Nippon Scape

There’s a little pottery gallery hidden away near Kamakura’s Kataseyama Station on the Shonan Monorail. The name of the shop is Utsuwa Shoken. If you walk down the quiet residential street, you’ll find its little signboard there. Look past the signboard and there’s a lovely building situated up on high ground. This is Utsuwa Shoken. For some reason even on a weekday afternoon the customers come in a steady stream. Despite the tough economic situation and the less-than convenient location, people still gather here. The person behind this wonderful place is a multitalented woman. In addition to running the shop, she also writes and edits for print, as well as producing music. Her name is Tomoo Shoken. She’s got a remarkable ability to execute her own vision one after another. We discussed her secret over tea.

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