He
is a chief priest at Hiromine
Shrine whose history is over 2000 years. The chief god,
Susanowo-no-mikoto, is extensively worshiped as the god of
agriculture, the god of direction and the god of the nation’s
growth. But this god is also rigid and asks us to "show
him our truth." Kiyohisa Kohda devotes his prayers to
this god for our city of Himeji, for our region of Harima
and for our country of Japan, while overlooking
the city from the mountain top everyday. He says, "I
am good only at conveying your message to the god to the
best of my ability."
He
runs the craft store 'Wataya' in Funaoka-cho, Himeji, which
sells clothing, bags and textiles dyed
with Japanese
Indigo. In his store, built in the Taisho Era (over 80
years ago), you will see well-selected cotton
products and you have a chance to spin cotton
into thread, and to weave and dye
the textile. Also, a volunteer group of 'Watabatake-no-kai'
(Cotton Field Club), which consists of store customers, has
grown cotton in a field nearby since 2004. They sow cotton
seeds in spring, organically nurture them in summer, and
harvest them in fall. Himeji cotton was nationally famous
in the Edo Era, but cotton is no longer commercially grown
in Japan. Their purpose is to experience present life through
the revival of traditional cotton products.
Over
40 years ago her marriage brought her from the Shikoku Island
to Himeji where she did not have any friends. Since she began
teaching flower
arrangement she has gained many friends and admirers
here in Himeji and enjoys their support. She has hosted an
interview program every month on the local cable TV, WINK,
for 14 years, and has welcomed guests to her house at 'Kokoro-no-Matsuri'
(Festival of Heart) for 14 years. She has also been writing
lyrics about Himeji and this area under the name of 'Yu
Mikawaya' for more than 10 years, and 4 music CDs, including
one called 'Onna-Matsuri' (Women’s Festival), has been
released. She hopes to help convey Himeji's attractions to
many people.
He
runs a liquor
store with his wife, Takiko,
in Zaimoku-cho, Himeji. He studies merchandise every
night after he closes his store, and so he can tell you what
is the seasonably
best sake, beer, wine and shochu (Japanese distilled
spirits). He often says, "There are many good liquors
even if they are not very expensive", and he recommends
merchandise from the ones with a reasonable price. You may
find local sakes which are not well-known, and sakes which
sake-makers produced with his advice.
Link: Click here
In
2004 he restored his old
house that was originally built in the Edo Era in Ohno-machi,
Himeji. The Nozato area, including Ohno-machi, had been prosperous
and famous for casting metals. During the Warring period
(over 400 years ago), it is recorded that many casting craftsmen
were invited to Kyoto to build a huge Buddha which was bigger
than the present one in Nara, and these craftsmen were nationally
known for their superior skills. The Ohno family was one
of the leaders among the casting craftsmen and had run the
business for over 400 years under the name of 'Nabe-Ichi'.
One can imagine their business success from observing their restored
house. Two huge cast-iron
pots to catch rain drops from the roof in front of the
worshiping hall of Hiromine Shrine were donated by his great-grandfather.
She
runs 'Design Office Maririn' and she created the logo of
our company 'sansen-ya'. She makes business cards, envelopes,
leaflets and sign-boards for local community center and logos
for ice-cream
packages. She accepts all work related to art. She is
always looking for something funny
and interesting, so she opens her
office [ 2 ]
as a space for calligraphy and handicraft for the neighborhood
children, and they regard her office as the center
for local art. The 'sansen-ya'
logo is patterned from the stones from Hong Kong which
are usually used for their official seals.
He
is a chef of the ryokan "Shimizu" on Ieshima Island
which is about 30 minutes by fast-speed boat from Himeji
Port. He settled in the current job after twists and turns,
although he is still in his early thirties. His elder brother,
Kazuaki, and he love their island-lives, and they work very
hard to "cheer up the island". He sticks to the
local fresh food and studies hard day and night to excite
the customers, such as a fish dish to an Italian
entree.
You will be surely satisfied if you leave your food preparation
to him. If you listen to his stories of the island-life,
and he starts to play his musical instrument, it will be
a long night.