In the blog of “Hawaii Island – Language –“, I mentioned that there are 130 words to express rain in Hawaiian, so that I searched about Japanese one, and I found a book “Dictionary of rain words”.

This book is a dictionary of words related to rain that number About 1200 words. I thought it is about a bit more than 130 in Hawaiian? but no way, almost 10 times! What a Japanese words.

It is time rainy season (Tsuyu) in Japan, there are 32 rain words for example.

As the summer gets closer, the colors of clothes people wear are bright and colorful, so I like the atmosphere where the city is gorgeous.

And speaking of summer clothes in Japan is a Yukata. After the rainy season is over, when the fireworks festival and the Bon Dance festival season comes, we can see many women who wear Yukata. I think that the figure walking narrowly steps with bare feet to clogs is beautiful.

I think that there are many men who feel happy seeing such women but I would like to talk with a big voice. Men’s kimono and yukata are also very nice. Emphasis on glossiness, sexiness, masculinity, dramatic increase in masculinity! And I think it is comfortable to wear. Yukata is cooler than clothes.

I write about the book “Japan the Beautiful and Myself” by Yasunari Kawabata which I wrote about it in my blog “In the spring, cherry blossoms In the summer, the cuckoo“.

In 1968 Yasunari Kawabata was awarded the first Nobel Prize for literature as a Japanese, attended at the award ceremony in Stockholm with formal wear of a Hakama. He gave speech with a magnificent Japanese and a deep impression. This book is the full text of it. (from Description of item amazon Japan)

The content is described by a song of a priest such as Zen master Dogen, the word of a novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa and a monk Ikkyu. In the part about “Karesansui” in the Japanese garden and “Wabi Sabi” in the tea ceremony, he also mentions specific arts such as bonsai, flowers, pottery etc. And tribute to Japanese culture is stated through classical literature such as “Ise Monogatari”, “Genji Monogatari”, “Makurano soshi”, “Kokinshu” and “Shinkokinshu”.

I have a lot of opportunities to work with Swedish companies or organizations, so I earn about Sweden. Especially as a designer, I pay attention to the high design quality. Last time I introduced the Swedish coffee brand “Lemmel Kaffe“, so I will introduce two Swedish brands today.

The first is craft beer brand “Ominippollo“. Coffee is also a representative beverage in Sweden and Northern Europe, but craft beer is also delicious. Omnippollo was established in 2011, it was chosen Rate Beer Top 100 Brewery in The World. While this brand of vision is “to overturn the image of people’s beer from the bottom”, its label design is super cool as well as its taste. Their message that they want “experiences” rather than “drinking” is spreading in more than 20 countries, including Sweden, Europe, North America, Australia, along with their worldview.

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.

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