kawagoe

My hometown is named Kawagoe and is a small town. My family doesn't live in the town anymore but I went to see it what is still the same and what has changed. Some houses rebuilt and some rice fields disappeared, a bridge over the river repainted and a motorway is running above the town. These shots are a few of that hasn't changed.

Beautiful brooks running through the town. The carps were still there. I asked an old neighbour if he still sees fireflies there. He said he's hoping this year but they are definitely declining in the number.

A few days after the visit to my old town, now I'm in Tokyo and visited Kawagoe which is a city near Tokyo, which has the same name with my hometown. The city is known as Koedo and has some historical buildings.

I visited a ceramic shop in the city. They converted a lovely house of 80 years old to a tasteful shop and had a beautiful display of tablewares by a potter Naoki Kawabuchi who has been making tablewares for daily use. I wish I could get one of his bowls... well, I should get better in making one!!

昔の実家の町、川越町に行ってきました。私が小さな頃の川越は、素朴できれいな町だったのですが、いつ頃からか、温泉ができ、火力発電所ができ、高速道路が上を走り、田んぼが少なくなり、住宅地が増えました。実家の周りにはまだ慣れ親しんだ景色があり、それらを写真に収めてきました。

その後、東京に向かったのですが、埼玉の川越市も訪れました。小江戸と呼ばれる川越市には蔵が連なる美しい通りがあり、平日にも関わらず、観光客も結構きていました。

川越に来た一番の目的はあるうつわ屋さんに行くこと。そこでは川淵直樹さんという、日常食器を作られる陶芸家の展示を見にいきました。シンプルで力強く、どんな料理を盛ろうかしら、と創造をかきたてられる美しい器たちにトキメキましたが、お高い、、、。手が出せません。お勉強させて頂きましたと一礼して帰途につきました。