Our souls are polished by nature

The studio of Atelier Shimura is located in Kyoto, Saga. This place is the setting for “The Tale of Genji” as well as being known as the place of the Shigure-tei Teahouse of FUJIWARA no Sadaie (or Teika) who compiled the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu anthology of poetry. As we walk around the atelier, looking at the field and viewing mountains, can see the richness of nature there through four seasons and wonder whether the people in the Heian era gazed upon the same scenery. This kind of environment makes our senses sharpen and eyes for observing plants are developed. When we look upon a tree while we are walking, we imagine with excitement, “What kind of color will appear if we dye with it?”. There is a side path following along the sound of a stream near the atelier. That is what Fukumi Shimura named “the narrow path of Mozart”. This reflects where her thoughts lay.