Living in a small mountain village just outside of Tokyo, I grow a crop of indigo every year and process the leaves into dye using traditional methods. I also breed silk moths, raise the silkworms and then reel/spin the silk from the cocoons. The silk is then dyed with natural dyes and finally woven on traditional Japanese looms. I run several ten-day live-in workshops a year at the old farmhouse here in Japan focusing on the Japanese use of indigo. Contact me for information.
Thursday, 12 January 2017
Where is the Japanese Textile Workshop Farmhouse?
To answer the question asked a thousand times....
Here is this old house on sunny June day with the gang all in their own world at the indigo and preparing work for the indigo:
And here are some Google Earth Grabs with Narita Airport on one side of Tokyo and the house on the other side. You can see why there are monkeys and boars running around the village when you see that we are right on the edge of the wild. In old times the village made charcoal to supply the old city of Tokyo, Edo.
(click for larger images.)
I am supposed to be leaving for a few months in Russia a few days from now. Unfortunately, one of my doggies, Geiger is not doing that well and I'll stay home and make sure he is comfortable. He has good days and bad days. Recently a string of good days and he enjoys his walks. His nose is going and he picks up rocks and starts to chew on them thinking they are monkey poo. Yuck.
My house sitters, Renita and Suzi have flown all the way to Japan from Australia...across the madness of Tokyo to this small village to look after the fort while I go away and they end up stuck with me here.
Wasting no time we started to fix up the sorry state of my back strap looms in various states of existence and get four complete healthy looms up and running.
Here they are using the warping wheel to set a warp length and put the cross in the threads. (Silk dyed indigo.) We will weave a very fine saki ori rag weave from old silk kimono linings.
And the next step of sleighing the reed.
And the next step of making thread heddles...one by one.
The cold wind is here from Siberia so I do get to enjoy some Russian winter after all.
What a great thing , getting those looms going.- can't wait to see the sakiori. I am lusting for that Hakonechloa, mine is so so slow to grow. Maybe I need a Siberian wind..Hope Geiger keeps getting better, just your being there will help him.
ReplyDeleteClaudia
Pictures in the new blog Claudia. There will be some warp left for you to weave in April. I promise.
DeleteAm sorry to hear the Russian vacation is not happening. Your concern for Geiger is palpable. He has been very lucky having yourself and Hiro to care for him, the looms will keep you busy as the cold wind blows and the snow settled.
ReplyDeleteLittle Geiger is so happy with the love pouring in. Bless his simple little soul.
Deletepoor Geiger ... but what a life!
ReplyDeletegive geiger a hug for me. i remember helping my wendy through her last little while.
ReplyDeleteHug received with a tail wag.
Deletesaudade!! (ask hiro for the meaning)
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to spend time in the village and learn from master dyers and weavers.
ReplyDeleteagh..... not many left....just me...
DeleteAlways thought it was in a "vertical mountain village".
ReplyDeleteHi Mark,
DeleteVertical enough. Come visit for a hike.
B
Hi Bryan, how's Geiger doing now? Will your trip to Russia go on another time? I'm curious what the sakiori rag will look like!
ReplyDeleteGeiger is doing better. His medicine seems to be working. He is a little comical...if going blind and demented can be funny....
Deleteblessings for Geiger.
ReplyDelete