The worldwide hit single, “Telephone”, by Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce, is doing the rounds again on the Internet. Only this time, it’s a Japanese version, featuring two traditional instruments: the koto (Japanese harp) and the shakuhachi (Japanese flute). The duo behind the cool cover are a couple of little monsters who go by the name of Team Kozan. Not only have they created an awesome rendition of the pop single, they’ve made a cool video clip too; filmed at Suga Shrine in Shinjuku, it mixes up Gaga dance moves with the sights and sounds of traditional Japan. See why the world is raving about it after the jump.
Team Kozan explains their reasons for creating the Japanese-style arrangement and video clip:
“Two years ago, after the terrible earthquake, we Japanese received a lot of support and encouragement from Lady Gaga. Now, we want to return the favour by supporting and encouraging Lady Gaga after her recent hip surgery. We hope she returns to performing soon.”
The clip is so eye-catching and original that its popularity is slowly spreading across the world.
Here’s what some Japanese viewers had to say:
“This is Japanese-style awesome”
“Props to the middle-aged guy; I didn’t see those dance moves coming!”
“I like this better than the original!”
“I got goosebumps!”
“The musical arrangement is great but their performance was mind-blowing!”
Here’s what foreigners thought of the clip:
“Love it!” (Vietnam)
“This is the best! I like it better than the original!” (USA)
“Where can I buy this single?” (USA)
“This is amazing! I’ve never heard a Gaga song like this before!” (Taiwan)
“This is so interesting to watch! Superior to the original!” (Canada)
The Japanese cover version of “Telephone” is a perfect fusion of East and West, traditional and modern. We think they’ve done Mother Monster proud.
▼ Check out Gaga’s original version below. Which one do you prefer?
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Some of us like experimenting with hair colors and styling methods, while others prefer finding a look that suits them best and sticking with that signature style throughout. Whichever category you fall into, the traditional Dahuojia (fire-heated clamps) hairdressing method might be something you would want to put on your bucket list. The ancient hair styling technique involving red-hot metal clamps is a dying trade though, so don’t wait too long to get to it!
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Instead of scissors, Chinese barber Weibu Wang wields a sizable pair of metal clamps in one hand, working deftly with a comb in the other, skillfully singeing off stray ends while perming the entire head of hair into shape. And the result? A smoking hot hairstyle that stays in shape for up to three months.
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Mr. Wang’s barber shop in Sichuan province, Southwest China, has reportedly been in business since 1977, when the traditional Dahuojia hairdressing technique was apparently considered mainstream. Though most of the population prefers modern hair styling methods nowadays, the 73-year-old traditional barber still has a loyal customer base, and says that his “business is quite good”. He styles the tresses of about 20 customers a day, and even has customers who have left for other cities coming back for their regular hair fix.
The art of Dahuojia relies heavily on the hairdresser’s skill, and is absolutely chemical-free. First, the hair is trimmed to a length that is easier to work with. A pair of burning hot metal tongs are then retrieved fresh from the stove, briefly cooled in water before the styling begins.
▼ Cooling down the heated clamps. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
After the first round of styling, the permed strands get a rinse off, and the process of applying heat to set the hair is repeated a second time. The neat perm is then finished with a final brushing.
▼ Catch Mr. Wang’s sizzling skills in action!
We’re not sure which is more harmful to hair, applying raw heat or applying chemicals. Either way, this ancient skill is on the brink of extinction, with Mr. Wang being one of the few barbers in China who still practice the traditional technique, so if you’re up for the extreme makeover, it’s now or never!
The art of temari making originated in China and came to Japan in the 7th century. They were originally made from scraps of old kimono and were meant only as toy handballs, but eventually evolved into embroidered pieces of art.The beautiful hand-sewn patterns on the ones made by Japanese designer NanaAkua’s grandmother, who learned to make temari in her sixties, could never be called mere play things. Let’s take a look at what this 92-year-old granny can do!
The temari balls come in beautiful blues:
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Some have calming white accents:
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Others have beautiful floral patterns that almost seem to pop off of the balls:
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And her fine stitching and line work is nothing short of amazing:
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After seeing each intricate design up-close, it’s hard to believe that they were all created by the hands of a 92-year-old woman. We only wish we have the nimble fingers and good eye sight required to complete such a task when we’re half her age. Although all this typing and staring at the computer screen for work isn’t doing us any favors…
Here at RocketNews24 there’s nothing we like more on a man (or indeed a woman) than a dashing fundoshi. While we believe the traditional Japanese underwear that’s part-apron, part-loincloth is suitable for any occasion, we’re prepared to accept that they’re mainly seen at matsuri (festivals) these days.
So when we found this wondrous video of a group of men doing a special festival bird-catching dance in fundoshi, we knew we were in for a treat. Join us after the jump for some very genki dancing men having a lot of body-slappin’ good fun!
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The torisashi odori (bird-catching dance) is a tradition unique to Unzen city, Nagasaki Prefecture. Like real old-fashioned bird-catchers, men carry a special pole called a mochizao. Unlike real bird-catchers, they only wear fundoshi. They also dance around chirping and pretending to be birds.
▼ FUN-doshi!
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▼ They slap their backsides to make them red. Just like the scarlet fundoshi! Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ Only men can perform this dance. We’ll leave you to decide whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
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▼ They say once you try a fundoshi, you’ll never look back…well ok, maybe they don’t say that. But they should.
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You can catch the full video here:
▼ Skip to 1:30 if you don’t fancy the introductory speech.
Although Unzen City’s torisashi dance is also sometimes performed outside, this one was filmed at an event called ‘Fundoshi Meeting in Nagasaki‘. Clearly, we’ll have to head to Nagasaki to get our fundoshi fix next year!
No matter how the times change, kids still love toys. Whether it was ancient Egypt or the mid-Edo period, toys have always been a big part of the way children passed their time in play. Even with all our fancy technology today, from 3DSs to Oculus Rifts, kids still make time to run around with their favorite dolls or plastic guns. Of course, Japan is full of figures of all varieties and price tags, but gachapon occupy a position of near invincibility–you can put pretty much anything in those little plastic balls and they’re practically guaranteed to sell.
And, starting soon, you’ll also be able to buy remakes of traditional Japanese toys from the early 18th century. You’ll finally get the opportunity to play like a kid from the Edo Period while waiting for your 3DS to recharge!
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Produced by Kaiyoudo and Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd., a company with a history stretching back to the 1700s, these toys perfectly complement Nakagawa’s mission to “revitalize Japanese crafts.” The eight figures (one remains a mystery) are based on traditional toys from Japan’s various prefectures. Though only eight pieces will be made available at the end of October, the goal is to eventually release figures representative of each of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
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The seven figures, pictured above, come from Shimane, Aomori, Fukuoka, Nara, Kagawa, Ishikawa, and Tokyo, respectively. The traditional toys often had religious significance, like the tiger (called a “hariko tora”) from Shimane, which was believed to keep illness away and was given to children to ensure they’d grow. The “uso” (a homonym for “bullfinch” and “lie”) from Fukuoka was a wooden toy designed to look like a bird and was believed to turn “lies into truth” and “bad luck into good luck.”
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This colorful bird toy from Aomori above is called a “hatobue,” which literally means “pigeon whistle.” The traditional toy was, as you have probably figured out, a whistle for children. We can only imagine how many were “accidentally lost” by annoyed parents almost three hundred years ago!
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The “inu hariko” pictured above is the Tokyo toy and is actually supposed to be a dog, though you can be forgiven for thinking it was a cat like we did! Dogs were considered guardian deities for pregnant women and children, since dogs often and easily gave birth.
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Naturally, Nara’s representative toy is a deer, called a “hariko shika.” The deer were representative of the cycle of death and rebirth.
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While the original toys were made of wood or papier-mâché (hariko means papier-mâché), based on these photos of the unpainted toys, it looks like Nakagawa’s gachapon versions are plastic. While that’s a bit of a bummer, we can’t really complain–they only cost 300 yen (US$2.80) each! Of course, you’ll be getting them at random, so who knows how much you’ll actually have to spend to get a full set…
▼Note the mystery toy at the top right…could that be Totoro?
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▼The seven figures painted and arranged in a display case.
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Currently, the gachapon toys are set to be released at the end of October, so you have plenty of time to save up your 100 yen coins! Right now, our favorite is definitely the uso toys–there’s nothing we love quite as much as a good pun!
Nail art is something that’s increasingly popular among Japan’s ladies due to the fact that it’s an easy way to express your individual style. As well as DIY-ing it at home with 100 yen store nail polishes and nail stickers, you can also get reasonably affordable yet super-durable gel manicures in a salon which are set by UV light and last for at least a month. Nail art trends tend to come and go depending on the season and whatever’s in style, but occasionally there’s a “boom” for a certain kind of design, with more and more people jumping on the bandwagon. First came anime nail art, and now it’s the turn of traditional Japanese performance art, Kabuki!
Kabuki is a type of dance-drama that dates back to 1603 and is still performed in Japan today. The colourful and sometimes bizarre makeup worn by performers is both striking and instantly recognisable, making Kabuki the perfect motif for nail art that’s both ultra-Japanese and awesome to look at. If you’re not too familiar with Kabuki, here’s a Youtube video of a performance by famous actor Bando Tamasaburo, a noted “onnagata” (female role) performer. The video has commentary in English which explains the story behind the performance.
The current trend for Kabuki-nails seems to have begun when nail-savvy shoppers discovered Kabuki-style nail stickers on sale at 100 yen shops across Japan. These DIY nailists began tweeting pictures of the creations they achieved through skilful use of the inexpensive stickers:
What do you think of this new style trend? Is it cute and unique, or just kinda weird-looking? At any rate, if you decide to adopt the Kabuki-style trend yourself, don’t forget to take care of your skin as well! A Kabuki face mask will sort out those unsightly enlarged pores and keep you looking fierce whether onstage or off.
So it should come as no surprise then that there’s Japanese electric guitars that have been hand-crafted out of wood following traditional carving techniques. Oh, and did we mention that you can order them online?
The Toyama Prefecture-based Inami Wood Carving Cooperative produces a wide variety of goods, all created using the traditional Inami-style of wood carving. It’s a technique that originated in the 18th century, using trees native to Japan, that has survived all the way up to today. If you’ve ever been to the Nikkō Tōshō-gū shrine in Tochigi or Tsukiji Hongan-ji temple in Tokyo, then you’ve probably seen this type of carved wood on banisters, screens, lion heads, and sculptures of gods.
And now, you can see it on guitars!
The Cooperative treats the guitars with just as much respect and perfectionism as the rest of its traditional products. Each one is made-to-order and one of a kind, taking around five to six months to complete. Take a look at some of what they offer:
▼ Behold the Lion guitar! Perfect for summoning ferocious beats. It’s the cheapest model they offer, at 440,000 yen (US$3,711). Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ Next up is the Moon Reflection guitar, for when you’re feeling a bit more mellow. It’s only a little bit cheaper than the moon itself at one million yen ($8,434). Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ The Bird bass guitar is next with a 1.5 million yen ($12,682) price tag. If you get this one, not only will your bank account be empty forever, but your friends will also never stop asking you to play Free Bird. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ Lastly, if your taste in guitars cannot be satiated by mere mortal instruments, then there’s the Dragon Sword. Sure, it may cost 1.95 million yen ($16,487), but think of it as just a small investment in your future as a rock god. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Just take a look at what happened to this guy when he picked up the Dragon Sword:
▼ Oh yes. I can feel the intensity pumping through my veins.
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In all seriousness though, the guitars are all beautifully made. Here’s some pictures of the process they went through to create the Lion Guitar:
▼ First the “face” is sawed into shaped. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ Then carved with details. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ Then painted. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
▼ And finally attached to complete the beast. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Although the world is becoming more and more technologically advanced every day, many people in Japan are holding fast to the traditions of the past. While robots and machines can do a lot for us, they will never take the place of the men and women who carry on many of Japan’s traditional crafts, such as woodwork and sword-making.
Last weekend, YouTuber Sharla in Japan paid a visit to the Arakawa traditional handicraft festival in Tokyoand made a short video briefly showcasing a variety of these traditional goods.
We’ve introduced you to Sharla before on RocketNews24, when we shared her video discussing Japanese onomatopoeia. This time, the popular vlogger is once again focusing on some very Japanese things, but she has a very special guest.
▼ Amazing Traditional Japanese Craftwork
Japan is very proud of its traditional crafts and rightly so; they are all very intricate arts and require a high level of expertise to create. A four-minute video would not be enough to do justice to the explanation of even one of these trades.
That being said, the Arakawa traditional handicraft festival held July 3-5 had about 70 artisans introducing their wares. Since Sharla wasn’t out to create the longest video blog ever, she decided to just give very brief intros into a variety of crafts, instead of going in-depth. She saw all kinds of trades, which all seem very cool!
▼ A lot of traditional artisans gathered in one place, that’s pretty exciting!
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▼ This guy hand-paints silk for kimono.
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▼ Although many of crafts only get a few seconds of showtime, we get to see just enough to pique our interests.
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▼ Just because woodblock printing is an old-school craft, doesn’t mean it can’t have a contemporary touch! Well, hello there, R2-D2!
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▼ Wow, that’s confusing looking!
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▼ This artist is hand-carving a print of The Great Wave.
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▼ This booth was displaying the art of making shamisen, but Sharla couldn’t resist playing us some “Smoke on the Water.”
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While the video is brief and only gives snippets of some of the plethora of Japanese handicrafts, it’s definitely a nice piece for those unfamiliar with some of the age-old trades. For those interested in learning more, stay tuned to RocketNews24, as we like to give you the traditional stuff sometimes too!
How well do you know your wagashi (Japanese sweets)? If you’re struggling to put a name to any of the traditional delectables pictured above, there’s a store in Kyoto that can help.
By creating decorative embroidered versions of some of Japan’s most popular confections, Kyoto-based Kyototo is giving us an education in the names and background of the hand-crafted treats that are often seasonal but always delicious. Come with us as we take a look at twelve of the most beautiful wagashi you can find in Japan.
▼ From left to right: waka-ayu (young ayu), hanabira mochi (flower petal rice cake), sakura mochi (cherry blossom rice cake), hanami dango (flower-viewing dumplings)
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Waka-ayu (also known as ayu-gashi) is a waffle-like confection filled with sweet mochi (sticky rice cake) and shaped like the river fish called ayu. This is a very popular confection in early summer.
Hanabira mochi is a rice cake which is folded over sweet bean paste and candied burdock root. The auspicious colour combination of red and white means this is usually eaten at the beginning of the year.
Sakura mochiis a rice cake filled with sweet beans and wrapped in salted cherry leaves. While varieties differ between the Kanto and Kansai regions, sakura mochi is commonly eaten in spring and is a particularly popular treat for Hina Matsuri/Girls’ Day, celebrated on March 3 (sakura mochi has also been the inspiration for a unique craft beer).
Hanami dango is another springtime sweet, with each colour representing different seasons: red for spring flowers, white for the thawing winter snow, and green for the leaves of the coming summer. Some people say the colours represent spring scenes: cherry blossoms, spring haze, and grasses.
▼ From left to right: kogarashi (cold, wintry wind), kinshu (red and yellow autumn leaves), kuri shibori (pressed chestnut), oribe manju (Oribe steamed bun)
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Kogarashi is a traditional winter sweet. Usually served with powdered green matcha tea, this is a sweet paste wrapped up in kneaded dough which is shaped into a withered, brown leaf.
Kinshuu is commonly served in autumn, with its red, yellow and orange coating resembling the brilliant colours of falling leaves.
Kuri shibori is a chestnut paste which has been squeezed in a cloth to give it its distinctive chestnut shape. It perfectly captures the taste of autumn.
Oribe manju is actually named after a man called Oribe, who worked for the famous tea ceremony master Senrikyu. This sweet bun is decorated with a sweep of green colour to reflect his love of a similar-looking glaze pattern on pottery.
▼ From left to right: ajisai (hydrangea), usagi manju (rabbit steamed bun), kuri kanoko (pressed chestnut), koyo (autumn leaves)
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Ajisai, or hydrangeas, have been blooming across Japan for centuries. Blue, purple and light-green bean pastes are shaped into a ball and served during the June rainy season.
Usagi manju are adorable little red-eyed bunnies filled with a smooth bean paste and often served at moon-viewing events.
Kuri kanoko takes its name from its outer pattern, which resembles the back of a fawn. Sweet, glossy chestnuts from Kyoto cover a bean paste ball.
Koyo refers to the brilliantly coloured autumn leaves, but the most spectacular example can be seen with momiji, or maple leaves. Kneaded dough is shaped into a maple leaf, using molds which differ from shop to shop.
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Now you can take your favourite wagashi home to keep forever in the form of an adorable embroidery badge. Priced from 324 to 410 yen (US$2.71-$3.43) each, and available to order from Kyototo’s website here, these make for an ideal souvenir. The best thing about them? We can collect them all without having to worry about counting calories!
Have you ever visited a museum in Japan and found it hard to tear yourself away from the samurai exhibits, wanting desperately to reach past the “don’t touch” sign to prod the delicate folds of metal armour and the faded material with stains from a bloody war?
Well now there’s a range of samurai armour you can take home with you, and despite their petite size, they’re actually faithful recreations of suits worn by famous warriors in Japanese history.
Certified by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a “Wonder 500” product, awarded to 500 of Japan’s finest goods, foods and travel experiences, this unique range of warrior suits can either dress up your figurines or safeguard your favourite bottle of sake, wine or shochu.
Designed to fit over 900-millilitre (35-ounce) sake (Japanese rice wine) and shochu (Japanese distilled liquor) bottles, the Samurai Armour Bottle Cover range also works perfectly for 750-millilitre (25-ounce) wine bottles.
▼ Clockwise from top left: Date Masumune (7,020 yen/US$58.23), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (8,100 yen/$67.22), Mouri Motonari (7,560 yen/$62.75), Takeda Shingen (8,100 yen) and Sanada Yukimura (7,020 yen).
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While each of the characters in the series has an interesting history, you might want to keep an extra-sharp eye on Sanada Yukimura (whose armour appears bottom-left, above) as he will be the star of NHK’s year-long Taiga drama series in 2016.
▼ Two of the most spectacular in the range: the gold Tokugawa Ieyasu and the silver Oda Nobunaga both retail for 10,260 yen ($85.06) each .
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The collection has received a huge response from people in Japan who are eager to get their hands on the well-made suits of armour.
▼ Twitter user @aoi_nishimata bought the Sanada Yukimura piece at the Osaka Castle gift shop to use as a PET bottle cover.
With such a variety of characters and elaborate helmet crests, we’re going to have a hard time choosing just one. Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments section below!
Japanese ukiyo-e painters from the Edo period (1603-1868) are now famous throughout the world for their exquisite woodblock prints depicting everyday Japanese life and the natural world. Such master painters are less well-known, however, for their humorous contributions to the art world, which often feature whimsical scenes of anthropomorphic animals. Fortunately for us, though, these types of pictures are experiencing a recent wave of popularity among Japanese Internet users, and these images are simply too cute for us to just pass up. We’ve got fish, cats, puppies, monkeys, and a few more surprises from the masters in store for you after the jump!
Let’s begin with some fish, aquatic critters, and our favorite animals in the world — cats!
All of the prints above can be attributed to Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861), an ukiyo-e master who lived in the waning years of the Edo Period. A lover of cats, he always had several, and sometimes over a dozen, roaming about. He even had a Buddhist altar dedicated to cats and kept a cat death register at his house. Here’s his take on his contemporary Hiroshige’s famous The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido, imagined as if all of the stations were cats!
Okyo Maruyama (1733-1795), known for his blend of Western realism and Eastern aesthetics, was also apparently really good at painting adorable, melt-your-heart puppies:
Also, remember this painting of a gibbon reaching for the moon’s reflection? We can thank Jakuchu Ito (1716-1800) for that irresistible classic and the following humorous pictures.
At one time, nearly all of the 270 households in the village of Shawo would have been engaged in woodcraft, but today just six elderly men know the old techniques. Luckily, a younger generation is taking steps to ensure that the craft does not die out.
Traditional woodcraft in the Chinese village of Shawo, Hebei Province, uses foot- and hand-powered lathes to carve utensils, dishes, toys and more from pieces of wood. For example, in the video below, posted by the International Wood Culture Society on their YouTube page, “set turning” is used to carve four nestled bowls out of a single 30-cm block of willow.
The craftsman in this video is 84-year-old Cheng Jinqing and he is assisted by his young apprentice Li Xuemin, one of the younger people in the village working to keep the traditional techniques alive.
First, the artisan chooses his wood, then shapes it into a cylinder with a small axe, a process known as “shaping blank.”
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He carves a small base into the blank so that it can be mounted onto the lathe.
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Once mounted into the lathe, the artisan uses pedal power to turn the blank while he shaves off strips of wood to get the shape he desires.
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Use the set-turning technique, the artisan is able to carve several bowls nestled together, so to speak. This saves about one third of the wood compared to carving them individually.
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And the final products are beautiful and delicate, showing off the grain of the wood and a timeless design.
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It really is quite lovely to watch the craftsman at work, and it’s good to know that these techniques will not be lost any time soon.
Fundoshi, ortype oftraditional Japanese underwear, are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity. We asked a specialist why they’re so great!
Unless you’re an avid follower of the crazy antics of the Japanese RocketNews24 staff, you may never have heard of fundoshi, which are a traditional type of Japanese loincloth underwear. If anything, you’ve probably seen characters wearing them if you watch any Japanese films or anime depicting the days of the samurai, or perhaps you’ve fallen in love with our very own team of hotties rocking the traditional undies for our in-house calendar.
Fundoshi are originally thought to have been imported from mainland China and/or other regions to the south and southeast of Japan (Southeast Asia, Polynesia, South America, etc.). When Japanese people first began wearing them, the price of cloth was extremely high, so only males of the upper class could afford to clothe themselves in these particular undergarments.
▼ There are many different types of fundoshi, and their functions are completely different.
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Fundoshi rental shops first began to appear during the Edo period (1603-1868), and little by little they gradually became available to the common people. They were the undergarment of choice for Japanese people up until the end of World War II, when Western briefs and trunks eventually became more popular.
In other words, despite the fact that the vast majority of Japanese people wear Western-style underwear nowadays, fundoshi have an overwhelmingly longer reach within Japanese history. Sadly, like many other elements of traditional culture, the youth of Japan today often equate fundoshi with being “lame” and find them cumbersome to wear, so it’s unusual to find anyone who’s clearly a fan of them—that is, until one special man came along.
Keiji Nakagawa is a man who has championed efforts to counter the decline of fundoshi in the modern age. An acquaintance of his who regained his “manly vitality” by wearing fundoshi once encouraged him to wear fundoshi, and the comfort and health benefits they provided him with left a deep and lasting impression on him. In fact, he was so inspired that he decided to proclaim the wonders of fundoshi to the rest of the world by creating the Japan Fundoshi Association, along with establishing a brand of fundoshi by the name of SHAREFUN (a contraction of the phrase oshare na fundoshi; or “fashionable fundoshi”).
So just what is it about fundoshi that are making people see them in a new light again? We asked Mr. Nakagawa, now the Chairman of the Japan Fundoshi Association, to shed some light on the benefits of wearing fundoshi over other types of undergarments.
Check out the interview video and its corresponding translation below.
It seems like Mr. Nakagawa’s efforts to promote fundoshi have not been in vain, since more and more people are realizing the merits of the traditional underwear. In particular, there seems to be a trend of an increasing number of younger women who are beginning to wear fundoshi, citing reasons such as: “There’s not as much pressure,” “They have good airflow,” and “My blood circulation is better, so my stomach doesn’t get cold anymore.” With the exception of female pearl divers who once wore fundoshi while working, fundoshi have traditionally been worn by Japanese men, which makes this recent shift in female preference particularly fascinating.
All you need to make fundoshi is a piece of cloth, so we’d like to challenge everyone to try making and wearing your very own pair sometime. We’ll leave you with the following two instructional videos showing two different styles of wearing fundoshi for men and women. Get ready, folks, because a whole new world of comfort awaits!
What better way to usher in a new year in Japan than with a cute collection of dogs in kimono?
During the first few days of the New Year, old traditions come to the fore in Japan, with many people choosing to dress in formal wear for hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year. Now the nation’s dog population can join in the festivities with their own range of specially designed kimonos!
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From big dogs to small dogs, fluffy dogs to bulldogs, there’s a traditional outfit to suit any four-legged companion, whether they’re simply relaxing at home or out paying their respects at the local shrine.
▼ A formal occasion calls for a special outfit and this sweet dog looks absolutely adorable!
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Image: Nahomilly
▼ This resplendant pup guards against the chill with a posh faux fur collar.
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▼ Bulldogs show how it’s done, stepping out confidently in traditional dress.
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Indoors, kimono-clad dogs are often surrounded by traditional New Year decorations. The beauty below appears with a couple of hagoita paddles (right), which are used to play the New Year’s game hanetsuki,a kagami mochi (mirror rice cake), and a kumade (bamboo rake), which is said to “rake” in happiness and money for the coming year.
▼ These two are pretty enough to be ornaments themselves!
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▼ Dogs in kimono make for excellent nengajo New Year cards to send to friends and family.
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And when it comes to the traditional osechi New Year’s meal, lucky dogs can enjoy their very own version, filled with treats designed to bring fortune and happiness in the coming year.
If you enjoyed this journey into the world of kimono dogs, you might like to see what Japan’s kimono cats have been up to. It’s a whole other world of cute!
Let’s see what tempting (and pricey) Ehomaki rolls are on offer at Tobu Ikebukuro Department Store this year to celebrate the coming of spring on Setsubun day.
Setsubun is celebrated each year on the day before the official beginning of spring, usually around February 3 (although the date shifts slightly over time depending on the position of the earth and sun). As Setsubun can be considered a kind of New Year’s Eve for the Lunar New Year, there are several traditions practiced on the day to bring in luck for the new year, including the ritual of mamemaki (which literally means bean scattering), in which roasted soy beans are ceremoniously thrown and scattered while calling for demons to leave and good luck to come in. Another Setsubun custom that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the eating of Ehomaki rolls.
Ehomaki is a thick sushi roll that is supposed to be eaten whole and in total silence on Setsubun Day while facing the lucky direction for that year. While the tradition started in the Osaka area, it has now spread to the extent that many different types of Ehomaki are available from various outlets across the country from convenience stores to high-end department stores.
In fact, the rolls seem to be getting fancier and more creative each year, in some cases using extravagant gourmet ingredients. To give you an idea, we thought we’d share with you some of the more exotic rolls that Tobu Ikebukuro Department Store is offering for Setsubun this year.
●The “Ōma Honmaguro Roll” (25,000 yen [US$211.47])
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It’s well known that the Japanese love tuna (maguro), but this roll contains that most coveted of tuna, honmaguro (bluefin tuna) caught off the fishing port of Ōma in Aomori Prefecture on the northern most tip of Japan’s main island. In addition to 400 grams (14 ounces) of the valuable tuna, the roll also contains green shiso leaf and is sprinkled with pieces of gold leaf. If you’re willing to spend $211 on a sushi roll, then you’ll want to take note that they’ll be selling only 10 of these rolls, so you may have to place your order quickly!
● The “Fabulous Packed with Wagyu and Full of Fortune Roll” (20,160 yen [$170.71])
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This fabulously meaty roll contains 230 grams (8 ounces) each of Matsuzaka beef and wet aged wagyu beef in the center and is covered on the outside also with 230 grams of roast beef. This is another item that is also limited to a total of 10 orders.
● The “Rare Ehomaki Keiji (Fatty Young Salmon) Roll” (8,800 yen [$74.71])
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This roll is filled with various treasures of the sea including bigeye tuna, soy sauce flavored salmon roe, red sea bream, steamed sea eel and squid, but the most prized ingredient here has to be keiji, the legendary fatty young salmon that is an extremely rare catch. Additionally, the roll contains cooked egg, cucumber and shiso leaf as well.
● The “Three Tastes in One Collaboration Roll” (10,800 yen [$91.66])
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This fun Ehomaki gives you three satisfying rolls in one: (1) Matsuzaka beef, (2) Shrimp in chili sauce, Peking Duck, cucumber, leeks and Japanese mustard spinach; and (3) Bluefin tuna, flounder and shiso leaf. It’s certainly an original creation, and it looks perfect if you want to enjoy more than one flavor! This too will be a limited item, as they’ll be selling only 20 of these rolls.
And for those of you with a sweet tooth, don’t worry, they also have tantalizingly sweet Ehomaki rolls too!
● The “Kinako (soybean powder) Roll” and “Sweet Red Bean Paste Roll” (432 yen [$3.67] each)
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These are sweet rice rolls using Japanese ingredients, one with kinako soybean powder and the other with sweet red bean paste covering the surface. Both rolls contain sweet bean gelatin (yokan) in three flavors: sakura, sweet potato and matcha green tea. If you like ohagi, a traditional Japanese sweet that typically consists of glutinous rice covered with sweet red bean paste, then these rolls should be right up your alley!
● The “Premium Ehomaki Fruit Roll” (6,480 yen [$54.98])
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This Ehomaki from famous fruit shop Kyobashi Sembikiya is basically a fruitroll cake, but an incredibly scrumptious one to be sure. The base sponge cake contains brown sugar and is topped with whipped cream, chocolate, and cookies, along with a veritable feast of fruits: Amaou brand strawberry, apple, grape, grapefruit, blueberry, orange and melon. Now, that’s an extravagance only a fruit shop could produce, and as befits a “premium” roll, only 10 of these will be for sale.
So, which one of the rolls did you find most tempting? And if the items we introduced above don’t quite suit your taste, you needn’t worry. Apparently, Tobu Ikebukuro Department Store has close to 100 different Ehomaki rolls on offer, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
May all your Setsubun celebrations be filled with delicious rolls!
Shift from folding paper to folding cloth to create beautiful hair ornaments, earrings, and decorations for any occasion.
Tsumami zaiku was developed during the Edo Period (1603-1868) as a way to enhance the beauty of kimono with hair ornaments that represented the traditional Japanese themes of natural seasonal beauty. Time-honored patterns included chrysanthemums, sakura blossoms, and cranes, but modern tsumami zaiku has a much more lenient design that includes objects like stars and roses.
Making a tsumami zaiku ornament is no easy task. It requires intense focus and concentration to fold the numerous pieces of square cloth, which are then intricately bonded together to a base with glue and attached to a hair comb, hair clip, or other fastening object.
Hair accessories aren’t the only option either; necklaces, earrings, and small decorative ornaments are also possible and popular. If you can fold it, you can make it. Check out the video below for a brief look at the detailed process of tsumami zaiku and get ready to open your Etsy store!
All the colors of historical Japanese paintings are now at your fingertips, literally.
Since 1751, Ueba Esou has proudly sold glorious colors of paint to aspiring artists all over Japan. The white fox label is synonymous with their brand and they’ve had centuries to perfect their selection of paints, which include gofun (white, shell-based pigment), iwa enogu (mineral-based paint) and suihi enogu (mud-based paint). Their products have become known for their even colors and since the company was able to create consistently positive customer relationships, they have managed to carve out an important place in Japanese art history.
For most of us, we unfortunately won’t find ourselves surrounded by these wonderful paints in our daily lives. However, luckily for us, Ueba Esou has created a new line of products that combines their rich traditions with the trends of the modern world.
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This nail polish is perfect for adding just the right touch of “Japan” to the tips of your fingers. There are dozens of colors to choose from that sport wonderful names such as tsuya beni (glossy crimson), uguisu midori (nightingale green) and mizu asagi (water yellow). Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
All of the polishes are made from gofun, which has a number of benefits over the normal lacquer, including being easy on keratin (your nails), quick-drying, lacking the strong odor found in most polishes and breathability. The polish is also water-soluble, so you don’t need to use harsh nail polish remover to get rid of it.
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Each color of nail polish sells for 1,300 yen (US$11.70) and can be purchased from their bricks-and-mortar store in Kyoto, their online store, or from Amazon Japan. Be sure to check out some of their colorful design suggestions below and get ready to turn your nails into a Japanese historical masterpiece.
Paper-based media alone not traditional enough for you? Try pairing it with these.
Tatami, the woven reed flooring that used to be the norm in Japanese homes, has an undeniable old-school coolness about it. However, it doesn’t always mesh so well with modern furniture, so not everyone wants to dedicate the floor space of an entire room to the traditional look.
Still, there’s something special about the appearance, feel, and even smell of tatami. Soothing and elegant, it helps put the mind in a relaxed yet reflective mood, which means the material can also make great book covers.
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The craftsmen at Matsuya, a tatami maker in Gunma Prefecture, will be perfectly happy to supply you with flooring for your home. However, they’re also ready to provide you with slip-on book covers that will keep your reading material looking as sophisticated as any of the prose found within its pages.
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Matsuya offers a variety of designs, some with cloth borders, and most include some sort of traditional Japanese motif, such as goldfish, cherry blossoms, or Mt. Fuji as an accent.
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Prices vary by the exact cover, but start at less than 900 yen (US$8.40) for the least expensive varieties. Even the top-of-the-line versions only run about 2,500 yen.
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But maybe you don’t have much time to read, because of your dynamic, on-the-go job? In that case, you’ll be glad to know that Matsuya also has tatami business card holders for 2,100 yen.
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The complete lineups of tatami book covers and card holders can be seen, and ordered, here and here at Matsuya’s online store.
This one is sure to please all of the historical sword buffs out there.
If you’re a sword lover, especially of the elegant, delicately curved nihonto (literally: “Japanese sword”), then this one’s for you.
A new 60-minute film titled Japanese Swords ~The World of Swords~ (日本刀 ～刀剣の世界～) is now playing at Tokyo’s TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi Theater and Osaka’s Toho Cinemas Umeda Theater, with upcoming screenings in Sapporo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Itami (Hyogo Prefecture), and Fukuoka in either June or July. Furthermore, through a successful crowdfunding effort, the film has also raised enough money to pay for the cost of screenings at international film festivals (specific details forthcoming).
The film provides a brief history of 25 historical Japanese swords, sharing the legends behind the most famous ones and their wielders throughout the ages. In addition, it also introduces the sword-forging techniques passed down by respected swordsmiths over the generations by putting viewers center stage into the process itself.
Two 30-second promotional videos have been released for the film. The first one focuses on the historical swords themselves:
Two of the famous swords briefly introduced in the clip:
▼ “Himezuru Ichimonji” (Important Cultural Property of Japan)
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▼ “Mikazuki Munechika” (National Treasure of Japan)
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The second clip briefly showcases some stages in the swordmaking process:
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On a side note, the film is narrated by voice actor Kosuke Toriumi, whose voice you might recognize from his roles in hit anime such as Naruto‘s Kiba Inuzuka or Yowamushi Pedal‘s Shunsuke Imaizumi.
More information on Japanese Swords ~The World of Swords~ can be found at the film’s official site (Japanese only–so far). And hey, if historical swords aren’t exactly your thing but hot guys are, then Japan’s got you covered, too.
Acknowledge your animal side with these super cute, traditional wooden name plates.
When you finally buy a home in Japan, you get the unique opportunity to hang a name plate at the front of your house. You might be wondering why you need one, but this is because houses in the same area all have the same address, and the only way to distinguish between houses is by the names attached to them. In Japanese, they are called hyousatsu, and these name plates are a tiny little chance to put some individuality on your property. A lot of people have recently been using modern materials to fit in with the modern look of houses, but now you can buck that trend and go with some traditional wood and put a cute little dog on it as well!
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Thanks to the company Horebore, you can decorate your name plate with an adorable little puppy. More and more families are getting pets, so you can use your name plate to let everyone know you have a dog as well!
▼ These name plates would go perfectly with a set of cat- or dog-themed stamps.
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If you aren’t a dog person, you can also get them featuring cats instead. Whichever you choose, Inumon or Nekomon, they’ve got just the right name plate for your family!
▼ There are plenty of pictures to choose from, but only five writing styles.
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▼ The four types of wood from left to right: sakura, Japanese elm, Japanese cypress, Japanese yew
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Each name plate is 30 millimeters thick and they are carved out by a skilled veteran who wields a laser to achieve the precise and beautiful designs. One name plate will cost you 5,500 yen (US$52), but that’s basically a bargain when you consider you don’t have to warn the mailman that you’ve got a dog on the property.
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