Wise words, found in Honen-in Temple, Kyoto
do what you love Page 35 of 61
Why taking a sabbatical can be good for business
‘Working’ in the grounds of Honpoji Temple, Kyoto [image: Takeshi Kohari]
I have recently got back from a six month ‘sabbatical’ in Japan. When I headed out there I was determined to get a change of pace in my work and home life. There were many business-related reasons to go, but in order to make it happen I had to put the brakes on some projects, let go of others, take on freelance support and really take a step back from the craziness that had gone before. But the results have been surprising.
Re-entering
We are back in our house at last. After six months away, nearly a month on other people’s sofas, and a lot of packing and unpacking, we are in.
While we were away we had horrible tenants in our beautiful home who treated it like a student house, so we are repairing, redecorating, reorganising.
My own bed
Since leaving Japan three weeks ago I have been a nomad, living out of my suitcase and sleeping in about 12 different beds.
I am hugely grateful to friends and family for putting me up while tenants remained in our house, but tonight I am excited to be able to sleep in my own bed again.
Bliss!
We need your help! How can we serve you better?
As we approach our second birthday here at Do What You Love HQ, we need your help!
We are undergoing a BIG overhaul of our website and online presence, and we want to hear from you. What do YOU want from us? How can we serve you better?
Image: Kohari
Noren making 1: Sketching out
My workspace in Miura-san’s beautiful studio
As promised in yesterday’s ‘Behind the curtain’, this is the first in a series of posts sharing how to make a traditional noren curtain – something I learnt under the watchful eye of talented kimono designer Miura-san.
Behind the curtain
People say it is hard to get under the skin of Japan as a foreigner, and this is even more the case in Kyoto, a proud city which highly values tradition and ancestry. Even though we were there for six months, and I can speak the language, it was not until the fifth month that something happened which made me feel like I had managed to peep behind the curtains.
Kyoto Cafes 11 – Sukeroku
Behind the door of a quaint traditional Kyoto wooden house lies Sukeroku, a guest house and noodle café where you can slurp fat tasty udon whilst sat on tatami mats looking out over a tiny central garden.
Storm mountain
Arashiyama was one of my favourite places in Kyoto. It’s name means ‘Storm Mountain’ and almost every time I went there it poured with rain, but this only added to the atmosphere as a thick mist settled over the hills.
Choosing how you use your fear
Over dinner a friend told us of an extraordinary place, deep in the mountains of Tottori Prefecture. When a long-time Kyoto resident says their favourite temple is one NOT in Kyoto, you know must be worth a visit. Without giving us any details, they piqued our interest enough to make us get in the car and drive for several hours to see it.