Pottery Exhibition in Gallery Mikazuki, Iwamizawa.

by Kazu

No right answer to the quiz of the month has been sent to my email address, ikeda.kazuaki@pref.hokkaido.lg.jp so far.
I will post addtitional hints on this blog later.

 Besides, a pottery exhibition will be held in Gallery Mikazuki which is well-founded Japanese Traditional inn, Ryokan with special atmosphere from May 19(Sat.) to 28(Mon.), 2012. "Mikazuki" means crescent in Japanese.
Mr.Yoshihiro and Mrs.Utako Nanao, potters based in southern part of Hokkaido, Hiyama and Oshima subprefectural area, will be at the gallery on May 19(Sat.). 
The corridor of this inn is like a labyrinth.
Some rooms of this old inn will be used as a gallery.
Of course, usually everybody can stay in Mikazuaki but the old inn hosts more people as the venue of feasts than as a inn to stay nowadays. That is why some part of the building was renovated and spun off  as a Japanese bistro named OGAWA that I introduced previously.

The room with an alcove is located in inner part of the building and has the Buddhist altar that should be covered when guests stay in the room.

An old wardrobe is inside the room but no skull or skelton in it. Mr.and Mrs.Nanao will stay in this room.
I am not sure how many secrets the old wardrobe had heard of this room because the room of this type was frequently used as the venue to talk the secrets that should not go out of the room in Japan.

 Even the mistress of this inn does not know what kind of talk had been done in this room but she is sure the iron rule of the old inn to keep the secret and not to ask about the talk of the guests.

The ceiling of he room is so traditional and made of the wood sourced locally that the guests may see something on the ceiling not the sign on the wall.

 
 The lighting and decoration of the corridor have the taste of Meiji Era of Japan.

It may be difficult for this inn to be introduced on the Michelin's Guide Book but Japanese traditional inns
of this type should be treated as treasure as well as the manner to host and entertain the guests under the certain old unwritten rule with subtle cues that can not be nurtured from now on.

In Kyoto and other historical cities and towns in Japan, that kinds of unwritten rules can be maintained in a certain community even if the current generation of the people who has the role to hand down the rules passed away but in Hokkaido including Iwamizawa  City,
it is impossible, I think.
Please visit the old inn Mikazuki and touch the potteries to feel the heart of Mr. and Mrs.Nanao.
Mikazuki (三日月)is at 12, nishi 5 chome, 2 Jo, Iwamizawa City(岩見沢２条西５丁目）.
The gallery opens at 11:00 am and closes at 17:00.