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Japanese Lanterns For Your Garden

Added on August 31, 2012 by post@theikebanashop.com.

Japanese stone lanterns that could bring a feeling of peace and solitude to your garden.

Surrounded by flowers, enclosed by dried leaves, or covered in snow...they have something to add to your garden through the seasons.

....even good for the interior, if that's what you prefer!

Some models have solar-powered lights on them to give a nice glow at night.

These lanterns are actually made from proprietary blends of high performing concrete with unique weather resistant finishes applied.

So they are lighter (and more affordable!) than traditionally carved rock ones. They are designed and made in BC, Canada.

Available at the shop or by mail order. Please call or email us for more details.

Chirimen Eyeglasses Case

Added on May 11, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Those of us who carry around a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses in our bags know how important it is to protect them from getting scratched or bent. Here is something functional yet pretty!

Hard-shell case with felt lining. Outside, it's wrapped in chirimen rayon fabric in colourful patterns.

Which design do you like?

$9.95 each (CAD) plus HST where applicable. Available at the shop or by mail order.

Hand-Made Tissue Box Cover

Added on May 9, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Using colourful Japanese fabric, we thought we'd make the ubiquitous tissue box a little bit more interesting! :-)

The design is simple. To install the cover, two buttons on either side are just looped into the opening where the tissue sheets are pulled out.

They come in different designs...

...and have plain inside linings which are actually elegant in themselves. So if you prefer a more subdued tissue box, just turn the cover inside out!

Hand-made here in Nova Scotia using Japanese fabric.
Available at the shop or by mail order. $18.00 (CAD) each, subject to HST where applicable.

Choco Truffles In A Can

Added on May 8, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Does your Mom have a sweet tooth? Our chocolate truffles in a can could be the perfect Mother's Day gift! They're no ordinary cans either.

This is a tea canister that we've wrapped in Japanese paper with a chiyogami accent and an ornamental mizuhiki (Japanese paper cord) crane ornament. Makes an elegant gift! Each can contains 10 different truffle flavours.

Or, you may prefer the cute lucky cat cans....in two styles. Same contents: 10 different truffles inside.

The chocolate truffles are made by Truffini of BC, Canada. They are very popular in the West Coast but apparently very few places have them in the East. By the way, they are the same guys who make our Matcha Chocolate bars. We happily taste-tested each truffle too and can confidently say that they are good! http://theikebanashop.com/blog/shop-log-taste-testing

Here are the truffle flavours. (Note: Caramel Mocha not included in the cans.)
http://www.truffini.com/truffleflavors.html

And when the truffles are gone, re-use the cans!

Available at the shop. Chocolate made in Canada. Cans made in Japan.

Long-Life Crane can 14.50 ea
Lucky Cat can 11.50 ea
All prices in Canadian dollars and subject to HST where applicable.

Bento Tools: Wiener Cutters

Added on May 1, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Transform your cocktail smokies with wiener cutters!

Here are a few tips:
1. Put the sausages in the freezer for about 20 minutes before using. This "hardens" them up so they are easier to cut.
2. Add a thin layer of cooking oil on the sausage before cutting. This helps make a smooth extraction.
3. Slice off any tied ends of the sausage.
4. Grill in pan or boil the sausages after cutting.

Available in four shapes: octopus, crab, tulip and penguin. Made in Japan.

Available at the shop or by mail order. Octopus, $3.50 each. Crab, tulip and penguin, $4.50 each. In Canadian dollars and subject to HST where applicable

Hand-Made Koi-Nobori Family

Added on April 20, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

This koi-nobori family hanging decor is hand-made from Japanese cotton fabric.

We hand-cut Japanese cotton fabric into little bits and stitched them together to create the scales!

Made in Nova Scotia, Canada. Available at the shop. $65.00 (CAD) plus HST where applicable.

Koi-Nobori Carp Streamer

Added on April 9, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

May 5th is celebrated as Children's Day in Japan. People display koi-nobori (carp streamers) for their sons. (No, no discrimination...there is a Girls' Day too--celebrated on March 3rd for daughters!) The koi-noboriare like wind socks in carp design. The carp is a symbol of strength, perserverance and achievement.

There is a Chinese legend about a carp who swam up a waterfall and turned into a dragon. We are sure there are many variations to this tale but the carp as symbol of effort and success is constant.

We have our koi-nobori up in the shop as well! We have some available for sale. You can use them to decorate your child's room too!

And, we also have "mini" ones!

Do You Have The Itch?

Added on April 5, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Say good-bye to that hard-to-reach itch on your back!

The Japanese call this very helpful tool "mago no te", which means "grandchild's hand". Imagine grandpa getting a good scratch on his back. Nothing is better than when it comes from his grandchild's wee hands!

Made from bamboo. Available at the shop or by mail order. $8.50 (CAD) each plus HST where applicable.

Drink Sake From Wooden Square Cups

Added on March 13, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

The masu is a square wooden box made from hinoki (Japanese cypress). Originally, it was used to measure rice. Nowadays, the masu is used almost exclusively to drink sake. (But also used to hold beans during the bean-throwing festival of setsubun.) In Japanese pubs that serve sake in a masu, the masu will be put on a saucer and it will normally be filled to overflowing. Bonus tip: drink from the corner! (^-^)

The wood from hinoki has been used for construction in Japan since olden times. The temple Horyuji in Nara (the one that houses the big Buddha statue), founded in 607 AD and considered one of the oldest existing wooden structures in the world, is made from hinoki. (Note: The temple was built in 607 but has had reconstructions throughout history.) Hinoki is well known for its resistance to rot and Japanese people love the fragrance of the wood.

Available at the shop or by mail order.
Dimensions: L8.5cm x W8.5cm x H5.0cm (3.4" x 3.4" x 2.0")
Made in Japan. $14.50 (CAD) each. Purchase here.

Tawashi Scrubbing Brush

Added on March 12, 2012 by the ikebana shop.

Tawashi is the traditional Japanese scrubbing brush. Its bristles are made from the fiber of hemp palm. It is strong, durable and will reach debris lodged in tiny grooves or creases. Unlike it's nylon or polyurethane sponge cousins, it won't fray and it dries quite easily. Use on heavy pots & pans, the kitchen sink, the bathtub, etc.

BUT...do not use on delicate items!

Available at the shop. Purchase online here.