Made in Japan

Actually, I wasn't quite interested in Japanese designs, especially old ones, before I moved to the U.S.
But as I visit American antique shops several times, I also got interested in Japanese antiques like old posters or some other ads.

I bought this book in the U.S., and it includes a lot of pop culture ephemera like perfume ads, art deco matchboxes, sumo cards and much more.

They are all rare ones even Japanese people have never seen.

It is interesting for us Japanese to see Japanese designs which are loved and chosen by non-Japanese people.

Two weeks have passed since I came back temprarily to Japan, and I have already found some nice Japanese old designs at used book stores and antique shops.
It is so fun to find hidden treasures!

Japanese cafe #2

It has been getting necessary for recent Japanese cafes to have something unique as well as to offer a delicious cup of coffee.
A lot of cafes have some space even if the size of the cafe is very small to show or sell something like stationery, tableware, antiques, books or clothes which match the concept and image of the cafe.
Generally, a large cafe is less popular than a small one in Japan, so the number of small cafes are increasing and the owners are trying to make their rooms unique and comfortable.

Triton cafe in Kobe is one example of recent cafes.
The space is not large nor small, and you can spend time comfortably either by yourself or with your friends.

Food and desserts are nice, and you can visit there only to see the shop without having coffee.
This kind of cafe+shop is growing in popularity.

Some cafes are selling tableware as well as offering food and coffee.

One example is "Cafe Tabatha" in Nishinomiya.
You can have lunch or cup of coffee on the second floor of this cafe, and also see and buy some tableware on the first floor.
Food and drink are served with the same tableware as ones in the shop, so you can buy your favorite tableware after using them.
Plus, you can learn how to arrange food on dish at this kind of cafe.

Incidentally, "Cafe Tabatha" is inside of the owner's home.
This picture is the owner's living room as well as the cafe.
This type of "Ouchi-cafe", which means home cafe, is also increasing recently.

Japanese cafe #1

I came back temporarily to Japan and will be staying here over a month.
One of my hobbies is visiting cafes and I am looking forward to finding some new cafes during this staying.

Thus, I would like to talk about Japanese cafes.

Cafes in Japan have continued to grow in both number and variety.
When I was a child, cafes were not common yet and a place that you could have a cup of coffee was only "kissaten", which is an old-fashioned coffee shop.
My image of kissaten was that most of customers were older men, it smelled tobacco smoke, and darkish.

However, kissaten began to decline and European/American style cafes started to appear in 1990s.
At the beginning of cafe boom, some famous French or Italian restaurants opened cafes as their sister shops, and many women visited there to have delectable desserts.

Cafes that produced by famous designers were in the news as well and they got popular among fashion-conscious people.

Plus, some major apparel companies began to have their own cafes inside or next to their shops and people were getting to feel familiar to cafes.

In addition, I believe that the existence of Starbucks greatly influenced Japanese cafe boom.

I think that Starbucks has made people feel much familiar to cafes.

With the growth of cafes, the role of desserts has changed as well.

It used to be a kind of special event for Japanese people to eat a cake, but it became a common as people, especially women, began to order desserts with a cup of coffee/tea at a cafe.

I think that cafe boom is related to the development of desserts industry in Japan.

Now, European/American style cafes have been popular in Japan.
On the other hand, cafes which are unique in their location, size, and style are becoming mainstream when we call "cafe" recently.

I think that their style is not European nor American but very Japanese one.

Also, targeted people have been changing due to the diversification of style of cafes.

I would like to introduce some current Japanese cafes on next some entries.

Arzberg "Tric" bowls

I don't know German tableware brands very well, but I like "Arzberg" and have many items of the manufacturer.

This colorful series is called "TRIC", and has various colors and items.
I bought them in Frankfurt and has been used them almost daily.

I like the series of "PROFI" of Arzberg as well, and they are also very useful.

Le Canard enchaine

I love newspapers, magazines and any other document written in alphabets very much.
Actually, I have a variety of newspapers at home because my friends sometimes bring back some newspapers for me when they go abroad and of course my husband and I can take some papers when we travel.
Though Japanese people have been familiar with alphabets and have been seeing and using them on a daily basis, I still feel that alphabets are cool.
I think that it is the same thing as some non-Japanese(or non-Chinese) people love Kanji characters.

Nevertheless, English is so familiar to me and I am more fascinated in languages other than English like French or Swedish.
I can't understand French at all, but one of my favorite newspapers is french one which name is "Le Canard enchaine".
I love the fonts used in it and this paper doesn't include photos, but only letters and illustrations.
The entire page is so lovely!
Also it doesn't use any other color besides black and red.

The paper browned by the sun looks nice as well!

Fire King restaurant ware mug

Fire King has been popular in Japan especially for these five years.
Almost all items are quite expensive if you buy Fire King in Japan and I can't afford to buy them.

Unfortunately, I don't think that the tableware I have in my place and Fire King go together very well, but I spotted this small mug at an antique shop in the U.S. and bought it because it was in a good condition and very cheap.
It had been used as restaurant ware and it is smaller than regular Fire King mugs.

My husband has been using it as a toothblush mug.
I have been looking for the same one in a good condition, but I haven't found yet.

Autumn Hydrangea

Japan is in the middle of rainy season right now and filled with blossoming hydrangeas.
I like hydrangea of this season, but especially, I love autumn hydrangea.

It fits antiques very well and I have enjoyed it as both fresh and dried flower.

Autumn hydrangea has less water than summer hydrangea and it is easier to dry it.

Sometimes I arrange fresh hydrangea and other flowers like this.
I often choose smoky colored flowers to arrange.

Toshiharu Yoshimura's tableware

I encountered his tableware when I visited a cafe in Kobe.
I ordered a Japanese tea and it was served by the cup which color is nice blue-gray.
The cafe also has a shop and I bought some of his work there.

These are milk pitchers and tea cups designed and fired by Toshiharu Yoshimura.
White ones are nice as well as blue-gray.
Each item has slightly different colors.

I often make a dessert and dish it out like this picture.

Antique French receipts

I love ephemera and sometimes get out to a flea market to find them when I travel to European countries.

These are antique receipts issued in 1920s & 30s in France.
I spotted them at the ephemera shop which offer antique buvards(=blotting papers: which used to be one of advertising media and designs are beautiful!), posters and some nice paper items.

I am fascinated in this kind of old paper which letters by hand, printed and typed are nicely combined.
Plus, old stamps have an interesting flavor as well as letters.

I have displayed them on my desk with some stationery.