Dear Readers and Subscribers, Happy New Year, according to the western calendar. But according to the ancient Japanese calendar it's "Parsely Flourishes." This is the time of year when seri, a type of Japanese parsley also known as dropwort, can be found growing in the wild. It grows particularly well near cold water and is in season now through April. It's one of the seven spring herbs and is an ingredient that goes into seven-herb porridge, which is eaten on January 7th as a way to ease our belly from all the rich foods eaten over New Year's. | | (Do you want more seasonal events, recipes, poems and art in your inbox? Become a member!) | | the spoon & tamago dispatch | | The Year of the Rabbit Welcome to the frolicking year of the rabbit! We have a tradition here of admiring New Year's cards (nangajo) created by some of our favorite Japanese artists and designers. From anime and printmaking to minimal geometric and animated, enjoy all the different art styles of rabbits, mochi and moons.
Read more... | | | Himeji Castle's Message of Peace 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Himeji Castle's UNESCO heritage site status. The 400-year old castle is Japan's longest standing castle and the only reason it's remained unchanged is because it managed to avoid war. Read more... | | | Yashima's Mountaintop Pavilion If you're heading to the Setouchi art islands this year, do yourself a favor and stop by Mt. Yashima in Kagawa prefecture. Just a 15-minute drive from Takamatsu Port, which is the gateway to the many islands, the summit of Mt. Yashima now boasts a gorgeous, snaking, mountaintop pavilion that recently opened.
Read more... | | |  | | Did you know we have a membership program? For just $5 a month you get all of Japan's 72 microseasons in your inbox, discounts from our shop, other exclusive content all while supporting independent journalism! | | tidbits from all corners of Japan | |  | | At Kyoto's Shimogamo Shrine, a New Year's demonstration of kemari, an ancient game that was popular amongst members of the court during the Heian period (794–1185) |  | | The image here is titled "A Woman Making Seven-Herb Porridge" created in 1844 by Utagawa Kunisada III. The chopping of herbs on a chopping board, either on the evening of January 6 or the morning of January 7, even has its own name: nazuna-uchi (薺打ち). | | Cast-Iron Kettles for Cold Winter Mornings Simple yet modern, our Iwatemo cast-iron kettles boast an understated form that looks beautiful both when in use or on display.
The kettles are made from nanbu-tekki, a tradition that originated in Iwate prefecture and passed down for hundreds of years. Highly skilled artisans steeped in the tradition handcraft each kettle.
Water boiled in a nanbu-tekki kettle is smoother than ordinary boiled water, making it perfect not only tea or coffee but even sipping warm water. | | | | |
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