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How are you? I hope you are taking some time to relax from this stressful year enjoying some quality time … in your japanese ofuro ?!
2020 was full of disappointing experiences for most of us.
On the other hand, I think we should see also the positive side: thanks to the Covid experience the IT literacy increased tenfold and streamlined a lot of practices by cutting on bureaucracy and inefficient habits.
Less action but on the other hand, more thinking which is always a good thing to do.
And by forcing us to think out of the box we had the chance to reconsider our priorities and create a new lifestyle tailored to what we really want to do.
I stumbled upon a fabulous hanko shop in Osaka, just steps from the moth of Osaka castle. Of course, I love traditional craftsmen and their ateliers, the air filled with history and the romantic scent of a lost world.
But this time it is different and it is even more uplifting. Mr. Mitamura established this atelier some 30 years ago and although he has the skill of a sculptor, he calls himself “hanko designer”. The reason his seals (made in wood, horn or marble) are so beautiful is not just because of his manual ability and mastery of the chisels.
A former client/ now (and forever) friend sent me her new book featuring 87 pages of photos + poetic comments of her last trip to Japan. I always enjoy her way of seeing things: sophisticated and friendly at the same time. But this time the present is double as her daughter (also architect) sent me her first book.
Dear Iacopo, I just wanted to send my greetings from Norway, and share with you a picture of my “little japanese corner” in autumn morning sun:) Thank you for an interesting letter about the wonderful place in Italy! I hope the world will again be open for travelling.. Kind regards,Helen
I received a kind message from Helen from Norway. The photo is so beautiful I decided to share it with everybody (of course with Helen`s placet) It is so peaceful and poetic that I printed it out and posted on the wall behind the computer. I will look at it to relax and draw energy when in rough waters…!
I take this opportunity to share also 2 other photos from Helen. amazing shadows on the wall paneling (not hinoki but Scandinavian Aspen) Happy coming of Autumn to all the readers!☆彡
I trust you are enjoying life and managing to protect yourself from the summer heat and from the … XXX-19 based “culture of fear” dominating the news. If the answer is not a 100% convinced “YES!”, I would recommend either to take a relaxing bath, or to read the (fully XXX-19 free…) news below.!
Chapter 1): do`s and don`ts about summer greetings in Japan
Chapter 2): let`s help a friend building a japanese stone garden (+ open question)
Chapter 3): advice about re-heating systems for ofuros
The cultural center and ryokan in S. Ginesio (central Italy) re-opened in the post-corona era on May 20th.
And to celebrate they cleaned and re-sanded their knotty hinoki 15-year old bartok design ofuro.
I leave the photos to describe the whiteness of the regenerated hinoki and the colors of the springtime filling it completely.
After the Corona virus I think that long haul flights and trips to faraway countries will be pursued less. We will assist to the spread of the “micro-tourism” model as theorized by the President of the hotel chain “Hoshino Resort”
If you are in Europe, what other excuse are you waiting to visit the Wabi Sabi Ryokan? For questions/ reservations, contact Ricky and Serenella as per the details below:
hinokitiol is a natural extract of asnaro-hiba wood with strong antimicrobial performance. It has been proved effective in treating penicillin-resistant streptococci and is used as a component for disinfectants, cosmetics, scalp and acne treatments etc.
It can be diluted in water and vaporized in the air: it lasts much longer than other volatile substances like alcohol. It has been used as a local and ambient disinfectant and insect repellent.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Can It be helpful in inhibiting or treating the COVID-19? ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
I do not know.
But I can supply it ! (because it is a by-product of my manufacture of Japanese cedar wood products, mainly Japanese ofuro bathtubs).
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ I offer to send samples of hinokitiol to research institutes in case they are interested in testing it against the COVID-19 virus.
Please contact me and let me know the address and contact person information for the shipping. I will send 1g via airmail. Product and shipping cost is on me. ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
As of march, 17 2020 I already shipped a sample to:
1) Dr. Raymond Goodrich Colorado State University’s Infectious Disease Research Center - USA
2) Dr. Maurizio Cecconi Humanitas University - Milano - Italy
3) Mr. Joseph Payne Arcturus Therapeutics - Torrey Pines Mesa - La Jolla - USA
4) Dr. Brooke Fiala Washington’s Institute for Protein Design, Seattle - USA
5) Dr. Chen Katz Migal Galilee Research Institute, Qiryat Shemona - Israel
I do not have personal contacts within the ９ large companies who have been largely publicized on the media (nor I have big sympathy for large corporations) . Anyway if you know some researcher who is worthy, please let me know!)
・ Inovio (USA) ・ Cure- Vac (Germany) ・ Gilead Sciences Inc. (USA) ・ GlaxoSmithKline (USA) ・ Johnson & Johnson (USA) ・ Moderna Inc. (USA) ・ Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (USA) ・ Sanofi (USA) ・ Vir Biotechnology Inc. （USA)
Anybody else you think could use the natural hinokitiol to help defeat the virus?
As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. The coronavirus emergency -> craze -> histeria is provoking an economic havoc that could damage irreversibly large sectors of the economy.
But is also giving the chance to millions of people to rethink their priorities, optimize their time and rearrange their routines. One big discovery is definitely ZOOM meeting software (no affiliation…)
I had some tepidly disappointing experiences with s**pe or goto**ing. The first 5 minutes of the conversation were spent in yelling “moshi-moshi, hallo etc.” the next 5 minutes were used to restart computers and inevitably the conversation took place on whatsapp.
But ZOOM is very stable and the interface is so easy to use. It is possible to have meetings with up to 100 people (and more for special users) and when somebody talks, the speaker pops up in the magnified part of the screen. It is also possible to share documents or scroll on SketchUp models etc.
I am planning to use ZOOM also to connect with people who are interested in purchasing an ofuro or need to solve some problem I can help with.
I am still not sure on how to embed it in the homepage or if it makes sense to create periodical live webinars etc. I would appreciate your insight and opinion about it. I am still a novice in ZOOM.
I purchased the paid plan (about 200 $ per year) so I can make unlimited meetings with up to 100 people. Of course it can be used also on the smartphone so I am always reachable. My ID is 51848377. Let`s connect. A virtual hug to everybody!
Just a few words to update you about: 1) a fatal encounter with an experimental tatami maker 2) meet iacopo in London on 2/27!
Chapter 1)
Our schedules did not match: although we had a couple of tentative venues we did not manage to meet. R&S: two dear italian friends and Bartok design ofuro users, always present in my mind and inspiring my activities and discoveries come to Japan for a couple of weeks. They come to Kansai, they were here in Nara, Kyoto and surroundings but we did not manage to meet… Such a shame…
But every cloud has a silver lining! Before living they gave me the introduction to Mitsuru Yokoyama, young tatami maker in Kyoto. I could not resist and called him immediately. It was a very strange feeling: like my own voice was echoing back. I immediately felt our ideas were on the same wavelength and as much as it was pleasant to talk, I felt we almost did not need to talk..!
Japan is nicknamed as the “land of the rising sun” but not everybody knows that New Zealand actually enters the new year one hour earlier than Japan.
Nevertheless, considering the landscape, the culture, the personality of the Japanese, I think that there could be no better nickname!
In Japan it is custom to spend the last evening of the year laid-back at home and get up early to climb on high ground to contemplate the first sunrise of the year.
This year I was in Shikoku, on Inoyama – also known as Sanuki Fuji for its beautiful perfect conic shape – near Zentsuji in Kagawa prefecture. The sky was clear and the angle was unobstructed. The sun is popping out as an egg yolk being tossed out from the belly of the mountain. I can understand the sense of surprise and reverence that pre-blue-screen generations may have felt everyday contemplating the most important daily event on earth: the rise of the sun.
Even if it is only once a year, assisting to this extraordinary miracle always has a powerful effect of filling up my energy cells while grounding all the negative stress. I do not know if I can call it a mindfulness experience but I am a big fan of the “hatsuhinode”: the 1/1 sunrise watching.
Of course one could do it 365 times in a year (366 times in 2020!) but nothing compares to enjoy it from a place like this, with the mindset of january 1st, feeling the warmth of the first rays shaking the winter night.
I wanted to share with you this moment with the auspice that 2020 can be a shining year for you: bringing happiness, health, and prosperity!!
2020 is also the year of the Olympic games and I am sure you will feel closer to Japan than ever. If you want to celebrate the games with a bottle of sake, do not forget to dress it properly with our “kimono bottle covers”. New colors, new package. Check the shop here-> https://bartokdesign.com/product/kimono-bottle-covers
