Last night I returned from my quick trip to the Tokyo Quilt Festival, and I am still processing all that I saw and heard.
If you follow me on Facebook, you already know that I got stuck in the Seattle snowstorm, it took me 2 1/2 days and several planes to get to Japan, via Taiwan…. and my 3 1/2 day trip (insane!) was reduced to 2 1/2 days.
So I got to the show floor at 4:30 pm Friday, and had 2 hours to walk the show and take photos. (I was supposed to arrive at Narita 5 pm Thurs, but instead arrived 1 pm Friday) As a result of my 2 days traveling, and shorter time there, I was talked out of my planned trips to Kesennuma/Sendai Saturday, and a booked Mt Fuji trip Sunday.
However my friend Akemi gave me a flash drive full of photos and videos from Kesennuma (the coastal town where our 2155 donated quilts were distributed), which she took July 15 which is 2 days after our quilts were given out there!
I met a woman who had lost her home and all her possessions, who used to live on the coast in Sendai, and now lives in “temporary housing”. I will post photos of the temporary housing, the coastal damage and debris, etc.
I also met a woman who is on the city council in Kessenuma. I spoke with so many people about the tsunami, and heard so many stories. Everywhere you go there are tsunami fundraising projects, pleas for donations, and evidence the toll this has taken on the national spirit.
Saturday I went to a wonderful textile museum in Kamakura, and there met a group of Sashiko artists and teachers. Akemi translated, we chatted and laughed, and admired one lady’s head-to-toe sashiko ensemble. We were all good friends by the time I left, and we exchanged cards. (although I can’t read Japanese – maybe they will email me!)
Sunday I returned to the show and looked at every quilt carefully, and visited with my Japanese, American, European and Australian friends who were visiting the show, or running vendor booths. This show usually has about 250,000 attendees during its weeklong run, although it felt a little slow this time. I also felt a sadness, and a little less creative sparkle in this year’s show. Understandable, and it made me especially glad that I had come this time, to support the show and the people.
I am preparing a slideshow to share my favorite quilts with you, but I also wanted to share this image because it is an expression of how I felt while at the Tokyo Quilt Festival. As I looked at the quilts, I found myself also seeing images of what happened in Japan on March 11, 2011, and I know that many of the quilts there are expressing emotions that range from grief and loss, to hope and healing. (The show runs through this Saturday)
My thanks also go out to Keiko Goke, who lives in Sendai, who arranged for me to meet those who could tell me stories about the tsunami and the aftermath. My thanks to Akemi Narita for being my guide, translator and friend in Tokyo. Let me collect my thoughts, edit and gather my photos, and I’ll have more to share by the weekend.
I got home Monday night in time for Sam’s 15th birthday party, and gave everyone in my family a big long hug. Every day is a gift.
Share Post:
