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Here are my pictures from my first trip to Japan. I was very fortunate to be invited as one of three international teachers at the first ever "B" College event sponsored by Brother Sewing Machine Company. I was in Japan from March 23rd (I arrived in mid-afternoon) to the 29th (left very early that morning) of 2002. The first full day, the 24th, was spent exploring Nagoya Castle in the morning and World Quilt Carnival in the afternoon.
Here we are: Scarlett Rose, Valerie Hearder and Jeanie Sexton, in front of the moat and corner guard posts of Nagoya Castle. The Castle itself is the green roofed building to the left.
This is Mr. Maeda, Ms. Ochiai and Mr. Nishiyama of Brother Sewing Machine Company by the moat of Nagoya Castle.
Mr. Nishiyama, Scarlett Rose and Mr. Maeda in front of the moat of Nagoya Castle.
Scarlett in front of Nagoya Castle.
The bare area in front is the original foundation of part of Nagoya Castle destroyed during WWII. The remaining parts of Nagoya Castle are wonderful! The cherry blossoms were in full bloom during this trip, so both in Nagoya and Kyoto, we were treated to a beautiful display of cherry trees.
After visiting Nagoya Castle, we went to World Quilt Carnival for the afternoon. At the Brother booth, Scarlett's quilt "Out of Darkness- Hope" was on display.
My first workshop for "B" College was Celtic Baskets. It was my first time having interpreters translate everything I said for the students attending the class. Everything went very well and I think the students all enjoyed the class.
After class, we had an opening dinner, with show and tell. There had been people coming through the class all day, taking pictures and videotaping part of it. These were shown after dinner. Each teacher got up and did a short talk about her quilts (the quilts were held up as we talked).
The second workshop was the Celtic Rose. A more complicated pattern, but everyone worked very hard and did very well!
The third workshop was the Celtic Borders. It was very exciting for me to see all the blocks and quilt tops that students had brought to class. I think there will be some stunning quilts coming from this class!
On the last workshop day, we had a formal dinner at a nearby restaurant with some of the Brother management. Here we are: Scarlett Rose, Atsuko Ohta, Valerie Hearder and Sumiko Minei (Jeanie was a bit late, so missed being in this picture!)
This is the whole dinner group. It really was a feast!
The last day, March 28th, was spent on a tour of temples and other historical places in Kyoto. We traveled by bullet train from Nagoya and then had a tour guide and a van to run us around to all the sites. It was a very exciting day! I've never seen so many magnificent statues, buildings and monuments. All were so ancient and so well cared for! It was very inspiring and very educational, too. We did a little shopping at the end, before having another fabulous dinner, then returning to Nagoya by bullet train.
My travels continued with a visit to Hong Kong, where I met up with my husband for a Fifth Wedding Anniversary vacation. Then after returning home for two weeks, it was time to head to Paducah and a reunion party with some of the Japanese quilters that I had met at "B" College.