This small city of 36.000 people has been an important port
since ancient times and the site of a medieval silver mine. You would never guess
it’s ancient origins, as with other Japanese cities it has found a modern identity, this time with stories about little monsters known as “yokai”, bronze
representations of which line the streets. The minions featuring in recent
movies for kids are somewhat similar, and others Mum used to call "moppets" big headed, big eyed dolls – plagiarism? Down town you are likely to
come across people bressed in big heads, depicting these characters so you can
have photos taken with them. Both hands in the obligatory peace sign of course.
Seems to be standard practice with Asians much like our “say cheese”.
We took a tour to the Adachi Museum and gardens. This is a
huge dry garden surrounding a museum of modern Japanese artworks including ceramics
by famous potters, wood carvings and paintings, collected by Adachi Senko. The art
was interesting and based hugely on fantasy as with a lot of things Japanese.
The child inspired artworks were somewhat reminiscent of Beatriz Potter.
The garden was amazing with 900 pine trees among the maples
and redwoods, all perfectly pruned and sheared of course; a moss garden which they transfer mosses in to when creating;
carefully selected rocks which vary in colour according to sun or rain (and it
rained for us); waterfalls and pools full of carp, all with the sand/gravel
raked to represent water. This was not a strolling garden but one to be viewed
only – in this case from inside the house and purposes built rooms. Great for
us as it was raining most of the time. The surrounding countryside has also
been purchased to ensure the gardens merge with the surrounding hillsides and a
local high waterfall. Very serene. Some of the windows of the house were
perfectly placed to form a living picture and served also to represent the hanging
scroll that Buddhists have in their homes. This garden has been acclaimed among
the Top Gardens of the World for nine years in a row.
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