Saturday, March 26th from 10am-2pm, please join us for a great Art Festival, a street fair & "Marche" (French-Japanese for open-air market) a LOVE temple visit, exciting modern dance performances & more!

Spring is here & we'll enjoy great events, starting with KUGURU #2, a annual Public Arts Festival sponsored by the city of ICHIKAWA: https://www.ichikawaartcity.art/kuguru2

Among other things, KUGURU is a display of more than 70 beautifully designed printed, dyed or painted fabric NOREN now being shown on our local SHOTENGAI, or old shopping street.

NOREN are cloth banners traditionally hung across the entrance to shops throughout Japan. Noren announce that the shop is open, they keep in heat, keep out drafts & insects. Noren also remind us to bow before we enter someone's home or shop.

This street, known as "DAIMON-DORI, is the "SANDO", or sacred road leading to Ichikawa's famous hilltop MAMASAN GUHOU-JI temple!

The unique Kuguru noren were designed by 50 publicly recruited artists. Each was designed to represent the artist's feelings about Ichikawa, with some reflecting the type of shop where they're displayed!

Besides the colorful noren, many shops will be exhibiting works for sale by participating artists. Plus, a number of sculptures have been installed near Guhou-ji temple at KONODAI, on the heights overlooking Ichikawa!

WHAT WILL WE DO ON THIS MEETUP?

First, we'll enjoy an AMAZING 360 degree PANORAMIC VIEW of Tokyo, Chiba, and parts of Saitama from Ichikawa I-Link Tower's 5 Star-rated 45th floor observation deck. (The view from here is better than Tokyo Sky Tree & it's FREE!)

It's a month-long Art Festival, but only 2 days offer special activities, so we'll enjoy a leisurely stroll up the street, exploring various art displays & happenings, discover shops, galleries, cafes, a NEW crepe-shop & more, then hike up to the ancient temple grounds to enjoy the sculpture exhibits, elegant temples, modern dance & have a PICNIC LUNCH in the fresh, fragrant air under the blooming sakura trees!!

Our Meetup is from 10am to 2pm, but you may leave or wander off on your own at any time. But please let the organizer (ME) know what you're going to do! OKAY?

ICHIKAWA, "The Garden City" is an historic place! Continuously inhabited for more than 10,000 years, Northern Ichikawa has several ancient KOFUN tombs, a ruined CASTLE of the SATOMI clan, many historic sites, beautiful parks, temples, & shrines & archeological zones. KONODAI hill is where the 12th century SHOGUN of Kamakura, MINAMOTO YORITOMO camped to receive leaders of many clans here, in today's Chiba prefecture. (As seen recently in NHK's current Taiga Drama, "13 Lords of the Shogun!)

"MAMA" (Between the sea & the mountain) was home to the Heian-era beauty, TEKONA, whose tragic love story is immortalized in poems by MATSUO BASHO, as well as the ancient collection of poems known as "MANYOSHU" 万葉集. Lovely Tekona temple & the well where legends say she drew water for her mother every day, is located nearby.

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Famous Edo-period artist HIROSHIGE ANDO and others since, such as 20th Century master, KAWASE HASUI have created great artworks here.

Kuguru founder Akane Fujita, a fine artist in her own right, is the director of A&M, "Arts & Meaning" of Ichikawa.

For more information, please see the links below: https://www.ichikawaartcity.art/kuguru2

ふじた あかね AKANE FUJITA 株式会社エーアンドエム

Arts & Meaning Co., Ltd. 　https://tinyurl.com/3dyb965h

Precautions against Covid-19, like wearing masks properly, hand-washing & social distancing must be observed!

WHAT TO BRING: Please wear comfortable walking shoes, bring your lunch & water or other beverage & a picnic sheet, or a plastic bag to sit on during our picnic, in case the grass is wet.

Alcohol is okay, but please, wait until lunchtime!

Japanese weather is changeable. A light jacket & folding umbrella may be helpful. (Probably no rain, however!) We will stop at a convenience store before the Art Tour so you can buy anything you forgot!

Your comments or suggestions for future meetups are most welcome, so please don't be shy. Send me your messages!

Thank you!

Your Meetup organizer,~ Kerry D.

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

~ Oscar Wilde