My husband is away on business, my kid is home sick, the dog needs to be walked, the house is still filled with the boxes of Christmas decorations that need to be put away–and these guys are making it all better. Why are they making me smile so much?
Via the Design Festa Blog.
This morning, I came across an article that totally made my day–and it’s only 8:15 here.
Snowball Fighting – The Sport! Oh yeah!!
According to The Chronicle Herald, Yukigassen has come to Canada and the snow is flying. Of course, I had to know more. Was this for real?
Yes, Yukigassen is for real, complete with Blacky the Mascot.
A combination of Dodge Ball and Capture the Flag, the game is as simple as the one you play in your backyard every winter, with a few key differences.
Team :
7 players, 2 substitutes and 1 captain
Method :
A team wins when it captures the flag of the opposing team or hits all the members of the opposing team with snowballs.
Duration :
A match consists of three 3-minute periods. The first team to win two periods wins the game.
No. of snowballs :
90 per team per period
It’s played on a very specific court.
Perhaps the best part? This totally unreal Snowball Maker.
“Snowballs, the sole weapon of the matches, are made with a specially designed octopus dumpling-style snowball maker. A total of 90 snowballs 6.5 to 7.0 cm in diameter are made for each period. The machine is an epoch-making invention that Sobetsu boasts to the world. It is, of course, certified as a world standard.“
Need to see if it’s the sport for you? Check it out.
Stockings are a big deal in our family. Yes, there’s always the usual. Socks, gum, and goofy knick knacks.
If you need help filling out your stocking selection, look no further. Here are some great options from Japanistic.
First, who couldn’t use a Ninja? Or two? These Ninjas are positively Charming.
Stickers! Especially this set of Puffy Dessert stickers.
Share some Japanistic love with our custom buttons.
I confess that I am not a lover of mushrooms, the edible kind at least. But I love them as an accessory and adore this Mushroom Twinkle Glass Charm.
Fill a stocking with luck in the form of these Daruma Dolls.
There is so much more to choose from. But perhaps, like a stocking being opened, I’ll just share a few each day. (And if you have a favorite stocking item from Japanistic, let me know!_
Posted in Fun
Tagged Japanese Stickers, Japanistic Buttons, Ninja Charms, Stocking Stuffers at Japanistic
I admit that when I look at these, I talk to them in silly voices. Something about these Gigo Blocks Cube Figures just brings that out in me.
And yes, I make up stories about them too. Helen, who you see above, peers at you from the corner of her eyes, never wanting to be the center of attention but always on the cutting edge. And perhaps just a little bit shy?
Helen is one of 6 new friends from our newest Neighbor at Japanistic, Taiwan. Assemble your friend and hang him from your bag, put him on your desk, or just tuck him or her in your pocket. And if you talk to it in a silly voice? That’s okay too.
Eric, the bear, has sleepy eyes that make it look like he’s just woken from hibernation, and now, he’s ready to play.
Thelonious has dashing orange horns and strong blue arms. He may look slightly menacing, but we’re convinced he’s just looking for a good hug.
Tony is casual, in a simple cap, and looks surprised by whatever he’s just seen. All the same, he’s more than ready for whatever adventure you have in store.
Paul, our daredevil, is wearing a fetching helmet and has a green button nose. Still, we can’t quite figure out why he looks so sleepy.
Rudolph sports a cool green cap and triangle nose. Don’t underestimate him just because his mustache and eyebrows are a distinguished gray!
The best part of these guys? All parts are interchangeable so you can create your own character. And, they come with stickers so you can personalize once you’ve built your friend!
When you make your own creation, email us a photo and your story and we will share it here.
Wow. What a great collection of entries for the Hapa Bento Back to School Contest, although I caution you against reading this post if you are hungry!
So much goodness to want here!
Visit Hapa Bento on Facebook to vote for your favorite.
Missed your opportunity to enter? No worries. You can get plenty of great Bento boxes and accessories at Japanistic.
Posted in Bento, Cuteness, Food, Fun, Special Events
Back to school means I crave new clothes, and since my son doesn’t care, I have to get my school shopping thrills living vicariously through others.
I am having too much fun looking at these clothes for kids, and if I look at these images with my eyes almost closed, it’s kind of like the children are dancing.
Who could resist this Marlo Thomas Dress for kids? Or, the Kid Trench?
The jacket with the bow is Killing Me!
And this girl with her pink glasses, tie, and jacket is fashion incarnate. Clothes by Rocket Salad.
These kids are all WAY cooler than I am. And these two know how to accessorize! (via)
As does this young one, in another Rocket Salad – Rocket Mini outfit.
Yup. These girls are kickin’ it awesome.
As we all know, it’s that time of year. And to celebrate, we’ve once again partnered with one of our favorite Bento sites, Hapa Bento, to offer you a chance to win an addition to your bento collection. Here’s what the lovely Debra has to say:
“Woo hoo! It’s Back-to-School Bento Contest time!
But first… today’s Back-to-School bento is filled with yummy Lazy Tuna Sushi. The basic recipe is here.
And as you can see the recipe can be modified to suit your tastes. This time I left out the scrambled egg and bulked up on the tuna.
The very roomy bottom tier allows for a whole boiled egg which I molded into a fun fish-shape, zucchini, carrots and cherries!
Yes… my bento box collection has a new addition thanks to our friends at Japanistic.com
Isn’t it adorable? And very versatile too. I can think of many ways to pack this cutie! How about a sammy in the bottom tier with fruit on top.
More information on about this adorable Elpha 2-Tier Onigiri Case along with other cool bento items can be found on their site.
What? You say you’d like to have this box for your very own? Okay… here how you can win one:
Win this bento box with matching travel chopsticks!
Contest Rules:
I can’t wait to see your bento entries!
Good luck and have fun!
For more bento tips, information and recipes subscribe to hapa bento via your email or newsreader
We can’t wait to see your entries either! And of course, for ALL of your bento needs, you can visit us at Japanistic. Happy Cooking! (And thank you Debra!)
Posted in Bento, Fun, Special Events
Tagged Bento at Japanistic, Hapa Bento Back-to-School Contest!
I am a collector of bits and pieces. Letterpress scraps from cards, images I like from vintage books, wrapping paper odds and ends, and whatever else I think belongs in my valise of paper scraps. I have also amassed quite a collection of Washi Tape.
For my mom’s 65th birthday this past weekend, I put it all to good use. I made banners to string around our house, as I’m not much a fan of crepe paper decorations. Washi tape, wrapping paper, and other odds and ends, all to make the house feel like a party for my wonderful Mama!
Easy and fun, albeit time-consuming, it make the house look all the more festive. She loved them so much, she took them home to her apartment so she could bring a bit of the happiness back with her.
Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, Living Room – you name it, I decorated it. And it did make the house feel seriously happy.
Our only problem now? We like them so much, we don’t want to take them down! Perhaps I need to make a set for every season of the year.
In our house, we are big on family game night. At least, I am and I force my poor husband and son to play with me.
The Sushi Train and Game might inspire them more than the boardgames I typically insist upon because we can eat sushi while we play! So what if it’s game pieces. At least, we can pretend.
The best part? When you’re not playing, you can make your own Sushi shop and deliver the goods by train.
While the train set is also a fun game for picking up the fake sushi (included!) as the train moves around the tracks, it’s also perfect for real meals as well. Set up your own kaiten sushi shop right at your dinner table.
The Sushi Train and Game Features:
Okay, so it’s $200 if you buy it here. But really, is that too big a price for a night family togetherness??
This little girl is in love with Japan, and if you didn’t want to visit before, her sweet take on it will make you want to save your pennies for a plane ticket.
My personal favorites in her video?
“Tokyo is a Younormous city which consists of over 40 villages smooshed together.”
“Japan gets 3500 earthquakes every single year. That’s a lot.”
“Do you like animation? If so, you might like Japan.”
“A Japanese diet includes lots of Fish. Raw fish, actually.”
But before I spoil everything, let’s just watch.
“They also have a variety of pets including hedgehogs, weasels, and chipmunks.”
Wait a minute – Did she say Hedgehogs?!?
Also, love the shaky camera work. Did a younger sibling help her with this?
“Enjoy Japan, even if you only go there in your dreams. I hope that you learn about the beauty, not just on the outside but also on the inside of this amazing cultural country.”
Thank you, Alexandra! We will!
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