Another day in Shimoda.  Well, to be precise, today was spent in Yumigahama and Irozaki, a few kilometres south of Shimoda on the tip of the Izu Peninsula.

But to backtrack for a moment, Shimoda was where a select few (that is, the few who selected to come) enjoyed a fabulous sushi meal last night that exceeded all expectations.

Now back to today, another sunny autumn day and perfect for both painting and hiking.  The morning was spent at a fishing port, surrounded by boats:

And after a lunch of ise-ebi ramen (and other local delicacies), we headed for Irozaki where the stunning landscape gave the artists plenty of options for a full afternoon of painting.

A slightly different view from the nearby hill, climbed by the non-painters:

Back to our hotel for snack (snuck?) dinners after a critique of the day’s work from Ev and communal baths in the onsen.

Waterfalls tomorrow.  Meanwhile it’s おやすみなさい (nighty-night) from me.

The scene from our bedroom window at the Izukyū Shimoda Hotel.  The surfers (not us!) were out in force at 6 am but not much of a swell.

Seems everyone survived their first night sleeping on the floor and were raring to go.  Chris and I are the designated drivers of two hired mini-vans — Toyota’s latest — to ferry our group around various locations on the Izu Peninsula.

First port of call was Kisami Ōhama beach for a full morning’s painting session and a 6km walk for four of the non-painters.

After lunch at Sunny Side (it’s still there after 30+ years), we drove back to Shimoda and an afternoon on Perry Road, at the shrines, shops and museums.

Meanwhile, I checked out some places for a snuck.

Dinner in town tonight after a relaxing soak in the onsen (hot spring baths), including a lovely rotemburo (outdoor bath).

Another glorious sunny day in Tokyo for our last morning here on this year’s trip.  It was Culture Day today, a national holiday and a popular day for weddings in the 400-year-old Japanese gardens of the New Ōtani Hotel.

A scene that attracted some photography from our group.

The beautiful gardens were where our artists spent the morning, after Ev’s briefing, alongside the gardeners who were doing their twice annual tree trimming.

At midday, we boarded a bus for the long, long, long road trip to Shimoda — only 180km south-east of Tokyo, but with public holiday traffic, road works, and traffic lights every 150metres,  it felt like 1800km.

It took almost two hours longer than the scheduled four and a half to reach our resort hotel, Izukyū Shimoda, which will be our base for the next five nights.  Our rooms are Japanese style, with futons on the tatami mating floor to sleep on.  An adventure!

おはようございます東京！Good morning Tokyo.

First, get a load of this view from our buffet breakfast spot in the New Ōtani Tower:

The Shinjuku skyline, the Crown Prince’s residence (with all the trees) and the Geihinkan (State Guest House, with the green roof), getting ready for Trump’s visit on Sunday (we’ll be gone, thankfully) … and the majestic Mount Fuji (Fuji-san, in Japanese), gracefully towering (top, left) over Tokyo.

Sunshine and autumn temperatures of 23 degrees for a day in Ueno Park.  First some sketching around the shrines:

Then in the afternoon, a visit to the National Museum to overdose on exquisite 15th and 16th century art …

As well as some Edo Era (19th century) works, including this stunning javali (猪 or wild boar), which I had to surreptitiously photograph, since our home in Óbidos is the Casa do Javali.

And some original Hokusai woodblocks:

Lots of kilometres walked, but a great day for our group.  This evening we all dined at a yakitoriya in Roppongi Hills after some of the group ventured to the observation deck for a vista of Tokyo at night.

So tomorrow it’s sayonara Tokyo and off to the Izu Peninsula.  Stay tuned for a change in scenery.

A splendid day:  great weather and terrific painting opportunities around the temples and shrines and shops and people in Asakusa.

And for the non-painters, a chance to walk to the other side of Sumida River and visit Tokyo Sky Tree, the 634 metre high TV tower, and see literally for kilometres over the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo from the 350 metre viewing deck.

A fair bit of walking today for everyone and some fun squeezing onto the Ginza line subway carriage at rush hour this morning.  We all made it home to the New Ōtani for a rest ready to do it all again tomorrow in Ueno.

A variety of pics to follow:

                               The entrance.

                               We were not alone!

                               A quiet spot for Ev to do her demo.

                              Artists at work.

                              Tokyo Sky Tree.

                   View of the Asakusa temples (centre left) from the tower.

                               A view of Tokyo from Sky Tree.

Meanwhile, back at the temple complex, plenty to see.

                               Chrysanthemum time from today (November 1).

                               And some lovely autumn foliage…                               …to match the colourful carp.

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.