Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

Hello. It's Hanes, a new correspondent!
I visited a gallery in Ginza for the first time the other day, influenced by my correspondent seniors.
For me, who is not familiar with art, I had the image of "a gallery seems to have a high threshold."
When I actually visited, the image was dispelled, and it turned into a positive impression, "I want to go again!"
This time, I would like to introduce a wonderful gallery that made me think so.

The gallery is located in the Okuno Building, a luxury designer's condominium built in 1932.
This building, which has witnessed the transition of Ginza for more than 85 years, has been reborn as a center of art in Ginza, and is still active in Balibari.



The gallery you are looking for is on the upper floor, so you'll move with a retro manual elevator that you've been concerned about for a long time!
It's very fresh for me who got used to automatic doors.
I think this elevator is the gateway to the world of mysterious stories.

　

The number of floors is analog, but it is somewhat reminiscent of Western antiques.
If you look at the needle that moves smoothly as you move up and down the elevator, you will feel like you have a time slip.



And we arrived at Gallery Camellia with a lovely atmosphere in No. 502.



Currently, Kazumi Nagaoka exhibition "Appearance" is being held.
After completing a teacher training course at Kochi University, he was nearing his graduation.
Mr. Nagaoka said that he met a terracotta teacher from Tokyo at a workshop held in Kochi.
I was able to make the most of the goodness of the soil, and I was fascinated by the terracotta that says, "What I actually created will take shape as it is."
He seems to have been working since then.

Many of Mr. Nagaoka's works make viewers feel gentle and calm.
Works have been set up in shops, clinics, clinics, clinics, etc., mainly in Okayama, Hyogo, and Kagawa prefectures.
Recently, he provided relief to the Daita Kindergarten New Garden Building attached to Daita Church in Setagaya-ku.
Since there are only wonderful works, I would like to introduce some of them after obtaining permission from Mr. Nagaoka himself and the owner of the gallery.

"I'm afraid,"



"Stand up,"



"Beat of the sky" (foreground) / "Sound (yellow)", "Sound (peach)" (back)



"A flash,"



In addition, works on the theme of clouds and flowers are also exhibited.

The gentle colors and textures include incorporating ceramic techniques and making their own colors using makeup mud.
This is realized by Mr. Nagaoka's desire to make use of the texture of the soil.

This exhibition will be held until Sunday.
It's around this time when it's warm and cheerful...Why don't you get lost in the world of stories in Ginza?

■Kazumi Nagaoka Exhibition "Appears"
April 3 (Tuesday)-April 15 (Sunday) 2018
From 12:00 to 19:00 (last day 16:30)
https://www.facebook.com/kazumi.terra/

■Gallery Camellia
〒No. 502, Okuno Building No. 1-9-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
http://gallerycamellia.jp/
1 minute walk from Exit 10 of Ginza 1-chome Station on the Yurakucho Line
5-minute walk from Exit A13 of Ginza Station on the Ginza Line, Hibiya Line, Marunouchi Line
5-minute walk from Exit 2 of Kyobashi Station on the Ginza Line

Hello. This is Hanes, a new correspondent.
How did you spend your weekend?
I went to the flower festival at Okanonji Temple (Nihonbashi Ningyocho), which I had been interested in since last year.
　　
On this day, in addition to the special opening of the main deity, it was an opportunity once a year, so it was very crowded!

　　
Pour sweet tea to Historical Buddha, enshrined in Hanamido, offering, gassho, and Ichirei.
The reason for pouring sweet tea is based on the legend that a dragon who appeared from heaven celebrated during the birth of Historical Buddha by pouring rain from above its head.
　　

　　
After that, I received a temple bulletin and a rice cracker, and drew a lot of the shopping street.
　　
　
　　
I was sorry for the lottery, but I received the hospitality of sweet tea and Japanese sweets, and tasted the first sweet tea in my life.
Sweet tea is made from a kind of hydrangea leaves, and sweetness is derived from natural sources....
When I actually drank it, the moment I drank it wasn't so sweet, but
It was a mysterious but gentle tea that felt sweetness with aftertaste.
　　

　　
Spring-like Japanese sweets with strawberries on both sides of the cherry blossom rice cake are very satisfying to eat.
The bean paste was a less sweet finish that enhances the goodness of other ingredients, and it was delicious.
Thank you for your feast
　　
There is a quaint street next to this temple, and a disaster prevention well is also installed.
Personally, it is also one of my favorite places in Chuo-ku.
　　

　　
Ningyocho, including amazake Yokocho, is still an area where historical shops remain.
There is no doubt that you will be able to experience the history and culture of the land while walking around the city and meet delicious food.
If you come nearby, be sure to visit us.

Nice to meet you.
I'm Hanes, who became the 10th term correspondent.
I like learning history, and my blog name is Wales (I've been studying for several years) meaning "history".

It was just a year since I moved to Chuo-ku....
I still have a short history of Chuo-ku, so I am still fresh, full of surprises and discoveries.
I'm not as familiar as my correspondent seniors, but I think that's why there are some attractions that can be conveyed.
As we are going to introduce Chuo-ku from a slightly unusual viewpoint, thank you in advance.

By the way, it is the first article to be commemorated, "Spring is the season of encounters".
We will introduce spots related to Ginza's love from major to maniac!

If you are familiar with Ginza, you already know, but there are many shrines in Ginza related to marriage and child care!
It was a very surprising fact for me, who had hardly come to Ginza until I got a job.
Where is the shrine in Ginza, a vibrant area with luxury brand stores lined up?...Yeah.

Last fall, when I visited some of the shrines called Ginza Hatcho Shrine, which I saw and heard for the first time with the text of the Chuo-ku Tourism Certification in one hand, I visited and heard about it.
I noticed that most of the shrines enshrined in Ginza are on the rooftops of buildings and behind alleys.

Here is the one that is related to love among the shrines in such unexpected places!

　
Ko Inari Shrine (Ginza 1-chome)
Profit: Prosperity of business, family security, marriage



Toyo Iwaineari Shrine (Ginza 7-chome)
Profit: Child care, marriage





This shrine is a bit difficult to understand, but the offering is amazing.



Still, some of you who visit Ginza want to pray for love along the main street.
For such people, Koi Colin, which is called Ginza's love beckoning cat, is recommended.
It is near the entrance of San-Ai Dream Center at the intersection of Ginza 4-chome!
There are males (right side) and females (left side), so let's strove the sex cat of the romance target.

The meaning varies depending on where you stroke, so it is a spot that anyone from singles to marrieds can enjoy.
Also, it seems good to make this place a meeting place!

Finally, when you visit the rooftop garden of GINZA SIX, which celebrated its first anniversary, one piece of information that you can enjoy more....
I don't know if it's coincidence or intentional, but I can see a heart from this rooftop garden.

Did you know where it was?

It's a good idea to look for Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree, and Mount Fuji, and see the Ginza spreading at the moment.
If you want to enjoy something unusual, please look for this heart.
The hint is "Higashi-Ginza Station side"!

In Ginza, where there are many things that can only be seen from the ground and those that can only be seen from the rooftop, there are various discoveries when you change your eyes.