clear space
I found this shimekazari (Japanese New Year or shogatsu entrance decoration) in one of the cupboards today. A shimekazari is hung at the entrance door to keep bad spirits away and bring in luck for the coming year. It is put up a few days before New Year’s day and then removed about a week after. There are a lot of preparations for the New Year period that families do – it is the most important celebration in the Japanese calendar after all. Continue reading “memory archive – day 22”
This is a small kids drawing board which you get when you fly with ANA (All Nippon Airlines) and are travelling with young children. I think the ANA kids giveaways are very much appreciated by all parents during the flight – any extra five minutes of your child being occupied is a relief. Continue reading “memory archive – day 21”
There are small and big piles everywhere in my home. Mostly the piles consist of mail. I think, when asked, no one would admit he or she likes the act of filing. I always resented it, even more so since having moved to Japan three years ago. Continue reading “memory archive – day 19”
I recently went to the Yebisu International Festival for Arts & Alternative Visions (I know, a long name) which is currently taking place at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum in Ebisu, Tokyo. The festival featured a lot of video art, which I wasn’t expecting. Continue reading “memory archive – day 18”
Today’s item picked for disposal is a difficult one. It’s kanji flashcards I once made and it involved hours and hours of work. Continue reading “memory archive – day 16”
It is not the vase that I will dispose off today but the flowers. They’ve been in that vase for 2.5 months now and the ends are getting mouldy.
It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I started to care for flowers. I think it’s from that age onwards that receiving flowers as a gift becomes more and more common. And, before you know it, you’ve grown fond of the idea of displaying flowers in your home as a regular thing. Continue reading “memory archive – day 14”
Living in Tokyo as a mother of young children means that you are missing out on the nightlife that this city is famous for. Mostly, not completely though. Continue reading “memory archive – day 13.2”
For today’s second post I am keeping with the theme ‘sweets’. The picture shows a box of pineapple cakes. The cakes are from Taiwan and we got those as a gift. In Japan, and I believe also in other Asian countries, it is incredibly common to give and receive gift boxes like these. To say thank you for a favour, a job well-done, to bring back as a souvenir (‘omiyage’) when you’ve been travelling etc. Continue reading “memory archive – day 10.2”
There is a certain shelf in one of the kitchen cupboards that I am trying to ignore as much as possible. It’s the snack shelf and it is a complete mess. The reason for this are the piles of cheap sweets that occupy the shelf, burrowing most if not all of the more reasonable snacks. Continue reading “memory archive – day 10.1”
katazukete 