"Crickets are at the Door"
(Microseason 51)
As autumn deepens, this is the time of year when you might hear crickets chirping by your windows and doors. The way this microseason is worded makes it feel like a suspenseful horror movie building up to a climax in which the crickets have moved in from the fields and are now just outside your door. It's believed that this is, in fact, meant as a warning that winter is right around the corner. And although the old text reads kirigirisu ("grasshopper"), it's now believed to be referring to crickets. But the two are used interchangeably, especially by the poets.
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the spoon & tamago dispatch
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The Japan Pavilion
The 2025 World Expo in Osaka is just 6 months away. And as details are beginning to leak out, here are a few things we're excited about seeing at the host country's Japan Pavilion.
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12 Kanda
Meanwhile in Tokyo, this cool new co-working space opened. With 12 different shared services, it's aimed a supporting small teams from 1 to 20 by helping to bring down the cost of running a business.
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Small Disappointments
Lastly, we check out a pop-up exhibition in the outskirts of Tokyo featuring small disappointments like burnt toast and smushed onigiri, all rendered in plushies.
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tidbits from all corners of Japan
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Last weekend, competitive daydreamers gathered in Tokyo for the “2024 Space-out Competition.” Heart rates were checked and anyone who laughs, talks or dozes off was eliminated during the 90 min competition.
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Nobuyo Oyama, voice actor for Doraemon, passed away recently at the age of 90. Leaf kirie artist Lito carved this tribute to her.
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The Japanese Tradition of Candle-Making
Founded in 1914, Daiyo is a 4th generation family business of candlemakers who are based in Shiga prefecture.
All of Daiyo’s candles are made from hand by master craftsmen who source only the finest of natural materials. Because they’re virtually free of contaminants, the candles burn for almost twice as long compared to contemporary candles with almost no smoke or drippage. Unlike typical candles that are made from hydrocarbons (or fossil fuels), these are environmentally friendly and perfect for indoor use.
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