Visual Journal 07 | 📍Seoul
Staying in a Hanok in Seochon, a historic neighborhood where old-school charm meets modern boutiques and cafes. The oldest bookstore in Seoul is here, although it’s only a cafe now. There’s even a vintage Photo Booth amongst all the modern digital ones. My favorite part about this neighborhood might be that it’s only a 15 minute walk to the trailhead of Inwangsan. Gabrielle’s birthday was on Monday and we started the day with a morning hike up to the peak, walking next to the Seoul City wall. The small mountain has well marked trails and the most beautiful rest stop I’ve ever seen (sadly it was closed on Mondays). But we were able to get salt bread and drinks at a cafe/bookstore nestled into the mountain before heading back down for Korean body scrubs. I love that there are mountains in the middle of the city. Not big ones, but enough to satisfy that desire for nature and hiking while still being close to all the things I love about living in a city.
One of my favorite examples of art, architecture and nature in Japan is Enoura Observatory by Hiroshi Sugimoto. It’s an incredibly peaceful place to spend an afternoon and can be done as a day trip from Tokyo.
The most captivating part is the Winter Solstice Light-Worship Tunnel, a 70 meter long tunnel made of steel. It’s designed so that on the morning of the winter solstice, the sun perfectly aligns with the tunnel sending light to illuminate large stones at the other end. You can walk into the tunnel and stare out into the sea, or walk on top of the tunnel. There are no gates or fences, just a small stone that sits in the edge kindly signaling to not go any further.
Visual Journal 06 | 📍Tokyo
We’ve been back in Tokyo for two weeks. Settling into more of a routine now that we’re not moving every few days. We’ve done so much in the last two weeks. I cut my bangs with a pair of tiny MUJI scissors and got a new pair of glasses at JINS. I had to confirm my Rx with an eye test in hiragana. I got two rolls of film developed. I learned about Kumihimo, the ancient art of braiding silk. I bought a tea pot at Oedo Antique Market. We made rings from coins and saw the cat temple. We saw friends and went to Borderless and drank tea. I’m constantly eating onigiri. Tuna mayo from FamiMa are my fave. In the mornings I process photos or make collages from vintage Japanese magazines and draw abstract landscapes. In the afternoon we walk miles and miles, sometimes because we’re running errands, or on a photo walk and sometimes just because. Our time here is dwindling and it makes me sentimental. Mono no aware am I right?
Memory is such a strange thing. I lived here for two years, but after a while the memories start to lose their texture; hazy pictures in the back of my mind. I remember the broad strokes and big moments, but the details of every day life start to blur at the edges and fade away. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s all just supposed to feel like a beautiful, chaotic dream.
Visual Journal 05 | 📍Omishima
We did the Shimanami Kaido slower than most. Instead of 1 or 2 days, we took 3. It allowed us to stop often and to stay in a couple hotels on my list along the way. On the second night we stayed in this lovely cottage at WAKKA facing the Seto Island Sea. We could see the Tatara Bridge which we had biked over earlier in the day. We ate take out pizza for a late dinner while sketching at the kitchen table in the most comfortable pajamas provided by the hotel. I love a good pair of hotel pajamas. In the morning we woke up and watched the sun pop up over Ikuchi Island. And then, when we were ready, we biked 20 miles to Imabari and finished the Shimanami Kaido.
The Shimanami Kaido is the most lovely bike ride I’ve ever done. The support and infrastructure around the ride is top notch. Bikes are easy to rent and return, and same-day luggage transfer is a breeze. The route is well marked and easy for cyclists of any level but can be made more challenging for advanced cyclists. The scenery is gorgeous and the bridges are beautiful and so easy to cross. Plus there are so many cute places to stop along the way.
Visual Journal 04 | 📍Simose Art Museum
I planned a trip to Hiroshima simply because I wanted to visit Simose and stay in one of the homes that Shigeru Ban designed (see previous post about the house). We had dinner at the French restaurant onsite which was incredible, but right before dinner was magic hour. The light was perfect, almost artificial looking. The museum was closed at this point and it felt like we were the only ones there. Many photos were taken. Here are a few.
If you visit Simose Museum, you can also stay overnight in a Shigeru Ban home. This is a recreation of Ban’s iconic 1997 design, the Wall-less house. The house has no fixed interior walls and everything sits on a continuous surface called a “universal floor”. The house features floor-to-ceiling glass sliding walls that completely open to nature blurring indoor and outdoor boundaries.
Simose Art Museum is another example of how Japan integrates art, architecture and nature together into beautiful experiences that celebrate not just the art within the walls, but the walls themselves and the space in which they sit. This museum was designed by Shigeru Ban and these colorful, floating boxes are galleries that can be moved and rearranged. The entire outside of the main space is mirrored and sits against a mirrored wall to make the background disappear by reflecting the Seto Island sea.
