Lee Jaffe - Japan page

Japan

I've been to Japan three times - in 1990, 1993, 1994 - visiting Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, Nikko, Takamatsu, Okayama, as well as the pottery communities of Shigaraki, Mashiko, Otani, Ueno, Kiyomizu, and Bizen. As you may guess, a major focus of my interest in Japan centers on ceramics. I'd studied and practiced pottery-making over 3-4 years and with different teachers in the U.S., but my interest really took off when I had a chance to study with a Japanese potter 1990.

1990

I spent 23 days in Japan as part of a group of six potters and students, visiting museums, shops, galleries, studios, and pottery communities, and spending seven days in the studio of Unokawa Kazumasa in Odono, Nara prefecture. The week at the studio in this small rural village was an amazingly rich mix of pottery study and practice, a chance to get to know Japanese life at a very personal level, and a formal introduction to Japanese culture.

Rice fields, Odono, after harvest

In addition to the studio time, we spent most of our time centered in Kyoto, a magical city. As the Imperial capital for 1000 years, until it was moved to Tokyo in the 18th century, it has the history, tradition, culture, and beauty that visitors look for. From Kyoto we made visits to Osaka, Nara, and Shigaraki.

1993

I managed to return again to Japan three years later. In the meantime, I'd begun to study Japanese and collect books about the country.

This trip I was again part of a pottery tour, but I added a week in which I traveled solo. I started in Tokyo, my first time there, and had a great time just walking around. I made side trips to Mashiko, a pottery community and the home of Hamada Shoji, one of the great potters of the 20th century, and to Nikko. This trip I got my first taste of the Shinkansen (the "bullet train") on my way from Tokyo to Osaka, where I joined my tour.

Tokyo shrine scene Asakusa Kannon Temple, Tokyo

We again were more or less centered in Kyoto but spent a lot of time on the road (or rails, actually). During the next three weeks, we visited Nara city, as well as other towns in Nara Prefecture, Shigaraki, Iga/Ueno, Takamatsu, Otani, Okayama, and Bizen. My group departed from Osaka and I returned to Tokyo via the Night Bus for my flight home.

1994

My most recent trip was a self-guided tour accompanied by my brother Henry Jaffe, a very talented photographer. This was Hank's first visit to Japan and I acted more-or-less as tour guide, translator, and travel agent. (Well, we got lost a lot, Hank did better communicating with the Japanese - waving an empty beer bottle to order another round is very effective -- and our travel arrangements went less than smoothly, but I did very well otherwise.)
photo Hank in Nara

Hank (seated) joins class photo

With only two weeks to spend, we stayed only a few days in Tokyo before heading to Kyoto. Despite what most people say about Tokyo being just another big ugly city, I find a lot that is charming about it and also enjoy its vitality. For instance, where else could you encounter the serenity of the Meiji Shrine around the corner from the rock'n'rollers of Yoyogi Park. We met up with a college classmate of Hank's who toured us around and treated us to the most amazing sushi dinner either of us will ever experience.

We did visit my pottery teacher's family, the Unokawas, for a few days, and they gave us a tour of Nara.

updated: 25 July 2007