2018.12.02

Thank you to everyone who always supports us.

It has been decided that I will be serialized in Kateigaho for the whole year of 2019, and I am going to have fun taking on the challenge.

Thank you for understanding temari and giving me the wonderful title ``Temari Calendar Where Prayers Live.''

Making temari is a prayer.

Originally made by mothers as a toy for their children, Temari was a prayer for a child, and when a temari is ordered, it is almost always a prayer for someone. May you grow up fully, and may things fall into place.

Temari, overflowing with the gentle thoughts of its creator, has a presence that somehow makes your heart feel at ease.

Now, every month, we make temari according to a haiku theme chosen by haiku poet Masako Yamanishi.

This time we will talk about Fukujuso, which is called New Year's Day.

I looked at the lovely Fukujusou over and over again and expressed the spread of the petals and the overlapping colors with chrysanthemum overlays.

At first, I made a large Fukujusou, and added temari in the front because I wanted to express how it blooms in clusters.

The color of the gorgeous base is Indian madder, just like New Year's Day. It is the darkest red in Temalicious. I feel like it gives me energy. 2019 starts with Akane!

The yellow color of Fukujuso has been adopted as Fukugi to overlap with Fuku. In Okinawa, it is dyed with the leaves of Fukugi, which is famous for its windbreaks. It has a strong, bright yellow color that only Fukuki can produce.

Japanese shoji

like a drum

Fukujuso

Takashi Matsumoto

The world of haiku is like the composition of the world of paintings and movies.

Shoji screen exposed to the winter sun

Japanese paper shoji that looks like a drum

Fukujuso

The perspective shifts.

At the end of the year, I will replace the shoji screens at my parents' house. Don't you love reupholstering shoji screens? I worked hard with my father who thought so. There was a trick to making glue out of rice, pasting washi paper, and making it tight, so my family did the work while pouring water over it.

It reminds me of warm winter scenes with my family.

I'm glad that a plant called Fukujuso, which doesn't look so fancy at first glance, was born in Japan, where it is loved as New Year's Day grass.

December is about to get busy and the season is getting colder, but I hope you all have a warm new year, 2019.

Look forward to next month's February issue!