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Is Summer Ending Already? A Seasonal Nerikiri by the Rhine
It was still August, but the low Rhine and dry, curling leaves already looked like the beginning of autumn.
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It’s Waka-Ayu Season! A Cozy June Kimono Kai with Homemade Treats and Good Company
Handmade Food, Early Summer Wagashi, and a Warm Afternoon Together Thank you very much to everyone who joined our June Kimono Kai. This time, M-san kindly prepared delicious homemade kimbap for us. She woke up at 5:00 in the morning to make it, as Korean food takes a lot of time and care to prepare.…
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My Favorite Kimono Stores in Nagoya and Beyond
One question I get quite often is: “Where do you buy your kimono?” So I thought I would share some of my personal favorite places — both physical shops and online stores. Since we are based in Aichi when visiting Japan, most of my recommendations are around Nagoya. I still need to explore Osaka more…
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Ceremonial Grade Matcha — But Which Ceremony?
The other day, I overheard someone saying: “The matcha here is good because they use ceremonial grade.” And I remember thinking: Do people actually know what “ceremony” means in tea ceremony? In many cafés and online shops, “ceremonial grade matcha” has become a familiar phrase. But if you have ever joined a Japanese tea ceremony,…
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Seasonality in Japanese Tea Culture — Learning to Notice Small Changes
When people think about Japanese tea ceremony, they often imagine strict rules, formal movements, or beautifully arranged tea rooms. But one of the things that surprised me most when I began learning tea ceremony was something much quieter. It was the attention to the seasons. Not only in an obvious way, like cherry blossoms in…
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Matcha, Nerikiri, and a Quiet Afternoon in Neuss
Last Saturday, I welcomed a family of three from Brno, Czech Republic, to my small tatami room studio in Neuss. They were visiting the Düsseldorf area and were curious about Japanese culture, especially tea ceremony and matcha. Their daughter, who enjoys K-pop and Japanese culture, had never been to Japan before, so this became their…
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Kimono Tools That Made Dressing Easier for Me
Over time, there are certain kimono items that quietly become essentials.These are a few things I genuinely love using myself and keep recommending to others. 1. Kūshinsai — A New Kind of Mesh Obi Makura Recommended for hard and thick obi. I love this item so much that I own three versions: the N, DX,…