Remembering that I had this info sheet while doing a little more research on the Aoi Matsuri Festival which I thought I would share with you…“it is one of the most solemn and graceful festivals in Japan and has been well preserved throughout the ages ince the th century. The aoi leaves which are used to decorate the costumes are believed to have all sorts of powers, including protection against lightening and earthquakes and guaranteeing easy childbirth.

The procession consists of 511 people, 36 horses, 4 cows and 2 carriages and runs 1 kilometer from front to back. The highlight of the festival is the saio-dai, a young woman which in the Heian period was always an imperial princess who rides on a paanquin with a multitude if followers wearing the colorful clothing of the imperial court. She is dressed in 12  layers of imperial Heian robes.”

What a fabulous way to throw ourselves into the Japanese culture and start off our time in Japan. Off to hop a bus/train and venture our way to Nakasyu Studio in Kyoto where were to experience Yuzen dying.

We saw samples ahead of time and were supposed to pick out our color. I really do love blue/purple/periwinkle, but I selected the brown as I got to see that sample in person and it was very striking, so that was my color!

We walked into the studio of course after removing our shoes, which is still the custom there. There were always slippers offered, but I prefer not to use them and just walk in my stocking feet!

Our fabric was prepared for us and mounted on these special frames. As we sat we were served tea and welcomed to the studio with proper introductions and bowing of the head.

This is before the colors of paint. The silver actually is albana (if I said that correctly) and would not absorb colors.

This was the gold sensei demonstrating his craft.

This is the sample which I would try to follow the color placement.

We were all busy painting!

This pictoral collage was created by Leslie who was sitting across from me. We both were lovers of baseball and cats, so we really hit it off!

Our sensei

My buddy Debby. She would share many laughs and pictures with me throughout our trip!

Focused on my painting!

a little help from our sensei.

It was hard work which made us work quite the appetite! We walked around the corner to have lunch, but first you needed to put your shoes away in the shoe locker before you entered.

The wooden blocks were numbered as to where you placed your shoes. Hopefully I would remember where they were!

Most delicious lunch! and then of course there was dessert…

Soon it was time to go back to our pieces.

Originally we were supposed to add the gold outlines, but it was decided for us that it would be done and we would get the pieces back in a week. They would need to be washed first and then the gold is added as if you were using a pastry bag.

I am absolutely thrilled with the way mine came out! They are used to cover your Japanese embroidery pieces. But since I don’t do JE, I have something in mind that I will work on with my framers. Next on the agenda was making a little coin purse, so we would have something to take with us. I didn’t download any of those pictures, so another time!

Our day was done! and it was off to a sushi spot that utilized a conveyer belt and you would just help yourself to what looked good…and it all did.

They would figure your bill by either counting your plates, or if you really ate a lot of selections, they would measure your stack with a ruler. Very clever!

And wow that was just our first day. Tuesday would take us to Saga Arashiyama, Tenryuji Temple, Bamboo Street and Nagakusa Embroidery Studio.

and for now I will say…sayonara