|
Yoyokaku entrance
Today's party is held here.
The whole premise is monopolized. |
|
The Welcome flower arrangement at the entrance. |
|
To the party room, please cross over the pond. |
|
A Hakata doll. Playing Noh.
This is a famous Hakata doll artist Akiko Inoue's old piece. |
|
Sign board of Takashi's celebration party hall.
|
|
On the stage of the banquet room, 3 Noh garments, 10 masks, 4 fans
were decorated.
These are old and precious articles.
The green bamboo bar is a "Kekkai", which means, please do not
reach over this bar.
|
|
The temporal stage of Noh in the banquet room. |
|
Mr. Bunzo Otsuki gives the opening speech.
The gentlemen behind him are the ones who cooperated.
Den Okochi, my husband is the second from the left. |
|
Audiences are coming in. |
|
Mr. Toshiyuki Takushima plays the first program of Shimai. |
|
The second one was played by Mr. Yasuyuki Taketomi. |
|
Mr. Otsuki is a skillful interviewer.
He made Takashi-sensei reveal his secrets of life.
Sensei's whole life was told in a short while. |
|
Next program is Mr. Taketomi's explanations of Noh garments and masks.
He also told us the summary of the Noh play which Mr. Otsuki was going
to play after this. |
|
During the time of Mr. Taketomi's explanations, behind the screen,
Mr. Otsuki is getting ready for the play. |
|
Taki Nakazato, Takashi's son, told about Karatsu pottery and the history
of Nakazato family, the house of 400 years' pottery stream.
He is very shy, but his smile and his soft way of speech made audience
happy. |
|
Mr. Otsuki's Noh play of "Yashima", a story of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune
and his lost bow.
|
|
The ghost of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune
tries to catch his bow which is flown away by waves. |
|
After the play, my husband and I offered a memorial gift and flowers
to Mr. and Mrs. Nakazato. |
|
While I change the room into a banquet room, the guests were invited
for a drink in the garden. |
|
Cheers to Takashi-sensei |
|
When the room was set for the party, guests were ushered in again, and here comes the second cheers, by Professor Arita, the famous flutist of Japan.
Takashi-sensei has long sponsored the baroque musicians of Japan. |
|
People enjoy eating and drinking. |
|
The first table speech was done by Mr. Kawashima.
His small Tofu shop became Japan's top tofu maker thanks to Takashi-sensei's
patronage. |
|
The second speaker was Mr. Mastuo.
His small sushi bar was now a nation- wide famous sushi restaurant, also
because of Takashi-sensei's aesthetic sense. |
|
Mr. Abe, the young master of Gin-sushi restaurant, would not move
though I persuaded him to make the next speech.
He was too shy.
His sushi shop is also very famous thank to Takashi-sensei's sense of taste.
|
|
The thank-you greeting by Takashi-sensei.
I will not be tamed even after 80.
I will continue to be wild.
Hurrah!
|
|
The closing speech was done by Noh player Takushima-sensei.
Takashi -sensei had Noh performances at his house many times. |
|
After the party, I opened a small noodle bar in the lobby.
Mr. Anita looks happy with his small bowl of noodle. |
|
Until late at night, Takashi-sensei remained and talked with friends. |
|
Now Takashi-sensei is going home. |
Snap shots of happy smiles |
|
|
Before the opening, at the waiting lobby. |
|
In the garden, the happy family. |
|
Second daughter Hanako is now a popular artist both in US and in
Japan. |
|
A famous ham maker(center) offered a plenty of ham and sausage for
the party. |
|
Kenta Nakazato, Takashi-sensei's grandson has now started his career
as a potter.
A Yale for the thoroughbred! |
|
Sensei and son's wife Atsumi. |
|
Masayasu Okochi, the 5th generation of Yoyokaku |
|
Masayasu's wife Naho
|
|
The best shot of today!
Takashi-sensei holding his wife Kuniko's shoulder.
We have never seen this! |
