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Cerebral Sneeze

English - Travel, Japan, Culture
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Tsutsugaki

Last week I attended a tsutsugaki workshop at the Australian Academy of Design. Tsutsugaki yuzen (tsutsugaki dyeing) is a 400-year-old Japanese dye-resist technique, a little like batik. Tsutsugaki utilises a rice paste to create designs on the fabric. The workshop was taught by Kobayashi Shumei, a
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Wadaiko Rindo

Tuesday night I attended my third fundraising event for Japan so far—a benefit concert held by Melbourne taiko group, Wadaiko Rindo. It was held in their usual practice venue, St Philips Anglican Church in Abbotsford. When I arrived there was standing room only, and they eventually had to open up mo
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Printing Ukiyo-e

I went to the National Gallery of Victoria International on Monday for a workshop. I had time before it started and decided to revisit the Asia gallery. I wandered the gallery, lingering in front of the beautiful negoro lacquer, its layers of black showing through the red. My mind was on the Japan d
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Fundraising events

Yesterday Japaneasy Language School held a charity fundraiser for the earthquakes in Japan and Christchurch. Mountains of clothing and goods were donated for sale, as well as crafts and massages. The overall mood was upbeat which provided a short reprieve from the heavy emotional burden of worry tha
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

The good of the whole

Recently I overheard an expat’s comment that the Tiananmen Square Massacre was justified because killing a few was “for the good of the whole”. I have to say I was gobsmacked by this comment. The good of the whole? My mind keeps coming back to the PLA image I saw at Ma Jian’s presentation last [...]
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

The good of the whole

Recently I overheard an expat’s comment that the Tiananmen Square Massacre was justified because killing a few was “for the good of the whole”. I have to say I was gobsmacked by this comment. The good of the whole? My mind keeps coming back to the PLA image I saw at Ma Jian’s presentation last [...]
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Beijing coma

‘You live in Asia but you are white. We are so close but so far apart.’ This is how Chinese writer, Ma Jian, speaking on the final day of the Melbourne Writers Festival, began his talk. I had to wonder what the portion of the Melbourne population that is not ‘white’ felt about this remark, [...]
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Ura

About three weeks ago a new Japanese shop opened in Fitzroy. Ura has a distinctly Kyoto feel to it and is everything I love about Japan. The atmosphere is warm, relaxed and cosy with traditional tansu (chests of drawers) and wooden display tables. Owner Yutaka Matsuda’s concept for the shop is to st
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

A little slice of Japan in Melbourne

Last weekend I went to Cibi café in Collingwood for a Japanese breakfast. Breakfast at Cibi’s is always good but you have to get there early as they often sell out. Their traditional Japanese breakfast consists of rice, grilled salmon, tamago-yaki (Japanese-style omelette), potato salad, ingen no go
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Cerebral Sneeze · 1Y ago

Turner and Tohaku

I watched a documentary on JMW Turner recently and was surprised to learn that he left his collection to the British nation – that is, 300 paintings, 3,000 watercolours and 20,000 sketches. Turner was accepted into the Royal Academy as an apprentice at the tender age of 14. He made a name for himsel
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