Japanese taiko : TAO drum group

Do you know a taiko drum group called TAO?
(Taiko is a Japanese traditional drum.)
Their are fantastic performers and they has given traditional taiko music a completely new style, Cool and awesome.

They are coming to Australia June-July2010.
I hope many people discover the sound of Tao.

Wagashi of seven lucky gods

Tea time - Green tea with wagashi...

Wagashi are traditional Japanese confectioneries which we can enjoy appearance, texture, scent and taste. Also wagashi is healthy sweet because main ingredients are red/white azuki beans, grains, potatoes, Kanten (gelatin made from seaweed) and sugar which are all natural ingredients- rich in vegetable protein, fiber and low in animal fat.

Serve with green tea will be parfect!!

This unique wagashi from Japan, I think the smily man is one of seven lucky god.
Seven Lucky Gods which are commonly know in Japan as Shichi Fukujin.

Shichi means seven, fukujin means god of good fortune and each of the seven gods has own auspiciousness such as Hotei- the fat and happy god of abundance and good health.

Happy healthy tea time!!

Flower power

The roses are in bloom:) I took few roses from garden this morning.

Yes, that is flower power!!! the fragrance of the rose in the room.

Happy feeling...good to start off with lovely flower.

First day of December, last month of the year.

I can believe it. That is so quick.

Have a great day everyone:)oxoxox

ice balls

I bought a ice ball tray in Japan. I remenber there were always ice balls in grandpas's freezer and in summer time I took ice in a mouth to cool down. Ball ice, there're something about it for me.

A glass of orange juice with plenty of ice to refesh.

I can't think about anything......very hot today.
I decided to take my boys to river this aftermoon.
Get cool air, play water and BBQ.
That's it!!!

Xmas card and Origami

Wow, Xmas is almost there!!!
This weekend I made few xmas cards.
I use Japanese origami paper to add some Japanese touch.
There are something reassuring about handmade, I’m thinking each of my friend and add extra love to my cards:)

Japanese living magazine

I love reading books and magazes especially interior, house magazines.
Recent trip to Japan, I bought lots of Japanese magazines.
I love to introduce one of my favorite.

This magazine is about the stories of various peaple and thier everyday routines with their office, atelier and living space.

12 Peaple appearing in the book are Japanese ceramic artist, photographer, interior shop owner, architect etc, I want to steal their cool living style! Most of there interior style are base on natural and fine balance of new and old style. This magazine is inspiring for me:) and I love their Japanes ceramics.

The magazine is written in Japanese but I think still can enjoy looking at photos.
87 pages , all color pages ,A4size

Rainbow in the sky:Perth

Perth........

The rainbow appears in the sky, birngs us smily face.

But I miss Japan so much.........

My boy's favorite kangaroo went to Japan with us and returned to
Austraria.

Dagashi store

Dagashi stores is traditional style Japanese candy shop.
Sooooo many cheap sweets you can get at shop.
Most of the sweets haven't cheanged looks and tast since I was child,
so every time go to Dagashi-ya (Dagashi stores) I feel quite
nostalgic for the place.

About Dagashi stores, go to Kids web Japan →travel→Time traveling with Dagashi candies


Sweets, sweets, sweets everywhere!!

I found a interesting place you may want to go,
this place called Kashiya Yokocho in Kawagoe city.

Timeless Japanese style

I just love this Japanese style entrance to the restaurant.

Japanese Ramen Noodle

Yummy!
We love a Japanese noodle called "Ramen".
Have you ever taste?
If not , it is worth trying it!
Soy sauce and miso taste are very popular.
I think Ramen are become more popular like a sushi.
Do you think so?
Anyway, in Japan there are more that thousand Ramen shop around.
So much competition! Look this museum just for ramen.
I'm exciting to show you about this website "Ramen Museum" in Yokohama.
This museum reproduce a Japanese old town. Looks cool.

Full of lotus

Lotuses fills up the pond.
This place is Kamakura.
It is so beautiful and carm .





The flower of the lotus bloom
in around July and August.

Will be nice the pond become
full of lotus flowers.





Boys were looking Koi fish.

Bento fun!

Welcome to my "Bento Fun"!
Bento is a Japanese style lunch.
I enjoy making it.
Today's menu are fish cutlet,grilled asparagus with garlic,
coleslow,pickled carrot and cucumber.

Kamakura : Tsrugaoka Hachiman-gu

We visited Tsrugaoka Hachiman-gu at Kamakura.

Kamakura is a less than one hour train ride from Tokyo.

This is a Torii at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu.

"Torii" is made for the entrance of the site of the Shinto Shrine.

There are temples, shrines and other historical monument aroud Kamakura.

It's nice to walk aroud there.

I think Kamakura is little bit similar to Kyoto.

Japanese lolly

There are so many colourful lolly to choose.
Looks pretty：）

melon,,watermelon,
ststrawberry, sakura,
momiji.........

I want to get all of the flavor.

Done!!

Yabusame happpening

Yabusame

Yabusame is a type of Japanes archery,one that is performed while riding a horse.



I was looking forward to going this event for a long time.
Wow! I was so moved that I got goose bumps.

Shrine

There is a Shinto shrin in the inside among trees.

Sound that the cicada chirps, sound that leaves shakes by a soft breeze,

quietness and peaceful time goes by.

Temizuya

This place called "Temizuya".

Wash a hand before worship and rinse out a mouth for cleanse mind and body.

1.Hold a ladle in the right hand.

2.Wash the left hand.

3.Shift the ladle in to the left hand and wash the right hand.

4.Save water by the right hand and rinse out a mouth.

5.Wash the right hand again.

6.Run and drain water where rinsed out mouth.

"Clean your hands boys!"

"Oh,water is nice and cool."

Torii

The gate where "Torii" is made for the entrance of the site of the Shinto Shrine.

Also shows the precincts and the border of the earthly life.

Oh! that was a steep steps.

I'm in the sacred place now.

I love Mc

ROAR!!!!!!!

I(my kids) LOVE McDonald's Teriyaki Burger.

"Can I eat Teriyaki Burger at Australia? Mum?"

"No, they don't have it."

"ROOOOAR!!!"He is angry about it.

What tower is it?

Is that Leaning Tower of Pisa or Eiffel Tower?

　↓

　　　　　↓

　　　　　　↓

That is Tokyo Tower:)　

Here is about the Tokyo Tower. 　

When it is fine, It can see Mt. Fuji and

night view from Tokyo Tower is just like a jewelry box.

Back to Japan

Back to Japan!!!!

On the way home,the road sign tells "Shinjyuku""Shibuya""Ginza"etc.

These three big city are exciting place.

Shopping, food,trend fashion,electrical appliances,otaku many many things.

Father's day:Idea#1

It's nearly Father's day! Start to thinking the gift for dad.

I bought a aluminium drink bottle, a small torch, 2 carabiner hooks and wrap with Japanese TENUGUI from my shop.

My dad ride a motorcycle so he can use the Tenugui as a bandanna. Tenugui is made of 100%cotton that absorbs a sweat very well and dry quick, good for summer ride,dad!　And don't forget to drink lots of water. 　

TONBO DAMA : Japanese Glass Beads

"Tonbo(dragonfly) Dama(beads,ball)" is Japanes beads made of the glass.
Made by hand one by one, there is not the thing of the same completion at all.

Kimono Patterns & business cards

I just love Japanese patterns. It's so unique and beautiful.

"wafuda"　in Kyoto Japan they transform a ordinary businesscard to unforgettable cards using

traditional Japanese kimono patterns. It can choose a patterns on the reverse side of the card.

I think great idea to let people know Japanese beauty also feel closer to Japanese culture. I strongly belive there are meaning in pass the tradition down from generation to generation, Japan to world, and will be bright future in Japanese industry to making beautyful things .

*A top pattern is not from "wafuda".

Heritage train

Rail Heritage museum WA has collected more than 100 locos, carriages and wagons.
It can feel and see the railway history.

Passenger room.
The roof and wall has beautiful design

Cherry Blossoms of Kyoto

Cherry blossom is called a "sakura" in Japanese which symbolizes the nation.

Japanese spring March through early April a town and the village become full of the pink of the cherry blossoms. It soooo beautiful.

I just bought a gorgeous English book called "Cherry Blossoms of Kyoto". The book features 48 superlative cherry blossom viewing locations in Kyoto.

The ancient city of Kyoto was the imperial seat for over a thousand years(~end of the 8 century), Kyoto develop a rich culture of courtly origins.

I was deeply fascinated by this book, the cherry blossoms and temples , shrines are just gorgeous. I don't know any other word to describe it. I need to read as many as English book*) to learn more words. By the way thank you for reading my blog which I think some times hard to understand because of my odd English.

It nearly took 2 hours to finish one blog:)

Craftsman made

I'm not too interested in a brand things which many people has. I'm rather prefer a pice of thing which an artist or a craftsman made.

That's has warm feeling and story behind products and such a feel special to have and use it.

This little"amulet bag" dyed one by one in Japanese traditional technique and has an auspicious pattern on it.

I enjoy tradition in life and enjoy value of thing.

Japanese sweet treat : green tea cake

Green tea cake for teatime treat! This is a my favorite cake from Utopia at Myaree.

Utopia has lots of variety of asian style breads and sweets. Australian cake

is too sweet for me but Utopia's cake are just nice and look so yummy:)

Utopia Myaree :near corner of Leach hwy and North Lake rd

　　　Perth : 73 Barrack st

I use a Japanese "Tenugui" for napkin and wooden fork to coordinate. The Japanese book below shows you how to fold and wrap many things using the beautiful Japanese tenugui and furoshiki.

Note: Buy a book from amazon.co.jp

I use affiliate program to introduce a my favorite Japanese book.

When you use the publication information ,

please use it in the responsibility of own.

amazon.co.jp has English Help Pagefor basics explain.

★Other TENUGUI books

Glasses design by Kazuo Kawasaki

"Kazuo Kawasaki MP 704" glasses maybe next my wish list.
The picture above is my broken glasses not MP704*)

During a 2008 presidential election period, interest gathered on the Sarah Palin's glasses. "Palin has created quite a stir..... with her designer glasses. The nation's eyes
aren't just on Gov, Sarah Palin- they are on her glasses." by USA TODAY.

Her glasses is "Kawasaki Kazuo MP704" , originally the glasses are popular among American politicians and Hollywood, after election the glasses more than 20,000 of them sold in U.S.A. The popular reason are stylish design, feeling of fitting has good and lightness. It doesn't use a screw for a part fixing a lens, as a result the number of parts became the half and lighter than other glasses also a high quality of the Made in Japan was accepted as for the popularity.

Kazuo Kawasaki is an award winning Japanese industrial designer.