notto-jima and zen pottery

This monday was a national holiday -- grandparents day, I think. Anyway, I went with Akiko and Michiyo to go make pottery on Notto-jima. Notto-jima is an island off Notto Peninsula. Very traditional place and kind of in the wilderness. I haven't made pottery for a long time. The studio was in an old elementary school building, in the inlet of a bay (which was incredibly calm, despite warnings of a typhoon). The sensei was a very charismatic, old man, who helped Akiko and Michiyo in the gentlest manner ever. He let me go free because I seemed to know what I was doing. Although I quickly discovered that there are some fundamental differences in the way the wheel works here. All wheels spin clockwise! When Japanese people draw zero, they draw it clockwise, and apparently, the clockwise circle is a zen symbol. For me, I feel like centering the clay on the wheel is one of the most zen feelings. The clay fights back, shaking your entire body and then as you start to concentrate and focus, there's less struggle. Then one minute you're shaking and the next, everything is still and silent, as if there's no movement at all.

They also shape the pot from the inside out, and they have a variety of tools I'd never seen. One really cool one for making sake vases. I tried to make a sake vase, but mine turned out drunk-looking. My other pot was a success.
This is Michiyo, one of my co-workers. She made a bowl for her dog, Spanky.

Afterwards, the sensei offered us coffee on the porch. The coffee was served in little cups he made and served on a cut tree-stump. It was the most beautiful coffee I've ever had. And when you looked up, this was the view.
We stayed there until the sun set, then went to Joyful, the Japanese equivalent of Wendy's.