Jike Hometown Village / 寺家ふるさと村 -- Part 4

We'll wrap up this series on an educational, working farming village in rural Kanagawa. 

Part 1 HERE         Part 2 HERE           Part 3 HERE 

In the previous post, I highlighted the many uses of Japanese charcoal. The president of our lecture group made her own sumi, by burning disposable chopsticks at home. She handed them out to group members after the lecture. I broke the chopsticks into smaller pieces and arranged them in a jar (which is kept in my home)...

After our visit to the sumi house (see Part 2), we had reservations to eat lunch at a restaurant. This shop was tucked into the side of a hill; we climbed stairs through a Japanese forest to reach the restaurant's entrance. 

A group member stops to photograph the view:

Due to the rain, another group cancelled their reservation, so we were the only ones in the restaurant. I ordered what the other ladies were eating -- a traditional Japanese bento box lunch. It looked like this:

Let's open the box! Inside, you can see: egg, assorted boiled vegetables, grilled salmon, braised pork, pickles, konyaku, and sticky potato. Soup, salad, rice and tea completed the meal.

The shop owner gave us special service -- free ice cream! (with a little Japanese origami = paper folding). Mine was the famous children's movie character, Totoro.

Other ladies got various origami animals. They loaned them to me so I could take a picture of our "zoo". ^_^

After lunch, I explored around the restaurant and saw a potted tree with something yellow in it. What is that? I wondered.....

 ...Ah ha! They were ducks! Enjoying the rain .... ^_^

I found another duck, hanging out with some ceramic frogs....I have a thing for rubber ducks recently. Haha... ^_^

We walked back to the bus stop to head back to Aoba-Dai Station. I got a photo of the bus stop sign for those who which to travel to the village and explore on their own:

This was my first experience to join a cultural interest group and I wasn't sure what to expect. However, despite living in Japan for 13 years now, I realized there are still many learning opportunities. I hope to join this group again for more cultural excursions. 

For the next post, I'll write about a mountain climbing group based in the Kanto area (Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, etc). See you soon! 

~ Information ~ 

Jike Hometown Village is located near Aoba-Dai Station in Kanagawa. 

Access: 

-- Den-en-Toshi line from Shibuya to Aoba-Dai station.

-- Change to city bus #30 or #31. Get off at "Shiki no Ie".

-- Walk to the village (follow the signs).

The restaurant requires reservations and is for private parties. Open: 10:00 ~ 17:00. The phone number is: +81 045-961-5863 (Japanese only). It's closed on Tuesdays. 

Jike Hometown Village / 寺家ふるさと村 -- Part 3

We continue a series on this educational farming village in rural Kanagawa. 

Part one is HERE. Part two is HERE.

In the previous post, I posted photos from inside the sumi house. The staff there had a large display of various tools used in the Japanese tea ceremony; today, I'll showcase some of the lovely ikebana (traditional Japanese flower arrangements), which had been planted inside carved out sections of sumi. They were so unique; I have never seen anything similar. 

Every plant was for sale, and the prices were reasonable (from ¥2,000/ $20).

Inside the lecture room, a row of ikebana:

Close up of a stone garden and ikebana:

A single arrangement; my personal favorite:

Before the lecture on sumi was to begin, we were served tea:

The speaker talks about sumi, its history, how it is made, the uses, and names of various parts: 

I listened to the approximately 45 minute lecture in Japanese. While some parts were difficult to understand (especially the history), I could understand most. Here were some interesting points: 

• Mainlyくなぎ[kunagi] trees are used to make charcoal. In English, Sawtooth Oak.
• In Europe, charcoal comes from Egypt. In Asia, it's made in some areas of China and Japan. 
• When burning to the wood to make the charcoal, you need to keep the temperature at a certain level. Too high and the wood turns into a fossil. 
• Many believe while burning, wood changes into charcoal from the bottom, up. This is false. The Sumi is actually created from the inside, out. 

Sumi has various uses. Here are some examples of how charcoal is used in Japan: 

1. Used in the rice cooker, a piece of charcoal makes the rice more delicious.
2. Used in a pet bottle of water, sumi cleans the water, creating "natural mineral water".
3. Used in the home, it filters the air and decreases smells. (use in the refrigerator)
4. Crushed sumi filled in a pillow allows users to sleep well. 

You can also make sumi at home in your kitchen. Wrapping wooden chopsticks in layers of tinfoil, cooking those over the stove for an hour, will turn the wood into charcoal. A lady in the group showed us examples and handed out information sheets on the process. I'll try someday soon. ^_^

Japanese garden behind the sumi house:

Another view of the garden: 

Here is an example of sumi's many uses -- in a fish bowl: 

The water was so clean & the fish looked very happy.
I really liked this. 

After the lecture, I asked the guest speaker if charcoal could be used in the soil near Fukushima, to clean out the radiation? Unfortunately, sumi is not strong enough to do such a task. My idea was merely wishful thinking, he said. 

Soon, we left the sumi house to go for lunch. The president of the club had booked a unique restaurant hidden in the forest. I'll share photos from that tomorrow. 

~Information~

Sumi house is located in Jike Furusato Mura (Hometown Village) near Aoba-dai station in Kanagawa. 

Access: 

-- Take the Den-en-Toshi line to Aoba-dai station.

-- Change to bus #30 or #31. Get off at "Shiki no Ie".

-- Walk 220 meters to the village. Sumi house is not far from the main information center at the village.

Lectures on sumi can be enjoyed at the village. Reservations required. Click HERE to read more.

Jike Hometown Village 寺家ふるさと村 [Jike furusato mura] -- Part 2

A visit to an agricultural village for a lecture on sumi (charcoal) in Kanagawa, continues. 

Part one is HERE.

Our group arrived at the main destination for the morning: the sumi house, where we would partake in a lecture on Japanese charcoal.

Outside the sumi house:

This is the kanji character for sumi (charcoal): 

Inside, I was surprised to find on display, numerous items which are used in sadou (Japanese tea ceremony). The prices were unbelievable too.

Some women in the group explained these pots are used to hold water during the ceremony: 

Detailed close up of one pot: 

This pot is about $600. 

Detailed close up of another: 

The price tag says ¥91,000 or $910.

Smaller bowls: 



These hold spoons or ladles used in the ceremony:


These are chawan (lit. tea bowls). In a traditional tea ceremony, tea is not served in cups, but in a bowl like those below. The bowl is usually a handcrafted, decorative piece of pottery and should be viewed as artwork. As it is considered art, these bowls are usually very expensive.

Sadou chawan:

The price tags say: $2,225 and (I think) $3,500.

These stick like tools are used to take the matcha powder out of its container. Note the prices again: Sadou is not an inexpensive hobby!

The most expensive price tag says: $539.

Here is a complete sadou set, where you can see all the pieces:

Studying the tea ceremony in Japan is possible. Many culture centers and private teachers offer lessons. If you are interested in studying, just as a student, it's not expensive; however, if your goal is to become a teacher of sadou, I was warned -- the costs are high.

I'll show more photos from inside the sumi house next time. The owner specialized in creating unique sumi ikebana (charcoal flower arrangements). They are so unique! See you soon. ^_^


~Information~

Sumi House is located in Jike Furusato Mura in Kanagawa. Map is HERE. (Japanese only)

Access:
-- Den-en-Toshi line to Aoba-Dai Station. Take city bus #30 or 31 to "Shike no Ie" stop. (about 15 minutes). Walk to the village (220 meters).

You can learn everything about the Japanese Tea Ceremony HERE, including its history, tea making equipment, etc. (via Japanese Tea Ceremony.net)

Interested in studying tea ceremony? HERE is a list of places to learn (America, Belgium, other countries are listed) 

Coming to Japan? Would you like to witness an actual traditional tea ceremony? THESE PLACES offer the ceremony with English translations. Let's enjoy Japanese culture! (via Japan National Travel Organization)

Jike Hometown Village 寺家ふるさと村 [Jike furusato mura] -- Part 1

On October 25th, I participated in a lecture offered by an international women's group based in Tokyo. The group met in the countryside of Kanagawa to enjoy learning about 炭 [su mi], or charcoal. 

In Japan, charcoal has many uses, far beyond our usual image (barbecuing/ campfires). Let's look around the Hometown Village and learn more about sumi.

The village is located about a 15 minute bus ride from Aoba-Dai Station on the Den-en-Toshi train line. From the final stop, you can walk, following this sign:

The village is used as a "learning farm". Children from various elementary schools in surrounding areas visit the farm to plant and harvest their own rice. Students learn about and use traditional tools too -- not the automatic machines we see today -- to harvest the rice. (An example of the knife, called 竃 [kama] used to cut the rice is HERE.)

Our group walked past many of these harvested rice fields...

Harvested rice, drying:

At the main information center, an outdoor bulletin board contained all the birds and bugs one could find in the village:

View of the information center's wood window panels: 

Inside, were displays of woven baskets...

 ....and cages for catching bugs:

On display was something very shocking: preserved snakes!!

A close up... just in time for Halloween. Ew.

The tag reads: Shi-ma hebi = Japanese Striped Snake (wiki page is HERE)

There is still much to share ...and we'll focus on learning about sumi in the next post. See you soon! ^_^

~Information~

Jike Furusato Mura (=Jike Hometown Village) is located near Aoba-Dai Station on the Den-en-Toshi line. Map & info is HERE. (Via Yokohama City -- Japanese only). 

Access: 
1. Den-en-Toshi line from Shibuya to Aoba-Dai Station. Change to bus #30 or 31 (at bus stop #1). 
2. Odakyu Line from Shinjuku to Kakio Station. Change to Odakyu Bus #25. 
For both buses, get off at "Shiki no ie" 四季の家. 
Travel time: about 15 minutes. Buses accept Pasmo & Suica cards. 


United Nations University graduate students also visited this village. Click HERE to read more in English.

~~ Special Bonus! ~~
I met one lady in the group from Norway. As she whipped out her phone to take photos, I just had to share her phone cover. This style (rhinestones) is very popular among teens and young adults in Japan. Some ambitious girls will glue the rhinestones themselves, one-by-one, while others (like V from Norway), buy the completed cover at a shop. The cost? ¥300. ($3) 

Ms. V's sparkling iphone cover: 

Flea Markets in Japan

Flea markets are enjoyed the world over; it's the place to hunt for treasures or snag a bargain. Despite Japan's image of being very "fashion-forward", even the Japanese love the kitch style that a flea market offers.

I wandered around a flea market in Yamato, Kanagawa last Saturday and snapped photos of some interesting finds. I didn't buy anything, because I prefer having a simple, uncluttered home, but just looking was an event in itself. Enjoy the photos!

Unique baseball trophy:

Old kimono, for ¥1,000 ($10) each. 

Kimonos are often the most sought after items in Japanese flea markets. The quality of the material is very high. A new kimono starts at a price of ¥100,000 ($1,000), due to the embroidery and silk. The obi (large, rectangular belt) alone can cost hundreds of dollars, so it's no wonder women love these cast aways. Japanese women often cut the kimono material to make pillow cases, vests, handmade bags, etc.

Tourists often see "Japanese kimono robes" in airports selling as souvenirs. These are nothing more than silk robes and are not used in Japan at all. A true kimono's material is thick and usually, hand woven, with hand-stitched embroidery or dyed emblems. If you want to purchase a real kimono, at a reasonable price, please visit a flea market!

Interesting tin tea pots:

View of the crowd:

One vendor's stylish display:

This vendor featured old war items, including this mobile cannon. Is it real??

I couldn't stop staring at these old telephones. I miss the analog era.....

The prices for the phones were ¥4,000 & ¥6,000 ($40 & $60)

Something for my Canadian friends -- deer antlers! (and yes, they were real) The price? ¥300 ($3).

~Information~

This flea market was held in Yamato, central Kanagawa, about 20 minutes by train from Yokohama. 
Yamato city hosts two flea markets per year: in spring and autumn, right in front of the train station. 
Access:
Odaykyu line from Shinjuku to Yamato (50 minutes)
Sotetsu line from Yokohama to Yamato (20 minutes)

There is information about various flea markets in Kanagawa at THIS SITE. (via Yoke -- Yokohama Association for International Communication and Exchange)

Oiso & Jyoyama Park - Part 2

More photos from a national park near the coast of Sagami Bay, in Kanagawa, continue. 

Part 1 is HERE.

Jyoyama park was large enough that it took over an hour to cover one section of the park. Here are more photos from my walk. 

I continued following the suggested route through the park. Venturing down the hill from the highest point in the park, I found a wooden bridge: 

Reaching the bottom of the hill, walkers can see this waterfall:

Bamboo is an image that many of have of vegetation in Asia. Japan is no exception. This bamboo forest was well maintained, and almost seemed like a curtain:

No Japanese park is complete without a koi (carp) pond. This particular pond was filled with many huge carp!

Click the video below to see a 360 panorama of the koi pond in Jyoyama Park:

On the other side of the koi pond, there were some hidden benches where one could relax:

Near the end of the walk, we came across a tea house, which served matcha (= Japanese frothy green tea). If the weather is warm, tea drinkers can sit outside in the garden to sip in the ocean air too.

Gate with stone lantern beyond-- this is the entrance to the tea house garden:

Visitors have to cross the street to see the second half of this park. The latter area was late Prime Minister Yoshida's (read more HERE) main residence, solarium and private garden. 

Entrance sign to Jyoyama Park, Mr. Yoshida's former residence:

Section of the garden, with the solarium in the back right:

There is only one walking path in this park. Following it to the top of the hill, you can find a statue (with English explanations) of Mr. Yoshida. What's interesting is that he carries a cigar in his left hand. I guess he loved to smoke, much like Churchill?

There is a small pond near the entrance. I was surprised to find two turtles playing in it. Check out the guy on the rock....(his buddy is swimming to the left)...

...the little guy on the rock wanted to show off for the camera I guess. (laugh)

View of the entire pond with stone pagoda:

Grandfather and grandson-- examining some tiny fish:

Lily pond to the left of the grandfather and grandson:

I hope you enjoyed seeing a very traditional Japanese garden. If you have further interest, the most famous garden in Japan is Kenrokuen, in Kanazawa. It's the epitome of a Japanese traditional garden and is beautiful in every season. See the Kanazawa Tourism site in English HERE.

~Information~

Jyoyama Park is located in Oiso town, Kanagawa. 

Access: 

• by highway: Take route 1 to Oiso. Follow signs to the park. (Google directions HERE)

• by train and bus: Take the JR Tokaido line to Oiso. Change to a bus going in the direction of Ninomiya Station North Exit. Get off at "Oiso Jyoyama Koen". Train takes 42 minutes from Yokohama station. Cost: ¥650 one way ($6.50) 

Entrance is free to Jyoyama park. If taking a car, some parking fees may apply. 

Park website is HERE. 「日本語」