Category Archives: Special Events

Welcome 2012! The Year of the Dragon!

2011 left, well, a little something to be desired. Personally, I am looking forward to 2012 with great enthusiasm, starting with a long desired trip to Vietnam in February. Today, I’ve been collecting mental images to welcome the Year of the Dragon with excitement.

A beautiful 2012 Calendar from Ask Alice.

Year of the Dragon Fortune Cards. Scratch the gold and reveal your fortune! (via)

Cards, cards, cards. (via and thanks to Yoshizen for the head’s up.)

50 yen stamps. (via)

Dragon goodies of all sorts! (via)

Dragon Thing-a-Ma-Bobs? (via)

Monsters!

We are dragons living in Furano of Japan.
2012 is our year おいらは 北海道の富良野 ニングルテラスに住んでる「富良ごん」だい。文句あるか~
(via)

The gorgeous window display at Takashimaya.

And of course, Nengajo, New Year’s Postcards.

Most compelling for me, and a reminder to slow down and appreciate the very act of making a “card”, these hand-crafted and fired clay New Year’s “cards” honoring the Year of the Dragon.

From Flickr user Masayon123, these incredible “cards.”

Can you imagine actually sending these through the mail??

Interesting Factoid?

A Japanese postbox. The left slot is for new year cards only between December 15th to January 7th.

日本の郵便ポスト。左の投函口は12月15日から翌年1月7日まで年賀状専用。(via)

This letter will be delivered on the very day of January 1st if you put this stamp under postage stamps which means Happy New Year.

このスタンプを切手の下に押せば、元旦に配達されます。(via)

While my family and I are enjoying a relaxing New Year’s Day together, Japanese postal workers will be busy, delivering countless numbers of New Year’s greetings to families around the country. Sounds quite lovely to me.

Wherever you and your family are starting the year, all of us at Japanistic wish you good health and happiness in 2012!

Need some Cyber-Monday suggestions? Japanistic is here to help!

Cyber Monday

Our Cyber-Monday Sale is off to a terrific start. But perhaps you need a little help with your shopping? I’ve spent the weekend adding some great new products for your shopping pleasure. Hope you like them.

A Stackable Tape Stocker. What’s not to love?

My personal favorite – the Pop Mop duster series. Cute animals that are utilitarian too? Perfection.

Pamper your loved one with our Japanese bath products.

These Japanese Sea Sponges are the softest ever. Trust me.

And of course, we love our Amigurumi!

Craft goodies abound too.

I could keep going. There are so many things I would recommend, I don’t know where to stop. Guess you’ll just have to browse for yourself! And have fun!

Sale ends a midnight EST. See you at Japanistic soon.

Haruki Murakami Art Contest

How did I not know about this? A Haruki Murakami Art Contest! (Thank you Superpunch, for enlightening me!) Happening at Nowness.com, the contest is in honor of the English translation of Murakami’s new book, 1Q84. Entries are up, and voting is open for the next week.

The winners will be announced on NOWNESS on October 25 to coincide with the publication of 1Q84. The six most popular entries will each be awarded with a first-edition copy of 1Q84 signed by the author, as well as a complete archive of his previous works courtesy of Random House, Inc., our partners in the competition.” (via)

There are plenty more so be sure to look at all of them before you vote. I can’t quite decide if I prefer the literal or more abstract – what do you think?

Hapa Bento Back to School Contest Entries!

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.

The ethereal world of Yoko Furusho

A few days ago, I tweeted about the J-Collabo exhibit and event coming on September 9th but I wanted to look a little more at some of the artists and illustrators involved.

First up today, artist Yoko Furusho.

YOKO FURUSHO is a Japanese artist/illustrator based in New York. She was born in Tokyo and moved to New York to study illustration at the School of Visual Arts. After her graduation, she started her career as a professional illustrator/artist. She likes to draw details, textures and patterns with ink and acrylics, and often uses fashion as her inspiration. She is addicted to collecting fashion magazines and likes to look at a lot of dresses and cute textiles.” Yeah, sounds like a perfect fit for Japanistic.

She also has her own collection at the Keds Collective.

shoes_all

I would wear any of these!

And if I can’t have the sneakers, I’d certainly settle for this mug for my morning coffee.

And remember, if you are in NY on the 9th, you can see her work and meet her at the J-Colabo event in just a few days.

J-COLLABO Exhibition “Heritage”

The telling of Japanese fairy tales is one vehicle with which the Japanese have handed down their sense of beauty, customs, lessons, and social norms through the generations. With “Heritage,” J-COLLABO’s biannual celebration and exhibition, artists in New York present Japanese tradition in a new light, using new media and innovative collaborations across artistic platforms.

Wish I could be there!

Hapa Bento Back-to-School Bento Contest!

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:

  1. Contest is open to US mailing address only.
  2. Post a photo of  your bento creation on my hapa bento flickr group.  Add “hapa bento contest” in the description.
  3. If you are not a member of Flickr then email the photo to me and I’ll post it for you.
  4. You can enter as many bentos as you like, but only one of them will be selected for the final voting.
  5. The bento entry must be a recent creation.
  6. Charaben or kyaraben is accepted but not required. Your bento entry does NOT need to be cute.
  7. Entries will be accepted from now until Sept. 2, 2011
  8. All selected bentos will be accepted for final voting.
  9. Voting will take place Sept. 3, 2011 through Sept. 9, 2011.

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!)

We Washi You a Happy Birthday

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.

Bound in Japan workshop in Kyoto this weekend!

Great thanks to Felt Cafe Japan for the heads-up on this fantastic project, Bound in Japan.

Bound in Japan is an initiative that aims to promote dialogue about diversity in Japan through community art. Non-native residents in Japan will create book art about their experiences in their adopted country. They will learn basic image-making and bookmaking techniques and will be guided through the creation of original book art, ranging from easily reproducible zines to one-of-a-kind books. Their book art will be presented as an exhibition, offering both the Japanese and international public the opportunity to re-examine Japan through the eyes of the foreigners who have chosen to call it home.” (via)

The project is the brainchild of artist Thien-Kieu Lam, a second-generation Asian-American who lived in Japan for three years.

“…during that time, my roots reached deep into the community and my heartstrings far across the landscape. Even now, every time I return to Japan, it feels like coming home. My friends greet me, the sights and sounds wash over me, and I slip into the daily rhythms of life there, different yet familiar and comfortable.

It has made me curious. What if I choose life in Japan–permanently? In a country where non-native residents account for less than 2% of the population, what kind of support would I receive? What kind of home would Japan be?

As a second generation Asian American, I have witnessed my parents’ struggles in a new homeland and experienced the challenges of growing up at the intersection of different cultures. Even so, growing up in the United States whose history reads as a story of immigration and diversity, I have taken much for granted. The United States has long been seen as a haven and land of opportunity for many immigrants. Japan, however, has rarely embraced newcomers completely into the heart of society.

Unless Japan intends to close its doors to all foreigners, this orientation should be re-evaluated. Non-native residents contribute to Japanese society and deserve more consideration as equal members of this society. In this regard, a deeper understanding of the non-native community and increased interaction between non-native residents and local Japanese are essential to productive discourse.

I saw this as an opportunity to apply my love of book art and community outreach to highlight an issue near to my heart. This innovative approach became the seed that blossomed into Bound in Japan.

This project is dedicated to all the people of Japan, Japanese and non-native residents alike, as well as the people who like myself, whether we actually live there or not, consider it home.” (via)

Next workshop is in Kyoto, coming up this Saturday. Visit We Are One Japan for details. Wish I could see the books in person!

More Tokyo Book Fair Lust! ( Part 2)

TABF_2011_WEB_2_512PX

More in the category of work I’d most like to see at the Tokyo Art Book Fair is Naho Sekiguchi. Color, fun, color, and more color.

http://zinesmate.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/1.jpg2

Cuteness from Soju Tanaka.

Illustrator Toya Chicaco.

The illustrations of Tomoko Mizuno. Doesn’t this guy remind you of Tintin?

mizuno_3

Miyazaki Kenichi’s I Like Short Cakes. I don’t know what Short Cakes are, but I don’t care.

Illustrations from Chie Miyazaki.

MIYAZAKI CHIE_1

MIYAZAKI CHIE_2

MIYAZAKI CHIE_4

The photography of Kae Ho.

kae ho

Unintended Voices, by Yumi. because I love a little bit of whimsy.

Younashimambo! Because I love a messy work space.

And finally, because I’m linear and alphabetical, Yuko Hozumi, because I’d like to see what’s on the next page of this one.

yuko hozumi

Folks I’d like to see at the Tokyo Art Book Fair this weekend.

I seriously wish I were in Tokyo this weekend. Artists I would check out? (and that you can see at the Zine’s Mate)

網代

Kosuke Ajiro’s Five Dolls.

The illustrations of Yukari Kawanaka, because I’m partial to lighthouses.

Kawanaka Yukari

Kikiku Kuchichi, for the vibrant colors.

The paintings and illustrations of 13 Gatsu, whose name I can’t quite determine.

本日 ショピン「春のソノタ」@原宿VACANT 参加させて頂きます 会場で、似顔絵を描きます。 http://www.chopiiin.com/special/vacant/

The creatively headed folks from Shinodai.

SHINOHARA1

SHINOHARA2

ほわぐちゃくんひかりくん

The Tiny Breath Zine from Suzuki Moeko.

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More of my favorites in Part 2!

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