Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

It was a great trip!

Shibori, Sashiko, Chiku Chiku, more beautiful quilts than there are butterflies, good company, quaint sights, and interesting food became the focus of my world for 2 wonderful weeks. Susan's Japanuary #18 , to quote her, "is not your typical see-the-countryside-from-the-window-of-a-bus tour." We walked, shared taxis, rode buses, the subway, and the bullet train. All the while, Susan was explaining, in depth, the world around us. Her friends pulled aside the fabric curtains and welcomed us inside their worlds of textiles and we all soaked it up like indigo dye on natural fiber. We stenciled our own cloths, tried our hands at Chiku Chiku, and some even dipped tied fabrics into the indigo vats.

I will be covering some of our free-time and other activities. Please see Susan's site for tour information.

Some things I will miss about Japan:

• Everything was sooooo clean!
• Heated toilet seats - everywhere
• Strangers coming to our aid immediately when there was a language barrier
• A nod of the head or a bow - even between businessmen on the street
• Civility, patience, and a sense of privacy even when you are elbow to elbow in people.
• The sense of pride everyone has in his/her job - no matter how large or small
• Cutting-edge technology everywhere
• How much can be tucked into any corner without the feeling of crowding
• The beauty of the gardens