Earlier this year, we traveled to Japan for the FIFTH time! Our last trip to Japan in 2023 sparked multiple creative collaborations. For our trip this year, we celebrated the products created from these partnerships! We felt so lucky to celebrate in person this past spring. Here’s a little recap of our travels.
Our first stop: Osaka! Where we celebrated our collaboration collection with TRUCK Furniture.
We launched an exciting collaboration with TRUCK in May, and I also had the great honor of making a collection of one-of-a-kind paintings for the collaboration event. It was such a meaningful experience to meet so many new faces, personalize books, and connect with collectors.
Our Japanese Account Manager, Asumi, found an incredible framer in Japan, who makes custom wood frames by hand, with the most ingenious designs. While in Osaka, we met with the framers and visited their studio.
It was a great honor to be welcomed at TRUCK by Hiromi and her lovely team for this event, and we are eternally thankful for this rare opportunity and to everyone who purchased my artwork! It is magical to be in Hiromi's presence and in her world.
After Osaka, we headed to Kobe for our book signing event at H.P.France Nishinomiya. We were invited to sign copies of “In Stitches: The Enchanted World of Coral & Tusk” at H.P. France. For this event, I created a special, personalized drawing on each book for every patient patron. Thank you to everyone who came!
The HP team at this location gifted me a special custom scarf with my name! (Pictured above.)
We also stopped by H.P.France Kobe Daimaru to see the beautiful, dedicated display that the HP team created to showcase Coral & Tusk. We visited the gorgeous space of Atelier and hosted a workshop using our embroidery kit.
If you’re headed to Kobe, we recommend visiting the Nishimura coffee shop in Motomachi market. There is also a fantastic fruit stand across from the coffee shop. The Kobe Waterfront Promenades is a beautiful space to run, walk, and enjoy. We had absolutely amazing Indian food at Malabar Kitchen.
The third stop on our trip was Kyoto! My dear friend and collaborator, Yuriko, creator of Nekomura san, invited us to spend time with her in her hometown of Kyoto. We were so excited and enjoyed treat after treat from incredible food, fun, koes, and a short jaunt to Miyama.
Our Kyoto Travel Recommendations:
Toraya Karyo - We enjoyed Kyoto Ichijo Tea and dessert in this amazing garden.
Hale - I come here every time I visit Kyoto.
Kousagisha for lunch and Tardes for dinner
Kamo River - A delightful place to run in Kyoto! All along the river and you can get some miles in without any traffic stops.
Sanjusangen-do - I was so fortunate to visit here again and spend more time taking in the subtle differences in every single statue.
Another place that has stuck in my mind since our first visit to Kyoto was Shimobentencho, specifically Yasui Konpiragu Temple.
The Philosopher's Path (Tetsugaku-no-michi) is a magical walk to take in, wandering beautiful tiny streets and charming neighborhoods, and connects to many temples to visit. We visited the Honen-in and Eikando cho temples.
Then we took a short road trip to Miyama. We stopped at an incredible market on the way, got the freshest of fresh, famous buckwheat noodles, toured the Indigo Museum, and had a private studio visit with Ametsuchi Ceramics. One of the most fun, well-rounded, informative, and happy, happy, happy experiences I have had while in Japan!
The last stop on our trip was TOKYO! My home away from home, ever so wonderful Tokyo! So many faces to see, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones at our events.
We were graciously hosted for events at HP France at Futako Tamagawa Station, ATELIER Marunouchi and ATELIER Yokohama, and Isetan Shinjuku.
While in Tokyo, Yuriko Ishida invited us to the Snow Honey Kingdom to visit her and her fur family. We also celebrated our Antipast sock collection in Daikanyama.
We met with Orne de Feuilles and dream up even more fun things to come after the launch of our pet beds and pillows.
Our Tokyo Travel Recommendations:
CICADA - A delightful dinner with the HP team!
Margo - As always, Yumiko of Fog Linen somehow finds the best of the best, and we all dined together at the super incredible.
Restauranti “Chimaki” in Omor, a vegan restaurant.
Alaska and Vegebond for lunch.
Traditional lunch at tokyo national museum in tea house
Rikugien Gardens and Shinagawa Kumin Park