We visit Japan's largest and oldest lake, Lake Biwa. A cat leads us to an overlook with a great view of the lake. We meet another cat hiding among the multitude of wares at a Shigaraki ceramics shop.

Okuda lives in the Shigaraki district of Koka famed for its ceramic wares. Perhaps best known are humorous anthropomorphized tanuki figurines with balloon-like bellies, wearing a hat and holding a ...