Ahoj! artwork by Yosino Mifuyu. Animals, Fruits, and Vegetables. And sometimes, all mixed together.
This guy seems like the one who does not belong, but he’s too sweet not to include. And I love that he’s surfing with a crab.
Are these elephants in the circus?
Are these strawberry or tomato heads?
The Onionhead twins!
Night Night Parsnips!
I am back from Japan, and getting ready to post fun goodies for you all–as soon as I get over the jet lag.
In the meantime, here’s a nice article from today’s Daily Hampshire Gazette and The Republican talking about my big adventure. (via)
By SCOTT MERZBACH / Special to The Republican
NORTHAMPTON – For years, Essentials, a shop with locations in Northampton and Amherst, has been selling products made in Japan.
Now the knowledge and experience Sydne Didier has in retailing and wholesaling through both her stores and the website Japanistic is giving her the opportunity to spend a week in Japan.
Didier was in Japan last week at the invitation of the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO, which flew her and several other retailers from Canada, New York and Louisiana to the Pacific rim.
“It’s part of an effort to increase Japanese exports to the United States that are not electronics and cars,” Didier said.
The relationship with the trade organization, Didier explained, developed after an interview she completed with a Japanese program.
The Japanistic website has grown in the last year, with more than 1,000 products, ranging from Japanese bento boxes, which are small lunch pails, to stationery, jewelry, water bottles and mugs.
Didier said her store’s mission is always guided by aesthetics. “I had always been attracted to Japanese design; it’s a consistent thread for me,”Didier said.
She expects to tour various production facilities, meet with mayors in small towns and hopes there will be a chance to improve the selection of items for her customers.
“I’m always looking for new products to bring into the store,” Didier said.
Didier said other retailers may also benefit, as the trip could increase opportunities to pool orders and cut down on the costs of shipping.
“I basically want to go in with an open mind and see what opportunities are there,” Didier said. “I hope to stumble upon products that they are not marketing to us.”
Didier will also have time for sightseeing, visiting attractions such as Nara Park, and her son has asked her to bring back Pokemon paraphernalia.
Posted in JETRO, News, Press, Special Events, travel
Tagged Japanistic in the news, JETRO, My big Japan adventure!
Sydne has some new photos, updates, and comments on women and work over on our Facebook page. Check it out.
Another of the companies I get to see in Japan. I’m very excited about this one. Part Origami, Part Globe, Part, well, I’m not sure. Learning tool?
From Geo-Grafia, these globes you can build and then color yourself.
Of course, if the coloring is too much for you, there’s also Glow-in-the-dark.
Other options too. Wood. Leather. Metal.
Memo Blocks too.
I also love the City Ring Notebooks.
Maybe they’ll show me some secret new products when I meet them in a few days. I can only hope!
My wife, Sydne, the author of this blog, landed in Osaka last night. She said in a recent email to me that internet access is, surprisingly, a little spotty. She is having an easier time sending updates to Facebook, so if you want to stay on top of her travels, please click here and “like” the Japanistic fan page.
Here is an excerpt from an email I received before she went to sleep last night:
It’s around 5:30 in the evening, Osaka time, and I am all checked in to my hotel. A tiny room with a view overlooking the city. The flight was good, I slept a bit, and I’m going to try to go out now so I can keep myself moving for a little while.
I think internet access might be spotty this trip. Right now, I’m using a computer in the business lounge that cost 100 yen for 15 minutes. I’ve never used a coin operated computer before and it feels like I am playing a video game.
The hotel is nice, right near Louis Vuitton and Chanel, etc. Crazy 7 story stores.
It’s raining here but the taxi driver told me it is supposed to be clear tomorrow. [I]nstead of stamping your passport, in Japan you get a sticker put inside!
What does it mean to be cool? And how can it be used for financial gain? These are questions asked by some in Japan as they look toward Korea, and discussed in this post in the Asia Society blog.
According to the Asia Society Blog, “An editorial in the Daily Yomiuri titled, ‘Time to capitalize on ‘Cool Japan’ boom‘ criticizes the Japanese government’s failure to turn Japan’s popularity overseas into economic growth. ‘The government seems content for Japan to just be extolled overseas as ‘cool.’ However, we think the government has not tried hard enough, or been imaginative enough, in taking advantage of this popularity for the benefit of business expansion,’ asserts the Daily Yomiuri” (via)
“The editorial urges Japan to look to South Korea as a leading example of a country who has made their coolness into a money-maker. Korean dramas, K-pop albums, and clothing lines are extremely popular throughout Asia and to a lesser degree in western countries. Japanese pop culture actually seems to be slightly more popular in the west and Japanese companies already have a reputation for producing high-quality products. It seems these factors would set ‘cool’ Japanese companies up for success in the west. Still, Japan isn’t reaping the full benefits of their perceived popularity.
In June, the trade ministry in Japan released its ‘strategy to promote a culture-oriented industry,’ which recognized the potential of ‘Cool Japan’ products and exports. Yomiuri believes that the government needs to get on board for this business strategy to be effective.
‘Japan should emulate the Korean formula of ensuring cooperation transcends fields such as fashion, movies, food and manga, instead of promoting business through separate government ministries and agencies. If the ‘fences’ between these government offices remain too high, the Cabinet minister and other politicians who head each ministry must step up and exercise leadership to make this cooperation a reality,’ writes the Daily Yomiuri.”
What do you think? Is this the formula Japan should go for? Exporting coolness?
There’s no denying that Japanese products have an exoticism for Americans. I don’t argue that, but I think the appeal of Japan is more than that–at least I hope so!
Recently, I was invited to Japan-YAY! YAY!-by the organization Jetro, the Japan External Trade Organization. (Much, much, much more to come about that trip.) When I’ve talked with them in the past, one of the main questions they have for me is what Americans think about Japanese goods and why we’re interested.
My answer never really varies. I talk about a cool factor, sure, but I also talk about a commitment to quality, a great design sense, the fact that the products are distinctly different from what we’re able to get here and express a strong point of view. I DON’T talk about Hello Kitty.
My question would be what does it mean to capitalize on your coolness? Does it make you trendy and quickly passe? Does it mean your time is over when the next, cooler thing comes along? Who becomes the next big thing when the current big thing is over?
And how do you limit your audience when you focus on the cool? I know, for one, that with Korea, K-Pop just ain’t my thing. But if that’s what Korea can make money off of, is that to be the focus of the cultural exports? I think we can do better. (It’s the reason we say Japan isn’t just Harajuku and Hello Kitty!)
It’s interesting that Jetro has embarked upon a project called Cool Japan, dedicated to introducing Americans to the “undiscovered” Japan. “When most people think of Japan, they think of cars, Kimonos, and Karaoke. But there are still many more things to be discovered in Japan that Americans haven’t even heard of yet…“Cool Japan” …was created to bring you the ‘hidden gems’ of Japan that are still yet to be discovered on this side of the Pacific. We’ll introduce things like the coolest Japanese cuisines, fashions, and designs.” (via)
Hmmm-is this what the newspaper had in mind?
All that said, let it be clear that when I’m in Japan? Darn Tootin’ I will be looking for the coolest to bring back to you. Okay, enough rant for tonight. Tomorrow? More cool stuff. I promise.
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…
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