristic country without proper culture and with plenty of cold people… ow boy was I wrong…

Flying from Sri Lanka to Japan we knew we were in for a big shock but nothing could prepare us for what was coming. We landed in Osaka where we met our Japanese friend Juri, that we became friends with back in Panama. She offered us the most incredible experience we could ever ask for. We stayed at her grandmother’s house! 🙂 Juri and her family were just so warm and open for us. Her grandma talked to us all the time 🙂 It was all in Japanese but sometimes we could really understand her and her smile was just warming our hearts. On the other hand the homemade food was warming our stomachs. Most associate Japan with sushi and maybe sashimi but it’s not just raw food. There are varieties of soups, fermented beans and dried ingredients. As weird as they sometimes sound (dried fish with sesame seeds as a snack) they are delicious, full of flavor and mild. Such a relief to our stomachs after spicy curries on Sri Lanka.

Then the technology struck us. First visit to the toilet and we were charmed. Warmed toilet seat, built in bidet and even relaxing sounds in public toilets were inventions that surprised us. Those were not the only ones. When the evening came it turned out that the Japanese like to relax and take a bath rather than a fast shower. We literally dived into the bathtub which turned out to be way deeper than the ones we have in Europe. If we have them… Here even those can be really brought to another level, computer pouring the exact amount of water, bringing it to the right temperature and keeping it that way… Traditional but yet so futuristic and modern.

What is better after a good, warm bath than a long comfortable sleep, right? We were a bit anxious we wouldn’t be able to achieve that as we were about to sleep on a tatami floor so essentially many straw mats put on top of each other. On top of that we put a futon which is a Japanese style, very thin mattress. And voila a beautiful and potentially very uncomfortable bed is ready! We fell asleep immediately and we slept just great.

Then we got to see the city with Juri. Strolling through the streets we were surprised by how modern but not western they were. How the people took their time in everything they did and how everything was just done to the best of their abilities. There was just perfection everywhere we looked. Walking between blossoming plum trees in the park next to the Osaka Castle we met a lovely old man who sketched a little map including every plum tree from the park. All that to visit the trees, write down how they blossom, when and for how long. He has been doing that for many, many years. There was just so much love and passion in his story and in the way he spoke about it. We felt enchanted but also sad… Because in Japan it’s hard to talk to people unless you speak Japanese and we knew Juri wouldn’t travel with us forever.

There is no way I could write about any Japanese city and skip the food and street life. In Osaka it’s absolutely essential. There is nothing better than to stroll through the Dotonbori District in the evening surrounded by neons and crowds. Every cafeteria and bar looked cozy, spectacular and inviting. Every shop had a beautiful display. I thought plastic food on display would be off putting. Here it just looked realistic and mouthwatering. Every restaurant showcased what they had on the menu so I think the fake dishes were actually made to order and customized. Sometimes we really had to look closer to see if it was the real deal or a great imitation.

Juri took us out with her friend and made us realize how different everything seemed. We thought we knew what karaoke was. People getting drunk singing their hearts out to more or less pleased public at the last call of the night. Not in Japan. Here you go with your friends, you rent a room in a kind of entertainment center you sit down on a couch like if you were home and then it starts. There is nothing uncomfortable about it, you sing and have fun with the people you know and like. You don’t have to be drunk either and it doesn’t even have to be the middle of the night. We went at 5 pm with our green tea and soft ice cream we sang our souls out to the western hits and even Disney songs.

Although normally we don’t go to zoos/aquariums we decided to do an exception for Osaka. We didn’t regret it for a minute. Osaka aquarium was massive and except for the usual we also saw a whale sharks and an incredible selection of jelly fish. Something we could have never seen diving. Or better we would prefer not to see them diving as many are just really dangerous.

In Osaka we felt we were off for a great start of what could be the best part of our journey so far. So a bit sad but excited we were off to Kyoto.