A leisurely walk past the Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所) inside the Kyoto Gyoen.

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Wonderful colors in rich kimono material for your iPad

I visited Kyoto recently and dropped in on Kyokaori Company where they have been very creative and turned some kimono obi’s into brilliantly colorful and unique iPad Cases. Imagine turning up to a meeting with your iPad dressed in a kimono. You would be sure to attract a lot of attention.

Whilst there are plenty of reds, I really liked the contrast of the black coming through.

One of the more subtle patterns

This photo was from an article carried in the Japan Times a few weeks ago, which discussed the concept and also shows a photo of Tomita-san, from Kyokaori Co.

Japan Times article about Kimono iPad Case

So many great designs mixed in with rich colors. How do you choose?

The stock for these iPad cases is currently limited as the material is made from the Obi of Maiko, apprentice geisha. As you might guess the patterns for males are almost sold out since the Obi of Maiko are worn by females. Most of the patterns for the cases are typical classical Japanese such as Chrysanthemum (菊)、bamboo (たけ)、cherry blossom (さくら)　and　butterflies (蝶), which are all worn by females.

This black based pattern looks good too

Bright reds for the girls maybe

What do you think of the green and lavendar colors on the right with a background of black?

These are premium products for those who want to dress their iPad up. Prices start at just under 10,000 Yen (roughly US$85), and go up to around 20,000 Yen (roughly US$170) for some of the more expensive kimono material. The cloth is very durable and strong. Apart from just having a good looking and unusual iPad case, you will also have a part of Japanese traditional culture which has a unique history of its own passed down from the Maiko wearer of the Kimono prior to it becoming an iPad case. Unique indeed.

Shipping overseas can be arranged for whatever the extra is for postage to your area.

One of the great display Kimonos I was taking a closer look at. This would be wonderful to wear to a formal occasion !!

Taking a look at some more display Kimonos

The Kyokaori Office in Kyoto

Further Information
If you are interested I will be helping Kyokaori Co. to promote the cases and help spread the word about great Japanese innovation in the textile industry, particularly from Kyoto. They have some great ideas in addition to the Kimono iPad Case and are a source for blending traditional Japan with the modern world.

Sizes of cases are available to fit various the various iPad models. Cases for iPad3 will be organized very shortly.

You can drop me a line at blog@shibuya246.com if you want more information or leave a comment on this post.

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Agon Shu's Hoshi Matsuri webpage - link below

The Hoshi Matsuri is a festival that looks to the ‘the star of destiny’, the star that is said to determine a persons happiness and misfortunes. Fortune telling by the Agon Buddhist astrology gos back a long way and is called ‘Mikkyo Senseijyutsu’.

As well as reading into a persons fortune, the Hoshi Matsuri Goma-kuyo festival (fire rites ceremony) is supposed to help in changing a persons luck and bringing good fortune. This is the part which is widely shown on television with huge fires burning in the center in to which are thrown the gomagi.

More details on the gomagi for bringing good luck (from the official site)

The timing for this festival is setsubun for the New Year.

I may try and attend next year and take some photos.

Official home page for the Hoshi Matsuri

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Keeping warm inside with my Fukujuen green tea and a dorayaki

The month of February used to be called Kisaragi in Japan. February was the second month of winter under the lunar calendar, which Japan used before the Heian Period. Under this calendar, Winter was the period from January to end of March, and Spring covered the three months starting from April.

The kanji for Kisaragi is written either 如月 or 衣更着, the latter meaning, literally, to wear more clothes. February is a cold month in Japan, where you can expect the wind to whip your face and make your cheeks red. The sky can be blue and the sun shining, but it still be cold outside.

It looks warm enough, but that wind is cold

The old classification of winter being January to March seems more natural when living in Japan. It certainly does not feel like Spring is here whilst the cold weather is just settling in.

February 3 marks the setsubun, changing of the season, moving on to Spring. This change was said to bring out the devils and so festivals and practices for driving out the devil forces came to be popular. The throwing of beans, mamemaki (まめまき) to ward off the devil is one of the popular customs still in practice at this time of the year.

At the nursery schools, teachers dress up as devils (鬼)　and visit the kids every year. The 鬼 say to the children, ‘if you are bad, we will take you to the mountains and eat you!”, at which the kids become worried and throw out the beans to fight the devils off.

The red devil dorayaki

Will you be throwing the beans out and chasing the devils away this year?

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It is very cold in Japan at the moment with snow falling heavily in many parts of the country. Back in summer when I visited Arashiyama, it was all blue skies and warm weather.

Visiting the gardens and Temples of Japan, the strong colors seem to be blue for the sky, green for the trees, some white/gray balance for the stone and the red used for many wooden building structures. The mix of this red,green and blue always make for a nice contrast.

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Ryomaden

I watched the NHK drama series, Ryomaden 龍馬伝, in 2010 and also the Jin drama on TBS last year, which both focused on the story of Sakamoto Ryoma, 坂本龍馬. I bought the DVD set for the first series of Ryomaden to watch it again. It is a great story and well told with Fukuyama Masaharu playing the part of Ryoma. It provides much to think about, not just in history, but in modern day life.

Ryoma was born in Kochi from the Tosa-han, which is now Kochi-ken, Shikoku. He traveled to Edo (Tokyo) and saw first hand the Black Ships (kuro-fune) arrive from America with Commodore Perry. These “visits” by Perry led to the opening up of Japan to the West, pulling them out of their national isolation policy.

Ryoma became involved with the various factions for and against this change in Japan and became a leader of the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. He greatly assisted with bringing about the Meiji Restoration.

Ryoma was a true visionary, seeing a world of the future where others were arguing over the past. He looked overseas, particularly the US, for inspiration on breaking down class barriers and united the country as one. Although a Samurai, he was eager to see Japan modernize to compete on the world stage.

Statute of Sakamoto Ryoma looking out over ocean at Katsurahama Beach, Kochi

Sakamoto Ryoma is often depicted in a light-hearted manner, and his character appears to be more of a peacemaker than a fighter. He was well known for retaining Samurai clothing, yet wearing western footwear, in his own version of modernizing without comprising on history and culture.

His legacy is one that is much more important than this possibly romanticized character, a unified Japan that accepted the need to modernize to meet the challenges of the global world, whilst at the same time retaining the important cultural values of Japan. A nation that could rise and stand with other nations rather than just accept domination from a superior force.

Katsuurahama beach, Kochi

If you could look back and see Japan now, Ryoma, what would you be thinking? We have made some good progress since the Meiji Restoration and the opening of the country, but have we lost our way? Japan has been struggling with its economy for many years now. Leadership of the country appears to change from one person to another without any real purpose of direction. Infighting between parties is as strong as ever.

What would Ryoma think? What would Ryoma’s course of action be?

This is the opening sound track from Ryomaden. I couldn’t find a version with the actual opening scenes. My guess is NHK is guarding the copyright tightly.

Thank you, Ryoma

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Shibuya 109

It is always quiet in Tokyo on New Year Day. Here is a scene in Shibuya with a lot less people than normal. It’s really nice on the streets with so few people. Like a scene from a movie.

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This display for Hina Matsuri costs over $1,000

Hina Matsuri, Girls Days is coming up soon (March 3) and the displays are out in the department store encouraging parents or grandparents to buy.

So many displays to choose from

Stylish sets

A little bit of chirimen as well

Dolls dolls dolls

Plenty of choice here. Maybe you might need to take a catalog home and think about it.

Pretty in pink

Do you have your own Hina Matsuri display at home?

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Meiji Jingu

Happy New Year to everyone. I had a quiet night for New Years Eve, watching Kouhaku on the TV and then a quick walk in the local area after midnight, visiting a Jinja in Ebisu.

Today I had a walk out to Meiji Jingu and then back down through Shibuya.

I hope 2011 is a happy year for you all.

Shibuya

Busy in Harajuku today

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Japanese Origami

Sometimes the simple things are the best. These 2 origami cranes I captured a while ago whilst staying in Kyoto always make me smile when I look at them.

What is your favorite origami?

Origami on wikipedia

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Hinamatsuri Cake

Saw this delicious looking Hina Matsuri cake for sale at Buzzsearch Shinagawa. The price was Yen 1,680. What a wonderful day to celebrate the upcoming Dolls Festival on March 3rd.

What plans do you have for celebrating Hina Matsuri?

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A closeup of the Hina Ningyo display at Ryogoku Station.

I was at Ryogoku Station, where the Sumo is held in Tokyo, to visit the offices of a friendly bear company yesterday, and on the way back spotted this display of Hina Ningyo that had been set up by the Ryogoku Station staff.

There is a great write up of the Hina Ningyo matsuri and its traditions at kidswebJapan.

March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival or Girls’ Festival), when people pray for the happiness and healthy growth of girls. Families with young daughters mark this day by setting up a display of dolls inside the house. The dolls wear costumes of the imperial court during the Heian period (794-1192) and are placed on a tiered platform covered with red felt. The top tier is reserved for the emperor and the empress.

Taking a look at a few of the dolls in the middle tier.

The JR staff at Ryogoku station had put together a display of Hina Ningyo dolls for all to see.

Passing through the walkway to the platform stairs at Ryogoku station.

As you approach the display, the red color really starts to get bright. The lighting coming from above creates a warm effect where normally it would be cold concrete.

This platform is not normally used so it was a great location to set the Hina Ningyo dolls out.

I don't normally change the color of photos after I have taken them, but decided this might be a good one to try some experimentation with. The red in the center contrasts so well with the black and white off to the sides.

Decided to try out some black and white here as well.

After the Hina matusri, kodomo no hi (Boy’s Day) will also be coming up where the koinobori (carp) will be flying in front of people’s houses.

Do you display any special types of dolls, flags or other items for holidays celebrating children in your country?

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