June 2022

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[Origin of the Word "Tsuyu"]

June has brought rainy and cloudy days throughout the country. In Japan, this period of continuous rain is called the "tsuyu (plum rain)."

There are several theories as to the origin of the word, such as that it came to be called "tsuyu" because it falls around the time when the plum fruit ripens, or that it originally came to be called "moldy rain" because it rains during the period when mold tends to grow.

Both words originated in China and were read as "baiu." It is thought to have been introduced to Japan, and there are poems about the tsuyu in the Heian period poetry collection "Wakan Roei Shu," suggesting that it had already been introduced to Japan by this time.

At that time, however, the rainy season was more commonly referred to as "nagame (long rain)" or "samidare (May rain)."

In waka poetry, "nagame" is often combined with "view (nagame)," which means to ponder, as in Ono no Komachi's poem in the Hyakunin Isshu. In addition, although the term "samidare" may seem early in the rainy season, May here refers to the lunar calendar, which is now the month of June.

Later, the term "tsuyu" also became widespread, and the reading changed from "baiu" to what it is now. It is thought that the name "tsuyu" was coined around the Edo period, as the "Nihon Saijiki" compiled in the Edo period states, "This month's prolonged rainfall is called 'tsuyu'."

There are various theories as to the origin of the word "tsuyu," including that it is associated with "dew" falling on tree leaves, that it is named after the time of year when food tends to mold and rot, and that it is derived from "tsuyu," meaning the season when chestnut blossoms bloom and fall.

All of them are closely related to nature, and it can be seen that people have been closely observing the changing seasons brought about by nature.

References
http://yamatouta.asablo.jp/blog/2010/07/05/5201449
https://www.ebayama.jp/merumaga/20110601.html
http://samac.jp/search/poems_detail.php?id=9
https://tenki.jp/suppl/kashiwagi/2020/06/13/29854.html
http://www.asahi.com/special/kotoba/archive2015/danwa/2012060200001.html

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[Hakusan Porcelain's Yunomi Choko has been added]

Yunomi Choko is versatile enough to be used not only for tea, but also as a soba choko or a small bowl. The high quality of the white porcelain, which makes the most of the transparency of the Amakusa ceramic stone, is attractive.

Designed in 2002 by Mr. Yasuki Sakamoto of Hakusan Porcelain, who received direct instruction from Mr. Masahiro Mori. Winner of the 2008 Good Design Award.

Hakusan Porcelain's Yunomi Choko
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hakusan/yunomi.html

IMG_8968

[Postbox in Ginza]

Postboxes are now ubiquitous throughout Japan. So why is red the most common color for postboxes in Japan?

In some tourist areas, you can now see non-red postboxes to avoid spoiling the scenery. The postbox in front of the Ginza Post Office on the sidewalk in Chuo-dori, Ginza 2-chome, is gray. The postbox on Namiki-dori is green. The postbox next to Mitsukoshi is red. You can see postboxes in three colors just in Ginza.

The first postbox in Japan was created in 1871, when the postal system began. At first, it appears to have been a "black postbox" made of cedar board combined like a square postbox, with steel plates stretched over the corners and painted black. Black postboxes were used for about 30 years. In 1901, a red, conspicuous iron postbox was introduced on a trial basis because it was difficult to see at night due to inadequate street lighting and other improvements at the time, and for fireproofing reasons.

Do you remember the old days when red postboxes were round? They were round in shape so as not to obstruct the passage and not to hurt people if they bumped into each other. What a very kind reason. Later, as demand increased, it seems that the postbox was transformed into its current form in order to increase capacity and for convenience of loading and unloading.

Even the postboxes that are so familiar to us in our daily lives have such a history. It may be fun to walk slowly through the streets of Ginza and find three different colors of postboxes.

Ginza Showroom (Open from 12:00-18:00 on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday)
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html 

References
https://www.postalmuseum.jp/column/transition/post_10.html