After months of preparation and organisation, I’m finally in Japan !
It was hard to sleep in the plane with all the excitation and within a minute outside of the airport, I already wanted to draw everything!
But first, I joined a friend I met 7 years ago in Osaka. She kindly offered me to stay at her place in central Tokyo while I’m here. The first Udon we ate were truly delicious!
We can see the Tokyo Sky Tree and the Tokyo Tower on her rooftop, it couldn’t feel more Tokyoite.
Tokyo sky tree and 5 stories pagoda
Asakusa neighbourhood
First day, I’m ready to draw despite my tiredness.
I went to Asakusa to see the Senso-ji temple with the famous Kaminarimon. I found a spot across the street, in the flow of tourists.
If there is one thing common in every place I paint outside, is that people (mostly old people) are curious and really kind when they saw me paint.
Sadly my Japanese is not good enough to engage more in conversation but maybe in three months I’ll have improved!
Kaminarimon (The Thunder Gate)
Then it was time to finally visit the well known Ghibli Museum.
Entering Ghibli world
Pictures are not allowed inside but we did see original drawings from all the main movies, some incredible landscape gouaches and the paintings supplies they used.
I was so impressed by the fluidity of their drawings, even a simple sketch was incredibly alive.
A few splashes of watercolour and I could see the characters becoming alive.
The background made in gouache were some of the most beautiful paintings I’ve ever seen, with so much gentleness in the details.
It makes me want to live inside them. And I am even more motivated to practice!
Daily sketches
Tokyo is so big that it takes a lot of trains to go somewhere. Since I always have a sketchbook on me, I practice a lot life drawing.
This too shall have improved a lot after my three months here!
The rest of the week was spend between long walks in nature, and long walks in Tokyo. Not surprisingly at all, I am much more comfortable paintings in quiet places. Parks and temples are an oasis of calm in the constant flow of people.
Next week, I’m still in Tokyo, with a lot of beautiful places already planned!
Stay tuned