Seto Pottery Shopping Trip

This past weekend I took a base-sponsored trip to Seto City (Aichi Prefecture), which is known for its Japanese pottery and ceramics. In September, along the river in Seto there is an annual open-air street sale with hundreds of vendors selling all kinds of pottery. Needless to say, mostly women boarded our bus at 3:45 am to be chauffeured to Seto for 5 1/2 hours of shopping.

Did I mention Seto is five hours away by bus? Being 31 weeks pregnant, I was initially concerned about being on a bus for 10 hours without a bathroom, but signed up for the trip once I was assured that the bus would make 2 pit stops each way. After boarding the bus, I was pleasantly surprised to find out there was indeed a bathroom on the bus. And although I only needed it once, I only allowed myself to doze off for half an hour; someone had to keep a vigil to tally flushes since the toilet would be inoperable after just 50 flushes. (Whatever happened to 2,000 flushes?)

It turns out I didn't need more than my fair one flush because it was hotter than Haiti on this trip and I was sweating away any fluids I consumed. Even armed with a hat and my suitcase on wheels to minimize exertion, I was a little afraid I might literally shop till I dropped.

But I trudged onward to make my purchases: a vase, two eclectic bowls, two matching large tea cups, a set of four adorable flower cups with saucers, and a hanging wall vase. And one or two gifts, which I won't detail. I mostly filled my suitcase with two hours to spare. And by then I had lost steam anyway (although it was still plenty steamy). I continued to browse, but everything started to look the same and I had difficultly making decisions.

Throughout the day, I tried to anticipate my usual buyer's remorse, which contrary to most people's experiences, usually involves getting home and realizing I have remorse about not buying enough. An impulse shopper, I am not. But when I got home and realized I'd forgotten that a quarter of my suitcase housed my friend's vase (since she helped me bargain), I was a little disappointed that I had not bought more. But not enough to return again in a year. At least, I don't think. But then again, I reserve the right to change my mind because maybe it will be like having a second child...eventually you forget how painful the first time was and do it all over again.