Last week I told the story about how my love of Japanese antiques was inspired by a Satsuma bowl in my Mother’s china cabinet. In 1991 Marla and I began carrying an assortment of Japanese antiques in our Denver showroom to add to our diverse style mix. We started the hunt for beautiful items at various companies around San Francisco. Our favorites were Nakura and Narumi in San Francisco. We purchased so many items from Nakura the owner suggested we should go to Japan and purchase directly. We used Tomoe Nakura’s brother Yasuo as an agent and piggybacked on Nakura’s container for a small fee. This was the beginning of a wonderful journey. Sadly both suppliers are now closed.

This was a time before the internet so I researched Japan by hanging around the old “Tattered Cover” book store in Denver, reading travel books on Japan, and writing down helpful ideas. You can tell from the photo above I’m a textile guy. Our Tokyo hotel room had fabulous drapery fabric,…though the lining was very unusual!

The Tokyo train terminal was very confusing to navigate with few signs in English. It took us a while but we finally found what we needed.

Waiting for the “Shinkansen Bullet train” to Kyoto.

The beautiful gardens at the Miyako Hotel. It is now a Westin.

We loved Kyoto!

Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto.

In the Geisha district of Gion in old Kyoto.

Yasuo Nakura was a fabulous agent on our two trips to Japan buying antiques. He is negotiating the price of a large Imari charger. We quickly sold every one we bought on this trip! We were to meet our daughter, Stacy, who was on a ship for Semester at Sea, in Japan in 1994 for a third buying trip. Unfortunately, Marla had unplanned cancer surgery on the day we were to depart so Stacy took over and filled a container with Yasuo’s help. She wanted to immediately fly home but Marla told her to stay and help us. Stacy and Yasuo were amazing! We sold every item from their efforts in our showroom and our warehouse!

Marla looks at some tansu chests.

A few of our Imari chargers.

Finalizing an order, always with tea.

Yasuo knew of a private home selling some of their antiques. We found old sake drinking cups and an old hibachi.

Yasao and I clean out an old hibachi.

Time for a lunch break. Marla has that quizzical look which says to me,…”I’m not sure what is in this!”

We left one warehouse and walked to another as the hunt continued.

This place near lake Biwa outside Kyoto had a huge selection. The large clay figures standing on the upper right are “Tanuki” or “raccoon dogs.”

We found a bunch of ancient millstones. Our clients used them for everything from interior sculpture pieces to garden stepping stones.

Yasuo kept us marching till late at night. Around 10 PM he took us to a dark warehouse which was full of fascinating “Boys day” Samurai dolls from the Meiji period.

I just about collapsed with exhaustion after all the shopping. I must admit the extra time in negotiating prices, the shopping culture, and a little jetlag all were part of the mix! We chose a “traditional” Japanese room the first trip. I can assure you on our next trip we opted for a comfy western style bed!

We finalized the purchase of this Meiji period “Mizuya dansu”, or kitchen tansu.

“I can’t pay this much!”

We are finalizing all the purchases.

I had these cards made up for shopping on our own after Kyoto.

On our last day in Tokyo we went to a “temple sale” at a Buddhist temple. We purchased vintage Obi, Ainu carved bears, and small antique boxes.

This a photo of part of our Denver showroom. The main attraction is a late-Meiji period step chest or “Kaidan dansu)”. We previously had an older one which was incredible, but it happily sold before we could take a picture of it!

In the foreground of this showroom shot is a Meiji period “Kannon-Biraki” isho-dansu tansu. A wonderful Guanyin sculpture sits on top.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.