Nakamura Rosoku13 overseas and 3 Japanese friends, and 8 members visited Nakamura Rosoku (Japanese traditional candle maker) in Takeda, Fushimi-ku. Mr. Hirokazu Tagawa ,the 4th generation of this maker, told us about warosoku which demand have decreased due to spread of inexpensive western candles. He was eagerly talking about the warm flame of warosoku which makes Japanese traditional arts, such as painting on sliding door, make-up of kabuki actor or maiko, look more beautiful. We also had a tour of his workshop and learned how to make warosoku. We all wached the workshop with great intrest and asked a lot of questions.
16th Kamogawa-kai Bazzar at Kyoto Aoi churchWe held the 16th Bazaar at Kyoto Aoi Church. We would like to sincerely thank all the people who came to it. Proceeds from this bazaar will be used for our future activities.
Tenryu-ji TempleWe visited Tenryu-ji Temple which is designated as a World Cultural Heritage site. An American zen monk, Mr. Thomas Kirchner gave us a talk about significance of zen meditation and guided us to practice zazen at the meditation hall. After the zazen experience we enjoyed the garden and blooming lotus flowers. 37 people from 12 countries had quiet and tranquil time together.
Suntory Kyoto BreweryWe visited Suntory Kyoto Brewery in Nagaokakyo City. At first, we learned about history of Suntory and then we viewed the production line. And lastly, we tasted three kinds of Suntory beer. 38 guests from 10 countries joined us on the sunny warm day perfect for beer.
Fukujuen CHA Experience ParkWe visited Fukujuen CHA Experience Park where you can learn about tea which is loved in the world. We experienced tea picking at the tea garden in the park and learned how to make tea with tea leaves we picked. After that, we watched the video about the history of tea and appreciated the exhibits which shows teatime scene of England, Russia and Mongolia and so on. 35 foreigners and 7 Japanese joined us.
Tea Party Marking the 35th Anniversary of KamogawakaiWe had a tea party to mark the 35th anniversary of Kamogawa-kai at Midori-no-Yakata in Umekoji Park. 34 Overseas friends from 14 countries, 10 Japanese and 18 members participated. Ms. Hikojyu Wakayagi who is our member performed Japanese dance, and Ms. Otono who is also our member performed Nankin tamasudare, the street performance. After enjoying their wonderful performances, guests experienced dance and Nankin tamasudare. We had a beautiful afternoon talking and taking a light meal.
The 19th Regular Concert of Mandolino Elegante at Kyoto Concert HallWe attended a concert of amateur mandolin ensemble, which one of Kamogawa-kai members enrolled. They performed 10 pieces of music, composed by Italian, American and Japanese, and we were fascinated by the delicate and beautiful sound. We had 20 participants from 7 countries, and spent a good time together.
Kaleidoscope Museum of KyotoWe visited Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto which opened as an educational institution of Kyoto City in 2004. After having an explanation about the history of kaleidoscope, we appreciated kaleidoscopes made by famous foreign and Japanese craftsmen. And we also enjoyed making own kaleidoscope using a kit. 23 people from 10 countries joined us.