Japanese

Hiyao Miyazaki and Spirited Away

September 28, 2011

Hiyao Miyazaki and Spirited Away

Hiyao Miyazaki, one of my favourite filmmakers, is the Japanese director of the animated movies Spirited AwayPrincess Mononoke and Totoro. Of all his films these three are favourite, probably because they are the most Japanese in their aesthetic.

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Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board

April 24, 2010

Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board

Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time.

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Categories: design, Uncategorised

Rain chains or kusari toi

April 21, 2010

Rain chains or kusari toi

Kusari toi (sometimes translitered “doi”)—the Japanese characters are 鎖樋 which translates literally as “chain gutters”—are known in English as rain chains. They are used in Japan as downspouts to direct rain from a gutter to the ground, where it either flows into a gravel or pebble bed or into some sort of catchment.

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“If I Had a Hammer? What Do You Mean If?”

April 19, 2010

“If I Had a Hammer? What Do You Mean If?”

Before I start, I’m asking on behalf of the owners of this house that nobody reposts or reproduces any of these images anywhere without my permission. Like a lot of people who have built their own houses in the woods, the owners, who are relatives of mine, appreciate their privacy and feel a bit negative about seeing their house all over the internet.

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Furoshiki – Wrap holiday presents in the green, Japanese style

December 18, 2009

Furoshiki – Wrap holiday presents in the green, Japanese style

This is a Japanese tradition we desperately need to adopt in North America – re-using textiles to wrap presents. It’s an art form, but it’s worth learning because it dispenses with all the annoying and wasteful tape and paper and ribbon, it’s a fun skill to learn (for kids too), and it’s an educational conversation piece – you might have to explain to the recipient what it is, but that’s probably worthwhile.

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Categories: design, Uncategorised
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