Echigo Tsumari continued...
More driving, more hiking, more art.

Who would've thought I would be riding around in a bus that said KKK on the front of it!
me and Ros on the bus..Yay for air conditioning

Here is another cool picture from the day before...my friend just sent it to me! I told you I've been working out! The next SPIDERMAN!
This gives a whole new meaning to less is more. A few years back there was an earthquake that devastated these towns. Many of the houses had to be adandoned so artists renevated the houses and use them as functional art workshops. Not only do we see art works but the house itself is transformed into part of the art piece.

stove in a house...
they actually use it and serve food in the bottom floor to make money. The top floor houses the art pieces in each room

Hand carved chimney in the middle of the house

Name: Bridge Over Troubled Water
made from used clothing of the residents of the city, strung across the river

This guy is a JET: I just wanted to take his picture because he reminds me of Mark Hubbard! HA HA HA!

If you stand looking at this exhibit and glance to the left, this is the bridge you seelittle did I know, we actually had to cross it to see more art exhibits on the other side of the river

me: crossing a bridge that is wayyyy too high and wayyy too wobbly...
trying to smile for a picture, but holding on for dear life

When I finally crossed the bridge: this is what I saw.
Don t know what it is...interpret it for yourself because it looks like a giant egg carton to me

Also on the other side of the river: a giant fort for adults...once again interpret for yourself
This exhibit is always changing. Each week a new artist comes and changes it using whatever they want from the old exhibit and adding their own pieces. We were lucky and got to see this artist working on the new piece...although Im not sure which pieces are his and which he is getting rid of

This was my favorite part. This is the House of Light, which is another exhibit. We actually got to stay in here for the night. It is a functional piece of art with: light show, indoor-outdoor room which has a retractable roof, hot-spring bath w/ fiber optic light, and 5 different tatami rooms. It is really really pretty! and looks even cooler at night but I didnt get a picture.

Dinner that night...always ready for a picture!
we all ate on the balcony for breakfast...the view looked out over the entire town... as you can tell by the guy's face in the middle...it was AWESOME!

I havent had a slumber party since junior high...18 people in this room! beginning of day #2.

That night there was a festival walking distance from the House of Light. It was the candle festival, where there was a park filled w/ circles of candles and a stage w/ performances...really cool!This guy is swinging balls of fire around his head...and his balls. LOL. sorry, had to say it. Looked pretty dangerous!
#1: climb this really high scaffolding...try not to fall off

#2. You look out from the top and see these. All about point of view because you cant fully see what the shapes are until you change your point of view. You have to be on a higher level to have full vision. A life lesson and art work all rolled into one.

My homie..Birdman. Always stays fly..GQ status w/ the polka dot tie and all

There was a sign that said: Please do not handle the artwork. oooops! but...in my defense, it didnt say anything about sitting on them!
Garden piece: look what I found! Strawberries! Thought dad was appreciate this one! Who knew what he does is "art"
Another Ag piece of art. I wonder if thats a John Deere LOL

2 large balls! LOL...
This was another interactive piece. There is a bag in the middle w/ something in it...dont ask what. Anyways...there are pieces of rope all around it on the floor. As people go through they are supposed to tie a knot onto another pieces of rope. By the time we got there we can barely see the bag in the middle and cant even get into the room!
My favorite: Koko'ro no Hana (flowers of my heart) they went on forever
...but if you look closely, they are all individually beaded. Amazing, to have the patience to do this! I wonder how long it took! I havent decided whether you are more relaxed after doing this or COMPLETELY INSANE!

This was probably the most interesting piece. AND...I actually know about it so this is the only one I can explain!

Prodocing raw silk from cocoons (seliculture) was once an operation throughout Japan. But due to competition with foreign products and foundering kimono industry, its production is basically obsolete. Here, previously in Yomoghira community, almost all the families once raised silkworms. This was their only way to secure their economy. But...at the same time, raising silkworms involves a lot: collecting mulberry leaves and cleaning the droppings. Around 1990, the price of cocoons dropped and so did their livelihood. For this art festival, the community tryies to show the public the art in seliculture. But...with no more mulberry farms they had to collect wild leaves from surrounding mountains. Since the specialized tools and knowledge were still around, they managed to foster 10,000 cocoons. But since the silkworms eat A LOT when they get ready to turn into cocons, they operation was extremely costly and a heavy burden.

Name: Sending out to Sky
Artist's words: "Cocoons in motion of arc towards open light lead our views to the sky about Yomogihira- a sense of mourn and solace"

These are each silkworm cocoons couples with sounds of them grazing on mulberry leaves. Any open floors of houses were once covered by mulberry leaves to foster their insects growth --even right up to their pillows-- The sound played for this exhibit often filled the entire house

During the art festival, the local people were having a festival of their own called Mo'michi (dragging of the maple tree).
This tradition is done when someone in the community has a baby or wedding or something like this ...to celebrate, the locals drag the tree to the doorstep of the family
The love for junk. Art exhibit of junk. Have you read "Everything is Illuminated"? This is what I imagine the woman's house, who is the keeper of memories, to look like.The classroom of all chalkboards. Another interactive piece

left my mark...

Ros drawing on the floorAnother piece of art that must be viewed from a distance, on top of a roof
This house was AMAZING! It is a house that lived through the earthquake, but it was inhabitable. This art work was done by chipping away flakes of the wood with a hand knife.
It is supposed to look like the house is shedding its skin...representing a new beginning
close up...
this project took 2 years to plan

The very last exhibit we saw: Truly turning trash into art. These are trashbags made into flowers. They had them alllllllllll over the house! Their aim with art is to make it look as it would in nature.
This was a GREAT weekend but wayyyy tiring. The sanjo group waiting for the Shinakansen to return home...tired yet a little more cultured -- minus the guy who is throwing up white-boy- gang signs in the background!