Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Modesty

 
 
 
 
A temple on a gloomy afternoon                  
 
 
 
     
 
 
Light and shade
arcs and straight lines
bare trees and evergreens.....
 
Being simple and quiet,
each element stands the others out.
 

 
 
 
Some say there are dexterous calculations in Japanse architecture.
However, I believe that this temple was built with Japanese virtue.
 
Modesty brings harmony. 
 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Kaishi

 
 
 
 
 
Kaishi, a small piece of Washi paper, is often used for serving sweets in Japan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
It adds contrast to a little scenery that beautiful Japanese sweets create.   
 
 
Also, Kaishi keeps serving plates clean. Usually, the guest who enjoyed the last piece of sweets folds the paper and takes it with him or her, so that the host won't be bothered by stains and crumbs. At the same time, the host can avoid making the guest hesitate to make a mess. How thoughtful! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kaishi looks lovely with both of Japanese and Western sweets. Above is a masterpiece my 10-year-old daughter fixed with Florian's GEL DE FRUITS, Muji's chocolate stars, and sugar-coated peanuts. It was a great opportunity for her to learn about Japanese culture and hospitality as she expressed her creativity. Needless to say, they tasted the best of ever!