12xHolland diary (E)

September 1st 2000
After a long travel from Amsterdam to Hirado (via London, Osaka and Fukuoka) arrive the Septemberz participators for 12xHolland around 20:00 by bus in the harbour of Hirado. The participators are Erik van Ommen (painter & bird watcher), Lucienne van der Mijle (photographer) en Niek Kaptein (bread & pastry), together with his daughter Saskia Kaptein. Many local citizens, officials and hosts show up to welcome the new group with great enthusiasm, speeches and a welcome party. The hosts are: baker Kitagawa-san (for Niek); Oseki-san and ms. Yagihara-san (both for Erik); Shinozaki-san (for Lucienne).

September 2nd 2000
Erik: tonight, Erik has his first slide-presentation at the 12xHolland corner about "Birds in Holland" for the Hirado citizens. During the day, Erik makes some spontaneous sketches in the Hirado area.

Niek: visits the bakery of Kitagawa-san (who also his 12xHolland-host) accompanied by Hagiwara-san and Jeroen-san, who is assisting for interpreting. Niek is checking the stove, other bread-making equipment and materials at the Sun Kitagawa bakery. All bread materials, which has been provided by the Dutch bread & pastry material maker Zeelandia, has been arrived in good order. Obviously, when making bread you are most depending on your materials.

September 3rd 2000
Lucienne: today presents her first photo activity. She is shooting polaroid photographs of participators, who are dressed up with Dutch hats and decorations. The participators can take the photograph as a memory. The event takes place at the 12xCorner. Wataru Oseki-san (a student Hungarian language) is assisting for interpreting and Saskia for dressing up the 'models'.

September 4th 2000
Niek: investigates the oven at the Hirado elementary school. Next, at the Sun Kitagawa bakery Niek makes a test dough for 'speculaas' (kind of hard brown spiced biscuit). His host baker Kitagawa-san, is most helpful, however communication is not easy, since Kitagawa-san doesn't speech english. After working Kitagawa-san, Niek and Saskia making a trip to the Kawachi pass, where they enjoy a wonderful view on Hirado island.
Lucienne: is preparing the opening of her photograph exhibition at the city hall tomorrow.
Erik: is untraceable. Most probably he will be somewhere in the forest chasing for birds and animals, without watch, however carrying a telescope and his sketchbook.

September 5th 2000
Erik, Lucienne, Niek and Saskia visit the Hirado major, Shirahama-san.
Lucienne: will make a series photographs in Hirado, to document the life of some local fisherman family. She made a similar series of photographs in Vlissingen (Netherlands). These pictures will be exposed in some exhibitions in Hirado and today is the opening of the exhibition at the Hirado city hall.
Erik: travels together with Nakazone-san to the neighbouring island Ikitsuki to see the nature and bird-life.
Niek: produces his first products: corn bread and 'speculaas' cookies, which are cut out by using a (Dutch?) beer can. Gradually the idea of producing a 12xHolland special product: Niek has a brown bread which is placed in a wooden tray. This symbolizes the boat, by which the Dutch travelled to Japan in former times. Since the first boat had the name "De Liefde" (love), they want to name this special product bread the "Liefde" bread. Later this month the special product will be presented.

September 6th 2000
Lucienne: in the early morning Lucienne is taking pictures of the Haruno family, especially of misses Haruno, who is working in the fish trade and distribution. She also photographing the fishers families at work on the boat and at the fish market.
Erik: makes sketches of various birds (zilverreigers, zwarte wouwen and ducks.)
Niek: in the morning Niek is active at the bakery. In the afternoon, the first samples of the ‘Liefde‘ bread (the special bread product in shape of a boat) are being baked and distributed among friends and in the streets.

September 7th 2000
Today we are expecting a serious typhoon.
Niek: arrived at 13:00 at the Sun Kitagawa bakery, where he makes various bread like corn bread, 'Hoornse brothers' and 'skutje' for tomorrow's presentation. The people are excited when tasting these delicatessens.
Lucienne: examines the village and surrounding of Hirado.
Erik: makes today various sketches e.g. temples and temple gardens and studies a nightly bird flight of the 'vliegenvangers', 'white-eyes' and 'spechten'.

September 8th 2000
Erik: draws various birds i.e. 'black wouw' and spots the 'blue wing' and the Chinese 'buulbuul'. He is less successful in finding the postoffice.
Niek: together with baker Kitagawa-san, they carry a huge basket full of their delicatessen and while walking through the main shopping street in Hirado, they present their products to passing people and shop owners. Kitagawa-san introduces the 12xHolland project and baker Niek Kaptein. Ôba-san drives behind them with stock and carrying the 12xHolland flag.
In the evening Niek, Lucienne, Niek and Saskia visit a kendo and a sumo training on a high-school, whereafter they go to a karaoke bar.

September 9th 2000
The typhoon, which was announced for today changed its route direction China, however still creating many rain and strong wind in Hirado.
Erik: drives in the 12xHolland car to the Kamachi pass to paint the area.
Niek: today presents his first baking workshop at the Hirado elementary school from 12:00 till 15:00. He gets assistance from Kitagawa-san and Saskia-san. Niek prepared a huge piece of dough, which the children use to create all kinds of bread, like Pokemon-bread and Hello-Kitty bread.

September 10th 2000
Niek: Kitagawa-san and his wife take Niek, Saskia and her Tokyo friend for a ride to the famous ceramic village Arita.
Lucienne: today presents her second polaroid-photo activity. (She is shooting polaroid photographs of participators, who are dressed up with Dutch hats and decorations). The event takes place in Himosashi in central Hirado island. At the same time, her photographs are exposed at the postoffice of Himosashi.
Erik: drives up to the northern point of the neighbouring island Ikitsuki to paint the landscape during a wild storm.

September 11th 2000
There still is a strong wind, however rain has stopped today in Hirado.
Niek: today has a meeting with representatives of the bakery material producer Zeelandia from Tokyo at the Sun Kitagawa Bakery.
Erik: makes paintings at the west-side of Hirado island of various birds (e.g. a 'read rotslijster' and a 'black wouw').

September 12th 2000
Another typhoon is approaching the area and Hirado gets lots of rains.
Lucienne: werkt opnieuw de hele dag in de doka bij fotograaf Omagari-san.
Niek: geeft een "bakworkshop" op de basisschool Hirado met 32 kinderen en 25 moeders.

September 13th 2000
Erik: kan opnieuw weinig doen met dit weer. Wel helpt hij een aantal mensen met computerproblemen.
Lucienne: is weer in de doka bij fotograaf Omagari-san.

September 14th 2000
Lucienne: is weer in de doka bij fotograaf Omagari-san.
Erik: heeft zijn eerste shodo les (calligrafie) bij Ryuichiro Tateishi en oefend op het karakter voor 'vogel'. Daarna komt een Japanse tv-ploeg langs om hem te filmen tijdens het vogelen.

September 15th 2000
Het regen- en stormachtige weer bereikt opnieuw een hoogtepunt en dwingt de deelnemers tot binnenactiviteiten. Lucienne, Erik, Niek en ook Saskia gaan op shodo-les by Masaharu Tateishi-sensei.