The first day of painting today, Tuesday, October 31 — aka Halloween, which is celebrated, if that’s the appropriate word, big time in Japan.  How does one have a happy Halloween?  A mystery.

Not that this weighty question was on the minds of our intrepid group of 10 artists and a few hangers-on as we braved the Tokyo Metro from Akasakamitsuke to Shinjuku Gyōenmae.

Ev organised a demo near the pavilion and the group then spread out in the Japanese garden section of this very beautiful park, that used to be the exclusive preserve of the Imperial Family.

It was a full day of painting with a break for a snack lunch.  On the way back to the hotel some of us detoured to Tōkyū Hands for some shopping.  More painting tomorrow — in Asakusa.

Here are a couple of pics from the gardens, and one I snapped of two dudes in business suits taking an afternoon nap, sprawled starfish style on the grass!

The 2017 Ev Hales Jaunting Around Japan Art Tour is underway.  All 16 of us gathered for a welcome dinner in Akasaka this evening, Monday, October 30.  A feast of sashimi and shabu-shabu with unlimited drinks.

And before that, we all were checked into the New Ōtani Hotel in time for a stunning, post-typhoon sunset with views to the Shinjuku skyline and Mount Fuji in all its glory.

Painting begins tomorrow at Shinjuku Gyōen gardens.

Kushiro will be the last stop on next year’s painting tour of Hokkaido and we spent the last night here on this year’s research trip (shitami or 下見 in Japanese).

The city has a beautiful harbour with lots of working fishing boats, great robatayaki restaurants and a grand hotel that

should satisfy our guests.  But the highlight of this part of Hokkaido on the south-east coast are the 28,000 hectare wetlands and the chance to see Japan’s emblematic red-crested cranes.

We left Kushiro on Friday afternoon on JAL (their logo is the crane) for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and a weekend of rain while we put the finishing plans in place for this year’s painting tour, which begins tomorrow evening, Monday, October 30.

New blogs  will begin on Tuesday.

We’re now in Kushiro, a charming port on the coast, where we look forward to seeing the wetlands and Japanese cranes tomorrow before flying back to Tokyo.

Today’s blog is really about yesterday.  Still lots of snow about and quite chilly, but the scenery was really stunning and there won’t be a problem filling two days of painting for next year’s group.

Here are a few pics to illustrate, showing the Obako Gorge and the Ryusei and Ginga falls.

Of course next year, it will be spring time, but sure to be just as artistically beautiful.

A chance for an update as we wait for transport to take us to the waterfalls and gorges around this beautiful hot springs resort in the middle of Daisetsuzan, Japan’s largest national park.

It’s still only 2 degrees at 9.30 a.m. after an early morning low of -4 (-6 predicted for tomorrow, Thursday 26th) and there is snow everywhere.  Quite unexpected this time of the year – it’s still mid-autumn – and it’s necessitated a change in our shitami (research) activities.

Snow greeted us on arrival in Sapporo on Monday.  This soon turned to freezing rain, creating a bit of a challenge for our sightseeing.  Underground passages and a very efficient subway allowed us to see some of the stunning kōyō colours in the parks as well as the Hokkaido Jinja shrine in Maruyama Pak, which should give next year’s artists lots to enjoy.

Meanwhile, in Sōunkyō, our next destination, it had been snowing steadily all day with up to 70 cm in places.  We were strongly advised not to drive, so returned our rental and took the train and bus here yesterday (Tuesday). It took pretty much the whole day to get here but the scenery en route was worth it.

Now Wednesday morning and a chance to catch up on reading and emails. It’s bright and sunny and hot water is being sprayed on the roads to rid them of the black ice, so hopefully we’ll have some photos to share in the next post.

Meanwhile some pics from autumn snows in Sapporo on Monday and one of winter snows in Sōunkyō yesterday.

All the above taken Monday, October 23 in Sapporo.  Now here’s one out the window of our ryōkan in Sōunkyō yesterday, showing the edge of our mixed bathing (with swim suits) rotemburo hot springs bath which we all enjoyed last night.

It seems like a week since the last post, but it’s only been two days – and what a lot of territory we’ve covered!

First, I forgot to mention the fireworks (sorry, no pics) in Lake Tōya: every night from April to October they provide a spectacular fireworks display on the lake at 8.45 pm.  I should keep this a secret from our tour guests next May and pretend we arranged it just for them.  A fitting end to a great visit to beautiful Tōyako.

Our drive to Yoichi took us via Mount Yōtei, the Mount Fuji-lookalike that normally dominates the landscape, but yesterday was shrouded in mist, and Niseko, the popular ski resort where they were celebrating big time that quintessential Japanese festival of … Halloween (good grief!).

On to Yoichi, home of Nikka whisky (a fascinating story for another time – or just ask Google-san) and a chance to check out some lovely coastal painting venues for next year.

Then onto Otaru for the last two nights (it’s now Sunday night, October 22) at the amazing Neuschloß Hotel – a blend of German and Japanese, with a dash of French élan.  We’ll be here for three nights in May and the rooms and private sea-facing ofuro (baths) will not disappoint.  Why, on a clear day (which this wasn’t) you can spy Comrade Putin doing push-ups, since we are even closer to Russia than Sarah Palin.

Hopefully the hotel will not have slid down the mountain before we get to enjoy it again in 2018!

Today we spent checking out painting spots in the fishing villages between here (the hotel is in Shukutsu) and Otaru. Plenty to chose from.  Otaru is delightful and although it was freezing, we loved the walk along  the main street and exploring the glassware stores, with a melon soft cream cone to keep us going before a tempura feast at lunch.

On to Sapporo tomorrow for more shitami duties.  It’s supposed to be snowing there, so we’ll be rugged up.

We arrived in Japan from Portugal on Wednesday morning (October 18) at 7 am to be welcomed with the iconic view of majestic Mount Fuji over Tokyo Bay.

After a busy day in Tokyo, we flew to Hakodate yesterday to begin our 10-day 下見 (shitami or research) to confirm final details for next year’s artists tour of Hokkaido.

No difficulty in finding suitable locations in beautiful Hakodate, one of the earliest Japanese ports to be opened to international trade in the 1850s.  Goryōkaku Park is presently coloured in autumn hues but hopefully will be shimmering in pink cherry blossoms when our group arrives next year.  If not, there will be wisteria, which is always stunning in Japan.

Today, Friday October 20, we headed north from Hakodate to Lake Tōya, site of the G8 Summit in 2008, and a popular onsen (hot springs) resort.  Lots of autumn beauty to admire for Ev and Pam as we discovered some perfect painting spots around this circular blue lake and a wonderful cozy place for lunch.

Tomorrow it’s off to Yoichi (home of Nikki whisky) and Otaru.  More blogging on Sunday, I hope.

よろしく。 Cheers.

Less than two weeks until we’re off to Japan.  We arrive in Tokyo on October 18 and then travel to Hokkaido for a nine day 下見 (or investigation) of the locations chosen for next year’s Artists’ Tour in May 2018.

Then back to Tokyo for a few days before this year’s artists’ tour — Jaunting Around Japan with Ev Hales — begins on October 30.

I’ll try to keep a daily blog going and add photos where the wifi speeds allow.

よろしくお願いします.  Cheers