Thursday 8 November 2007

Back from Japan

o I've returned from a holiday tour signed up by my wife at a travel fair to Hokkaido with a two night stop over in Tokyo. Wow! Hokkaido was fantastic and it really provided me a much needed break after the hectic Army Museum of Singapore project. The scenery was absolutely breath-taking with sumptuously catered meals. Now, rather than rambling on further, I think I will let the pictures do the talking instead. 


Enjoy! Autumn Colours The hotel room facing Lake Toya. "Friar" Calvin with a glass of Sapporo Classic Beer at the Sapporo Beer Museum. Fresh Hokkaido dairy cream with a cake base and strawberry wrapped with a thin skin of Mochi bought at a basement shopping complex beneath Odori Park, Sapporo. Man...this really tops my list of food I've sampled in Japan. The happy diner :) Authentic Kobe beef on the hot plate. I don't think I have to explain how that went :D Tuna belly Sashimi. A bit on the pricey end but well worth the money when each piece melts in the mouth with every bite. Miso ramen at Susukino Street, Sapporo. Comfort food for a cold autumn afternoon. Yucks!!!!.....Squid gelato. Did not try that though. The the last two nights in Japan were spent in Tokyo where I had the pleasure of being the guest of Miniature Park's president Kazuo Kiuchi to do a short informal painting demonstration at his shop. There, I had the privilege to meet one of my favorite Japanese figure modellers Hiroyuki Ishii-San and his recent masterpieces. I've also met some very talented figure modellers like Honma Yukio and Naoki Miyajo whose names were not very well known outside Japan due to the language barrier. Ishii-San's recent master-piece for Young's Miniatures; a LRDG trooper in 70mm. His subtle and delicate paint work in oils really makes it a magnificent piece of work worth appreciating for hours. Ishii-San's masterful rendition of Young B Song's sculpt of an SS tank crew in leather jacket. Notice again his fine and delicate rendering of details like the beard stubbles, the illumination around the eyes and the smooth transition of tones. A text-book masterpiece in every sense!


































A group photo after the demonstration session Kazuo's shop At a typical Japanese dinner around the corner of Kazuo's shop. Ishii-San is the gentleman sitting to my right in the picture. Kazuo was also very kind to arrange a meeting between me and famed Japanese military modeller Masahiro Doi and Yoshiyuki Satou( whose name will be very familar if you follow closely to the issues of Armour Modelling) where we had a interesting dialog about the" Eastern" and "Western" style of modelling. 












Doi-San with me at Euro Militaire 2000 















Doi-San with me, seven years later and 15 kg heavier. 







I wonder what brand of thinner he's breathing, he didn't seem to age a bit! I would like to thank Kazuo and all the other Japanese modellers (very sorry if I could not remember your names) for their hospitality and presents and for making this holiday trip memorable. 

 Arigato, Calvin



6 comments:

Dani Serrano said...

Hey Calvin, it looks you had a great time in Japan, I wish I can go there some day too! Maybe my honeymoon trip... :P

Anonymous said...

Hi Calvin Tan,

I'm really thank you to show your wonderful method in front of us.

And I was really glad to be your translator then.

Thank you

CALVIN TAN said...

Hola Amigo,
I can safely say that it will be a wonderful place for your luna de miel!

Hi Sion,
thank you for your help in the translation. I'm really glad that you've found my demonstration useful. My only regret is that I could not spend more time finishing the whole figure for you guys. Maybe next time ;)

Calvin

Unknown said...

Hi Calvin,Thanks for the photos of your travel ,I hope any day I will go
To Japan ,I am very jalouise of you.
I see you soon Jose Luis

Flo said...

Dear Calvin,

looks like a great trip lies behind you. If it wouldn't be around the earth I would have been there already, too. ;)

Please visit my blog:
http://flo-history-and-modelling.blogspot.com/

CALVIN TAN said...

Hola Jose,

there is no need to be jealous because you were at Aosta while I was not :)

Hi Florian,

looks like you're off to a good start with your blog. Looking forward to seeing more figures from you.

Calvin