October 2022

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It has been a long time since I baked bread and it came out soft and fluffy. Tadafusa's Bread Knife is very useful for cutting such bread without crushing it. The sharpness of the knife does not change even after many years.

Tadafusa's Bread Knife
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tadafusa/houchou.html

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[Living Fossil? Ginkgo]

I suddenly notice the fragrance of fragrant olives in the city and feel the arrival of autumn. And another thing is the ginkgo tree, which makes its presence known with its bright yellow leaves and unique fragrance at this time of the year. During the Jurassic period (about 150 million years ago), when there were still dinosaurs, many plants flourished on the earth, and the ginkgo tree is the only surviving plant from that period that survived the Ice Age. Darwin called the ginkgo a "living fossil" because all other plants are fossils.

Ginkgo has both male and female trees, and only the female trees bear fruit. Gingko nuts are highly nutritious and were used as a medicine in folk medicine in ancient times, and are said to be good for relieving fatigue and anorexia. However, eating too much can cause poisoning, so care should be taken not to eat too much. The trunk is also said to be suitable for cutting boards, one of the most popular materials. Ginkgo wood contains a moderate amount of oil and drains well, making it easy to dry, and its density is fine and smooth to the touch. Ginkgo wood has a good feel for knives, and its natural antibacterial properties make it resistant to mold and mildew.

Ginkgo wood has high resilience, and there is little difference in grain growth between summer and winter, so it is less prone to warping and other distortions, and the material is more uniform. The key to using a wooden cutting board comfortably for a long time is to wet it with water and wipe excess water with a cloth before use. By moistening the surface, a film of water is formed, which reduces the transfer of odors and vegetable pigmentation. The Ginza showroom is currently exhibiting "Tegakari" by Yoshita Handi-Design Studio, made of ginkgo wood.

Many ginkgo trees are planted along Japanese streets and in the precincts of shrines. Ginkgo leaves and trunks contain more water than other plants, which makes them less flammable and more resistant to fire. It is said that in the Edo period, ginkgo trees were planted in vacant lots for fire prevention to prevent the spread of fire. Ginkgo trees are also planted in the precincts of shrines, probably for fire prevention.

Ginkgo trees have a strong life force and can be found all over Japan. The season when you can enjoy the beautiful yellow leaves with your eyes is coming. In Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, not far from our Ginza Showroom, the "Earthquake Ginkgo" that survived the Great Kanto Earthquake still remains today.

Yoshita Handi-Design Studio's Tegakari
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yoshita/tegakari.html
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
Earthquake Disaster Ginkgo
https://visit-chiyoda.tokyo/app/spot/detail/700

References
https://www.yomeishu.co.jp/genkigenki/crudem/171027/index.html
https://foodslink.jp/syokuzaihyakka/syun/vegitable/ginnan.htm

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[Kimono in Japan]

Nowadays, there are fewer opportunities to wear kimonos, demand is low, and unfortunately, we have heard that there are colors that can no longer be produced and patterns that can no longer be made. Because of the damage and stains on the fabric, it is difficult to recycle and there is no place to store them, so every year countless kimonos filled with craftsmanship are losing their place.

Until around 1955, many people wore kimonos for everyday wear and washed them at home so that they could continue to wear them with care (kimono was untied, washed, glued, stretched on bamboo strips or stretched boards, dried, and sewn back into a kimono again). By doing so, the silk regained its luster, and depending on the pattern and weave, the front and back could be switched, or the reverse side could be reversed, so that the kimono could be worn carefully and for a long time. Also, when the pattern no longer matched the wearer's age, the pattern could be removed and re-dyed to the wearer's liking, or the lining visible from the sleeves or hem could be changed.

I myself collect such cherished kimonos, and I have been unraveling them to resize or remake them. When I was unraveling them, I found that yukata used for the practice of nichibu (traditional Japanese dance) had thread reinforcement on the sides to prevent tearing, names in katakana with simple embroidery, and kimonos worn by tomboyish children had reinforcement on the hem. And I can sense the abundant love that was put into these kimonos by the families, which makes us feel warm and fuzzy.

One customer who visited our Ginza showroom the other day told us that she sewed a duvet cover from a silk kimono she no longer wore, and it felt so good that her grandchildren who slept with it were overjoyed.

In the old days, old kimonos were remade into children's kimonos, and then into daily necessities such as cushions, kotatsu covers, geta (Japanese wooden clogs) coils, and dustcloths. The ashes from burning them at the end were used as a color stopper for dyes and as fertilizer.

These days, one can easily buy high-quality kimonos at antique markets and antique kimono exhibitions. Why not incorporate kimonos, which are full of not only craftsmanship but also wisdom and ingenuity for long-lasting use, into your daily wear and lifestyle?

Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html

Reference
https://www.atpress.ne.jp/news/311730
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ1V7JK2Q1FPLZB00M.html
http://blog.livedoor.jp/qmanews/archives/52275737.html
http://seikasya.town.seika.kyoto.jp/mingu/textbook/washing
https://www.muji.net/lab/clothes/110413.html