Photograph by Sebastian Widmann
Donna Harris, who has visited Japan and hosted Japanese visitors numerous times, organized the current exhibit at Hakone Gardens' Cultural Exchange Center.
Hakone exhibits the varied art of Japan
By Shari Kaplan
For Saratogans Donna and Earl Harris, Japan is like their second home--they've visited it many times and have hosted Japanese friends and visitors an equally large number of times.
Although the average American does not share nearly as much familiarity with the island nation as the Harrises do, a visit to the latest exhibit at Hakone Gardens' Cultural Exchange Center offers an armchair trip to Japan and a look at the country's distinctive art, artifacts and culture. Everything hails from the Harris' private collection and will be on display through Aug. 10.
The exhibit came about when Hakone Gardens needed another exhibit to take the place of the Boys' Day one, which was becoming outdated since the holiday occurred on May 5. Harris, who serves on the Hakone Board of Trustees, was more than happy to share her ever-growing collection.
"I said I'd bring my stuff down--I love to share it and talk about it! I put it all out at Christmas like this as well," she says with a smile.
"I've always loved arts and crafts. I've seen sewing since I was six. I love doing things with my hands and I like seeing what [the Japanese] do with their hands," Harris adds. "I always get excited looking at this stuff. There's a lot of tradition and ritual in the Japanese culture."
Harris first had her taste for Japan piqued in 1962, when she read a letter to Good Housekeeping magazine from a Japanese woman named Kaneko seeking pen pals with whom she could practice her English skills and correspond about topics, such as child-rearing, working mothers and elder care. Harris later found out she was one of many hundreds of women to write to Kaneko, but one of only three whom Kaneko chose to correspond with for the long haul.
The women's friendship eventually led to visits to each other's countries; each time, Harris either bought or was given more items to add to her collection. She and her husband have hosted the Keio University Mandolin Orchestra, and Harris has also been involved with sister city activities between Saratoga and its Japanese sister Muko, and San Jose and its sister Okayama. She even became involved with sister city organizations on the state and national level for a time, discovering many new Japanese connections and friends.
Among her favorite collectibles are traditional hand-carved wooden kokeshi dolls, which differ dramatically in shape and appearance depending upon the region in which they were made. She also enjoys hakata dolls--"they're extremely detailed; sometimes I think they should say something to me!" Harris says.
Harris and her husband also treasure their ceramic cup collection, which includes delicately lovely vessels for drinking sake and tea. In fact, Harris says, when the couple eats out at their favorite Japanese restaurants, they always bring their own cups with them--to the delight of the restaurateurs, who know the couple and always wonder which cups the Harrises will bring next.
Other interesting items include a blue-and-white, tie-dyed diaper--clean, of course, hand-painted animal figurines, delicate hanging calendars painted with the katazome paper-dyeing technique, wooden nose-rings for cattle that Harris uses as cabinet pulls, plaques depicting animals from the Asian zodiac and a set of branding irons people used to burn the symbol or symbols of their family name on the bottom of their getas, or shoes. This comes in handy when large piles of shoes accumulate outside the entrance of a traditional Japanese home.
Hakone Gardens is at 21000 Big Basin Way. For directions, and for Cultural Exchange Center hours--which vary by day, or to make arrangements to see the exhibit, call 408.741.4994. Harris, who sometimes greets visitors to the CEC herself, may also be reached at harris-senter@worldnet.att.net.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
