Hello

A short test entry... Welcome to my little blog, Uryu Custom Bags. "Uryu" is a Japanese name that translates as "Rain Willow," and was given to me by a friend. I have been making bags - book bags, tote bags, cross-body bags - since middle school in rural Pennsylvania, where I was fortunate to find a book on making simple bags in the school library. I've been hooked ever since! I am a full-time worker and have other activities as well, so posts to this blog will doubtless not be as frequent as I'd like, but I will eventually fill it with some personal history of bag-making, inspirations, as well as current projects. I am in the process of starting a bag-making and importing business, and so will include some of my progress in some of these entries. Like any artistic endeavor, it's a work in progress, and I invite you to come with me. To get started, I am including, just for the hell of it, a photo of my recent trip to Japan (I try to go every year), to the hot spring resort of Takayama. Takayama is a little town nestled in the mountains about a one-hour train ride from Nagoya. People come for the scenery, the hot springs, the historic old Buddhist temples, and the huge amount of handcrafts (including bags, of course). Enjoy!