Furin – Japanese wind-chimes

Japanese wind chimes are a seasonal tradition, typical of Japanese summers. They are small bells made of for instance glass. Then it is called an Edo Furin. In the middle of the bell hangs a clapper with a piece of paper attached. The paper catches the wind, the clapper touches the wind chime and it chimes. The Edo Furin is colourfully painted, representing the feeling of coolness, although it looks more like fireworks. The clinking sound reminds us of the sounds of nature. As with so many things, the origin of the furin is said to be the Chinese futaku, which arrived with Buddhism. The futaku were hung at temples and those who could hear the sound were believed to be protected from misfortune. The wind-chime represented good luck.
Hope you´ll all have a wonderful weekend, preferably without rain (here it´s pouring down again, showers though so not necessarily steady rain)!

Buckets of Rain

11.48 am Tuesday

30 minutes later, sunshine:  Suspiciously lavender coloured skies, more rain? 
Voilà, this is Tokyo rainy season. Take care in the heat and hope you´re all staying dry!

Trevlig midsommar!

No, not Midsomer as in Midsomer Murders but Midsommar, an important and uniquely Swedish holiday, centered upon the summer solstice. This is the day when the majstång (maypole) is being covered in greens and flowers. Then raised for people, sometimes dressed in traditional costume, to dance around while traditional folk music is being played. People often come together for a summery meal including, among many other dishes, the first fresh potatoes and strawberries. I am celebrating with a mini maypole, a glass of bubbly and Ladurée´s Ispahan, a large rose macaron with rosewater cream, raspberries and not to forget, lychees.

Hope the weather smiles at you today and that you all enjoy! Trevlig midsommar!

Off with their heads!

You might recognize the quote uttered by the Queen of Hearts throughout Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland. According to The Guardian (June 12, 2014), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has slammed the weather service for inaccurate forecasts. “There are many incorrect forecasts as the meteorological observation has not been put on a modern and scientific basis,” Kim said, urging the agency to fundamentally improve its work and equipment”, according to the Guardian.
For today, the Tokyo weather forecast was predicted as sunny and 30 degrees, which was later changed to cloudy. However, as weather is slightly unpredictable during the rainy season this is how it turned out: early morning – sunshine and fairly blue skies, closer to midday – thunder and heavy rainfall, afternoon – back to some sunshine, at least this very moment.

Hope you´ll all have a great weekend!

Rainy Season

Usually, the rainy season in Tokyo lasts from the beginning of June to mid-July. A true sign that  the tsuyu or baiyo meaning plum rain, has started is not only the rain but also the symbol of the rainy season the ajisai, the hydrangea, a beauty you´ll find in abundance. The hydrangea comes in a variety of  colours depending on the soil.

Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition

Yesterday it was pouring down in Tokyo, and it does todays as well. It seems from the weather forecast that we´re in for precipitation for another couple of days so the weekend will be enjoyed indoors.
It always amazes me how the camera manages to almost zoom out the rain as if it doesn´t exist. Yesterday afternoon was spent at Takashimaya, Shinjuku, where Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition just opened. It is presented from June 5th to June 10th 2014 and comes in two parts, part I (June 5-7) and part II (June 8-10).

Hope you´ll enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!
Big floor arrangement by Iemoto – Headmaster of the Sogetsu School, Akane Teshigahara. Arrangement by Master Instructor Koka Fukushima. Arrangement by Master Instructor Yoka Hosono.

Inspirational Tuesday

This is a lovely season. RHS Chelsea Flower Show has come to an end and we might feel inspired. Don´t forget to enjoy the abundance of  fresh flowers, play around with the material and remember, if design A doesn´t work out, the alphabet has 25 more letters!
がんばって!