A few days in Oita

We had breakfast with this couple..she is Japanese and he is from Hong Kong. The breakfasts at this hotel have been excellent. Rather than the usual system of it being a part of the hotel, Daiwa provides breakfast from this small restaurant next door.

Our trikes, and we are very happy they are having a stay in the lobby, out of the rain.

It is good we had a room for two nights as the predictions for rain were accurate. It slowed down in the afternoon so we headed out on foot to explore and visit the Oita Prefecture Art Museum, known as OPAM.

This impressive piece is a tribute to the 2019 Rugby World Cup championships that took place in Oita.

Photograper’s shops often have a big display of their work in the window. We like seeing these as it is interesting to see the traditional dress that is common in these photos.. These girls are beautifully attired for the occasion, but the younger one just wasn’t enjoying the process. There were a few photos of these sisters, but the photographer couldn’t get a smile from her….this one was the closest.

This young girl seems to be enjoying herself.

The Art Museum, OPAM, is in a modernistic, impressive building made mostly of glass. The architecture makes a statement.

Oita is a beautiful city with interesting architecture. The Oita Prefecture of Art, OPAM, is designed around the concept of “an art museum to enjoy with all five senses”. The building was designed by world renowned architect Shigeru Ban. The exterior is inspired by bamboo craft. The collection focuses on works by artists with over 5,000 pieces connected to Oita. We had fun playing with the giant eggs that were designed by artists from Japan and the Netherlands. We are also excited to see the extensive collection of bamboo sculptures, modern art and historical bamboo craftsmanship. As well, there is a massive calligraphy exhibit created by young people in Oita. Whew…lots to do.

These egg shaped pieces are the creations of artists from Japan and the Netherlands.

These pieces are quite beautiful and make a statement. It is remarkable how these pieces are weighted to be able to absorb gently pushing while remaining upright swaying side to side.

The design of the building allows for a multi level approach using glass and open spaces to give views of different levels.

Having spent time at the Bamboo Museum in Beppu, we are really enjoying this section of the art museum which features bamboo pieces of art.

The fine detail and intricate work of this piece is very effective.

This bamboo piece is unique…it is almost unbelievable that it is constructed only with bamboo,

This artist’s work was inspired by an experience with her grandmother. It expresses the artist’s feeling that their own memories were being eaten by some unknown force as they watched their grandmother’s cognitive function declined.

This painting was completed in 1916 by Heihachiro. In 1915 he entered the Kyoto Municipal Painting College where he adopted the pen name Kyushu. Here he uses as his motif a young girl from the Ohara Women’s Community.

A scene of the Russo Japanese war. These prints were produced for the purpose of raising morale and reporting current events.

This piece truly tells a story….It is called, The Girl Who Set Fire to her House in the Hope of Meeting her Lover. It is based on a Kuboki Play based on the love story of a real women, Oschichi, from the Edo period and Kichisaburo, a temple page. In setting fire to her own house she has hopes of meeting her lover. In the end, she was arrested for her crime. The two panelled painting shows the young woman climbing the ladder to ring the fire bell.

The museum also included post war modern art

The museum was equipped with walls that could be moved depending on the exhibit that was showing

There were large groups of students enjoying the calligraphy exhibit created by themselves and fellow students.

This beautiful ceiling is inspired by bamboo craftsmanship.

A close up look at the creation and methods used in creating bamboo art.

Trying my hand at one of the many ways to weave bamboo.

I bought a pair of earrings like this from the Bamboo Museum in Beppu. I liked the simple design with a piece of bamboo hanging below.

Seeing these light fixtures from above, allows you to appreciate the design which is inspired from bamboo craft.

The view from the second floor shows the memorial photo exhibit of a famous climber from Oita

We went to see the temporary exhibit on the main floor and discovered that it has been created by the Oita Mountain Climbing Club as a memorial exhibition in honour of Akamine Kazuki, a local climber who had died while climbing in Australia.

Sadly, this is what he was wearing when he perished while climbing in Australia.

There was an extensive photo exhibit showcasing his life long passion of climbing…. MT. Everest, Kilimanjaro, the Canadian Rockies, etc. He was a school teacher.

We met these people at the Exhibit honouring the memory of Akamine Kazuki. They are all members of the Climbing Club and shared their memories of him. The couple in the middle talked with us a long time…she is originally from Tasmania and lives in Oita with her husband on the left.

The Art Museum offers so much. It is interactive, showcases the art and exhibits beautifully in this extraordinary building and makes you feel connected to the exhibits.We were surprised at how late it was and how hungry we were

We wandered back to the hotel and found a restaurant that was wonderful. Barry’s choice was a special dish of the area, called Ryukyu which is rice topped with tuna sashimi marinated in a special Shoyu sauce. It sweetens the flavour of the sashimi and is quite delicious.

We shared yakitori…a mini tomato wrapped in pork belly, chicken thigh with onions and pork belly with cheese and onion. Yum!

I had Nan Ban chicken. It was the best I’ve had as the chicken was succulent and the homemade sauce was so good.

The restaurant was packed and humming. As soon as a seat was vacated, it was filled. It was a fun place.

Walking back to the hotel, we remembered it is Halloween. We got to see it… Oita style.

These lads really got into dressing up for Halloween. The poor fellow in the middle was too big for his dress and it was coming apart at the seams.

Hallowe’en is really embraced and seems to be more for teens than children. They were having fun.

These fellows were laughing and having a great time. When Barry asked if he could take a photo, they were happy to oblige and quickly assumed a solemn look to go with their outfits.

How did we celebrate Hallowe’en. Soft serve ice cream, of course. It has been a great day. We have loved Oita and would happily return here.

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