Funky Friends: Part One, Old Painter Man

During our travels in Japan we've come across some weird and wonderful folk, so I thought it might be nice to share some of them with you!

 Now, the gentleman in this picture is weirder and more wonderful than most. He would only have his picture taken if my daughter was with him; in fact, considering how non-huggy most Japanese people are, he was a law unto himself, he wouldn't let go of her! In the background you can see his work - he paints Japanese scenes and sells postcards of his work. Each painting is done using a brush with a SINGLE HAIR!!! Needless to say, they are unimaginably detailed and painstakingly produced. They don't do things by halves, these Japanese. So, we bought a few postcards cos it's good to support amazingly talented people like that.


So far, so ordinary, you might say. Then he showed us the rest of his work...

 Get this, he'd made a tiny little village, out of the bits and bobs lying around his postcard stand! Can you see the weeny little houses and fences?! There was even a stone statue with 1yen offerings...

...and for a spot of Zen meditation, a stone garden.

A little bit of wonderfulness that goes unnoticed by so many, but brings joy to those who take the time to stop and look. I'm so glad we did x