Chinese Goods Stores

Dear readers, this post is in progress, and is a repository of links and vocabulary for finding affordable fabrics and calligraphy supplies from China, similar to the Japanese Goods Stores post. Please expect it to be fully complete in a month or so, it will slowly grow from today forward. Stores Sites TaobaoThis is one…

Shibuzumi, Persimmon Ink Paint

I have a bamboo fence in my front yard, and during covid it got pretty gray and worn out looking. Coating it with oil helped it weather the elements, but it did not look very attractive.I had wondered for a long time about traditional outdoor pigments in Japan. I had seen references to a black…

Woodworking III: Portable Worktable

I frequently meet with others in the park or at events to collaborate on projects, or simply enjoy company while I work. I wanted a versatile small table to work on, preferably with removable legs. This post covers the construction of the table; a subsequent post will cover the construction of the legs.

Japanese Goods Stores

Japanese goods are hard to find in the US, though they are increasingly becoming more available. When I was starting my kit, I had no idea where to purchase many items I needed. I set up a forwarding service and used my meager command of the japanese language, along with google translate, to get started. …

Sugegasa: Function, Form, History

I wanted to purchase a hat as close to what warriors of the muromachi era would have worn, though that goal ended up being more difficult than expected. Along the way to find such a hat, I stumbled upon information for many different eras and types of hats, so I compiled them into this report,…

Woodworking I: The Low Saw Horse

I’ve been doing most of my sawing and cutting, mostly bamboo for the yard, on two cinderblocks using bodyweight with tabi. For the most part, this worked great, especially because the rough surface of the cinderblocks holds round things like bamboo in place pretty well if you secure the stalk with your foot.


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