I feel like a proud Momma, seeing my baby bear on Japanese TV. I just got these images from Artemis in Japan-Benny on a Japanese television drama. Clearly a healing bear, bringing love and snuggles to Mother and Child, Benny obviously plays a pivotal role in this Japanese drama.
If you read Japanese, you can learn the complete story line on the Asahi TV site. If not, here’s what I understand: Dousoukai “revolves around four men and women around the age of 45, who meet again after thirty years, at their junior high reunion. Feelings of love unexpectedly emerge among them, leading to a complicated situation.” (via)
A complicated situation indeed! “Kuroki plays the former honor student Tomomi, who takes care of her two children and her currently unemployed husband. Back in junior high, she and Kosuke…had feelings for each other. Kosuke is now a police detective, but he has trouble balancing his work with his wife and son. Saito plays a housewife leading a high-class lifestyle but hiding a secret, while Mikami plays a magazine editor who has gone through a divorce but is still popular with women.” (via)
Still popular with women? Despite his divorce? Shocking!
What 'cha doin' on the couch there Benny? Just chillin' while the adults talk?
Here’s one of the companies I’m looking forward to seeing. Wakakokita makes bags in both cotton–and paper. Terrific images on some of the cotton with bold stripes and colors on others. And I just love that Owl.
I don't normally for gold, but I heart this bag.
I’ll update you after the show, and of course, if you happen to be in NY, we’re in Booth 3553.
We are heading off on holiday tomorrow–however will you live without my posts? To keep you from feeling too far from us, here are some terrific new things you can get at japanistic.
Whether you want to share these sweets with a Valentine, or just keep them all for yourself, they are tasty and adorable.
Want to spice up your special delivery, or at least keep it safe? Do it in style with these padded Air Cap Envelopes, available in Large or Small.
Maybe it’s time to organize, in anticipation of Spring. Use these Elph Magazine Holders from Artemis and have your desk looking spiffy in no time. (Or at least, looking very cute.)
If that’s not enough for you, you’ll have to visit Japanistic while I’m back. Until then, have a great week!
New at the store this week are Garron card files, and more Comic Book Notebooks. I like the card file holder because it is simple and clean and makes organizing the business cards and scraps of paper in my wallet much easier. The notebooks are a different take on the classic Artemis Comic Book paper journals. These have the spiral for those of us who like a book to lay completely flat.
While Sydne was away on a buying trip for Japanistic.com and our other store, Essentials, she was interviewed by the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO). Apparently, not only is her interview going to be aired on Japanese TV News, but she will also be featured on an inflight show on JapanAir. WOW!
The interview was set-up because of the interest in our newest site – Japanistic.com. Apparently, JETRO, and many others in the “Japan Section” of the New York International Gift Show, was really enthralled with what we are trying to accomplish and pleasantly surprised at our interest in goods made by Japanese, Japanese-Americans, and Americans influenced by the Japanese aesthetic.
The interest in our new site got so intense that we were finally able to get a new distribution/wholesale contract with one of the better Japanese stationery/kids/novelty companies – Artemis. Now, we are the only US distributor of such products as Elph & Epha and much more. You can view all the Artemis we are currently carrying by going to Japanistic.com/Artemis. We will keep you informed on the wholesale side – we should be ready to distribute in the next few weeks!
Who knew that a small website devoted to all the cool Japanese stuff we love would be so interesting to so many…
