Monday 17 March 2014

Visiting a Legend.

Today we were up relatively early and drove several hours north. Up and up the horribly bleak Japanese highways in the tail end of winter to Gunma prefecture to Kiryu the famous silk producing area. Mini and Ruby, Truss and Diana. We visited the home of Jun-ichi Arai.
 I could write volumes on the several hours we spent together at his house going through boxes of materials that he had collected on his travels around the world and created for himself and Issey Miyake, Comme de Garcon etc. Was this a day to never forget? Yes. Jeeeesh. History and place condensed so thickly it makes ones brain thicken. The volumes may get written one day. But for now just a few pictures.

http://www.gallerygen.com/art/arai-j.html








9 comments:

  1. how i wish i had been part of the entourage!!!he looks old and venerable now.

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    1. Hi Neki,
      He was glowing. I wasn't that excited on driving all the way up there to meet him. I couldn't sleep the next night my mind was going so fast with all I had seen.

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  2. I wish I could of been there too. Hope to visit again soon.
    Cant wait to your follow up post on your trip.

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  3. what a wonderful adventure and privilege

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  4. Velma, Jean and Ted, Neki,
    I wish I could bring everyone there. The history of Kiryu as a silk producing area historically and how Arai san gathered what he saw and created a new world. Reminded me of Bob Dylan.

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  5. amazing! i still am dreaming of being where u are, maybe next year or this i can attend a workshop, i know all is possible! i think we get too stuck in our lives, i have been in this very rural jungle i live in over 30 yrs now, amazing! aloha, angi in hana

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  6. How wonderful! Do tell some more, please!
    Claudia Fisk

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