November 24, 2008

• Arita 11/24/2008

  Ok, folks, there are LOTS of pictures here, so just feel free to scroll on by if it is too much, because we are gonna do it all!!  Sonny B left for TKO at 5am to be on a 7:10 flight, and since we were already up to see him off, we decided to get on the 7:30 train to Arita.  I had heard that there would be another crockery festival like there was last spring, so I was "rarin' to go!!"  Hubby had wanted to see the city anyway, as it is famous for being a crockery center.  I knew from the beginning that our reasons for wanting to go to Arita were VERY different.  He was interested in historical aspects and I was interested in shopping!!  WoOoOoO HoOoOoO!  Well, hub got his wish, because compared to the spring festival there was a lot of total NUTHIN' whatsoever going on except for business as usual in the shops.  I plan to go back next spring for my own purposes.

  

  We got off at Arita Station, but decided to backtrack to Kami Arita Station and walk the route back to Arita Station, as the two are back to back.  It was a cold and rainy day, which further dampened any potential festival atmosphere, but we don't let little things like that stop us.

  

  Here is a "dish department store" next to Kami Arita Station.  Take a look at that huge vase to the left!

  

  Here is the dish store parking lot.  Those are all dishes mounted on the outdoor walls.

  

  Some local Arita scenery with old style buildings.  Hub said to take this picture.

  

  On our way back to Arita Station, we took a parallel road that passed by a temple and a graveyard.  I thought the waterfall was pretty.

  

  More old stuff...  See the kiln chimney?

  

  These walls are common in this area.

  

  Walking by the previous smokestack

  

  Another old building

  

  More cool walls

  

  A cool graveyard with cool walls  (??)

  

  A cool tree and walls 

  

  More old dish shops

  

  Now this shrine was something!  To get there you have to climb the stairs and cross the railroad tracks, and there are no bamboo barriers to come down and block your path.

  

  I can hear the voices of old...  "You are going to run the track through WHERE???"

  

  The shrine featured large porcelain fixtures.  Some kid came along on a shrine visit, stuck his foot in the water and asked his father (who was busy preventing him from sticking his foot further into the water) why there was a pond in the shrine.  Hub had fun poking around with his umbrella at the top of the stairs to unblock a small channel through which the water could flow out. 

  

  View of the shrine building

  

  Taken from the shrine building - note the porcelain torii gate.  We also saw one like this at Saga.  I was waiting for those ladies to get out of my picture, but I think they may have been busy waiting for me to get out of their picture.

  

  This picture did not come out as well as I thought it would, but it was nice scenery in person.

  

  The final steps leading up to the shrine.  See the porcelain torii gate at the top?

  

  We went into an exhibition building to warm up and, um, well, the sinks were very pretty.

  

  Inside the building was a computer driven ceramic puppet show.  These fellows provide the music.

  

  Ah, a damsel in distress!!

   

  Below is the swain that comes to her rescue.

  

  Swain away, swain away...

  

  There was also a small shop where one could drink coffee in a cup of one's choice.

  

  I liked this one.  Hub offered to buy it for me, but I didn't like it $65.00 worth. 

  

  He picked a bunny cup, too.

  

  This was taken from the shop window and would have been nicer without the electric spider webs.

  

  This was also taken from the shop.  This spot is memorable for me because the red "Saga Bank" sign at the right is where I turned back to Arita Station last spring.  I had gotten off at Arita Station, walked towards Kami Arita and only mace it halfway before turning around.  Next spring I will know better.

  

  Outside the shop - The bikes are decorated with a dishy "tako kara kusa" design.  Thot that was cute.

  

  Another old building - Fukagawa dish company

  

  This was for some foreign residents of long ago, just across from the Fukagawa building.

  

  There were no real bargains happening, which is why I did not go in this shop, but later hub said that he would have liked to have checked it out.  Next time he should give my arm a little twist.

  

  I had gotten some nice things here last year, and picked up a couple of things this time.

  

  These cups are from the Koransha company.  I like them enough to take a picture, but not enough to buy.

  

  This is a new amber color from Koransha.

  

  I liked these enough to take a picture, but not enough to pay $150 for the set.

  

  Hub said to take a picture of this building, too.  As the rain lets up a bit a few more shoppers come out.

  

  Temple and Ginko Tree

  

  'nudder dish shop

  

  Local scenery

  

  I liked the reds here.

  

  I liked the yellows here.

  

  Inside a dish shop.  Nope, those blue jars just won't fit in my handbag.

  

  Cute

  

  When I saw these stairs leading upward last spring, the sidewalk was buried in boxes of dishes and I didn't bother going up because it was not in my shopping itinerary.  I do remember thinking that they were the exactly the kind of stairs that hubby would investigate, so I am glad that we got a chance to check out what was at the top. 

  

  This was at the top.

  

  Hubby the navigator checks the map.

  

  Some more dishes I didn't buy - tre cher!!

  

  I did not get this cup because it was too fuzzy and expensive.

  

  Golden cups that I did not buy.  Don't even think about it.

  

  This was nice, too.

  

  So were these.

  

  Nope, I have ten like it at home....  not!  At this point hubby decided that he wanted to visit a museum that I had already seen, so we went our separate ways for an hour or so.

  

  decorative shardisch paving

  

  This covered teacup was lovely, but what would I do with it?

  

  In one of the shops some of the local talent were playing a local instrument made of tuned dishes!

  

  I had seen this on TV, but didn't think I would have a chance to see it live!  I think that they are trying to attract attention and drum up business.  Have a listen!

  

  You can't his these too hard, because sometimes they break.

  

  Another cup that I admired but didn't buy.

  

  This one, too, all yours for around $84.

  My wallet and I will make another trip to Arita next spring w/o hubby!

  • 23:43
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