day 2 and 3 - Awaji island

Awaji is extremely remote. The residency is on a mountainside which makes access somewhat difficult. Today we met the mayor of Awaji who stressed the importance of the residency for international relations. I was suddenly reminded of how honoured we are to have been invited to the island. We had a brief meeting this morning with Keiko-san [the program director], who then presented us with the tools we will need for the residency. I had assumed that we would be borrowing them for the duration, but each of us was given them as a gift in a box. We have to learn all the Japanese names for the tools. You can see them in the pictures below. Just to give a brief idea, collectively they are worth a couple of hundred pounds as a set and will last us a lifetime as they have been made by master craftsmen. It was quite a humbling moment, which the other artists also felt. This afternoon we went to see the residency for the first time, of which there will be pictures tommorow. We then went to a Shinto shrine and left offerings for the mountain gods, for health, harmony and a prosperous time in Japan. To say that nothing can quite prepare one for the impact of Japan is an understatement. Below are pictures of the journey to Awaji, the residence building, the meeting with the mayor and the woodcut tools gift.