From September 28^th to 30^th, we went on a folk art and Buddhist philosophy tour in Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures.

“Mingei” (Folk Crafts) is a movement that seeks to find beauty in everyday items created by hand. It is a cultural movement that was started in 1926 by its founder, Muneyoshi Yanagi. It is also famous for the works of Kanjiro Kawai or Shoji Hamada. Nanto City in Toyama Prefecture is said to be the mecca of the Mingei movement.

We were guided on a tour by the head priest of Daifukuji Temple, Hiroshi Ota, who is also a permanent director of the Japanese Folk Crafts Association. On the first day, we arrived at Daifukuji Temple and stayed overnight.

The head priest, Ota, is a master of Kyudo, and Daifukuji Temple has an excellent Kyudo range.

The Kiri wood carvings in the main hall were exquisite works of art.

The Paulownia tree is endemic to Japan and produces a beautifully grained wood used for traditional carvings.

The Fujimon Gate of Daifukuji Temple is a two-story wooden tenement gate built on the Nikko Kaido Road at the end of the Edo period and was recently moved and rebuilt. There are many folk-art works preserved there.

The next stop in our busy schedule was the Fukumitsu Museum of Art. The works of a close friend of Muneyoshi ; the famous print-maker Shiko Munakata, were on display here. We were also able to see some paintings of Koyo Ishizaki, who we recently visited in Kyoto.

Afterwards, the priest Ohta guided us to Kotokuji Temple. Built by the monk Rennyo in the 14th century, this temple is run by a 20th generation head priest.

The printmaker Munakata Shiko stayed here for a long time, and many of his works from that time remain to this day. Folk art artists and other artists also frequently visit here.

Another very interesting space in the temple was the collection of folk art from around the world, all of which were created in the everyday lives of ordinary people. Showcased in a once wealthy farmer’s beautifully built and furnished room, it gives visitors a sense of the rustic and traditional beauty of old times.

We returned to Daifukuji Temple and enjoyed an evening of drinks and food specially prepared by a shojin ryori chef.

Among the members on this trip, was an Aikido and Kendo master. Don’t be fooled by his age, because as part of the evening’s entertainment, he easily rendered a much younger man helpless in a demonstration of his craft. It was a truly enjoyable day, and a great start to the tour.