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 Our 90 minute journey over the mountains from Ogori to Hagi took us through lovely quaint towns and lush green landscapes, but after traveling in such comfort on the Bullet Train and other express trains in Japan, we were ready to get off the bus and glad to arrive at our hotel. On this trip we decided to stay at the Hagi Grand Hotel which is one of those hotels built back in the late 60’s and early 70’s that evoke the “Age of the Jetsons” with its contemporary architecture and styling. The Hagi Grand is complete with its own circular lounge bar that floats atop the building like a UFO ready to shoot into the sky. Our rooms were a combination of both western and Japanese-style accommodations and perhaps as kitsch and retro as possible without really trying. (Click here for accommodation information in Hagi.)
After settling in our rooms, the first order of business was to get the lay of the land and the ideal way to see Hagi is by bicycle. The Grand has its own bike rental stand and we selected the appropriate bikes for the afternoon excursion around this small and intimate town. We left the hotel in the direction of Kikugahama Beach. Along the way we stopped on several occasions to admire the amazing walls that line the ancient streets of Hagi. Many show signs of centuries of aging, but the simple lines, colors and textures of the walls are spectacular. You will find many small shops with merchants selling everything from traditional sweets to the celebrated Hagi-yaki. We briefly stopped at the Kumaya Art Museum behind a large metal gate. Previously the home of the wealthy merchant, it now houses art objects and antiques. The best pieces are scrolls, painting, screens and even a Hagi-yaki collection with some of the first pieces ever produced.
For over 400 years, Hagi-yaki has been the cherished local pottery tradition inspiring amazing innovation and creativity. “Raku first, Hagi second, Karatsu third.” This old saying rings true even today in the tea world as these three centers of inspiration have created the finest tea utensils. We all knew that we wanted to purchase Hagi-yaki, but this was our first day in town, so we decided to see what struck our fancy. We stopped at a small shop on the left side of the road further along the road toward the beach with beautiful pieces displayed in the window. This was our first stop and lesson in Hagi-yaki and after previewing several spectacular pieces, we realized it was going to be a very difficult task to find the perfect piece with so many to choose from…and this was just the first shop! I found an amazing vase with the trademark pastel colors and milky, translucent glazes. When I saw the price I experienced sticker shock for the first time. I began to realize that fine Hagi-yaki pieces command some of the highest prices in Japan, but I wasn’t going to let that deter me from finding my special piece. I noticed that my traveling companions were experiencing the same Hagi Fever with each and every new piece they found in the store. We all looked at each other and realized that we had a great deal to look forward to over the next few days of exploring Hagi and its celebrated pottery. (For more information on the pottery of Hagi, please visit Robert Yellin’s comprehensive site www.e-yakimono.net.)
We decided to continue on to the beach and the site of the remains of Hagi Castle. In single file with bike bells ringing, we made our way along the narrow road past a series of hotels on our right hand side along the coast and through the beautiful pine trees we could see a lovely bay. We strolled out to the sandy promenade and admired the lovely view with Mt. Shizuki to the northwest and Tsuruedai Hill to the northeast. Hagi is surrounded by mountains on three sides and the Sea of Japan on the fourth. Downtown Hagi lies between two rivers, the Hashimoto and the Matsumoto which flow out to the sea in a v-shape. In just about an hour we started to feel comfortable with Hagi and felt as though we were locals roaming the side streets with a serious case of Hagi Fever.
On the way to the park, we decided to explore the Horiuchi area which is home to some of Japan’s best preserved samurai residences. The neighborhood was once the center for the samurai upper classes and as you wander the streets you feel as though you have turned the corner into feudal times with the long mud walls and magnificent white residences. We discovered the grand wooden Fukuhara Gate which told us that we were close to the tomb of Terumoto Mori who founded the Mori clan and its subsequent 13 generations of rule of the region.
While leaving the Horiuchi area we noticed more and more kilns and pottery showrooms, all displaying the beautiful wares of the local artists. Just before entering the site of Hagi Castle, we came upon the Shogetsu and Hagijo Kilns with their lovely shops featuring special showrooms with some of their finest pieces. We felt like children in a candy store with eyes a bugging for more Hagi-yaki. The first store set the tone and the standard for subsequent visits. I could not get that first vase out of my mind as I looked at more and more pieces. Hagi Fever had definitely hit us hard and we needed to cure this sudden rage with a quick departure from the present store and head for the ruins of Hagi Castle.
Unlike most castles in Japan, Hagijo was not destroyed by fire or warfare. Instead, as a gesture of support for the Meiji Restoration, the castle was dismantled. All that remains are the impressive walls and moats. During our visit, we were fortunate to have the area to ourselves and we visited the peaceful Hananoe Tea House and Shizukiyama Shrine built in 1879. We also climbed the steps leading to the top of Mt. Shizuki to admire the spectacular panoramic view of Hagi with its beautiful mountains surrounding the bay. If you visit in spring, the park is also famous for its lovely cherry blossoms.
On the way back to the hotel hunger pangs began to call and we learned from one of the potters that Hagi is home to a family run French restaurant with a special set menu that changes daily. He also warned that it was difficult to find as it located in the heart of a quite residential neighborhood. Well after some searching we found the establishment and enjoyed a wonderful meal and like Shizuki Park, we were the only guests for the evening. We returned to the hotel in the dark and closed the evening with cocktails atop our hotel’s “flying saucer” admiring the lights of quite Hagi below.
After a simple western-style breakfast at our hotel, we decided that the first pottery showroom we visited the day before was to be our morning destination. With credit card in hand we dashed for the bike racks and made our way down the quiet streets of Hagi to find our prize pieces still on display. Without hesitation I purchased my vase and learned that Hagi is predominantly a cash only society and credit cards would not help me here. But to my amazement, the proprietor gave me her bank information and allowed me to wire her the funds upon my return to the United States. In fact, the vase arrived perfectly packed at my home in San Francisco before I even returned home…now that is service! It looked like a shopping frenzy as we all purchased our favorite pieces from vases to tea pots and cups. It was all great fun and every time I look at my piece or visit my friends, we fondly remember this quiet little town and our experience with Hagi-yaki Fever.
After lunch we jumped in a taxi and traveled east to the famous Tokoji Temple which was founded in 1691 by the Zen priest Domio by order of the third lord of Hagi Yoshinari Mori. Over my years of traveling to and from Japan, I have always wanted to visit Tokoji to see the more than 500 lanterns and stone graves that line the hillside. We were fortunate to arrive just after a light rain, so the grounds were fresh and clean with a shiny glow as the sun peaked through the trees. Moss was everywhere and added a lush, velvety feel to the cold stone monuments. The entrance to the temple gradually slopes up and you enter the grounds through the three-story Sanmon Gate. On the right there is a beautiful collection of Jizo statues which stand guard here and throughout Japan to protect children and travelers. We continued up the slope to the Main Hall which houses a collection of Buddhist images dedicated to the Mori family. We walked further up the hill into the pine trees to find hundreds of magnificent stone lanterns and graves of the Mori lords and their wives – an impressive sight and definitely worth the visit after all these years. If you happen to visit on August 15, all the lanterns are lit in a magnificent display of light among the pine trees.
We returned to our hotel and prepared for the journey to Naoshima to visit the Benesse House and Contemporary Art Museum. Another adventure for sure!
I was looking forward to visiting Naoshima after reading so much about the project and its famed architect Tadao Ando. During my tenure working for the City of Yokohama in the Urban Planning Department, I followed the early development and met several individuals instrumental in making the vision of publishing magnate Tetsuhiko Fukutake a reality. His dream was to establish a campground for children and after his death in 1986, the plans for making such an idyllic place were left in the hands of his son Soichiro Fukutake. The original concept of a campground was expanded further to include a place for art in natural surroundings and with the purchase of over 400 acres on the island of Naoshima, the Contemporary Art Museum was born. The project required some very careful planning as the land for the museum is located within national park land. In Japan, very strict rules created to protect the natural surroundings limit architects and builders and Naoshima had its fair share of roadblocks. The most significant is that national park law prohibits the construction of a museum alone. Tadao Ando managed to work around this limitation by including accommodations within the museum and surrounding areas. However, the law also requires that all structures built in national park lands have traditional Japanese-style sloping roofs, which meant that Ando did not have much room for design as the law also dictates the architectural style of the lodgings. To work around this additional roadblock, Ando decided to bury the museum and accommodations in the mountainside, thereby using the land as the exterior of the building. All throughout the hillside location you can see how Ando manifests this dialogue with art and nature with incredible grace and
We traveled from Ogori to Okayama on the Bullet Train and took the fastest way to Uno Port. We were very anxious to get to Naoshima, so we opted to pass on the rail option and headed straight for the ferry terminal by taxi. Naoshima is a quick 20 minute ride from Uno and the first stop on the line bound for Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku. With the completion of the Seto Ohashi Bridge connecting Honshu and Shikoku, ferry service has been drastically reduced. This is unfortunate as so many travelers now miss seeing the beauty of the Inland Sea when you are on the water and cruising through the region with its beautiful small pine clad islets dotting the surface.
Upon arrival at Miyanoura Port, a driver from Benesse House greeted us and we were whisked away in a cute little purply-blue shuttle bus. We passed through the small town at the port and the main city center on the island before reaching the gates of the Naoshima Cultural Village at the water’s edge. Before winding up the mountainside to the entrance of the Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, we caught a glimpse of the Mongolian-style yurts in the campground and chuckled as we were greeted with a large pumpkin installation resting on a jetty in the sea to our right. The concept of art in nature was evident with every turn and we were very excited to finally be on the island of Naoshima.
From the moment we arrived at the entrance court, we could see Ando’s signature on the structures before us and perched high above; stunning concrete walls jutting out of the mountain and softened with natural vegetation from the island. We passed through sliding glass doors and checked into our rooms with the friendly museum staff. Most of the paperwork was already completed and before we knew it we were on our way. I was staying with my traveling companion in the Annex located on the top of the mountain which required a special explanation and instructions as the only way to this section of the museum is by a private rail link. We were escorted to a special door which could only be opened by guests staying in the Annex and when we passed through we found ourselves on a small platform with tracks climbing the mountainside. After pushing a small button on the wall, we watched on a video screen the train descending from above. In a matter of minutes, the train car was before us. It was painted green and looked similar to the funicular cars of Europe or the old Angels Flight cars in Los Angeles. We climbed the mountainside and enjoyed the amazing panoramic views of the Inland Sea and the surrounding islands.
We arrived at the station at the top of the mountain and exited the car with our bags in total amazement. We could hear rushing water, yet we could not see any water in any direction. As we made our way to our room, we passed through a glass corridor which revealed a spectacular fountain cascading over a brown stone wall and flowing down a staircase and series of steps. At the end of the corridor we entered a surreal courtyard in a simple elipse shape with an infinity pool in the center. The whole use of water on top of the mountain was as if we had found a natural spring...(to be continued)
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