Wish you a very Happy New Year 2012:

Happy New Year to all and may 2012 bring you joy and peace.
Also, may 2012 be a safe year for you and your family.

We truly appreciate your great consideration for us.
And, we are looking forward to your continued support.

However, I had ‘Osechi’ that was Japaneses traditional food for New
Year’s with my family on New Year’s Day.

A lot of kinds of foods that have special meanings associated with good luck are filled in boxes.
The ‘Osechi’ that I got was from Oshima. I ordered it at Matsuya department store.

Oshima (Japanese)
Osechi (Wikipedia)
Matsuya-GINZA (Japanese)

Ohnuma Michiyuki pottery Exhibition

I visited the Ohnuma Michiyuki pottery Exhibition, now open at shima-shima-ya Tokyo in Shimokitazawa. Mr.Ohnuma is a ceramic artist from Iwate Prefecture.

Cute dot-patterned or deep green bowls are characteristic of his works. This time a very beautiful jet-black bowl that glimmered with gold here and there in the light was displayed as well.

Each of them were splendid blows and looked user-friendly.

Shimashimaya-Tokyo (Japanese)
Ohnuma Michiyuki (Japanese)

A Tea Pot from Ippodo

I got a tea pot for green tea from Ippodo.
Its beautiful tea pot which is made by hand individually.
Also, it is designed that we are able to make good tea.

However, the box is very wonderfully designed too.
It must be good for a gift.

Ippodo

The Sumida River Firework Festival

The Sumida River Firework Festival is a firework festival that is held every year on the last Saturday in July along the riverbed of the river Sumida.
Because of the earthquake disaster, this year the festival was held on August 27.

A total of 20,000 well designed fireworks lit up the night sky with bright colors.

There were a lot of girls wearing traditional costumes and they all looked very pretty.

The Sumida River Firework Festival - 隅田川花火大会
Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival　(wikipedia)

The Awa Odori Festival in Koenji

At the end of the summer, I went to the Awa Odori Festival held in Koenji.

The Awa Odori Festival originates from Tokushima and is one of the traditional dance festivals in Japan.

The Awa Odori Festival in Koenji is one of the three biggest dance festivals in Japan, and each year, approximately 10,000 people dancers gather together from all over the country.

Each region has its own individual characteristic in terms of dance style, musical instrument and costumes. It was really interesting to watch.

Tokyo Awa Odori Festival - 東京阿波踊り
Awa Dance Festival (wikipedia)

Kagurazaka-Festival:Hozuki-Fair

My friend and I went to the Hozuki-fair in Kagurazaka (Shinjuku).

Potted Hozuki were sold in the festival.
They were very lovely!

Also, a lot of stands were set up at the shopping street.
The smell from the stands made us very hungry.

Kagurazaka (Japanese)

Thank you!

Thank you all!! Thank you for worrying about us.
8tokyo members and our family are safe after a massive earthquake in Japan.
The aftershock continues now. However, we are safe.
It was so scary but we were lucky enough to be in a safe place.

We’ll continue posting “something sparkle in Tokyo”.
I believe that may be some help to remind happy smiles.

Thank you again & again!! ありがとう！
love xoxo

Osechi-ryori

In Japan, for New Year’s, it is customary to eat “Osechi-ryor” and “ozo-ni”.

This year, I also home made “Osechi-ryori”.

Among the dishes of “Osechi-ryori”, there are various meanings such as prayer for fortune and long life, but recently, it has been very popular to combine these standard dishes with other favorite dishes.

Osechi-ryori 2010
osechi (wikipedia)