The weekend before I would leave Japan again, my husband and I went to Kusakabe-san, who lives in Miharu. This means “three spring”: the plum- “ume”, the peach- “momo” and cherry “sakura” blossom. The sakura was about to come out and the color here is pink instead of white in the Tokyo area.

A beautiful Sakura tree at one of the shrines.

A delicious lunch.

A friend performed a tea ceremony.

His kiln site with 5 kilns.

His studio is in an old wonderful farmhouse and has great decorations made by Kuasakabe-san. Those are some sumie brushpaintings on some shoji screens.

A big clay mask in the yard.

Goddess statues with planets.

A beautiful painting of the Virgin Mary with Child surrounded by planets and stars in which he also has a very big interest.

The sign to his studio and telescope tower.

Thank you, Kusakabe-san, for the wonderful weekend.