Angela Foong, one of the three sister designers of women’s wear label High Tea With Mrs Woo takes us on her recent journey to Japan. Born Chinese-Malaysian Angela and her family migrated to Newcastle, Australia in 1988. In search of inspiration for her designs Angela travelled Japan WWOOFing, a Willing Worker On Organic Farms.

Their website describes High Tea With Mrs Woo as "a style that fuses Western influences with Eastern charm to create an unusual and striking flavour... combining unusual patterns and textures with a strong rich colour palette." They "love to bake a good story and throw together unexpected ingredients "to create their handmade pieces that have been shown and sold internationally.Angela found extra unexpected ingredients and much more WWOOFing in Japan.

What is WWOOFing?

The simple answer is, it’s the new way to travel. You don’t need a huge budget to experience different cultures, just an open mind. WWOOFing sets travellers up with a host who, in return for a few hours of work a day in their business, provides the traveller with accommodation. “WWOOFing is a great way to travel on a small budget," says Angela "but it is important not to treat it as free accommodation; giving your respect and enthusiasm and sharing your knowledge with the WWOOF host family will return you an unforgettable experience”.

“The amazing thing about Japanense people is their appreciation of their natural environment - watching the seasons change, the leaves turning colour, the pink sakura blossoms starting to bloom, the delicate powder snowfall, the glimpses of green peeking through the white of melting snow”

The experience was “ a cultural exchange, to experience living with a family, helping them with their everyday work, learning the language and the culture and enjoying the beautiful rural environment” says Angela. WWOOFing is a win-win situation that also gives the WWOOF host the opportunity to “gain the experience, knowledge and company of foreigners (and locals) from all over the world”

Angela travelled to a variety of WWOOF destinations including a silk farm in Kouya, a soba noodle farm in Nagai, a shop and café in Naha, a food and cake shop in Takehara, and a restaurant and environmental centre in Niseko. She also WWOOFed at the most popular places in Japan, Tokyo and Osaka. She stayed at Andon Ryokan in Minowa, Tokya, describing it as “an amazing modern conversion of a traditional Japanese Inn…beautiful, cosy, comfortable and convenient.”  

Its no wonder Angela’s journey to Japan has had influence on her designs. “The experience of living and working in the amazing countryside of Japan, learning the colourful and vibrant Japanese culture, language and cuisine has provided a rich colour palette of inspiration. These experiences and memories will surely linger as we design each garment…the shape, the colour, the texture, the fall and drape.”

What are the most inspiring destinations? “It’s too difficult to choose just one. How do I choose between the soft powder snow of Hokkaido, the stunningly preserved Edo period buildings of Takehara and the hauntingly beautiful bamboo forests of Kyoto. Or the two thousand year old Sakura trees of Nagai, the tropical transparent waters of Okinawa. The lush mountains and rice padi fields of Miyagi, and the crazy, efficient, non-stop Tokyo...just to name a few”

“There is something just so breathtaking about Japan - a country full of colour and contrast. Their attention to detail and appreciation of nature is something we can all learn from.”

Angela will now go where the wind blows her, “Venice? Barcelona? Beijing? Turkey? Malaysia? Who knows?”

The journey continues…