KURASHIKI TOUR by POGGY

―The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, the city intersects old and new objects―

This is a documentary film about visiting by a fashion curator, who follows from the latest fashion to vintage, to some points in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.

A fashion curator, nicknamed POGGY, has engage in branding of select shops and going abroad as a buyer based in Japan. He wears a style with a sense of identity, including traditional, vintage, and other gentlemanly items with a street-like. His charm point is his iconic beard.

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter that he visited has been designated as National Important Preservation District for groups of traditional buildings, and is a place where remains the retro-modern cityscape of white walls and western style architecture. We follow the “small landmarks” that Mr. POGGY found while walking through the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which can be called the intersection of old and new objects.

Kurashiki, the city with history

Mr. POGGY:

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is “Tenryo area” under the direct control of the Shogunate. It has a history of becoming the center of politics and flourishing. In the Meiji period, a museum that is a fortune of the second -generation owner, Magosaburo Ohara of Kurabo (Kurabo industries Ltd.) was renovated to a bank and post office with western style architecture.

As I buy good products from all over the world and display them randomly at the select shop which I have been working with for many years, I felt comfortable with the “mix” with traditional Japanese style and western style architecture in there.

First, let’s head to the Ohara Museum of Art, which is famous as Japan’s first Western art museum.

Ohara Museum of Art

Curator:

When you enter the Ohara Museum of Art, you will see a painting called “A Belgian Girl in Japanese Clothes” by Torajiro Kojima in front of you. Actually, Torajiro Kojima is the one who traveled all over Europe to purchase this painting.

Monet’s “Water Lilies” shown here was purchased by actually meeting Monet himself.
Next, I would like to introduce you to “the Annunciation” by El Greco.

Mr. POGGY:
This is the first time I see the real thing. It’s very impressive.

Curator:
This is the oldest painting (old master) at the Ohara Museum of Art. Although the painting is over 400 years old, Torajiro Kojima purchased it. “Why were 400-year-old paintings bought by Torajiro Kojima?” The answer is that a movement back to the classics was taking place among famous painters such as Picasso at the time. “the Annunciation” by El Greco is a religious painting, and although it was painted long ago, it has become popular again with its avant-garde attracts. This is a work discovered by Torajiro Kojima around that time.

Mr. POGGY:
Does this mean that Torajiro Kojima was marking not only “new works” but also “works with a vintage feel” at the same time? Kojima Torajiro’s foresight is astounding.

Curator:
Lastly, please take a look at our garden. Water lilies are blooming that were divided from the village of Giverny on the outskirts of Paris, France.

Mr. POGGY:
There is something that was taken from the local Monet’s garden in here.

After viewing

Mr. POGGY:
I was impressed by the fact that Torajiro Kojima was meeting the artist himself and purchasing the art even back then. When he visited Europe, Japanism was strong. He may have felt that people overseas knew more about Japan than others. I believe that he realized this situation and collected a wide range of paintings, including paintings from around the world, as well as the many folkcrafts at the Ohara Museum of Art.

Next destination

Next, we headed to a gallery where fresh flowers are encased in resin and made into brooches. Moreover, the shop has been producing these products for 40 years, which I found very interesting.

The Gallery, Saiji

Mr. POGGY:
I think it would be interesting to wear a fresh flower-style brooch with a casual jacket, similar to how European gentlemen wear fresh flowers on their chests when they go to parties.

I heard that the timing of picking flowers is important when making brooches. By choosing flowers before just they are in full bloom, they will have just the right amount of bloom to make into a brooch.

Mr. POGGY:

Sanyodo is the place where I heard from an acquaintance that there is an interesting store there. It is said to be an attractive place with a miscellaneous atmosphere, including old toys, a roof lined with Victor dogs, and an exhibition room with piggy banks.

Sanyodo

Owner:

At our store, each shelf is listed by different collectors.

A collector who likes old things or have a hobby of collecting rare things leave things that treasured in the past here. Instead of just putting them up for an auction, we let people actually look at them here and get a feel for its true quality before making a purchase. There are quite a lot of rare.

Mr. POGGY:

In addition, the Victor dog collection exhibition room on the second floor is also interesting.

Why did you decide to collect Victor dog goods?

Owner:

I just love it. I just love dogs and music.

Next, I would like to introduce you to the collection of piggy banks. The collection here is also quite unique. Once I started talking about it, there was no end to it.

This is the prototype of a piggy bank. In the Meiji period, most of the shape were round, and they were called “saving balls.”

Mr. POGGY:

This “Buddhist altar piggy bank” that you recommended to me is humorous and awesome. Every collection was worth seeing.

During the move

Mr. POGGY:

It’s simple to love dogs and music, but collecting such a collection requires time and physical strength. I respect that focus on one thing and delve into it deeply, or that have love.

I think one of the things that makes it so interesting is that there is a space like Sanyodo near the Bikan Historical Quarter.

Now, I would like to have lunch at Ryokan Kurashiki.

Ryokan Kurashiki

Mr. POGGY:
It is delicious! After all, Japanese food is familiar to my body. The colorful seasonal ingredients are not only delicious, but also very colorful.

Now, I would like to introduce you to the most famous room at Ryokan Kurashiki, “Tatsuno-ma”.

I have stayed here before as well.

It’s a mix of old and new furniture, and in a good way, it’s hard to tell the difference. I learned a lot because I felt like it was good at coordinating if I compared it to our profession.

It is said that Ryotaro Shiba and Shiko Munakata actually spent time in this room. Natural light streams in through a small window near the ceiling, and it is creating a comfortable space.

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