Our Most-Popular Posts of 2023

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

"The Elk Sheds Its Antlers" (Microseason 65) Female elk don't have antlers but males do, which they shed around this time of year. Of all the 72 microseasons, this is one of the more unusual ones because it discusses an animal not native to Japan. If you've ever been to Nara or Hokkaido you'll know that Japan has plenty of deer, but these shed their antlers in the spring. The elk referenced here are much larger, and are found in North America and the forests of Eurasia. One theory has it that the ancient poets imagined the Elk as an embodiment of a winter wonderland far, far away. (Do you want more seasonal events, recipes, poems and art in your inbox? Become a member!) spoon & tamago's most-popular posts of the year 3rd: Coffee & Art It's an annual tradition at casa Spoon & Tamago to reflect on the year that was by taking a look back at the posts that resonated the most with our readers. Coming in 3rd was an intersection of two of our favorite things, coffee and art: a roundup of our favorite museum cafes across Japan. Read more... 2nd: Artisanal Ghibli At the risk of spoiling our most-popular article, it was really interesting (and fulfilling) seeing which articles came in first and second. Both are similar in that they combine Japanese soft power with traditional craftsmanship, which is something we've always tried to highlight. With that said, our second most-popular article was Studio Ghibli's Totoro collectibles. Read more... 1st: Craft Pokemon Earlier this year, an exhibition opened in Kanazawa featuring over 20 artisans working across multiple disciplines and ranging in age from young to Living National Treasure. But rather than tea bowls and lacquerware, they had created unique interpretations of Pokemon. Admittedly, it initially sounded kitschy to us but after seeing the caliber of the work on display we immediately wrote a glowing review of the show, which become our most-popular article of the year. Read more... Thank you to everyone for subscribing and reading! You can check out our full list of top articles over on the blog. For just $5 per month, support independent publishing, and Japanese arts & crafts, by becoming a Spoon & Tamago member! tidbits from all corners of Japan A friend is coming to Japan in early 2024 and asked us for recommendations off the beaten path so we're sharing our admittedly weird list of things to do in Japan during the winter from big bowl ceremonies to ice snow marathons. We're heading into 2024 with the same energy as Louis Armstrong eating ramen in Tokyo circa 1953. Hope everyone has a tasty new year! From the Shop Bonus: Our Top 5 December/Christmas Gifts of 2023 These were our best-selling items in December! Hope everyone loved what they got! 5th: Papa's Maze 4th: Wooden Wristwatch Stand 3rd: Awaglass 2nd: Uenosuke/Shitanosuke (re-stocking in January!) 1st: Whale Butter Dish visit our shop 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.

“I had no idea he was coming. I was like, ‘This is the last song that I wanted to play’”: Joe Satriani recalls his first and only meeting with Eddie Van Halen – a surprise visit when he was tackling a tricky track in the studio

“Eric’s Les Paul gets stolen, and he knows I’ve got the other one. He starts calling me relentlessly. I charged him £200. It’s worth about two million now”: Andy Summers recalls selling Eric Clapton his Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst for a bargain price | “Whenever people visited my house and saw the guitar, their faces would light up”: Guitar gifted to Jason Becker by Eddie Van Halen sells for $110,000 at auction | “Bob Marley didn’t want to hear my jazz-rock… I had to start all over again. I needed to play slower and add more feeling. Once I did, he told me, ‘That’s it, man!’” Al Anderson opens up on his tumultuous time with a reggae icon Created for sauuuuul.peliculas@blogger.com |  Web Version December 22, 2023 CONNECT WITH THE PICK       Handpicked stories from the world of guitar SIGN UP ⋅   SHARE ADVERTISEMENT Top Stories "I had no idea he was coming. I was like, 'This is the last song that I wanted to play'": Joe Satriani recalls his first and only meeting with Eddie Van Halen – a surprise visit when he was tackling a tricky track in the studio Satch was busy piecing together The Extremist and laboring over the jangly, 12-string sounds of a challenging song – then Eddie Van Halen walked in "Eric's Les Paul gets stolen, and he knows I've got the other one. He starts calling me relentlessly. I charged him £200. It's worth about two million now": Andy Summers recalls selling Eric Clapton his Gibson Les Paul 'Burst for a bargain price After Slowhand's legendary Beano 'Burst was stolen in '66, Summers reluctantly sold his own Les Paul to the bluesman for a measly £200 "Whenever people visited my house and saw the guitar, their faces would light up": Guitar gifted to Jason Becker by Eddie Van Halen sells for $110,000 at auction Becker was happy to part ways with the instrument to pay for his ongoing ALS care and hopes it goes to someone who will "love and appreciate it as much as I do" 🎸FREE Trial: 80,000+ Guitar Lessons! Join TrueFire for free and enjoy a free trial of All Access to the world's most comprehensive library of online guitar instruction. No credit card required. Join Now ADVERTISEMENT Features "Bob Marley didn't want to hear my jazz-rock… I had to start all over again. I needed to play slower and add more feeling. Once I did, he told me, 'That's it, man!'" Al Anderson opens up on his tumultuous time with a reggae icon From No Woman, No Cry to Natty Dread and Revolution, every Bob Marley and The Wailers track Al Anderson played on was a hit – but he lived through broken promises, bad vibes from his replacement and sleeping rough on a mosquito-ridden beach to make it "At four in the morning, I got a call from David Bowie. He said they needed a guitar player for Iggy Pop's album": As right-hand man for everyone from Mark Knopfler to Eric Clapton, 'Session Man' Phil Palmer more than earned his nickname Armed with a Nocaster given to him by his uncle, the Kinks' Dave Davies, Palmer became a go-to guitarist for some of music's biggest names, landing an official role in Dire Straits – and narrowly missing out on playing Clapton's MTV Unplugged set 🔥 Join TrueFire for FREE! Enjoy a free trial of All Access to 80,000+ guitar lessons from the best artists & educators in the world. No credit card required. Join Now ADVERTISEMENT From Guitar Player "I took a screwdriver and stuck it under the strings at the nut…" Gary Rossington on how he came up with his sound on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington died in March, 2023. Back in 1999, he told us the weird trick he used for the slide part on Freebird… "I did just build a Chena with World War II fighter planes on it for a guy": With celebrity fans including Billy Morrison and Steve Stevens, luxury guitar maker Joe Knaggs sets his sights on five-string perfection Joe Knaggs started at PRS guitars before forming his own company. Their goal? To make high-end instruments that "ignite the senses and summon the muse". Discover his unique take on guitar design and plans for the future Buyer's Guides Best combo amps 2023: Our choice of the best all-in-one combo amps for every budget The ultimate tube, solid state and digital combo amps for every genre, from Motown to metal and everything in between Full Story: Guitar World (11/2)  Lessons "When I listened to Danny Gatton's mind-boggling licks, I realized that they depended on a different technique. It just wasn't possible to flatpick most of them": Josh Smith presents a crash course in hybrid picking and fast-paced jump blues soloing Smith's guide to modern blues soloing takes things up a notch, analyzing the blistering technique of jump blues god Danny Gatton Reviews ThorpyFX ER-2 Uni-Vibe review – the new standard for modern Uni-Vibe pedals? Over five decades since Jimi Hendrix famously used one at Woodstock, ThorpyFX creates its dream Uni-Vibe LEARN MORE ABOUT The Pick: Guitar World  |    Guitar Player  |    Guitarist Total Guitar  |    Bass Player  |    Guitar Techniques Sign Up  |    Update Profile  |    Unsubscribe Privacy Policy  |    Cookies Policy  |    Terms and Conditions CONTACT US: FEEDBACK  |    ADVERTISE Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036