Rice Valley Projects: January 2016

Artist Residency in the rice valley of Kyoto Prefecture

See also www.ricevalley.jp

Inquiries to:

info (place an at mark) kenandjuliayonetani.com

Rice Valley Projects offers an artist residency for artists, writers and those interested in ecological farming in the countryside of Kyoto Prefecture, thirty minutes by train or car from Kyoto city center. 15 minute bike ride from the train station, bicycles available.

Costs are 30 000 Yen per week for accommodation (all utilities and internet included, not including food) in a two bedroom annex. The rooms are tatami mat, and sleeping is in Japanese style (futons).

Rice Valley Projects is facilitated by Ken + Julia Yonetani (which in Japanese also means rice valley). Ken and Julia Yonetani are contemporary artists based in Kyoto, Japan and Sydney, Australia and also manage a fully organic farm at Rice Valley. They speak Japanese and English, and have carried out artists residencies themselves in Australia, Asia, and Europe. Rice Valley Projects aims to give others opportunities and experiences in countryside Japan, especially those interested in cultural preservation and sustainable farming.

Please send your CV, url links, preferred dates, and project outline. Partners and/or children on a case by case basis.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Inside the Residency

Some people are interested in seeing more images of the inside of the residency.

Please find some here.

There is also a new clothes dryer, new heater and new sink that have just been put in.

Happy New Year

The custom of Tondo yaki, where New Year Decorations and “kakizome” (the first calligraphy of the year) are burnt. An explanation of Tondo-yaki (Dondo-yaki in Kanto Area):

"There are a variety of tales passed down related to Dondo-Yaki: you will grow younger if you warm yourself at the fire of Dondo-Yaki, your handwriting skill will improve and you will grow wiser if your Kakizome, the first calligraphy writing of the year, burns and soars up high into the sky, you will stay healthy without catching a cold if you eat Mochi or rice cake and mandarin oranges grilled in the embers, crops will grow well if you scatter the ash from the fire onto the fields. People get together to watch the swaying fire while keeping their own wishes in mind.” (from here)