Last week, I had the opportunities to go to Shigaraki Ceramic Park and Koka’s Ninja village. Shigaraki lies in the southern part of Shiga Prefecture, and is part of the Koka district. As one of Japan’s oldest pottery manufacturing areas, the artists of Shigaraki use clay from the riverbeds of local lakes, and Lake Biwa. The clay itself is rich in minerals, which when fired, gives the pottery a distinctive reddish tint that has been associated with Shigaraki ceramics for generations. At the ceramic park, many artists take up residence and work day in and day out, creating their own sculptures and ceramic pieces. These modern works of art are constantly reinventing the image of Shigaraki ceramics, and have made the ceramic park a popular destination for ceramic artists from all over the world.
先週に信楽の陶芸の森と甲賀の忍術村に行ってきました。信楽は滋賀県の甲賀市にあります。日本で最も古い陶磁器制作が盛んな地域の1つであり、信楽の芸術家は県内の河原とびわ湖からの土を使用します。この土の特徴はミネラルを多く含んでおり、窯で焼く時に信楽焼独特の赤い色合いが出ます。陶芸の森に沢山芸術家が滞在して、毎日彫刻や陶磁器を作ります。この現代的な美術品は信楽焼の印象を常に変化させ、世界の陶芸家の間で信楽を有名にしました。
Shigaraki Ceramic Park is a wide-open area where people can spend the day walking the grounds and seeing the various sculptures that adorn the landscape. There are hundreds of sculptures throughout the park, ranging from small pieces, to giant ones which are easily recognizable from a distance. The park is also located on top of a tall hill which gives you a spectacular view of the surrounding area, giving the park a distinguishable sense of grandeur. I highly recommend a visit for anyone who is spending the day in the Koka area.
Artist in residence at Shigaraki Ceramic Park (陶芸の森の芸術家)
信楽の陶芸の森は幅広いエリアにあって、歩いたら周りの景色の中に様々な彫刻を見ることができます。彫刻は多くのサイズがあって、小さいものから結構大きい物まであります。この公園は高い岡の上にあるので地平線の美しい景色が見られて、孤高な雄大さを感じました。もし甲賀市を訪れたら是非、行ってみてください！
After the ceramic park, we went to Koka’s famous “Ninja Village”. At the village, you have the opportunity to not only dress up as a ninja and try your hand at various obstacles, and learn about the long history of ninjas in the area. The buildings at the village are all original, and give visitors a great opportunity to not only see traditional architecture, but also how Ninjas would build their homes, etc. In one of the buildings we went into, there were a number of secret passages, some of which we had a chance to sneak through ourselves. Along with the other obstacles and activities, such as shuriken throwing, and wall climbing, I think the Ninja Village was good fun for anyone wanting to get out of the house and experience something new!
その後、甲賀市の“忍術村“に行ってきました。忍術村では忍者に変装できて、忍者修行を行えます。この村では忍者の長い歴史を勉強できて、伝統的な建築も見られて、本当に面白かったと思います。例えば、1つの建物に多数の”からくり”があって、私と同僚たちがからくりを通る機会もありました！他の活動もあって、（石垣のぼりや手裏剣投げなど）もし誰か面白い経験がしたいならいつか忍術村に行くべきだと思います。
Yo! Biwako 