October is quietly beautiful. Colors start to change outside, it is getting cold, but not so cold it makes you stay indoors. A great time for visiting museums and exhibitions, going out hiking, or simply reading in a park. Time to reflect on the things we like, cosy and familiar, rather than finding something new, but who knows - what is cosy and familiar for one person, can become a revelation to somebody else. So this time, I am going to reflect on my own familiar things. Let’s see if you find something new in them.

Nothing can be more familiar to those living in Miyagi than Date family. 450 years ago our famous Date Masamune was born. He became a founder of Sendai-han and, moreover, a creator of so called Date culture. He has introduced many major trends to Sendai - like tea ceremony, for example. 

Fukushima family has managed to preserve many belongings of Date Masamune and his relatives. Paintings, calligraphy, poems written by Date and many more can be seen in Fukushima Art Museum in Sendai.

Exhibition is on: 2017.09.15 (Friday) ～2017.11.23 (Thursday)

Closed： Every Monday except 9.18 and 10.09, First Sunday of every month, the day after national holiday, 10.18 (Wednesday)

Place: Fukushima Art Museum

Entrance Fee: 400 yen (University students and seniors - 300 yen, Elementary school children and junior high school children, people with disabilities - free of charge)

In Sendai Literature Museum, an exhibition on Nahoko Uehashi’s Moribito series is on display. Uehashi, Professor of Ethnology, has created an incredible fantasy world, reminiscent of ancient Japan, but entirely based on history material. Her award-winning series are loved throughout the world. Touching, breathtaking, surprisingly realistic, these books can be read by young and old. The exhibition offers an insight into the production of the series. What became the start of these books? It seems like Uehashi relied a great deal on her knowledge as an ethnologist when she was writing her famous creations. Indeed, knowledge, combined with fantasy, can do amazing things.

Exhibition is on: 2017.09.16 (Saturday) ～2017.11.26 (Sunday)

Closed： Every Monday except 9.18 and 10.09, The forth Thursday of every month (opened on 11.23), the day after national holiday (opened on 9.24, 10.10, 11.04)

Place: Sendai Literature Museum

Entrance Fee: 800 yen (High school students - 460 yen, Elementary school children and junior high school children - 230 yen)

October’s sky is the clearest. Let’s spend this month with the things we love and enjoy. Cheers!