Ludige in Japan

First of all, my flight was pretty nice with Etihad Airways and all the way here - reminding about the Arab world which is so so so much specific. The book, Abu Dhabi with totally covered women (where i was feeling naked actually) plus Mr. Alharthy have played significant role here. I'm kind of person who is getting excited and impressed very quick.

Hу а на борту самолётa из Абу Даби в Нагойю, я оказываюсь в Китае, так как самолёт, как оказывается, ещё будет делать остановку в Пекине и это полная неожиданность для меня. В который раз убеждаюсь, какие всё-таки это пахучие люди…Неприязнь растёт с той же скоростью, что и они сами множатся на этой планете, хаха.

Finally, Beijing- Nagoya. Kannichi wa, Nippon))))

here we go..

4 people on the board of the huge plane from Beijing. Nice. By the way, every single flight during this journey had different lunches, so on the way to Japan I've tried something in Russian style, Chinese and Japanese.

Arrival. In the airport, obvious for what reasons, people were looking at me not like on stranger but on someone who is definitely a foreigner. Amazing but Japanese always smile - that's interesting...Whatever happens, they smile or it's us my host family's mom - Rie.

We've met at Tokoname Rail Station (3 minutes from Cetrair airport - quiet and very clean place to be) where just few minutes ago I was met by Mr. Masahiro Koie - a maker of Japanese sweets and as he explained and noticed "Don't' ask me about ceramics" =)

in a short while my 'host' mom came to Meitetsu (rail station) to pick me up. A small and quite narrow (as many other things in Japan) car arrived. Here's an introduction: Rie-san - mommy, Shoya - her oldest son (6) and Yuya - little baby (1) sleeping in baby chair near to his mom. Actually Rie-san is so short that sometimes I feel like a giant, funny.. I guess I will have this feeling all along my stay in Nippon. Later at evening Masami-san (daddy) and Junya (4) came back home after Junya's English class.

HAH!!! Rie-san barely speaks English so I make a conclusion that her husband is not good in English neither))) A thought after that: how am I gonna communicate with them?

So, Tsutaki family lives in a nice 2 floor and not very big house. However, there is enough space for everybody and everything: Japanese room, kitchen, dinning space, piano in a living room. There's a room prepared for me and I'm sleeping on the floor what in terms of hot and humid weather is a good thing.

After having a rest and shower we had a dinner in a very Japanese style, well, obviously everything is gonna be in that style but I still have a feeling that world has changed in last 17 hours of my journey.

First shocks: it's getting dark at 19.00. I need to get used to it. What is more shocking is that they go to sleep at 20.00 or 21.00 and wake up at 6 in a morning. I thought it's not gonna work with me because if I were at home I would never be able to wake at that time (unless I need to go somewhere..). The next morning I found it's actually not very difficult and even easy.

We had an Opening Ceremony and again Japanese proved their hospitality, politeness and kindness. It was not a very formal style event but was pretty comfortable to be there. They all create this calm and nice feeling fro people they respect.

8 ceramicists, different backgrounds but common interest in Japanese culture, traditions and ceramics in particular.

Rie-san prepared a nice lunch: rice balls with two fillings (vegetables and pickled plum) and vegetable (I don't know the name but maybe soya something as everything here is made with soya what is pretty good for me - the person who wants to slim, haha)

We walked around the Folk museum (the place where was the Ceremony). I found the nature is so close.. You just need to seat down for a while and you'll see the ants, huge butterflies (black one!!), green grasshoppers etc..

Presentation's day.

I hope it was as I've planned to do it. I demonstrated the whistles, ocarinas and people admired melodies.. Of course my talk was about Udmurtia and Mugur studio )))))

A night with Earth quake! What an experience!

Have I realized it while it was happening? Definitely No). It was at 6 in the morning (21st of July!), the strength - 3 grades. I was thinking Where I am and what's happening??? Shaking walls!!! Very strange feeling)) like you understand what's going on but don't want to believe in that - seems like impossible)

ok then, see you tomorrow.