Newsletter (October 18, 2024 Shintaro Uchimura)

Hello everyone.

As autumn gradually deepens,
This year, the weather has alternated between cool and hot.
I can't seem to put away my short sleeves.
It is said that solar activity has also reached its maximum, so could this be having some effect?

The town of Karatsu is approaching the Karatsu Kunchi festival.
For the people of Karatsu, this is the happiest season of the year.
I'm feeling a bit excited.
During this season, work is left aside,
"Well, at least after the Kunchi Festival is over."
This word is being thrown around like a password.

All 14 floats of Karatsu Kunchi are finished with a dry lacquer finish made from Japanese paper and lacquer, and are perhaps some of the largest works of art made with dry lacquer in the world.
The oldest, Akajishi on Mt. 1, is over 200 years old.
The Blue Lion on the second mountain is so ancient that it celebrated its 200th anniversary this year.
Karatsu Kunchi takes place from November 2nd to 4th, and hotels in Karatsu are often fully booked, but you can easily make a day trip from Fukuoka, so be sure to come and see it.
It is a very grand and elegant festival.

This week's online store features new sake vessels by Shintaro Uchimura of Sankyogama. He just had a solo exhibition in February this year, but the works sold out quickly and we have only just received the next works.
All of them are consistently excellent works.

Well, everyone, have a great weekend.

Naoki Sakamoto, Owner of Ichibankan