Japanese Stamps from the 70s and today.

Japanese Stamps from the 70s and today.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009

My dad found some old stamps in my grandfather's old study. They are placed in two folders titled "Souvenir Stamps of Japan" and they are all from the 70s. As my grandfather travelled a lot with his job and had many correspondence with people in other countries, I think he had bought them to give someone as souvenir and forgot about them or something. When I was little he used to give me stamps from all over the world, many of which I could not understand what it said on them or where they came from but I was so fascinated by every one of them. And I still am a big fan of postal stamps.

A little collection of Sumo stamps.
Some cartoon stamps.
Stamps on nature.(sorry it's a little blurry)
And these are new ones, some of my favourites.
Hello Kitty Stamps are really cute ;)
(image from www.post.japanpost.jp)

Comments: 22

Cheerful.

Cheerful.

Sunday, 25 October 2009

I'm enjoying to see all the pretty autumn photographs at everyone's blogs lately. Tokyo is still quite green and I have to wait a bit longer before it gets all yellow and red and beautiful.
This photo is from last year, sometime in December, it was so pretty that i had to stop to photograph. Isn't it cheerful?

And thank you for all the sweet comments to my previous post. Reading them made me smile and I do feel much better now :) Maybe it's the fatigue, I worked so hard the last couple of weeks, and perhaps it's just one of those days. But I do really appreciate your kind words. Hope your weekends are joyful!

Oh, by the way, have you seen at-swim-two-birds' lovely pillows (this, this and this!) at new mieke willems online shop? If not, please do!!

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Comments: 10

Lights & Nights Twinkle.

Lights & Nights Twinkle.

Thursday, 22 October 2009

I don't know but I kind of feel low, I'm going through a long dark night. But soon I'll see the lights, I know. Hope you are having a great week!

Gathered photographs I've taken in the past at different places.

Comments: 20

siwa ・ 紙和

siwa ・ 紙和

Monday, 19 October 2009

All images are from siwa website.

When I was browsing around a shop the other day I came across these wonderful products called "siwa". They are made of this totally new kind of paper called "naoron" that doesn't tear so easily. "siwa" which comes from a word "shiwa" has a meaning of "wrinkle" in Japanese and also is written in two kanji characters that mean "japanese paper" or "washi". It's soft and has beautiful texture (which i love!) yet quite strong (can load up to 10kg!) and apparently highly water-resistant too. I want to get a tote and those slippers - they are so nice!! I wish i could let you feel them!
　

Comments: 9

Tennen Seikatsu 天然生活 vol.58

Tennen Seikatsu 天然生活 vol.58

Tuesday, 13 October 2009

The latest issue of Tennen seikatsu magazine is full of inspirations for autumn and winter! It even includes some pattens for hand-crafted bags using Japanese vintage clothes. I want to try making some for myself!

Tennen Seikatsu 天然生活 vol.58

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Comments: 9

After the Typhoon.

After the Typhoon.

Thursday, 8 October 2009

Thank you so much for those who left comments and concerns to my previous post about typhoon hitting Japan. Around after lunch time it passed Tokyo and the sun even came out (after so many days!) and it turned out to be a rather beautiful day, only VERY windy. I took this photo just a couple of hours earlier and couldn't believe how beautiful and clear the sky was after all that hustle in the morning! I should have taken a photo then too so I could compare...oh well next time maybe though I hope NO MORE TYPHOON at least until next late summer.

While Tokyo was being hit by a powerful typhoon;
it was snowing (!!!) with only 6 degrees in missoula montana where Jenna lives, a perfect cold but sunny autumn day in gothenburg, sweden where Michaela is, a sunny-then-cloudy, then-sunny-then-cloudy-and-cool "spring" day (sounds like a typical Melbourne weather ;) ) in Melbourne the home of mizu designs, cold but sunny in Oxford where Alice (who I think will be coming to Japan soon!?) is, "hot and humid" says Aron in Hawaii, and a warm sunny beautiful weather of Southern France where Marion is made me so jealous!!!

Oh i loved hearing about the weather comments from all over the world!!!! Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday evening!! (I will be continuing to work, got too much on hands right now :(

Comments: 9

Calm Setagaya Sky

Calm Setagaya Sky

Thursday, 8 October 2009

Totally unlike these skies I photographed on a same day a little while ago, today's Tokyo sky is horrible. My windows are rattled by strong wind and rain banging against them since early this morning. One of the biggest typhoons in the past 10 years (so powerful that the JR Yamanote Line is stopped!) is hitting the entire Japan and I'm hoping so hard that it will pass soon and the calm clear sky will come back which I haven't seen for days.

How is the weather on your ends? A lot better than here I hope.

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Comments: 11

Tokyo Sweets Shop Guide : Kawaii Tokyo Sweets!

Tokyo Sweets Shop Guide : Kawaii Tokyo Sweets!

Tuesday, 6 October 2009

I think Tokyo is a sweets paradise. Not just traditional sweets like mochi, odango with azuki, but the levels and the numbers of French patisseries are getting higher especially in the last few years and we Japanese people are (or maybe just I am) crazy about them!
And this book called "Kawaii Tokyo Sweets / Douceurs "Kawaï" de TOKYO" is a wonderful guide to the Tokyo Sweets Paradise!!!!! The entire book is written both in Japanese and French so even if you can't read Japanese or don't really understand French I guess you can pick up some information. It introduces many of Tokyo's cool shops/patisseries selected by Parisiennes living in Tokyo, and at the back of it it has pages of Tokyo shop list with addresses shown in English alphabets which I think is wonderful so people who doesn't understand Japanese can visit these not-so-exposed lovely places in Tokyo!

I have some copies newly added to my shop along with some other goodies such as these yummy "Fake Sweets Papergoods" from the above book! So please visit my shop for a peek, and you can also follow a new UGUiSU Blog where I'm going to post mostly about my shop.
And speaking about a Tokyo shop guide, you must check Angela's Little Tokyo Shops Online Zine! It looks superb!!!!!!!

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Comments: 11

Bonsai Uchu

Bonsai Uchu

Monday, 5 October 2009

I am dying to take a look at this amazing book called "Bonsai Uchu (盆栽宇宙)" which literally means "Bonsai Universe". Bonsai has been taken that it's something retired older men do as their hobby and that it's not so cool but rather boring. But oh the world of bonsai is so deep and more younger people are into it these days, bonsai is a true art!

Here is another book from the same author which I have. Aren't these tiny bonsais so cute!?
And the bottom images are from my favourite bonsai shop in Jiyugaoka called "shinajina". It's a small shop but their modern interior and the garden full of beautiful bonsai is truly wonderful!

Images are from Shinajina website.

Comments: 9