Mix and match

Japanese Kimono and Javanese Belt

wagashi wagashi

Lovely Sweets from Japan!

Tales of Genji

My Japanese friends got me these lovely chopsticks stands that feature the figures from the Tales of Genji.  They go so well with higashi.

dream of Yamagishi's book

Last night I dreamt that Yamagishi Ryoko published a new comic book with beautiful illustrations calling for 10000 yen!
The cover is a scene from Palace Under the Sea with beautiful green colour ocean.  I wish you will publish an illustration collection.

Yamagishi Ryoko's illustration

Prince of where the Sun Rises is a great story written and drawn by Yamagishi Ryoko.  She designed all the beautiful outfit of the main character.  This image is the Prince in a traditional Indian inspired costume, very close to the Indonesian outfit I am going to wear for ritual.   I

wish I can wear it as elegant as he did.

wagashi spring 2013

Beautiful ganache chocolate from La Chocolaterie.  I have passionfruit, matcha and sakura.  The fan is my own make featuring aristolochia grandiflora and other species.  The gold dust on it is real gold! 

Seadragon Obi finally finished

My Mom sowed this Obi together the way I wanted it.  It is going to be nice when I finally wear it in Java to visit Goa Langse in Parangtritis.  I will need to find a batik kain Panjeng to match the main colour of the Obi, soemthing in purple, peacock blue and maybe with some gold.  There maybe a little bit highlight of green but not big area as it is not allow to wear green at South Java Coast.

To celebrate Macaron Day

Here is my take to celebrate Macaron Day.  I got the beautiful bedsheet made by my Mom.  The fabric is from Japan.  You can see my family in the background!

Late Winter Wagashi

Plum Branches from Genji Kou Collection of wagashi made by Toraya, it is beautiful and artistic.  I think this year, I will ask them to make a tortoise and a snake Oshimono. 

new shirts made!

These are the new shirts made in HK by the studio of my Dad's friend who has a tailor firm.

The fabrics are from Kyoto by a designer firm called Koha.  Wisteria with butterflies and Chrysanthemum.  I will wear normal pants with the the shirts at the convention next year in Indonesia but with the wisteria translucent, I think a light batik will be fine but with more pastel colours.

wagashi winter

Here is another of Toraya's beautiful creation.  The Oak Tree from Genji Monogatari Incense collection.  This is wagashi at its fineness.

Wagashi Fall 2012 1st

The weather is definitely cooling down.  It is only 12 degrees in the early morning... noon is still climbing to about 20 degrees but cooler for sure and I am sad to announce that Summer is over!
Here is the beautiful wagashi from Toraya.  Oshimono called Fall Leaves Celebration from Genji Kou Collection.

Then there is Unpei from Yamamoto Wagashi of Kyoto, near Kiyomizudera.  This leaf like confection has an elegant taste and called Rakuraku.

Ghost Festival

Soon is ghost festival, the 14th day of the 7th month of the year is the opening of the gate of hell when hungry ghost came out and have to be appeased.
Here, I will post interesting candies that inspired or made for the festival.
First off is Rakugan for Obon in Japan.  Usually this is made into the shapes of lotus.  When I go to the chinese temple to worship Buddha, I brought along this candy.

Wisteria shirt design

I bought this cloth with wisteria patterns in Kyoto from Koha design.  Their concept is depicting Japanese plants using western art nouveau style.  The cloth is 100% cotton translucent.  I will ask the tailor in HK to cut it into a simple long sleeve shirt.

summer wagashi 8

This is the higashi collection from Oimatsu of Kyoto.  Sagano's Ten Views depicts the beautiful landscape sceneries near Sagano area of Kyoto.  The higashi is a Rakugan made with pure wasanbon sugar with a touch of matcha. 

summer wagashi 7

This is Genji Monogatari as theme in wagashi, on the story of one of the many female characters in the story, Ukifune.  Her tragic story is mirrored in this arrangment of higashi. 

Summer wagashi 6

Gold Fish and water are the themes for summer wagashi.  This is from Kanshundo of Kyoto. 

Summer Wagashi 5

Hydrangea is blooming now in my backyard.  It has been a bit late as it is almost July.  This year, the hydrangea is blue because these few years my Mom put some leftover milk or soya milk to the plant and also some crushed egg shell.  It used to be pink and purple but now the flowers are blue.  I like them blue. 

Summer Wagashi 4

Masune Wagashi on Sanjo of Kyoto was founded in 1946.  Shibo Ofune is a ginger taste senbei in the shape of a boat with a rice bundle shaped Rakugan.  The set is perfect to go with thick green tea for tea ceremony.

Summer Wagashi 3

Ayu, the fish is famous from the river of Kyoto.  In summer, Ayu as the theme of wagashi is popular in July.  First, I got marshmallow fishes.  It is beautifully coloured but a bit tasteless.