Japanese Maintenance Trains

this week's most popular posts and other tidbits from around Japan

"Swallows Return" (Microseason 13) It's the time of the year when swallows, which are a summer bird in Japan, begin to migrate back after spending the winter in more temperate Southeast Asia. Swallows have no interest in our crops, and instead feed on pests that do. It's for this reason that swallows have always been adored in Japan and their return often signaled the beginning of the farming season. (Do you want more seasonal events, recipes, poems and art in your inbox? Become a member!) the spoon & tamago dispatch Unsung Heroes This week we're revisiting the work of 77-year old artist Masami Onishi, who creates these ultra-realisitc drawings of Japanese maintenance trains. Most people have never even seen them before because they only operate at night. But they're the reason Japan has so few derailments. Read more... Cafe with a view (of trains) Speaking of trains...now that the weather is warming up, the Breeze Bird Cafe in Kamakura is the perfect spot to sip an ice coffee while watching the quaint Enoden trains go by. Read more... Noma Kyoto Lastly, we check out the interiors of Noma Kyoto. Last month, world-renowned chef René Redzepi shuttered his groundbreaking Denmark restaurant and relocated his 95-person staff to Kyoto for 3 months. Read more... Experience Japanese tea time at home with Sakuraco, a subscreiption snack box with an emphasis on the authentic tradition of tea and wagashi. (sponsor) tidbits from all corners of Japan We were saddened to learn that the kokeshi phone box, which stood as a symbol of Naruko-Onsen since the 70s, was permanently removed earlier this month. (admittedly, it was a little scary) In this colorized photo of Shibuya crossing taken in 1952, a few landmarks still exist today: the Hachiko statue can be seen in the bottom left and the Sanzenri Pharmacy is in the bottom right. From the Shop Transient Cherry Blossoms Just like the tea ceremony is meant to give meaning to seemingly unimportant moments, sola cubes capture individual moments and freeze them in time. Even though it's almost time to bid farewell to the transient cherry blossoms, our sakura sola cubes allow us to treasure these moments forever. view collection Copyright © 2023 Spoon & Tamago, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. Our mailing address is: Spoon & Tamago 253 Tompkins Ave Brooklyn, New York 11216 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.