Although we observe differences in color, size and form, it’s difficult to understand it’s meaning. This morning I visited the Imperial Palace. In a big waiting area that was divided by sliding doors, the stripes on the tatami mats differed in color. The guide told us that the room with Lees verder
Suwa-san talked about another important issue in relation to language and culture. The japanese are sparing with words: ‘a word spoken will never come back.’ ’to speak is a big responsibility.’ ’the art of not speaking in a sophisticated way.’ This totally different way of communication, is hard for us Lees verder
This weekend I finished the questionnaire related to the Machiya, what are the qualities for living and working. How to take these qualities with us to the next generations in Japan and abroad. I’m warned by several people that it wouldn’t be easy to reach Kyoto people, especially those who Lees verder
While waiting at the entrance of the Doshisha University I made this picture. not very elegant figure with a huge cigarette. When the person I was waiting for arrived, he told me it was a sign for not smoking while walking (and standing) in this area. That was the meaning Lees verder
Life in a Machiya is not always fun. Yesterday night when I was reading in bed, I heard some strange scrabbling. The girl upstairs told me yesterday that she has a leaking roof, but that couldn’t happen on my floor. After I took my glasses of I saw a huge Lees verder
Through our eyes we can look and observe the world around us. Sometimes we use a painting, filmscreen or photo to focus on what we should see and avoid the noise around it. Three years ago I saw the work of Job Koelewijn at de Pont Tilburg. He put a Lees verder
Taniguchi (professor at the Doshisha University) explained me one of the first days about living in a traditional japanese house. In a traditional house everything in life is takes place in the same room: day: living, eating, sleeping, all in one room year: summer, autumn, winter, spring (with differences in Lees verder
Ellie told me that there’s a Machiya transported to the Boston Children’s Museum. I found on the website images where it looked like ‘Alice in Wonderland’. This Machiya has been taken apart in Kyoto and was rebuild by Japanese carpenters in the museum (1979-1980). In an interview in the Harvard Lees verder
Culture reveals itself slowly. Every day you see new things, although your eye must have seen them before. Only when you make connections, references, relationships you can communicate and understand better the things you’ve seen. This first week is a great lesson in modesty and slow looking.
Kenya Hara states in his ‘house vision’ that the form of the sliding doors are more determined by the body than by the space. It’s the mentality that lives in a space that allows one to engage with the world with beauty and modest dignity. How to open and close Lees verder