"chindōgu" 珍道具 : the Japanese art of creating gadgets that are not exactly useful, but are not exactly useless

 

Wonders  |  Japanese, vocab, art, gadgets, culture

The Perfect Ice Ball: Hand-sculpted

Takayuki Suzuki (a.k.a. "The Ice Man) applies the Japanese aesthetic—and tradition of "omotenashi"—to the classic ice ball

Wonders  |  Japanese, videos, art, artists, drink, sculpture, whisky/whiskey, Takayuki Suzuki

"It's like the Japanese with the garden.  Nature is doing all this stuff, and all they do is maybe take a branch and trim it, impose their will on it, and make it grow a certain way.  And they prune, and they keep certain things out.  But the plants are doing most of the work.  It's a two-way street–nature and man working together.  And in painting, the paint has got a texture and it sort of wants to be a certain way.  And a brush is so artificial, and it makes tiny little lines.  After you make a whole bunch of brush strokes, it's something else.  It's not the paint talking, it's too much of the person.  So you've gotta let accidents and strange things happen—let it work, so it's got an organic sort of quality."

— David Lynch

for Creatives  |  intuitive writing & pantsing, creative process, nature, Japanese, artist in the art, creating in the moment, painting, David Lynch

Taketsuru Pure Malt

Japanese whisky blend

Highly Recommended!  |  Japanese, drink, whisky/whiskey

The High Art of Recycling

the rolled paper sculptures of Chie Hitotsuyama

Wonders  |  Japanese, art, artists, sculpture, Chie Hitotsuyama

When Danbo's Left Alone...

Tokyo, Japan

Wonders  |  photography, Japanese, kawaii, Danbo, Japan

Life in Miniature

the artwork of Tatsuya Tanaka

Wonders  |  Japanese, art, artists, Tatsuya Tanaka, diorama

Balloon Animals as They Dream of Being

the balloon sculpting of Masayoshi Matsumoto

Wonders  |  Japanese, art, artists, sculpture, flora & fauna, Masayoshi Matsumoto

Hibiki 17 Years Old

Japanese whisky blend

Highly Recommended!  |  Japanese, drink, whisky/whiskey

Hibiki 12 Years Old

Japanese blend of Yamazaki & Hakushu malt whisky & Chita grain whisky, partly matured in plum liqueur barrels

Highly Recommended!  |  Japanese, drink, whisky/whiskey

Danbo Settles in with a Scary Movie

Osaka, Japan

Wonders  |  photography, Japanese, kawaii, Danbo, Japan

Japan

Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Highly Recommended!  |  books, Japanese, nonfiction, culture

Who is Danbo?

...a fictional cardboard box robot character from Kiyohiko Azuma's manga series Yotsuba&!

Wonders  |  Japanese, kawaii, Danbo, manga, Kiyohiko Azuma

"Tsukimi" 月見 : moon-viewing

Wonders  |  nature, photography, Japanese, vocab, ocean, moon, culture

Baby Danbo Goes Tree Climbing...

Tokyo, Japan

Wonders  |  photography, Japanese, kawaii, Danbo, Japan

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers

(written by Leonard Koren)

Highly Recommended!  |  books, wabi-sabi, Japanese, art, nonfiction, Leonard Koren, culture

Spring Snow

(written by Yukio Mishima)

Highly Recommended!  |  books, Japanese, romance, Yukio Mishima, historical, literary fiction

Wonders  |  Japanese, vocab, oishii, culture

Wonders  |  Japanese, kawaii, vocab, culture

Wonders  |  wabi-sabi, Japanese, vocab, culture