Mr. & Mrs. Taylor’s Autumn Tour

06,Feb 2015 Events & Tour

Mr. & Mrs. Taylor spent 3 days with us trying out a range of hands-on traditional activities unique to the northern Okayama area. As experienced travellers in Japan who have also lived here in the past, they chose our tour to go further in their journey to discover lesser-known gems hidden in the Japanese countryside.

Kasuri weaving activity

Mrs. Kashimoto who has a real passion for kimono explained how the threads are dyed in a mathematical way in Sakushu kasuri unique to the Mimasaka area, to reveal a final design. Mrs. Taylor made a placemat in about one hour. Here guests can also purchase handmade cotton fabric woven by Mrs. Kashimoto herself at reasonable prices.

Sushi-making class with Kifu no Sato senior chef (incl. lunch)

Mr. Nishimoto is one of the youngest yet one of the most creative chefs in the team at Kifu no Sato. The couple spent a leisurely 2-and-half hours making miso soup and three types of sushi using prawn, smoked salmon, dagger-toothed conger, squid, tuna and salmon roe. The chef’s educational talk ranged from the different types of knives to his training days.

Pottery activity with Mr. Kyo Isezaki

Mr.Isezaki’s works are known for their classic beauty deeply rooted in the Bizen tradition. Kyo-san guided the couple to make coffee mugs on a potter’s wheel. The guests’ creations were shipped to them after the firing process in the wood kiln.

Visit to a sword maker in Osafune town

Osafune town in Okayama has been renowned for its quality sword production for centuries. Attracted by its style, Mr. Ichijo Kawashima who is a 15th generation maker of swords moved here from Kochi Prefecture. Allowed into a workshop considered “sacred” and to see the forging process is a real treat. The couple learned that a lot of a swordsmith’s work is about forging his spiritual self as much as polishing his technical skills.