Karmin and David had decided  to come to Japan and wanted to try  Japanese  craft. Then, they found me on the Internet. We just emailed each other and this class was really happened. They are teachers in the U.S. A. and I enjoyed having them in my class.

We ate Gyu-don (cooked beef on rice) for lunch. We went to Seki sword museum and to see paper Buddha in Gifu after the class. It was a enjoyable day. This is  the dolls’ picture they made in the class.

Karmin and David, thank you for coming to my class while you are traveling Japan !! I hope that you have a wounderful time for your rest of trip in Japan.

It you are planning to come to Japan, please stop by Gifu area and come to my class just like them. I am looking forward to meeting you in the future!!

 

The Japanese paper doll exhibition was held at KKR hotel in Tokyo. Members from Tutano kai made dolls and displayed them at the hotel. I made 3 dolls for the exhibition.  It was held between December  28th2009 to January  8th 2010. The theme of the exhibition was a Japanese festival. I forgot my camera, so I took pictures with my cell-phone.

The Doll Art Exhibition was held at the city festival center in Dubai from the 9th to the 23rd of July. 15 artists from all over the world attended this exhibition. I was one of artists.

Dubai has a big summer event called summer supply every year. They decided to have doll exhibition as one of events this year. This was the first experience for them to see many kinds of hand made dolls. People were very eager to see dolls and workshops. I was surprised how popular Japanese culture in Dubai was. Many people spoke to me in Japanese too.

I enjoyed sightseeing in Dubai during day. We worked from 16:00 p.m. to 22:00p.m. So, we had free time during day.

It was a big success. Many people asked me to come back to Dubai and why I didn’t have a shop in Dubai. I would like to go back to Dubai if I have another chance.

Hello,

Our exhibition of Japanese Dolls and Toys is up and visitors are really
enjoying it. Thank you again for you contributions. I wanted to send
along a few photographs of the exhibition.

Thanks,

Jillian Allison
Coordinator of Education and Programs
Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys
1880 Gaylord Street
Denver, CO 80206
303-322-1053
www.dmmdt.org

I just wanted to let you all know of an exhibition going on in Denver, Colorado that you might be interested in. Here are the details:

Exhibition Title: Hina Matsuri: Girls’ Day and the Dolls of Japan

When: January 1st- March 31st

Where: The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys

The woman heading up the exhibit contacted me through my Etsy Shop and asked me if I could provide her with some information about Washi Ningyou. I sent her a short essay/biography as well as two of my own dolls (a maiko and a Japanese bride). The dolls will be on display at the museum.

If you would like more information, you can check out the museum’s website: http://www.dmmdt. org/Exhibits. htm

Andy made this Shiokumi doll.

Around the Heian Period,　a man named Aiwara Yukihiro betrayed the government. The Emperor was outraged and for his punishment, Yukihiro was banished to a remote island. He was sent there for three years.
While on the island he met two beautiful girls named Matsukaze and Murasame, whom he fell in love with.
Matsukaze and Murasame were “Shiokumi”. The name reflected their jobs which were to carry buckets of salt water. The salt water was later refined into salt. “Shiokumi” literally means “to carry salt water” It’s also the name of a traditional Japanese dance.
After Yukihiro 3 years of banishment were finished, he was permitted to return to the capital. He promised before leaving to return for both Matsukaze and Murasame someday. He wanted them to live on the mainland with him. Sadly, this promise went unfulfilled due to his untimely demise.　
　The sisters were greatly saddened by his death. They hung up the hat and hunting jacket he had left behind on a pine tree where they cried. While remembering him, they danced wearing his hat and jacket, while also carrying their water buckets.

Seki is famous for making swords and cutlery. We export cutleries to the world. The history of making swords in Seki is over 700 years. Swords were used for wars a long time ago, but people buy them as decorations or to use for Martial arts nowadays. Swords are very beautiful art. Hollywood moves used swords made in Seki.

This time, I had a doll class in the morning and we went to see the sword demonstration.

There are many festivals all of Japan around this time. We had cutlery festival in Seki and Japanese paper lantern festival in Mino.

I had a doll class on the 12th. My students came to Seki on the 11th and we went to see the sword making demonstration. And then, we went to see martial arts. While we were watching the martial arts, I saw some of my students. So, I suddenly decided to have dinner with them. We enjoyed shopping and eating festival food. At dinner time, 12 people came to my house. We ordered pizza and I made Indian curry, salad & brownies. It was not enough food for everyone, but all of us were very happy to be together. After dinner, we went to see Japanese paper lanterns to Mino. This year, I didn’t make a lantern for the festival. One of my students, who was eager to make a lantern, left Japan last summer. So, I decided not to make a lantern this year. I will make a lantern with someone if I have that kind of student again. : ) But, it takes a long time to make a very nice lantern. The most difficult part would be to think of a unique design, I think. After that, the key would be time,how long we can work on one lantern. Everyone is busy, and I don’t want to work on it alone. Anyway, the lanterns were very beautiful on the traditional street in Mino.

The next day, I had a class with 6 people. Some of them stayed at my hosue and some of them stayed at a inn in Seki. Everyone made beautiful dolls. People came from Osaka, Kobe,Takayama and Kani. It was a trip for them. I really enjoyed the class. I think that I will have a class when we have these festivals again.

If you would like to come to Seki in Japan, this time would be perfect time!! Come to Seki and join my class!! You would have a wounderful time!!

If you would like to see the pictures of lanterns…

http://washitoningyou.spaces.live.com

Japanese paper lantern festival

Andy made Tenaraiko and Temari

I had a long break time from a doll class. The weather has become cooler, so I have started having a class at home again. I had 4 people in a class. 2 people are frist time to make a Japanese doll, Temari. Other 2 people made advanced dolls. ( Kurodabushi, Tenaraiko and Temari.

I am looking forward to having more doll classes as the weather gets even cooler. It is easier to hold classes in the winter because the doll room is on the third floor of my house. So in the summer it becomes very hot. I hope to be able to have at least 2 classes next month, 3 if the weather is nice.

One of my best friends who lives in Nagoya suggetsed me that I open etsy shop to sell my dolls and Japanese paper long time ago. But I didn’t know how to start.Then, many emails from people overseas interested in making Japanese paper dolls made me open my etsy shop immediately. ” Please teach me how to make a doll” ” Your students make such beautiful dolls and I would like to make them too”. Hummm, can I teach them only though email? They need deatail instructions. So, I started making eBook of Temari. It took me for a long time to complete the eBook. Then, some people bought Temari eBook and made them. They were very happy with my eBook and I’m glad that they liked it.

Dwita, who lives in Indnesia, made 2 Temari dolls. First, She made Temari doll( right one) with Temari kit that I sold to her and then she cut papers and made the second one. ( left one)

My etsyshop

http:// Japanesepaperdoll.etsy.com