May 2024

1

2

3

4

[Azmaya's Tetsubin is back in stock]

Mizusawa in Oshu City of Iwate Prefecture has been serving as a casting production center for about 900 years. The casting techniques, which are the core culture of the Oshu region, have been passed on to the next generation, and they continue to produce everyday items that are useful today.

The carefully-made tetsubin (iron kettles) is both functional and beautiful, and can be passed down from generation to generation if handled with care.

It is said that water boiled in an iron kettle tastes mellow and delicious. Further, when water comes into contact with the iron surface, ferric ions dissolve into it. Ferric ions are well absorbed by the body, and daily consumption of them enables the body to store iron naturally.

Azmaya's Tetsubin
https://www.shokunin.com/en/azmaya/tetsubin.html

S__33087519

S__33087520

[Long Lasting for 100 years! Kurikawa Shoten's Shibu Uchiwa]

The natural texture of this fan is as if it were a leaf or a feather. Just as natural forms never go out of style, these fans have an elegant austerity that seems to completely transcend the world's fads. The name "Shibu Uchiwa" does not mean "austere" (shibui in Japanese). "Shibu" is the "astringent" of persimmon tannin.

Kakishibu (persimmon tannin) is a Japanese all-purpose liquid made by grinding and fermenting astringent persimmons harvested while they are still green for more than a year. With its various effects such as insect repellency, antisepsis, waterproofing, deodorizing, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, it has supported people's lives in various scenes related to clothing, food, and housing since ancient times.

At Kurikawa Shoten, everything is done by hand, from splitting a bamboo tree into thin strips to make the bones, to applying Japanese paper to the paper, to applying persimmon tannin. The persimmon tannin is also made from persimmons that the staff picks from the mountains and lets sit for 3 to 5 years.

It is so simple that it blends easily with any patterned clothing and does not make a statement, but it has an eye-catching presence that can only be achieved by careful handwork. Kakishibu has an eye-catching presence, and when matched with a yukata (light cotton kimono), it is sure to enhance the beauty of the kimono.

Its unique shape is pleasing to the eye and soft, light, and comfortable in the hand. If used carefully, Shibu Uchiwa are said to last for as long as 100 years. How about using your favorite one this summer?

Kurikawa Shoten's Shibu Uchiwa
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kurikawa/