2013 the year of Snake, Eto (Chinese zodiac)

Do you know your own Eto (Chinese zodiac)?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey,  Rooster, Dog, Pig (or Boar in Japan)
This year is snake! It is my year!! :D
If you are born in … 1923, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
You are a snake too :)

Your own zodiac animal is your lucky charm, so you should have one of your animals!!
This page explain about the zodiac very very well.
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/12-zodiac.shtml 

< 2013 Year of Snake, Japanese talisman pottery bell >

 I got this lovely snake ornament from Japan and now it's available in my shop Zakka81!!
This ornamental talisman pottery bell has a "uchide no kozuchi"under the snake.
"Uchide no kozuchi" A small mallet.  It is said that one can attain anything if one shakes it saying whatever you want.　
Japanese folktail from "Issun boushi"  
(Wiki -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issun-b%C5%8Dshi )

 This double lucky charm ceramic bell surely bring good luck to you!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au
* Japanese online gift shop *

New products ☆ Handmade Soap by Mnaturalz

Maybe you already checked my shop for these beautiful handmade soaps from Mnaturalz.
I am a big fan of her soaps!!
It is No Preservatives, No Animal fats, All Natural Vegan Soap☆ 

<< Blue Polka Dots Soap >>

Have you ever used handmade soap before?? If not, you must try, at least once!! It will change your mind!
Your skin feel more soft after wash, gentle perfume from essential oils make you calm and relax.
And all unique Japanese ingredients has special beauty power! ;) 

<< Geisha (Powdered Japanese Nightingale Droppings) Facial Soap >>

Don't forget to use foaming net to wash your face :)
What? What is the foaming net?! Really?! Don't you know about it?? Oh so sorry for you! You've missed the important things in your life lol

<< Foaming net >>

The foaming net creates very thick creamy lathe with just tiny amount of soap (or your facial soap), also The net helps create tiny tiny bubbles so the foam is nice and thick. It helps get into your pores better & removes more dirt and makeup!! You can feel the different straightaway!

<< Yuzu Natural Exfoliating Facial Soap >>

 Only this month (January 2013), when you buy one of her soap from Zakka81, You will get one of this foaming net!!Why not to try now!

<< Love Hearts Soap >>

And we having a New Year Sale still now!!
EVERYTHING 30% OFF!!! (until Sunday14th Jan 2013)
Yes, including these beautiful soap as well :D
http://www.zakka81.com.au
= Online Japanese Gift shop =

Children's Day - Musya ningyo & Kabuto

 I wrote about Children's day last time, but let me explain again for new visitor's :)

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.

Today, I show you little bit about more "Musya ningyo"

Musha ningyo (武者人形：Warrior dolls) also called "Gogatsu ningyo" (五月人形：May doll).

A set of Armour, helmet and other things the samurai warrior of old carried during wartime are displayed.

Parents display the dolls wishing for their boys to grow into strong and powerful man like a samurai!!

But, whole "Musha ningyo" is pretty big, we just display samurai warrior helmet instead of whole doll these days.

Now, we have an another doll, called "Kintaro" , Kintarō is the childhood name of "Sakata no Kintoki" who was a hero in the Heian period. He having been famous for his strength when he was a child. It is said that Kintarō rode a bear, instead of a horse(!!) and played with animals in the mountains when he was a young boy. So, that's why we display "Kintaro" it represents strength and  healthy boy!

Why not make Samurai helmet by news paper?? 

Here is how... 

http://samuraikids.com.au/funstuff%20samurai%20hat.html

Don't forget to cut the news paper into the square!

I found a geeky one, it's Darth Vader Musha doll!!!!!! also Storm trooper!!!! OMG really?!

It's in Japanese, but you can buy these at here...

http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/musha_ningyou.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/index.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/S_trooper.html

I have small "Kintaro" decoration in my shop★

Kintaro and carp stream and origami helmet! All in one, very cute set!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1237&preview=true

Children's Day - Koi nobori

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.The Koi-nobori is a legend that carp swim up waterfalls and become dragons! This represents the successful career. That's why we put up Koi-nobori :)These days we don't have any big space to put up Koi-nobori, so we made a little one☆
The biggest koi-nobori(for home) around 10m long!! Wow... (size image bottom right)
I have brother but we didn't have koi-nobori. Our school put up the many big koi-nobori for all the kids :)Also many cake shops selling a koi-nobori cake♥ If you visit Japan now, you can see many kind of koi-nobori!!

Koi-nobori printed, decorative Japanese hand towel at Zakka81☆
http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1134

Japanese Valentine

I picked few of Japanese Valentine's day chocolates!
Do you know, in Japan is basically the day for women to give men chocolates or gifts. It's not fair?? Don't worry, we have a "White day" on March 14th, exactly one month after Valentine's Day, men who were lucky enough to receive gifts of chocolate have the chance to return the favor by giving the women who gave them gifts of some sweets or gifts, now this is little tricky, if you love her you HAVE TO buy her a more expensive gifts than what you got! Now it's fair enough !! lol

Delicate design!! yes, this is chocolate!!
Left : Matsue - Soft chocolate in Japanese sweets
Right : Beppin dou - Hana karuta (Japanese traditional card game)

Green tea chocolate...
Left : Daisan - Green tea cream chocolate
Right : Decadence du chocolat - Love kiss ♥ Surprise me Yes, something in this lip!

Beautiful ...
Left : Anniversaire omotesando - parterre au chocolat
Right : Chocolat boutique L'eclat - Planetary Chocolates

Sorry, all links is in Japanese.

Coming of Age Day

The second Monday of January (it was 9th on this year) is a big event for young Japanese!

=The girls from Japanese idol group "AKB48"=

All young adults who turned or will turn 20 between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current one and who maintain residency in the area are invited to attend. Government officials give speeches, and small presents are handed out to the newly recognized adults. So they can start drinking alcohol (officially), smoking (I mean cigaret) and they got the right to vote.

The ceremony is boring but some place like Urayasu (the place has Tokyo Disney Land) is a luck one!!See the Micky is coming for celebrate with them!!

Many women celebrate this day by wearing kimono with long sleeves that drape down, this kimono is for unmarried women, you can't wear this special long sleeves kimono once you get married. (You need to cut these long sleeves)

Boys wear kimono as well, but many boys are choose to wear a suit.

=men's kimono "Montsuki-hakama"=

I really want to wear these beautiful, gorgeous kimono once again!!

Bon festival

I'm not sure it's called festival or not.
From July 13th-15th or August 13th-15th, a series of events are conducted to receive and comfort the spirits of ancestors that are said to return homes at this time. In some areas, Bon festival is held for 4days to the 16th.

On the evening of the first day, a fire is lit by burning Ogara(stalk of hemp after removing its bark) at the entrance to homes so the spirits of ancestors don't lose their way.
And we make some figures of hoses or cows are made of veges (cucumber, eggplant) so the sprits of the deceased can ride them to return home!

*like this*

And last day of Bon, we make fire and send back them to that world. (what can I say, heaven?)
Some place has a big events. Like this photo. They are burning it in the mountain.

Tanabata (July 7th)- Japanese annual event

from Flickr : Yuma Sugawara

Tanabata (July 7th)

Tanabata is a star festival that occurs on July 7th.
It's based on the Chinese legend in which Altair and Vegan who are split apart on opposite side of the Milky way, are allowed to meet once a year on this night by the Emperor of the universe. So tonight is a very romantic day!

In old days, people prayed to become clever with their hands on this day. This custom remains today, but we are praying some other things. When I was a little girl I wished "become a millionaire" well still not! lol
Anyway, people write their wishes on strips of paper and hang them on branches of bamboo tree with other paper decorations.

from Flickr : shinobuxxx's

children's day

May 5 is Kodomono-hi (Children's day) a national holiday in Japan.
Families with young boys put up koinobori (carp streamers), in their yard and display dolls called Musha-ningyo, patterned after histrical warriors and heroes, to pray for success in life.

*koinobori*
As there is a legend that carp swim up waterfalls and become dragons.
So,parents fly koinobori to pray for their boy's success in life.

*Musha-ningyo*
Also called Gogatsu-ningyo. A set of armour, helmet and other things the Samurai of old carried during war time are displayed. Parents display this dolls for wishing their boys to glow into strong and poweful men.Now days we don't have a big space to display Musya-ningyo.
So, many families have just a helmet.

Hinamatsuri

＊Japanese Annual Event＊

"Hinamatsuri (Girl's Festival, Doll's Festival)" is held on March 3rd. This is a day to pray for young girl's growth and happiness. It is also called "Momo no sekku (Peach Festival)" because of the peach blossom season on the old lunar calendar. May 5th is "Kodomo no hi (Children's Day)," and this is so called "Boy's Festival." While Children's Day is a national holiday, Hinamatsuri is not.

Most families with girls display "hina-ningyo" (special dolls for Hinamatsuri) and dedicate peach blossoms to them. They are usually arranged on a five or seven-tiered stand covered with a red carpet. At the top are the Emperor and Empress. The next step contains three court ladies (sannin-kanjo), followed by five musicians (gonin-bayashi), two ministers (udaijin and sadaijin), and three servants ending the bottom row in a five-tiered display. There are also small pieces of furniture, small meal dishes, and other things.

Setsubun

Photo by yumiko tanaka (from Flickr)

=Japanese Annual Event=

As setsubun (pronounce sets boom) actually signifies the parting of the seasons,there are four setsubun in a year. The day before the beginning of spring, summer, autumn and winter.

3rd of Feb called Risshun, the first day of spring is considered especially important and various ritual are conducted.Photo by kasadera youjien (from Flickr)

On this day, people scatter soy beans inside and outside their home yelling "Out with the Demon!! In with the happiness!!" to drive away demon (evil of the year). At home, one of the family members (mostly father) takes the role of the demon to be driven away. Yes I used to threw the bean to the father, hehehe...

Photo by yocca (From Flockr)

Soy beans scattered on Setsubun are called Fukumame. As it was believed that one could keep off illness by eating Fukumame, it's the custom to eat the number of soy beans that corresponds to one's age plus one.