Kyoto Food and Fashion
We missed the debate! It was held at 10 am Wednesday morning here. I’m traveling g with friends who have been to Japan nine times. The plan was to hit the streets. But it was modified to spend the day in the giant air conditioned Takashimaya department store to shelter from the 98 degree weather […]
In Japan, Searching for Blue Indigo (Ai-zome)
My quest for Japanese indigo fabrics and clothing took us to remote villages and high-end designer boutiques. I searched old kimono stacked in department store corners and flea market stalls. In the old Geisha district of Gion, two vintage textile shops offer 100+ year-old pieces in varying condition. I traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto to […]
Train to Miyama, Indigo and Thatched Roofs
It was a pilgrimage to the Little Indigo Museum in Miyama Chokita, Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture. After two trains and a bus, after two hours of travel, we arrived in the thatched roof village that is a national historic site. Hiroyuki Shindo has been living here with his wife and family for 40 years. Born in […]