January 05th, 2015

Class begins.  It's interesting to think everyone else at RISD is in class right now. Me too, I guess, but it feels like something out of a strange dream, a dream filled with endless skylines of tall buildings, Japanese art, cute anime characters and flashing lights. 

Early morning fish markets with aisles and aisled of every kind of fish you could ever imagine. Giant tuna the size of me being filleted by 5 men at once, piles of octopi, stacks of squid and flounder, crabs still alive covered in sawdust.  The most amazing thing of all... absolutely absent of the smell of fish.



From fish markets to contemporary art centers, high design in sterile yet beautiful buildings, then Kabuki theatre, traditional, beautiful Japanese acting and dancing... the audience full of ladies in kimono and bento boxes, a full-on picnic between  acts complete with sake.

Filled with Tokyo we have moved onto Hakone, more into the calm wilderness of Japan... famous for its views of Mt. Fuji.  Rainy and foggy no views of the mountain yet, but we discovered a tiny art museum and onsen, a natural hot spring bath big enough only for two.