© Karen Helga Maurstig 4 new additions to our mokumap this week. Expo The floating world through a lens in Tokyo. American photographer Bueno Alex visits places in Hiroshig...

The early bird catches the worm, so we get up early. Another trip to the post office for Vladimir. In the meantime, I’ll do some housework (like putting the mattresses back). Then I’ll have a leisure...

Our last full day in Japan. Vladimir’s alarm goes off three times. I hear him snoring through the wall. It still feels too early for me to get up, so I linger a bit longer. Today, we need to pack our...

Lazy day,today. I slept a little bit longer than on the previous days. My system works differently here than at home, I wake up early every day. Or could it be a touch of homesickness already? I’ll m...

Today is the last day of class. I haven’t started carving my cherry wood block yet. I’m actually a bit afraid to start cutting into the wood, I have visions of my knife snapping loudly and a piece fl...

We arrive right on time at the studio. We encounter the little ones again. First the pink team, then the yellow caps. The blues are getting ready to start. Vladimir is very charmed, he smiles and wave...

Fresh instant coffee and crackers to start the day. We leave in a good mood, packed and ready to go to Sensei. Vladimir changes to the Shinkansen gear, I connect. We set off a little late but arrive o...

Today is a big day. Our first day learning to cut with Sensei Asaka Motoharu When it comes to practising mokuhanga, cutting is my weakest point. I have some mixed feelings - weak in the knees, but al...

7u. They say it is going to be 25 degrees today. The sun is out and shining brightly. I switched off the light too late last night - too late for a room with paper curtains, in any case. My though...

Quiet in the house. At 8am I wake up with the ‘urge to print’. You know, the ink is ready on the printing table, the paper is prepared and waiting for you… nothing stands in the way of printing. B...

Weekend. No classes today, but we have the studio at our disposal for the next two days. The first thing is to get some sleep, which is both of our goals. Breakfast on the terrace. Vladimir is no ...

I’m having breakfast alone this morning. Vladimir worked late last night, I suspect he’ll get up late. I managed to finish my plates yesterday. Now I have to make some ink and I shall be ready to ...

The night was less cold than the previous night. I didn’t turn off my electric blanket, leaving it on the lowest setting. Vladimir told me yesterday that he had been so cold that he had wrapped his...

The sun is shining. Lovely. It’s still cold. But it feels good. We’re in the mountains, so it’s much fresher than in Echizen and Nara. But the weather doesn’t really know what it wants. Two days ag...

The sound of a sliding door opening and closing wakes me up. Disorientated. We are sleeping in the studio, Vladimir upstairs, me downstairs. Terry and Aya live in a house next door. There are no o...

My alarm clock is programmed for 8am. At 6am I am loudly woken up. I curse the joker who set the alarm clock for me yesterday A very Japanese breakfast in the restaurant of the hotel. It was a bit to...

We will travel light for the next two days. We have sent our luggage to Karuizawa via the hotel in advance of our trip. Practical and cheap. Fingers crossed that everything will turn out well. State o...

Today is Portfolio Day. The atmosphere is tense. A little excitement is in the air. Everyone is carrying bags, folders or a roll on their way to the bus. Today we are going to show our work to each o...

At a quarter past eight, we are ‘bright and early’ on the bus to the convention centre. Luckily we have had a hearty breakfast and a few cups of coffee, because we are in for a morning full of speech...

7 am, woken up by a couple of beeps from my mobile phone. In Belgium the day is coming to an end, here the next one is already starting. It’s still strange, the time difference. Some time left for me ...

Alarm clock at 8am. I slept very well. Breakfast here between 6.30am and 7.30am. The Japanese are morning people. So in the last few days I have missed the “inclusive breakfast” a couple of times. ...

Little sleep last night. There was a lot of noise on the road, which made it difficult to sleep. But it was also the first night without my sweetheart, it felt strange to sleep alone. Our suitcase...

Today is my 15th day in Japan. My beloved is going to fly back from Osaka to Belgium today. Vladimir and I will continue to travel together from now on. MokuhangaMagic in Japan! Japan...