I should first like to start with a belated Mother’s Day wish to all the mothers who may be reading this post. Being at the Ryozan Hot Springs on Sunday night put us well out of reach of the wired world; sort of like being in Shangri-La (anyone remember “Lost Horizon?”). Really great experience, food and preparation were amazing, and the hot baths were just heavenly; this morning I thought I’d never get out. Yesterday (Monday) we just arrived on Okayama where we’ll be for three nights, more on this to come.

Photo is of Ann drinking tea from an Arakawa teabowl at Toyoba's studio. Arakawa was a Living National Treasure; we visited a museum in his honor on Sunday; the birthplace of Japanese Shino.