Category Archives: fun links

Fun Link Friday: Bamboo Art of Tanabe Chikuunsai IV

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Paula

Every now and then the internet recirculates something super cool from several years ago that didn’t make it onto my radar but is perfect for a Fun Link Friday! This week I’ve come across Tanabe Chikuunsai IV, a Japanese artist … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Kimono Craft Past & Present

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Paula

Without a doubt, one of Japan’s most iconic symbols is the kimono. A recent Atlas Obscura article highlighted Chiso, one particular kimono-producing company in Kyoto that has purportedly been in business since 1555. Dedicated to hand-crafted, artisanal details, Chiso’s workshop only … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Snow Monkey Relaxation

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Paula

Are you feeling the weight of winter? Wishing there was a way to relax a bit and just hang? While many of us can’t travel to Japan right now, we can still appreciate those who are coping better with winter … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Contemporary Ukiyo-e in Airbrush

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Paula

Here at Shinpai Deshou we’re no stranger to fun ukiyo-e-related news, whether it’s the chance to make your own mish-mashed print or see prints as animated gifs. Today’s fun link is to the works of a contemporary ukiyo-e artist, Ishikawa … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Food-inspired inks 🍜

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Paula

Just a quickie Fun Link Friday today, folks. In keeping with the love of food-inspired crafts from Japan, I was fascinated to come across SoraNews24’s recent exploration of stationery based on local foods of Nagasaki. The one that particularly caught … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Original Kanji Contest

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Paula

Everyone knows that there’s nothing fun about the pandemic and it’s certainly been on all of our minds for months and months now. This past year Grape brought to our attention that there has been a contest for ten years+ … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Supernatural Cats

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Paula

Are obsessions with cute cats and cat pics global across time and space? An article from September 2020 by Zack Davisson that appeared in Smithsonian Magazine takes a look at this phenomenon in Japan, at least, and explores the appearance … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Muscleman Tea Party

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Paula

Instagram and other social media outlets are rife with beautiful displays of innovative Japanese tea ceremony sweets, with confectionery specialists playing off of traditional aesthetics and contemporary holidays. But did you ever think you’d be enjoying incredibly buff, jiggling sweets … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Ukiyo-e Memes

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Paula

Being tethered to our computers for the last year, it seems like 2020 was also the year of the meme. Whether just trying to alleviate our anxieties and stresses or calling out poor behavior on the part of public figures, … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Ukiyo-Enerator

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Paula

In case you need some more things to do on the internet instead of thinking about what you should be doing, the Ota Memorial Museum of Art collaborated earlier this year to create a “Make Your Own Ukiyo-e” page. Just pick … Continue reading →

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