"Kei" Truck Gardens

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

"Great Rains Sometimes Fall" (Microseason 36) This week is 大雨時行 (たいうときどきにふる), when heat gives way to torrential downpours and evening showers. This is the final microseason of the summer but that doesn't mean a reprieve from the heat quite yet. During this season, the rains that fall are typically short in duration and strong in intensity, with large raindrops giving trees and plants one final burst of lush energy while the winds seem to herald the coming of autumn. (Do you want more seasonal events, recipes, poems and art in your inbox? Become a member!) the spoon & tamago dispatch Hida Takayama Whiskey We begin our newsletter in Hida Takayama, where a unique initiative captured our curiosity. An abandoned elementary school has been refurbished and renovated into a whisky distillery. They also partnered with the local electric company to age their barrels inside the hollow cavity of the dam. Read more... Dream Home in Saiko We then move to Lake Saiko near Mt. Fuji to admire this home designed by architect Keiji Ashizawa. The house integrates landscape and living room through stepping stones that lead from the outside into the inside where a large camphor-wood tabletop evokes the majestic forest that surrounds the home. Read more... Kei-Truck Gardening And lastly, we revisit an article from the archives about "kei" truck gardens. We learned recently that these tiny trucks are becoming popular in the U.S. too. They truly are multi-functional! Read more... For just $5 per month, support independent publishing, and Japanese arts & crafts, by becoming a Spoon & Tamago member! tidbits from all corners of Japan The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival, held this weekend for the first time in 4 years, seen from Tokyo Sky Tree. An estimated 1 million people turned up for the event. Last week was the "Tenku-no-Fuyajou" (Lantern Castle in the Sky) festival held in Akita's Noshiro City. It was actually "forgotten" for over 100 years until this Meiji-era photo was unearthed. From the Shop Tenugui for the wall Good news for fans of our tenugui tea towels! We recently begun carrying these wooden hangars so that you can display your favorite designs on the wall. explore the tenugui 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.