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| "Happier Times": junk mail collage. |
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( some eye candy from Japan?)
"Peak Persimmon Drying Season Drapes Orange Curtains"
It’s peak persimmon drying season in Japan right recently.
And for Wakayama prefecture, a major producer of persimmons, that means that roughly 70 farmers throughout the town of Katsuragi transform their farms into what is reminiscent of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates, a 2005 art installation of orange curtains hung through New York’s Central Park.
The reason early November is peak persimmon drying season
is because dried persimmons (hoshigaki) are a traditional food
that plays a central role in kagamimochi, a New Year’s decoration found in households across Japan. Kagamimochi is assembled by placing white mochi at the base. Next, dried skewered persimmons and, on top, a daidai orange. This structure is said to represent the Imperial Regalia of Japan: the mirror is the mochi, the jewel is the orange and the sword is the skewered persimmons.
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| a traditional year-end kagamimochi decoration (photo by makie sonoyama) |
The dried persimmons is arranged on a skewer in a particular way.
A total of 10 of them are skewered with 6 in the middle and
2 on each side. This is important because, as in many cases, the Japanese love wordplay. Two (niko) on each end = smiles (niko niko) on the outside. Six (mutsu) in the middle = harmony (mutsumajiku) on the inside.
Persimmons are a special year-end for a number of reasons.
For one thing, they represent a good harvest, and allow the opportunity to be thankful for that. The persimmon tree is also a very long-living tree, hence symbolizing longevity. And lastly, persimmon (柿)
can also be written as 嘉来, meaning ‘happiness to come’.
More wordplay.
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| Nova, age 11. |
Helmeted Guineafowl
Wednesday's Smiles ...
How nice to see you together with Nova and her birthday gift. She is such a lovely young lady. I think she enjoyed getting your gift and the good wishes.
ReplyDeleteYes, Love is the loving child. She and her sister Noel (13) have great parents.
DeleteI forgot to add my name to my comment. It showed up as anonymous. What a beautiful and special gift you made for our Nova. I know that she will cherish it always.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Kay! Nova is such a wonderful young lady and it was my pleasure to do it. She hugged it for the longest time. I will try to be on the ball before Noel's birthday next time. They are growing up so fast and I know they love being with you.
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