The word “brand” and “branding” often heard in recent years, as I work on graphic and web design, I naturally think about brands. In some cases, I design for the company or institution itself, or design for goods and events. The thing to think about is “How can I tell the message well”. Messages range from direct items such as product descriptions, company messages, corporate and event information to things conveying the world view using image pictures and illustrations.

Meanwhile, as I met a nice brand, I am introducing that today.

It is Swedish band “Lemmel Kaffe“. Coffee is a very familiar drink in the Northern European countries where people drink coffee nearly 800 cups per year. Fika is already synonymous with Swedish culture, I think that coffee is important as well as taking coffee and cinnamon rolls taking a break with family and colleagues.

I have learned about wearing Kimono, I have learned about the knowledge about kimono as well. It is so much fun to learn for me, and today is about “Edo Komon (a fine pattern)”.

In the Edo period, the patterning of Kamishimo(ceremonial dress worn by feudal lord) is the origin. Feudal lords gradually began to compete with the luxury of that pattern, so that the Edo government regulated to make clothes simple. And Feudal lords began to minutely pattern to look solid from the distance. As a result, the Edo Komon became a dyed product making full use of highly advanced dyeing technology.

The patterns that can be used at each lord have fixed as below.

The three highest ranks
– The House of Tokugawa in Kishu: Shark
– Date clan in Sendai: Gyogi
– Matsumono clan in Shinshu: Kakudoshi

– Shimazu clan in Satsuma: Daisho Arare
– Maeda clan in Kaga: Mansuji/Kikubishi
– The House of Tokugawa: Omeshiju
– Nabeshima clan in Saga: Goma pattern

Meanwhile, the townspeople also began to imitate this Komon, and this seems to have enjoyed the fancy by making detailed items such as daily necessities in close proximity.

The vol. 2 of From Designers With Loveis about “In-Flight Safety Video”.

I think choosing airline is important when I travel, I always check the aircrafts, in-flight goods, CA uniform etc. Among them, I look forward to watching “in-flight safety video”.

A few years ago the video of New Zealand Airlines was tied up with the movie ‘Hobbit’, I remember being surprised by the high quality.

I go to the exhibition which is customarily done at museums and galleries, and over the past few years I go to live stages, theater, concerts, stage performance of something like dancing.

The difference with art works is the realistic feeling. I think every time that it is really amazing to express with the body, and the charm of dance is its physicality and beauty. I fall in love with dancers’ discipline, sense and talent. Because there is no dialogue but they express by their own bodies and attract people.

I admire all the expressionists, and I love Mirai Moriyama in particular. He is famous as an actor but I think as a dancer is also awesome. It was the video installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, that I knew dancer Mirai Moriyama. In the foreign dancer there was Mirai and he was dancing together while I was watching a very strange little cute contemporary dance video work. From that point I began to pay attention to him and has reached the present time, but I think that he is a very dexterous and talented person because he expresses completely different dances for each work.

And today is the performance called “Dansu” I saw the other day.
This performance is in the series, this time was the third. I have not seen the first and the second, so I did not know what it is like. The first impression that I finished watching was “a magical dance of a new experience”

After writing Hawaii Island -Language- blog, I often think about languages. Today is about “Hello” in various languages.

Please find common points from the following “Hello” in various languages.

Japanese: Konnichiwa

Ryukyuan: Haisai

Chinese: Nǐhǎo

Korean: Annyeonghaseyo

Thai: Sàwàtdee kah/Sàwàtdee krap

Rainy days continue in Tokyo, hydrangea begins to bloom also on the roadside, makes us feel the arrival of the rainy season. *Hydrangea is a symbol of rainy season.

Hydrangea is a plant that has a very colorful hue and its luxury, but did you know that the part that looks like a petal is calyx actually? The petals are small in the center. They are called decorative flowers (maybe only in Japanese?), they have the same color as the petals. The calyxes are large and conspicuous, so they seem to be mistaken for a petal.

And Hydrangea’s flower language is here.

[Japan]
Hearthstone, Family, Friends, Peace, Harmony, Various changes, Good friends

[The West]
Cheerful, Proud, Cheating, Heartless, Betrayal

I wrote about Zen practice last time, so that I write about why I am interested in Zen this time. The book “Dogen Zen No Kotoba (Japanese Edition)Dec 1, by Katsunori Sakaino” was my first zen book, I read it when I was 20’s at the age of concern, I needed advices or guides then (perhaps still now?!). I found it at a book shop and I thought it seemed easy to understand, Buddhism books usually difficult but it was not for me.

There are four chapters, and 100 teachings in total.

Chapter 1
30 teachings that notice “really important things” – Just a slight change in perspective

Chapter 2
30 teachings that becomes free from “trouble” – It will be easy for you to “thrown away”

Chapter 3
20 teachings that confidence is born out of me – Slowly, carefully at your own pace

Chapter 4
20 teachings that think about “way of life” – Lost and troubles are gone

I have been interested in Zen and I study in books etc for 10 years. The number of people who practice meditation, mindfulness, breathing methods are increasing, so I am happy as a Zen lover. I sometimes practice Zen meditation, today is about that.

Chokokuji (zen temple in Nishiazabu, Tokyo) offers its Zazenkai (group Zazen session) from 6:30pm to 8:30pm every Mondays. Participation fee is 100 yen. For participants who need language assistance in English, it is highly recommended to come with an interpreter on the first day (introduction) and the second day (the first Zen session) since we cannot provide translation service. From the third day, you could come by yourself.

I can do “Just sitting” at my place but the reason why I go to Zazekai is I like the atmosphere. Despite the city center of Nishiazabu, the temple is very quiet, the air is clear and fresh feelings. In the Kannondo on the right after going through the gate, Azabu Kannon which was built by carving Kusunoki, looks gentle with a calm feeling. And the buildings where for Zazenkai, the dimmer space, incense scent, tatami mats, monk’s black robes, Buddhist decorations… Straighten up but I feel calm with the nostalgic space somehow.

There is a letterpress printing studio that I go there often several years ago.This time I went to the workshop “Arabic typography card workshop” held there.

I am interested in the language Arabic, also my name in Arabic on my business card workshop! It was very exciting one for a printing & language & design & culture lovers.

Initially I had a lecture on Arabic culture and letters, just listened to the food, customs, culture, religion, languages, etc. It sounded very exotic. The teacher who gave a lecture can speak Arabic, and sounded the language extend the endings so that was also exotic.

What I was interested in Arabic is that letter (shape of) and sound. By the way, three of the languages ​​I’m interested in now (sound version) are below.

– Hawaiian
– Hebrow
– Arabic

I saw a movie “Mori, The Artist’s Habitat” which is about a painter Morikazu Kumagai‘s one day with a later life in fiction.

No doubt movie because of two Japanese most valuable actor and actress acts as a old couple. The actor Tsutomu Yamazaki acted as a Morikazu Kumagai, he acted as well as the painter like I didn’t know which one was which. Also, the actress Kirin Kiki acted very well, I also didn’t know she acted or just as she was naturally. However I was taken over by the movie’s atmosphere as whatever my concern were.
*The actor Mr. Yamazaki is huge fan of the painter Morikazu Kumagai (I see!)

– Professor Hokusai and Painter Kumagai
– The garden is a small universe
– The actress Kirin Kiki’s existence
– “Mori, The Artist’s Habitat” and “Life Is Fruity”
– To observe

I have things that I want to write like the above by seeing this movie but I introduce the most impressive words in this movie.