Bizen Wasen/Kagiyama Gallery Bar

Hello dear worldpackers!

---My projects---

What I am doing now are a mobile gallery bar with a mobile Japanese traditional sukiya architecture, an apprenticeship of Wasen (Japanese traditional boat) building to restore the wooden boatbuilding techniques/expertise and an artist residence for the foreigners and the locals to socialize with each other. "Culture" is the concept of all these activities.

---Your works---

-Activities related to Japanese traditional wooden boatbuilding. Cleaning up woodworking and boatbuilding tools such as chisels, planes, saws, etc. and also help us to process wood for building boats. We can sometimes visit local ex boatbuilders or boat users such as fisherman to learn more about the history and culture about wasen.

-Promoting local cultures and sharing your cultures trough social networking sites. Taking photos of our cultural and social activities with some captions in English and also your languages.

-Language exchanges (English or French). We can usually speak English, and if possible, sometimes French.

-Helping me at my mobile gallery bar.

and so on. We can specify what you to do depending on your preference and skills!

We do all the tasks together exchanging similarities and differences of our cultures, but also you sometimes do tasks by yourself when I have other things to do. We can discuss to find out the best balance for both of us:)

---Introducing myself--- This is Hiroshi at Bizen city, Okayama, Japan. I've lived in Kenya and France, and also travelled to around 20 countries in my previous work. About 4 years ago, I came back to my hometown and started some activities to restore local cultures and connect the Japanese countryside and the world. ---My place--- My place is a Japanese wooden house so-called "Kominka" located by the sea. Bathroom, toilet and the kitchen space are renovated into a modern style but the rooms on the 2nd floor are traditional Japanese style which Japanese lovers would like. I do woodworking related to Japanese traditional boatbuilding at a small space in the backyard of my place, so you can enjoy some woodworking there. ---My local area--- My local area is quite and relaxing. There's the sea, some small mountains, a river and many old people lol A fish market is in front of my place and they have different shops which you can buy all kinds of fish and vegetables every Sunday. A supermarket complex is nearby too, so you have an easy access to a variety of foods and products. And next to my area, there's the area named "Imbe" where lots of Bizen-yaki potters work. Hinase area, in the other side of the city, has many seafood restaurants and oyster shops. ---My family and other people involved--- I live by myself, and my parents live in Tamano city where it takes about an hour by car. My brother lives in Okayama city and my sister is in Kurashiki city. They are all nearby. I have Japanese friends who run a French restaurant near my place and also many Bizen -yaki potter friends in the same city. I also have some wasen (Japanese traditional boat) friends and they sometimes scull/row a small wasen boat with me as well as help me to do some activities related to wooden boatbuilding.