The Japaneses Shichigosan festival celebrates children who are 7,5, and 3. The word, Shichigosan is literally a combination of three numbers in Japanese; shichi is seven, go is five and san is three. This makes it pretty easy to remember what this festival is about! The Shichigosan festival, thought to be over 400 years old, is …
Shichigosan: The Japanese Festival for 7, 5, and 3 Year Olds Read More »
Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, has a 600 year history. It began when the practice of offering small flower arrangements to Buddhist shrines were taken out of the religious context. It originally developed as an art to enjoy nature, bringing flowers into the Japanese home. Today, in this age of information technology, ikebana …
Sogetsu Ikebana and the Fundamental Energy of Plants Read More »
Water surrounds our life. It occupies 71% of the earth. On average, it composes 65% of our bodies. Without water, no life can exist. In the Chinese classic, The Tao De Ching, water is a metaphor for the Tao. Water is good at benefiting all things but does not complete with them. There is no …
Green tea is regarded by many nutrition experts as one of the items on any top 10 list of super foods in terms of antioxidant quantity, health benefits or weight loss. In particular is the green tea powder called Matcha – which is made from stone ground natural green tea leaves grown in Japan. But …
9 Reasons to Drink Matcha Green Tea to Kick Start Your Healthy Lifestyle Read More »
This is a guest post on Asian Design Influence. Casinos have always been known for their extravagance. From the majestic Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco to the centuries-old Hippodrome Casino in London, many casinos are feats of architectural marvel. And inside these casinos, we see beautiful room and magnificent décor fit for a king. …
Wishing everyone a very Happy and Healthy 2015! Selling our home in July was a big move for our family. We are still in a small apartment and I just couldn’t get myself into the holiday mood. One thing I learned being in a small apartment is that if you buy anything for your home, it becomes crowded and …
I love to share art and culture from Asia. This is a guest post by Amandine Dowle on Korean Crafts exhibited in Milan. Aren’t they beautiful? I’d love to have one of those meditation bowls in my home! I wonder what they would sound like…. After the success of the exhibition devoted to Korean crafts …
Seattle’s Sister City in Japan is Kobe, the capital of Hyogo Prefecture. To deepen the relationship between the two cities, they often have cultural exchanges. This fall, the Hyogo Japanese Tea Ceremony group visited Seattle to increase cultural awareness. It consisted of a group of young women who are learning tea ceremony accompanied by their adult mentors. …
How One Tea Ceremony Taught Me So Much About Appreciation Read More »
Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, is now quite well-known in most parts of the world. I have been a student of ikebana, off and on for over a decade. At first, I decided to take lessons as a way to add a few flowers in our home. Flowers in the home always make me smile as …
Every year, the color industry expert, Pantone, announces a new Color of the Year. This year’s 2014 color is Radiant Orchid. As the name suggests, it’s a radiant shade of lavender. Creating trends are the brain child of marketers, who find a way to make everyone feel they have to stay up to date …
The Japanese Tradition of How to Work with Neutrals and Color Trends Read More »
Japanese are known for their longevity. The average life expectancy for Japanese males is 82 while for females it’s 87 years old. I’m very fortunate that my parents have reached this average. In fact, my Dad has passed it by ten years! Living a long life is a gift. But, I think most of us will …
As I love and appreciate Japanese Design, this a book review. Japanese Design – Art, Aesthetics & Culture by Patricia J. Graham Japanese design and sensibility is complex and difficult for many to grasp. Yet, the book Japanese Design — Art, Aesthetics & Culture by Patricia J. Graham has managed to capture the essence of …
Japanese Design – Art, Aesthetics & Culture by Patricia J Graham – Book Review Read More »
Today I heard that a friend of mine is going to be a new grandparent! How exciting to welcome new life into this world! It just seems like yesterday when my husband and I were going to be new parents. With each birth, I experienced excitement and anxiety combined with the physical discomforts of pregnancy. Welcoming our little babies …
How Do We Teach Asian Respect to Children in Today’s World Read More »
I am all for education and as an enthusiast for Asian culture, I truly believe that learning a language also allows one to get a better understanding of a culture. For all of you who have thought about learning Japanese kanji, but never got around to it or thought it was too difficult, have a …
Mobile Game for Learning Japanese Kanji – Kanjilicious on Kickstarter Read More »
As a student of Master Hsu, I’ve come to appreciate Asian philosophy more and more. It has become part of my lifestyle. It affects how I think, live, and feel. In his teachings Dr. Hsu always tells me, “nature has all the answers.” Well, okay, I understood the words, but it didn’t really mean much. …
Hope you all had a Happy Easter! Although, I am not a practicing Christian any longer, I do love the symbolism and traditions of all cultures. Traditionally, eggs are a symbol of birth, new beginnings, and fertility. Today, my dear Ukrainian friend Taras, sent me their beautifully decorated Easter Eggs. They are absolutely gorgeous and …
