Momoyo sans wedding dinner

Tonight I went to a french restaurant with some teachers from work to celebrate Momoyo sans marriage. The food was certainly delicious, although I'm not sure how many french restaurants serve lotus root!

I had a lovely time so thanks for the invite Momoyo san and congratulations:D

Judging by the stories told tonight around the dinner table it seems that Japanese men are more romantic than British men! if you think differently let me know! xx

Blind me

Hello, this post is for Phil who's requested the chords to my song, Blind me. So here's a quick demo of the fingerpicking. Can't wait to see what you do with it Phil:D
Happy playing xx

RRRooM Music

A top night was had by all at RRRooM yesterday with some excellent live music and great company. The first band to play, were a delight, music from the heart, laid back but with a definite danceable groove. Then there was a duo who had everyone doing impressions of a Japanese cat! I also enjoyed listening to the guy who played guitar and a sanshin, he sang an original song first with the guitar and then switched to the sanshin (a traditional Okinawan 3 stringed instrument that predates the Japanese Shimasen and sounds a little like a banjo) for some traditional Japanese songs.

Thanks go to Youske (not too sure of the spelling) too for playing some great tunes on his decks.

I also played one song with Koji's band which, although I was horribly nervous, I really enjoyed and it was great playing with other musicians. One of the nicest compliments I got for my playing was when Fuji san told me my music sounded like clear water and that he'd pictured a beautiful big lake while I played, I'm happy with that:D

Eye candy from the books in the art shop

I was rather naughty taking these photo's of the art books in the art shop but I simply can't afford any more books, no money and no space in my suitcase:(

I couldn't resist these images though, they're so beautiful and so wonderfully painted, nihonga style I think.

I will probably go back to the shop and buy the book anyway!

xxx

Who knows where the time goes

Anyone that knows me well will know the above blog title is one of my fave songs by Sandy Denny, and the sentiments conveyed are always relevant. My time here in Japan is speeding by so fast it's scary! There are cherry and plum blossoms on the trees already and it seems like autumn's only just passed. I'll be finishing my job here soon and heading home to England, where did the time go?

Anyway, here are some pics of the blossom (I'm sure there will be many more), it's lovely to see and feel and smell the spring:)

I also made friends with some new cats today, one at the temple and one in the park. When I first arrived in Japan the cats wouldn't say hello, but now I've been here for a while they're more friendly. Maybe I smell more Japanese and familiar now:D

xxx

A couple more quotes

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.

And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy; And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields. And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief.

Kahlil Gibran

'There's a crack, a crack, in everything, that's how the light gets in.'

Leonard cohen

Aguri Uchida

I've just been sorting through one of my notebooks, it's mostly full of lists of things to do and doodles and budgets that I never manage to stick too:)

There are a few quotes from artists though, some poems that I've jotted down because I like them, and a couple of Buddhist prayers/meditations. I'm going to throw the notebook away because I'll be leaving Japan soon (woe is me) and I can't carry everything home:(

Anyway, I thought I'd put some of the quotes on here, sharing's good.

I'll add some images too from Uchida Aguri, a Japanese painter of the Nihonga style. Last year (before I started my blog) I saw an exhibition called 'The witches one times one' in Tokyo which included some of her work and I was blown away, the textures, the colour and composition, fabulous! The Nihonga style of painting is usually used to depict much more traditional imagery so it's interesting to see it used in a more abstract way.

Uchida was encouraged to "investigate the expressiveness of the internal states of human beings" by being advised to think about "the shadow of the spirits " on human skin.

Buddhist Prayer

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind

be freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free.

May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending each other.

xxx

John Martyn

One of my favourite singer songwriters, John Martyn, died last week. His sublime guitar playing has me in raptures and his lyrics were from the heart. He will be sorely missed and I regret that I never got to see him live.

Hear him play in this youtube link.

This is his website http://www.johnmartyn.com/

xxx