Origami, Anyone?

Monday, February 20, we drove up to the Tokyo temple annex to meet with two senior missionary couples prior to our attending a mission conference on Tuesday.  Elder and Sister Bridge from North Carolina are temple missionaries (who both completed Japanese missions in their youth) who treated us and the Johnsens (Military Relations missionaries from Stansbury Park, serving at Yokosuka Navy Base) to lunch at their apartment.  Last time they treated us all to yaki-niku (fried beef over rice).  This time is was kare-raisu (curry rice).  Again, it was a great meal, topped off with strawberry Pokky sticks for dessert!

Leaving their apartment we were guided by the Bridges onto the subway for a few stops before changing over to a train for another five stops.  Since they live and serve right on the temple property, they have no need for a car on their mission.  Thus, anywhere they travel is done by subway and train.  In fact, they have to travel that way to get to the ward they attend every Sunday.  We are very grateful for their savvy when it comes to this mode of transportation as we have a lot yet to learn!  Our destination for this little excursion the Bridges had planned the day before the mission conference?  The Origami Factory in downtown Tokyo.

Sisters Johnsen and Bridge and I in front of the Origami Factory.  Remember that whatever you see from here on out is made totally from folded paper!  It may look like fabric or porcelain, but everything there is handmade by merely folding and snipping paper.

Beautiful flowers

Numerous elaborately dressed "paper dolls"--click to enlarge

As we walked through the first floor of displays, we were totally amazed at what all had been made
just by folding paper.

Warrior dolls

Geisha

We were ever so lucky to be there when the owner and president of the company (great great grandson of the creator who started all this in 1859) was giving demonstrations.  What was most impressive was that he talked nonstop to all the ladies, looking at them and not his hands!  He made five or six creations as we watched for about 20 minutes.

We then went upstairs to where they make Washi.  Although in America we call this heavy paper "rice paper," it is not made from rice; instead, it is made from ground tree bark mixed with glue.  Then the mixture is spun damp-dry and rolled flat before being colored or printed on.  

It, too, was an exciting process to watch.

This Washi actually has had a picture printed on it

The varigated color on the leaves was created by the blended colors on the big sheet.

Elder G being ever so enthralled with the whole process!  ha!

The yellow and red Washi are sitting on batches yet to be colored.
The machine in the background is where the moisture was spun out of the wet bark & glue mixture 

  Here are just a few more examples of what we saw at the factory:

 These origami flags were made for a national conference.
Each flag is one sheet of paper, snipped and folded!!!

Famous royal family entourage displayed in March for Girls' Day.
Many Japanese have this display made out of porcelain and displayed in their homes..

Wedding doll

Elder G showing off his sore received when the pavement rushed up
to meet him!  The huge flag behind him was made from ONE piece of "unbroken" paper!
Totally amazing!!!

We left the factory and walked a half mile to a Shinto shrine the Bridges had read about.

This particular shrine was built to honor one of  the mythical gods who favors knowledge.  Consequently, this temple is where thousands of students come to write their wishes regarding passing their exams on little wooden tablets, which are then hung on display at the temple.

Before we left the grounds, we were treated to watch a monkey and its trainer put on a show for all the people there.  Apparently, this monkey is much like one who has a show on Japanese television, click here but not quite as good.  Still, it was a lot of fun watching him do his tricks.  

Of course, the basket was passed afterwards in hopes of getting paid.

He was a hoot on the stilts!  He would go slow, then fast, then in circles, etc.  He was really playing the audience, which made it a lot of fun.

It was a great afternoon, enjoyed by all.  We took the train and subway back to the temple, where we and the Johnsens said our goodbyes to the Bridges.  We two couples then headed to the military hotel, New Sanno, where we would both spend the night before attending the mission conference in the morning at which the apostle Dallin Oaks and other authorities would be speaking.  While waiting in the lobby for a third party to join us for dinner--the medical doctor (senior missionary and his wife) assigned to Japan, Korea, Guam, and Micronesia--who should be ushered in with his entourage to attend a private dinner party but Elder Oaks and his wife!  And that little tidbit of information will become the "lead-in" on my next post!  What a great day we all had!