Back from Japan

o I've returned from a holiday tour signed up by my wife at a travel fair to Hokkaido with a two night stop over in Tokyo. Wow! Hokkaido was fantastic and it really provided me a much needed break after the hectic Army Museum of Singapore project. The scenery was absolutely breath-taking with sumptuously catered meals. Now, rather than rambling on further, I think I will let the pictures do the talking instead. 

Enjoy! Autumn Colours The hotel room facing Lake Toya. "Friar" Calvin with a glass of Sapporo Classic Beer at the Sapporo Beer Museum. Fresh Hokkaido dairy cream with a cake base and strawberry wrapped with a thin skin of Mochi bought at a basement shopping complex beneath Odori Park, Sapporo. Man...this really tops my list of food I've sampled in Japan. The happy diner :) Authentic Kobe beef on the hot plate. I don't think I have to explain how that went :D Tuna belly Sashimi. A bit on the pricey end but well worth the money when each piece melts in the mouth with every bite. Miso ramen at Susukino Street, Sapporo. Comfort food for a cold autumn afternoon. Yucks!!!!.....Squid gelato. Did not try that though. The the last two nights in Japan were spent in Tokyo where I had the pleasure of being the guest of Miniature Park's president Kazuo Kiuchi to do a short informal painting demonstration at his shop. There, I had the privilege to meet one of my favorite Japanese figure modellers Hiroyuki Ishii-San and his recent masterpieces. I've also met some very talented figure modellers like Honma Yukio and Naoki Miyajo whose names were not very well known outside Japan due to the language barrier. Ishii-San's recent master-piece for Young's Miniatures; a LRDG trooper in 70mm. His subtle and delicate paint work in oils really makes it a magnificent piece of work worth appreciating for hours. Ishii-San's masterful rendition of Young B Song's sculpt of an SS tank crew in leather jacket. Notice again his fine and delicate rendering of details like the beard stubbles, the illumination around the eyes and the smooth transition of tones. A text-book masterpiece in every sense!

A group photo after the demonstration session Kazuo's shop At a typical Japanese dinner around the corner of Kazuo's shop. Ishii-San is the gentleman sitting to my right in the picture. Kazuo was also very kind to arrange a meeting between me and famed Japanese military modeller Masahiro Doi and Yoshiyuki Satou( whose name will be very familar if you follow closely to the issues of Armour Modelling) where we had a interesting dialog about the" Eastern" and "Western" style of modelling. 

Doi-San with me at Euro Militaire 2000 

Doi-San with me, seven years later and 15 kg heavier. 

I wonder what brand of thinner he's breathing, he didn't seem to age a bit! I would like to thank Kazuo and all the other Japanese modellers (very sorry if I could not remember your names) for their hospitality and presents and for making this holiday trip memorable. 

 Arigato, Calvin