Arteconciencias

Japan's ancient calendar of 72 seasons

No. 48 Wild Geese Return
This is the time of year when the geese and swallows switch places. The swallows fly south and the geese arrive from colder, northern regions and will remain until winter's end. The wind that blows during this time is sometimes called gan-watashi (or the goode-carrying wind, and conjures up images of a crisp Fall. In Sei Shonagon's The Pillow Book she writes about the graceful formations of geese, so small, so high in the sky.

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the spoon & tamago dispatch

150 Years of Trains

Did you know that this week is the 150th anniversary of Japan's very first train line? The first route opened on October 14, 1872 and connected what is current-day Shinbashi to Yokohama.

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Rivers of Pi

We stumbled across this insane work of art in Tokyo. Created by Tsuyoshi Hisakado, it's thousands of digits of pi that spiral outwards creating an undulating river that encompasses almost the entire wall of a gallery.

Daisugi

As we approach pruning season we're reminded of the intriguing 15th century Japanese horticulture technique called daisugi. The technique was developed in Kyoto as a means of solving a seedling shortage and was used to create a sustainable harvest of timber from a single tree.

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tidbits from all corners of Japan

At the NBA pre-games, held at the Saitama Arena last week, the courts were mopped by robots developed by Nissan.

After being washed away by a powerful storm, Naoshima had been pumpkin-less for a whole year until last week when Yayoi Kusama's iconic sculpture was finally replaced. Welcome back!

From the Shop

jewelry made by glass coffeeware artisans

We're giving our newsletter subscribers a first-look at our new collection of glass jewelry from Hario Lampwork Factory.

If you're a fan of coffee you might know Hario for their high-quality, heat-resistant glass coffee tools. But recognizing that their craft was being replaced by machines, Hario set up a jewelry studio to ensure that the art of glass-making was passed down from generation to generation.

(psst... our shop also has a brand new look. check it out!)