Junko Yamamoto traveled to Japan with GSD Professors Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kaijima from Atelier BowWow office in Tokyo. The trip gave Junko an opportunity to meet and share experiences with the local people and develop a better understanding about the issues they are dealing with, the activities they promote and the future of the village they envision. Their wisdom, their respect for the land, and remarkable healthy and simple lifestyle is an example to be followed, and provided a great deal of inspiration for the work in the studio.

In addition to spending time with the farmers, Junko and colleagues in the studio, participated in a work session at Atelier BowWow to discuss preliminary findings and clarify concepts.

The trip also gave Junko the opportunity to connect with Ichikawa san, the loyal and meticulous contractor/carpenter/craftsman responsible for the construction of House K, with whom she discussed some of the changes happening in her hometown of Gunma.