Mr Naka (former fighter pilot and fashion model and current Isabella a cappella supporter) and Mr Nishimura (already known to readers of this blog) picked us up in the morning and drove us to Arashiyama in Kyoto, to visit the home and workshop of Yusai Okuda, an artist who specialises in the art of Korozen fabric dying an ancient technique he has reinvented with his own modern twist.
Yusai Okuda, Dye Master. from Isabella Acappella on Vimeo.
Though we have performed at the gallery before, today’s visit was purely a a sightseeing experience. The gallery/workshop was once a traditional Japanese hotel and is very beautiful inside and out, with gardens that lead down to the Ōi River. There is a restaurant that serves very interesting Japanese food (though some people found it a bit challenging to the Australian pallette!). We were given a tour of the gallery by the artist, who was kind enough to show and explain to us his working process. After lunch at the restaurant we were dropped to Kyoto station where we caught the Shinkansen to Nagoya and then on to Gifu.