I had mentioned to the hosts at MI-Lab (my Mokuhanga Residency) that I was also interested in ceramics. and curious about any local potters. Well- it turns out there there’s a Civic Center (Katsuyama Fureai Center-　勝山ふれあいセンター） about a block from the residency. Sat0-san arranged for me to go visit.

‘The people were so kind’ is a trusim when it comes to travel… I don’t think I’ve ever talked to someone who journeyed abroad and ended up jaded about the human condition. Most people (aside from a few rural misanthropes and urban paranoids) are curious, warm, accepting of the stranger.

Having said this, the people at this center were just lovely. We jabbered about pottery in a goulash of broken English and Japanese for a couple of hours. They gave me iced coffee, and let me crank out a Nigiri tray on their wheel. 

A bit shout out to Taeko-san (妙子）who not only helped with the tray, but gave me a bag full of sand from Mount Fuji- which is definitely going back to Idaho with me. 

She also walked me over to a workshop next door where her husband- and some other community stalwarts- were weaving baskets.

Workmanlike makers energy spilling out joyfully everywhere. Great day.