Okura Oriental Art Blog

It was a exciting news that Mr, Yo-Yo Ma would invite us to his concert 2011 we knew at the beginning of 2011. It seemed unbelievable to me and I could not expect the dream would come true..... But we received the wonderful mail from his secretary that told he would invite us to it on Nov 14th!! 

Of course, we happily attended it and spend the most beautiful time.  I wore 'Kimono' to express our gratitude.  Also we were so lucky to be invited to backstage after the show and enjoyed conversation with him. 

If you would like to know why we knew him in person, please see our blog which was posted before.

Okura Oriental Art 

“ヨーヨー・マ様が私達をコンサートへ招待してくださる？？”　というメールを秘書の方から頂いたのが今年の初め・・・　　去年の今頃でしたでしょうか？　商品をお買い上げいただき、楽しくお話させていただいたのは。　日本の美術や骨董品について、興味深く、沢山のことを訊かれたのをよく覚えています。  紳士的な物腰にうっとりしながら、会話をしばし楽しませていただきました。

実は先日まで何かの間違いでは・・・と思っていたのですが、昨日コンサートへ（本当に）出席させていただきました！！しかも楽屋までごあいさつへ。 なんだか夢のよう・・・。

コンサートで演奏している彼は本当にものすごい迫力で圧倒されてしまうのですが、その後は柔和でフランク、これぞ天才なのでしょうね～。　またまた彼の魅力にとり憑かれてしまいました。　

神様幸せな時間をありがとう～～～！！

前回、お会いした時のブログはこちら。ご覧くださいませ（笑）

大蔵オリエンタルアート

My dream came true!!  I went to Bossa Nova concert of Mr. Jun Kimura last weekend.  It was rainy (very heavy...) and cold, but the music and nice food comfort me a little bit.  I enjoyed soft & bouncy sound of guitar Mr.Kimura played very much.

待ちに待った、木村純さんと三四郎さんのボサノヴァユニットSapatosのコンサート　

先週までの好天と打って変わってこの日は生憎の雨模様・・・。　木村さんは晴れ男なのに私の雨女パワーが勝ってしまいました。　トホホ・・・。

それでも、軽快なリズムと美味しいお食事に大満足。

軽快なトークと来場者のリクエストに気さくに応じながら次々とつま弾いていきます。　

途中、小さな娘の為に「犬のおまわりさん」まで演奏・・・・・　

楽しい時間をありがとうございました。

大蔵オリエンタルアート

Last week, we were kindly invited to the party at one of our customer's home.  There were already many people when we arrived there after closing the shop.   For the fist time, we felt a bit nervous because we knew none of their friends.  However, we became so happy immediately that all of them were very friendly and nice   We could enjoy the performance by Mr. Jun Kimura, a wonderful bossa nova guitarist.  Thank you for all

There will be the garden concerts by Mr. Jun Kimura in the Lake Yamakaka, on August 20th, and 21st. ( Please refer to: http://www.parco-del-cielo.com/index.html ) Yes, it's very close to our Yamanaka Showroom!!  We hope to see you all there!!! 

先日、お客様のホームパーティーに参加させていただきました。　お店が終わってから急いで駆け付けるとすでに皆さん集まって楽しくワイワイ　

初めての参加でしたので最初はちょっと戸惑いましたが皆さん気さくな方ばかりですぐに打ち解けました。　パーティーの途中にはボサノバギタリスト　木村純さんの生演奏を聴くことも出来てすっかりいい気持。　

木村さんは8月21日（土）22日（日）に山中湖でコンサートを開催予定。　

その会場は私たちのショールームのすぐそば。　さっそく予約を入れようと思います。

皆さんも是非、夏の避暑地で大人のボサノバを堪能してみませんか？

コンサートの詳しい情報はこちらです。　

大蔵オリエンタルアート

Along the Lake Yamanaka, there is Teddy Bear Museum where we can see many nice bears.  It was amazing that there was a very historic one made by Steiff in 1918, and was owned by a noble family.  Since it was well kept in the glass case for a long time, he survived the fire of the World War II.  I don't know why it is now in this museum in Japan, but I was lucky to see it

When my daughter pressed the button at the entrance, all of the animals started to move!!  Wow What a fancy world They moved very well

It was my daughter who asked us to go there, but she seemed to get bored soon .....  I'm sure I loved them better than she

You will have more fun around the Lake Yamanaka area.  Please visit our showroom there to escape from the heat in Tokyo this summer.  We have the English information leaflet at the shop now.

Okura Oriental Art

ご存知の方もいらっしゃるでしょう。山中湖畔にテディベアミュージアムがあります。ショールームからもほど近くお客様へもご案内できるようにと思い、行ってきました。　正直あまり期待はしていなかったのですが規模は小さいながらもきちんとしたコレクションがずらり　1918年にオーストリアの貴族が作らせたという逸品まで収蔵されています。

ぬいぐるみは子供だけのモノ、と思っていましたが奥が深く、飽きることなく楽しめました。

大蔵オリエンタルアート

 I don't know why one of my best friends, an antique dealer, Mr.N, has been hasitated to open his shop for a long time.  He had moved to the old apartment to open his new shop and the place was already renovated to a beautiful space.  This place seems to be quite comfortable for his guests. 

Please determine to open the shop!!  I will be happy to help you at the openning party!!

友人のN氏。　心機一転　新店舗をOPENしようと奮闘中　及ばずながら私達もお手伝いをしているのですが、どうしたわけかなかなかOPENしないんですこのお店・・・・。

ギャラリーと見間違うようなこの素敵な内装、欲しくなるアイテムも沢山

オープニングパーティーをやろう　　料理は任せなさい　いっそのことカフェも併設っていうのはどうですか

あとは本人次第なのかな・・・・。応援してますよ～。

新しい扉のその先にきっと出逢える「次の自分」に・・・・

We went to 'Inogashira' Park on Sunday, it was a beautful day.  There were many stalls where many kinds of art crafts were sold, and we could see some street performers.  We enjoyed them very much.

I found a very nice artist who made crickets or frogs using leaves.  My daughter was so excited to see him making the crickets because it was truly like a magic. We bought some of them.

I borrowed them from my daughter and put them on the blue & white porcelain.  Natural color is always nice on Antiques. 

Please try to go to Inogashira Park, you will find many interesting art crafts!!

Okura Oriental Art

天気が良いので昨日は井の頭公園へお散歩

公園内には楽しい露天や大道芸人達が来園者を楽しませてくれます。

その中で目に留まったのがコチラ　　草の葉で編んだバッタ　　手先の器用な日本人ならではのまさにフォークアート

草の葉を巧みに使いバッタやコオロギ、蛙等々を目の前で作ってくれます。

早速購入し、ウィンドーディスプレーに加えて見ました。染付の器たちとの相性もバツグン

涼しげな染付の器　多数入荷してきます。

ご来店お待ちしています。

大蔵オリエンタルアート

Who prepared such a cute set of trays, cups, bowls....?   

The set is for little girls' party　Everything of this set is small.  My daughter is 5 years old and the size of them are very good size for her.  I checked them one by one, and was surprised to see they are all very beautiful.  Lacquerware has fancy 'Makie' picture of cherry blossoms and you will see pretty blue & white porcelain.  It is a nice collaboration between a lacquerware maker and 'Kyoyaki' potters.

I enjoyed imagining the affluent and slow life of the rich family in old Japan...

But ...I can't imagine I fill all dishes and bowls with nice foods

いったい誰がこんなにも可愛らしいセットを作らせたのでしょう？？これ、全部ミニチュアサイズなのです。共箱のタイトルは「雛祭御客御膳」　

そう、小さい女の子だけのパーティ用。5歳の女の子の手にちょうど良いサイズ

そして全てきちんと真面目に作り上げています。

全部で10人分。甘酒のカップまで・・・　

実際、現代の5歳の女の子が１０人も集まるとワーワーキャーキャーと大騒ぎで収拾がつかないことになります。

昔の躾の行き届いた女の子は御行儀良く雛祭を楽しんだのでしょうか・・・。

今年はちょっとだけこのセットを使って雛祭（女子会）を楽しんでみようかな～、と思います

We'd been anxious and wondering if he would come because, unlike the past several years, we haven't received a phone call from the staff of his concert tour.  Being dejected, we thought, " he is not coming this year, , , "      However, finally we got the phone from Mr. David Sanborn himself, saying that he would come the next day!!       So, we could see Mr.Sanborn again this year!!  As I wrote again and again in this blog page every year, he is an extremely warmhearted, sweet, charming gentleman.  He showed us the pictures of his beautiful granddaughter,  she is still a little baby but takes after him so much!  While choosing one from our collection of the Framed Hyakunin-Isshu Playing Cards, he told us about his house in Manhattan.  We enjoyed imagining the outside/inside of his house.  Then we boldly asked for his signature on the picture taken at our shop last year.  We were again overwhelmed by his friendly manner.  We look very much forward to his concert next year

例年通りならそろそろ連絡があってもいいんだけど・・・・

いつもなら係の方が事前に来店日時をご連絡してくださるのですが、今年はなかなか連絡がこない。　

「来ないんだ～・・・」　と思っていたら何と　ご本人から前日連絡が

「明日、行きたいんだけどお店開いてる？」とDavidさん　　

もちろん　開いてますとも　毎年恒例になってきてDavidさんが来ないと一年の締めくくりが出来ないくらいになってきました。（笑）

可愛いお孫さんの写真をみせてくださったり、ニューヨークの自宅のインテリアの話など、

いつものように気さくに私たちに接してくださりしばし談笑

昨年いらした際、当店で撮影したBLUENOTEの小冊子にサインまでいただいちゃいました

来年はお店を休んででもコンサート行きます　　

When I woke up and looked down the parking lot from the window this morning, I found a car with a message on the top," I'm sorry."   Being still half asleep, I wonder, to whom?  for what???  The script seems somewhat different from graffiti, the car doesn't look like a campaign car, , , so, anyway, please, guess what??

今朝、窓を開けて下の駐車場を見ると・・・。　止めてある車の天井に　ひとこと、’I'm Sorry'　の文字が・・・。

えっ、誰に？何に？　なんて寝ぼけた頭で考えてしまいましたが、一体このメッセージは？？

イタズラ書きにしては妙にうまく収まっているし、宣伝カーで使うにしてはクルマが誰かに謝る必要もないでしょうし・・・

面白いので掲載しちゃいました（笑）

An Artist, Rie Okabayashi, is my neighbor.  I see her from time to time, and it's my pleasure to look at her beautiful artworks on the website　http://rie-okabayashi.com/works.html.  Today, I was luckily invited to her atelier and had a wonderful opportunity to enjoy her works　 I could feel her good sense of balance and gentle personality through the works in the gallery on her website.  But when I see them directly, I notice the limitation of showing the images on the website.  All of her works have very sensitive brushwork and I admired the beauty on the layers of her subtle strokes. I have never seen such beautiful colors on ' Sumi-e'.  I could see her outstanding skill to controll brush strokes and shade with the ink.  I'm sure that her works and antiques will match very well each other!!

I will continue to introduce her works again....