We couldn’t help ourselves, we had to call in an audible.  We always do.  We planned on staying 3 nights at Benesse House in Naoshima but got up to speed quickly and realized 2 nights was plenty.  The pro move would be to get to Teshima first for half a day and then go to Naoshima to spend the night.  Do the second day which is a full day at Naoshima and then leave after you are done and go to Kyoto or Tokyo.  No need to eat and sleep there for two nights although we did wake up to the beautiful setting above each morning.

We grabbed the ferry over to Teshima from Naoshima.

First stop is the Teshima Art Museum.  The island has about 800 people who live there.  It is gorgeous.  These views are from the museum.  The rice paddies, the ocean, the trees, it is so stunning.

No pics here either but I broke the rules.  What can I say?  The museum has the work of Rei Naito and the is architect Ryue Nishizawa.  The collaboration is a total wow.  It is hard to see from this photo how special this place is.  Only so many people can go in at once and that has been consistent at every museum on both islands.  It allows you to feel that you are on your own personal journey because there are no crowds.  You enter without shoes.  There are small holes on the floor that allow water to spring from the ground into the space.  The space has two large oval openings that look like a water droplet and the openings bring in nature, light, and sounds.  As the water seeps into the space it continues to move and form larger and smaller puddles because water has electric conductivity.  People come back over the course of the day as the water gets deeper and the light changes.  It is just an incredible experience.

Next stop is Les Archives du Coeur by Christian Boltanski.  This small space sits down a path on an isolated beach.  It permanently houses (to date) 68,000 heartbeats from around the world.  You can record your own heartbeat and listen to others.  Fascinating concept.

Like Naoshima, there are public art installations around the island.  I really liked the basketball one.  There is a marked circle for shooting and a bucket of balls too.

We walked around a neighborhood to go see an installation at a hotel but it no longer exists.  There was a woman tending her garden.

She grew kiwis too.  The island is known for rice, strawberries, olives and citrus fruits such as oranges and yuzu.

Teshima Yokoo House is a more interesting structure than the art inside.  Red is the theme here.  As you walk down the street you see these red panes of glass that reflect.

Inside the garden has red rocks and a pond that flows under the building.  You can see into with the glass floor.  The best thing here which is not really photograph worthy is a silo that you walk inside with a glass floor.  Whether you look up or down, it seems to go on forever.  The walls are covered with photos of waterfalls.

Although my favorite was the bathroom.

We had some treats at a small cafe before getting on the ferry and making our way back to Tokyo.

The move at the train is the bento box.  That is what we were told.

Looks beautiful.  Taste, meh.

We got back to Tokyo and were happy to be back in the concrete jungle.  Had dinner at Kaikaya where we shared a bunch of plates.  The rice was the fave and we ordered it twice.

We walked around Shibuya afterward before heading back to the hotel.  I tried to capture some of the people on the street.  Everyone here has their own look and it is really chic.  It is so great to walk the streets and see that people care about how they look.  Here are a few shots.

Another one.

Another one.

Another one.

And the last one.  They don’t capture what we have seen as I am not that quick on the camera but it is inspiring.

 

We hit the ground running for a full day on the island of Naoshima.  We started with breakfast at the Benesse House before checking out the surroundings of the building.  Listening to the water lap up against the shore takes the comfort of many of the installations to another level.  Everyone is very quiet, no shoes in many of the installations, and only a few in at a time.  It works.

This Kusama sits prominently on the shore.

I am now obsessed with the architecture of Tadao Ando.  These concrete rooms are filled with photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto.  The concrete walls and floors almost shine.  They have been scratched to create texture.  It is so simple and yet so insanely elegant.

Our first stop was the Lee Ufan museum.  We had just seen his latest work at the Lisson gallery in NYC before we got here.  The museum is a collaboration between Ufan and Ando.  A concrete structure housing his paintings and sculptures using nature as a backdrop.  It is truly incredible.

There are public art installations throughout the island.  Here is one large garbage can from the artist Kimiyo Mishima.

The Art House Project is in the town.  You walk around the town stopping at 7 different installations.  Once a fishing village, the stroll through the town gives you a better feeling of life on the island.  Artists have taken empty houses and turned them into art.  Many of the buildings were once lived in.  You get a ticket and get it stamped at each stop.  There are more than a few James Turrell pieces throughout the island.  One piece is part of the Art House Project and of course, Tadao Ando designed the building to accommodate this piece.

The Go’o Shrine dates back to the Edo Period.

The flight to glass stairs go all the way underneath the ground connecting life above ground and death below.

This was the home of the Ishibashi family that was used by the family until 2001.  They were part of the salt making industry which supported Naoshima for years.

This small home has an installation of water with neon numbers that continue to change constantly, again all about the past and the future, life, and death.  This is from the artist Rei Naito who is also the artist we will see tomorrow at the Teshima Museum.

Walking through the town you really get to see some of the beautiful gardens people have.  Here is one that caught my eye.

The Statue of Liberty stands inside this old building that used to be a dentist’s office.

As we walked to lunch we stopped in the local grocery store and picked up some candy.  A local grocery store, like a farmer market, tells you a lot about the community.

Lunch was at Naohima Homura and it was delicious.  This Grandmother’s home was given to her son who turned it into a cafe.  Four women were working the restaurant.  I particularly loved the mixture of coffee cups that they had.

We had the curry dish.  A big mound of rice with soft scrambled egg draped over it and curry around the edges.  Not only was the food good but the vibe in there was so warm, comfortable and inviting.  I have never seen this particular presentation before.  When it came out of the kitchen, these big mounds of rice covered with eggs I was skeptical but wow.

Next museum was the Chichu Art Museum.  Chichu means underground.  There are works there by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria.  Ando took this place to another level.  The thought about light and concrete are just jaw-dropping.  There are two gardens surrounded by extremely tall concrete walls, one is filled with concrete, the other bamboo.

The Walter De Maria is regal and incredible.  This photo just does not do it justice.

We headed towards the Ando museum that shows how the Chichu Museum was constructed.  Here is a model.  Some serious contractors did this work.

Last stop was the ILOVEU bathhouse.  Feels a bit like you could be in Miami.  This is the local bathhouse, a room for women and a separate one for men.

We went back to Benesse House for a quick rest and then to dinner.  Dinner was at 6.  Nothing to write about when it comes to the food here except that it is not good and overpriced.  Afterward, we wandered around outside to see a few other art installations on the property.

Turning the corner to see this piece by Walter De Maria was a total wow.  Tomorrow, Neshima.

Naoshima is an island town in the Seto Inland Sea.  In 1985, Tetsuhiko Fukutake, who founded Fukutake Publishing met with the mayor of Naoshima, Chikatsugu Miyake and agreed to develop the island into something educational.  In 1989, the architect, Tadao Ando oversaw the supervision of the first permanent art installation on the island.  In 1992, the Benesse House was built as a museum and hotel to hold guests and art.  The art island was born.

The island is quite amazing.  The surroundings are absolutely gorgeous and the museums that have been built are unique, small, quiet and inspiring.  There is something peaceful about the place.  We got here around 4 pm and were starving.  We went to the cafe and had some food. The options were limiting and what there was to eat was awful.  Although the views are gorgeous.

After a little rest, we walked up to the Benesse Museum before dinner.   What is amazing is that we were the only people in the museum.  Some incredible pieces.  Oh, no photos on the entire island in any of the museums, but I broke the rules.  The people here like to follow rules, the reality is I do not so not sure I am a culture fit here.  This is a view from our room.

The collection is not large but how each piece is displayed is incredible.  This gives you an idea of the scale of space in the museum.

This piece is called River Avon Mud Circles by the Inland Sea, Richard Long, 1997.

Great American Nude #39, Tom Wesselmann, 1962.  This pic does not give the piece justice.  It is about one foot deep and there is a view of the ocean through the window on the top right.

Yellow and Black Boats, Jennifer Bartlett, 1985.

Bruce Nauman’s piece sitting inside this concrete cylinder is so good.  The architecture marries the work.  There was also a Yves Klein, and a Basquiat.  This room captures a lot of how many of the buildings feel.

There are two restaurants at the Benesse House, and two seatings, 6 and 8.  Do not even attempt to sway from your time zone.  We were done with the museum a bit earlier and attempted to go to the restaurant around 715.  If there was a bar, we would have gone there, but there isn’t.  After a bit of negotiating, they finally let us sit and just have some drinks.  It was super warm in there and we kept opening the door, the manager wasn’t happy with that either.  Rules shall not be broken.

Finally, it was 8 pm and others were allowed in.  The woman next to us was hilarious.  As she walked in, she said, “this place is charming like a bus station.”.  She was right.  Super bright and strange.  Then her other comment was “this is like a luxury jail.”.  Hilarious but sort of true.  The place is magnificent, and the Benesse house is one of the only places to stay here, kind of a missed opportunity in regards to service but the art…well, it is just incredible.

I have written that over the past couple of years that our go-go attitude when traveling should really take a new direction like perhaps bringing clothes to chill pool-side or perhaps a little spa action instead of the go until you drop direction.  Today, we saw a few things and then opted for the relaxing afternoon.  Note to self….this is a good thing and more of that is not such a bad thing.

The morning we headed out to the Robert Yellin Gallery.  You need an appointment.  He is an ex-pat, formerly from CA, who wound up in Japan many decades ago.  He represents some of the top Japanese ceramicists and he shows their work in his home.  He is warm, inviting and full of information.  It was really quite charming.  We made a few purchases to bring home.  Good news is they take care of getting everything to our home.

So many incredible pieces.  I had to hold myself back.

Next stop was Kyoto Bal a high-end concept shop that was renovated in 2015.  The store is absolutely stunning.  There are more than a few items that we found that were editions done by two companies, one from Japan and the other from the states.  I wish there was a store like this in NYC because there is absolutely a void in the market for it.

There were a few shops inside separate stores such as Akomeya, home store, and Tomorrowland.  Kind of reminiscent of Fred Segal but so much better.  Akomeya is incredible.  Kitchen supplies from food products to pots and pans.  If this was in the states, I might have brought home multiple bags.

The store has two entire floors of books and stationery products.  Really well done.

Next stop was the Nishiki Market.  Last time we were here I remember the market being insanely packed.  Today, perhaps because it was Monday mid-day, it was relatively calm.

Delicious green tea soft ice cream!

Also everything from spices to grilled eel to pickled vegetables.  I went back and read the old post I did on this market and basically, nothing has changed except for the soft ice creams that seem to be the thing of the moment.

The knife store is quite special too.  What has changed is that many of these items you can now buy online.  I will definitely go home and dig deep into the items I saw at Akomeya and see what I can get shipped to my front door.  I can be educated and discover here and then go home and shop.  It changes the game.

This past year we did a massive renovation.  I spent countless hours on Etsy finding and then purchasing Japanese textiles that we made into pillows.  Robert Yellin sent me in the direction of Gallery Kei for textiles.  A wonderful woman who sources and sells Japanese textiles that are anywhere from 20 years to 90 years old.  The best was she gave me her card and told me to follow her on Instagram.  You gotta love that.

We hit up the Kyoto Ceramics Art Association before going back to the hotel to have lunch.  Hung out the rest of the afternoon, reading and chilling.  Wise move.

For dinner, we shifted plans based on last night’s meal.  We decided to go for Yakitori.  First stopping at Bar Rocking Chair for a drink.  The tiny bars are really great here.  They take their drinking seriously.

Since we were shifting at the last minute we went to Wabiya Korekido.  Good not great but we had a good time.

Duck meatballs.

Fried chicken.

Back to the hotel and heading out tomorrow for Naoshima.

 

The trains in Japan are extremely civilized….and fast.  I can not help but think about the lack of transportation infrastructure in the United States while sitting on the train from Tokyo to Kyoto.  Sigh.

We got to Kyoto and hit the ground running.  First stop Arashiyama, the bamboo grove.  It is Sunday here and the throng of people who showed up to see this place was overwhelming.  It is a bit hard to enjoy the tranquility of the piece with hundreds of other people.

The key is just walking past the density and taking one of the paths up to one of the many shrines in the area.

Built sometime around the 1500’s, one can only imagine the people wandering through this space and being able to see who was coming up to visit.

We went to Yudufo Sagano for lunch.  Supposedly touristy but we were one of two other people eating there so it felt really good.  A fixed lunch where tofu is the main event.  All of these tiny dishes were delicious.  It was fun too. 

The tofu in the middle is soft and tasty.  The dipping sauce is on the side and you can shake it up with slices of scallion and shaved yuzu.   

A stop at the Golden Pavilion is a must.  Beautiful yet packed.  The one thing I remember about Kyoto that I didn’t love it how spread out it is.  A sprawling city so getting from place to place is not a quick jaunt.

We went back to the hotel to regroup.  One of the things we did is had our luggage sent to Kyoto from Tokyo so we did not have to schlep it on the train.  Such a great move.  The luggage was in our rooms when we got to Kyoto.  Extremely civilized.   Beautiful surroundings here.

Dinner was at Sojiki Nakahigashi.  We sat in our own room, on the floor, very Japanese style.

This is one of the top restaurants in Kyoto, Michelin 2-starred with local ingredients and a daily changing menu.  I wish I could say I loved it but I didn’t.  Perhaps it was the new flavor profiles to my own palate, perhaps it was jet-lag really catching up with me but one tiny nibble of each plate was all I could muster or really enjoy.  Just not my thing.  Each dish is beautifully prepared.  The chef runs his kitchen with a firm hand.  They really care about everything that comes out of the kitchen but alas, none of us loved the food.  I actually forgot the menu to share.

Good news is we went back to the hotel where I had the first solid night sleep.

 

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When the movie Lost In Translation came out two people who we knew that frequently went to Japan on business said that watching the movie gave them angst.  They knew all too well that feeling of being in Japan, watching the sunrise, being wide awake at 330 in the morning and essentially being lost in the time zone.  I have never had a problem moving through time zones but this time, I am seriously lost in translation.

We started the day at Aoyama Cemetery.  It might seem like a strange move but our son sent us here and I get why.  The setting is beautiful, serene and calming.  Each burial area has water and a dipper to wash the families gravestone.  The cleaning of the grave is Japanese custom.  We witnessed a few people doing that.

Next stop was the Saturday Farmers Market in Roppongi.  I love a good farmers market.  Pretty sure from the look of this one, and I did the research, this is one of the best, is that the concept is not big here.  If someone knows differently, please share.  The best part was buying a jar of mustard from these young women who might have been raising money for a school or an organization.  They were excited to try out their English skills with me.  It was really great.

There are many amazing museums here but one of the tops is the National Center of Art.  There were a few installations of amateur artists in and around Japan that were not that interesting.  The big exhibition was of Pierre Bonnard.  The most interesting thing about the show that I did not know is that George Eastman ( Kodak film ) gave Bonnard the new medium to play around with at the end of the 1800’s and he left quite a significant amount of photos that he then turned into paintings.  Otherwise, the best thing about the museum is the architecture.  The architect was Kisho Kurokawa, a leading Japanese architect and founder of the Metabolist movement (megastructures made with organic biological growth).  The building is amazing.

We went back to the rambling streets around Roppongi where the people watching is just incredible.  Went down Cat Street and the Omotesando area.

Another great coffee shop, The Roastery by Nozy Coffee, to keep us going.  Stopped in many shops from the Y’s, to Number Sugar for caramels, to United Arrows.

What we went to see in that area was Espace Louis Vuitton.  On the 7th floor of the LV store is an art gallery.  Designed by Jun Aoki for solo exhibits.  I remember going with the kids years ago and loved the space and concept.  The install was works from the artist Bertrand Lavier.

I had done research about a porcelain shop called Yumiko Iihoshi.  Luckily we had someone with us or there is no way we would have found this shop.  Located inside an apartment building on the 2nd floor, down a long corridor in one of the spaces.  It appeared to be an apartment building but perhaps they are all random offices and stores.

Lunch was at Hommura An for some delicious soba noodles and uni.  Just so good.  We then walked around the area looking at a few galleries.

21-21 Design Sight is definitely worth going to.  A super cool building with 3 galleries.  It is a venue dedicated to redirecting our thoughts about everyday things and events.  The architect of this building was Tadao Ando.  Really great.

The exhibit was called Audio Architect by the product designer Naoto Fukasawa.  One gallery had three different screens of music being played by musicians and on the other side was computer images moving with the music.  It was really fantastic.

Last stop of the day was Takishimaya.  I was very sad when they closed the outpost in NYC.  The downstairs food market here is incredible.  One of the best ones I have seen.  Also, the store is packed!  They have obviously figured out retail.  This is a bunch of different miso options.

After a little rest, we went to dinner at Sushi Ya.  An eight-seat restaurant and the experience was amazing.  Delicious at every turn.  We honestly hit the wall about 5 pieces short of what was expected.  Here are a few highlights pics.

Hairy crab.

Bonito.

And of course, tuna.

Until tomorrow….

 

 

 

There is so much to love about Tokyo.  I love how it is a vertical city and many of the stores and restaurants are on the upper floors of buildings.  How there are neighborhoods within neighborhoods.  I particularly love the sense of style here.  People take their looks seriously.  There are a few places where I would just be happy pulling up a chair and watching the people walk by.  They are in need of people watching cafes like Paris.

The first stop on day 2 is the Meiji Shrine.  Set in a part of Yoyogi Park where if you didn’t know you were in the city, you would think you were in a forest.  When you enter this area there is a wall of sake barrels that are offered every year to show respect to the souls of the Emperors and in turn, they will continue to pray for the prosperous sake industry.

The shrine just got a serious renovation to the point that it looks brand new inside.  Getting ready for the Olympics.  What is really beautiful is the gorgeous tree that sits outside the shrine.  This time there is plenty of information in English.  I have confirmed that English is becoming part of the school system so plenty has changed since we were here 6 years ago when almost nobody spoke English.

Next stop Mori Art Museum located on the 53rd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mall.  The current exhibit is the influence of art around catastrophe.  Really well curated.  This piece, The Star Shines in the City, by George Rousse is about cleaning up a cafe in the aftermath of destruction.

This is Yoko Ono’s Add Color Piece which first appeared in 1961 inviting visitors to participate by writing and coloring a white canvas with the idea that every moment changing in our lives is beautiful.

On the 52nd floor, there are incredible views of the city.  Gives you an idea of how dense Tokyo is.

We went to a small building with a bunch of design shops.  The Japanese ceramics even for home use are so beautiful.  This was at Axis Gallery Symposia.

IMA Concept Store is upstairs from this.  This store represents many photographers that sell their pieces under $50 with the concept that art is for everyone.

Tokyo Station has some of the best places to eat.  Rokusnisha always has a line and the ramen is worth waiting for.  Rich, flavorful, intense and excellent noodles.  I could only eat about half of this.

Harajuku is teenage central.  Lots of pop culture.  We first stopped in for coffee at Deus Ex Machina before hitting the streets.  They take their coffee very seriously here.

Purikura is a store with lots of photo booths where the pics are manipulated and you can add emojis.  I can only imagine what a blast it would be bringing a group of 12-year-olds there and letting them go wild.

Everything is in Japanese so we really did not take advantage of all the things you could do with your photo.  Super crazy spot.

We hit up a few men’s concept shops such as Studious Mens Jinnan before stopping at Tokyo Hands.  Tokyo Hands is a one-stop shop with tons of products very unique to Japan.  The pen situation here is crazy.

Did a bit of rest and relaxation before dinner at Sushi Miyazono.  A small spot with seats for 8.  Insanely expensive and not as good as I would have loved.  LA and NYC have their share of divine sushi so my expectations are super high here.  This baked crab with miso was one of the best things we had.

The tuna was quite good too but many of the starters that were not sushi but tiny tastes of different fishes just weren’t that interesting.

We walked almost halfway back to the hotel before grabbing a cab and calling it a night.

The first time we went to Japan was six years ago.  One of the things that have definitely changed is that some people actually speak English.  The Olympics are coming and that could be one of the reasons.  I was also so overwhelmed by the place that it took me some time to breath but for whatever reason, I don’t feel that way this time around.  It is truly great to return to a place with a new set of eyes.

The hardest part is the time change.  We got in late in the afternoon and went to dinner.  A super casual place called Ohitsuzen Tanbo.  Trying to not do as many fancy over the top meals this trip.  We had plenty of rice and grilled eel.  

Our first day up, too early, we took a walk through Hama Rikyu Gardens where a 300-year old pine lives.  There are plenty of beautiful green spaces in the city which really makes a huge difference.  

There is a tea hour in the middle of the lake where we had a little matcha to keep us going.

The Tsukiji Fish Market has moved…literally the day before we got here. The inner market where the all the fish comes through including the famous tuna auction has moved to an entirely different location.  The outer markets still exist which are filled with shops and restaurants.  It is still packed with people but my guess is over time the place will change and become more of a tourist spot.

Had to have one of these oysters from one of the shops.  This one was the smallest one I could find.

They take their coffee very serious over here.  Stopped in Turret Coffee for a latte that was so good it was like a treat.

Mitsukoshi Department Store is all about the basement which is a food hall.  No pics so they say.  I did capture these vegetables.  It is not super high end but fun to see.

We went for lunch at Umegaoka Sushi no-Midori where there is a serious line so we left, did a little shopping and walking and came back.  It is like going to SugarFish in LA but many more options.  Here is the special menu.

Egg roe.

G.Itoya is an amazing stationery store that I am not sure could exist anywhere else.  There are 12 floors.  One of the floors is called FARM.  They are growing their own lettuce for the restaurants there.  I really loved this.

The other floors are all about paper products.  These are the possible colors you can select from.

The street traffic is brilliant.  When the lights change, you can cross anywhere.

Before dinner, we attempted to get into Bar High Five but only 20 tables and none for us.  So we walked down the street to a different bar which is located two flights down from the street.  They make a helluva martini.  The bar scene is big and the bars in Ginza are small and unique.

We had dinner at Tempura Konda.  The food is delicious but finding the place reminds me of what I found frustrating the first time we came to Tokyo.  Now that I know, it makes life easier.  Finding these places is just not easy.  This restaurant is located on the 9th floor of a building and the signage is only in Japanese and the street number doesn’t really relate to what it should be.  Good thing someone helped us out otherwise I am pretty sure we would have been strolling for hours.

This is one of the 6 vegetables we had not including the fish and more.  Really well done.

Back to the hotel to attempt to get on to the time zone.

We attended our fourth wedding this past weekend over the last three months.  This was up in Portland, Maine.  The small community of Prouts Neck is where all the festivities took place.  It is an incredible spot only a mere 20 minutes out of Portland.  I can only imagine how perfect it is in the summer months.

We went up a bit early to eat our way around Portland.  Of course, the first stop was Eventide.  How this restaurant puts out delicious food all day long turning tables constantly is impressive.  Someone who has true skills is in the kitchen.  Damn.  We had oysters to start.

Toro Carpaccio perfectly sliced with small dots of an intense sesame paste, hints of yuzu with long crunchy slices of cucumber over the top.  We were speechless while eating the dish.

There are always a few specials and the way they serve the brussel sprouts changes season to season.  We had a bowl and I don’t remember what was in it but I do remember how good they were.  You had to get the brown buttered lobster roll.  They make their own buns that remind me of a really good pork bun bread with pieces of lobster lightly tossed in brown butter.  It is simple and perfect.

Roasted sword belly with pickled cubes of squash, a very slightly sauce of pepitas and crushed pistachios on the side was one of the specials of the day.  Insanely creative and oh so so good.

We drove to the Black Point Inn where we were staying.  It was a crisp New England weekend.  There is a calmness to this part of the world that feels good.

The next day we ventured back into Portland for breakfast.  We hit up two places for breakfast.  The first being Tandem Coffee and Bakery that has taken over an old gas station.  The buttermilk biscuit sliced in half and stuff with strawberry jam and butter was one of the best things we had all weekend.  Simple, buttery and the right texture.  We had a full breakfast down the street at Hot Suppa which was good but nothing compared to the simplicity of the biscuit.

Strolling through town we stopped at the Portland Art Museum to see the Noguchi show.  Noguchi had been commissioned to do playgrounds and I believe some had been made but I know others were not.  This was his answer to an architecturally designed slide.

We got dressed for the wedding that took place in the St. James Church founded in 1890.  That date sums up the place.  Very New England with roots from way back when.

Across the road is Winslow Homer’s house where he painted Prouts Neck out his window.

There is something about getting older that makes me appreciate the beauty of places more and more.  This photo captures the magnificence of the area.