Anyone who has shopped with Pink Moon Goods should be well aware that I am a big fan of all things Japanese. When I started this little retail project I never set out to be a Japanese Goods shop but as time has passed (so quickly) it seems that is beginning to happen. While I remain true to the original goal of this shop (to provide an ethical consumer with options that are practical, beautiful, and ethically manufactured) I have been so happy to discover that the goods I am importing meet all of my criteria and then some.
One of my favorite things about learning more about Japanese goods is that there is usually a story behind the creation of the product and it often includes elements of honoring the past while addressing the need to modernize. Take Hibi Match Incense. This brand of incense was started through a collaboration between two grandsons who were seeking to continue the tradition of making that their grandfathers started, one an incense maker and the other a matchstick maker. From their desire to meet the needs of the modern world was born the most delightful incense I have every encountered. With elegant subtle scents and the short burn time they remain some of my favorite.
Last February when I was traveling in Tokyo I was of course shopping and I started to encounter the goods of Morita Miw. Oh my was I so pleased and kind of ecstatic to bring them home with me. I had already been carrying the delightful imabari tenugui towels by Morita Miw and Kusubashi Monori but I had yet to see the vibrant and spunky washcloths, tea towels, and handkerchiefs. I admit as a shop owner this felt like a magical discovery. Although the tenugui towels I had carried were manufactured in Japan I was slightly sad to discover that many of the other products are made in China. Not always a deal breaker for me but something I do acknowledge for transparencies sake.
One thing you will notice when you purchase one of these delightful goods is that each one is accompanied by a tag with a poem. For those non-Japanese speaking folks one is required to use a translate app to read them. But oh my…be sure you do as they are quite entertaining. When giving a Morita Miw product as a gift it is like making a special memory as you can sit with the recipient and read the fun poems and have a good laugh. Something we could all use pretty much everyday.
I have long been a fan of Japanese tableware but it was something I hesitated on bringing into the shop for some time. However recently I have really embraced this wonderful aspect of Japanese food culture. On my first trip to Japan I came home with this beautiful bowl which I honestly never thought I would find to offer in my shop but alas!
These bowls are from a line of pottery that was established in 1961 and uses a technique of pottery making that dates back to the Edo period. This is my favorite bowl for a yogurt and fruit snack or for ice cream. Eating something yummy out of a beautiful bowl brings endless amounts of joy into my life.
These bowls are from a line of pottery that was established in 1961 and uses a technique of pottery making that dates back to the Edo period. This is my favorite bowl for a yogurt and fruit snack or for ice cream. Eating something yummy out of a beautiful bowl brings endless amounts of joy into my life.
Lastly, in the Japanese Goods collection of the shop you will find gobs of stationery. I am so delighted that there is still a practice of letter and note writing in Japan as it has resulted in the most delightful stationery. From washi tape to block memo pads there is something that will surely fill your little heart with joy.
I am on a mission to bring back letter writing in the United States and one way I have done this is hosting evenings of letter writing at the shop. Each person receives a letter writing set to write four letters. These nights are some of my favorite at the shop. It is clear to me how much people are seeking real connection and letter writing is one simple way to do so.
Thanks for reading my blog about my love of Japanese goods. If you are also a lover of all things Japanese I hope you will check out the products on the website by clicking on one of the links below and read the stories of the makers that bring these goods to life.