Asakusa Random - Tour Guides and Whippets

To say that dogs are pampered in Japan would be like saying that the Pope is Catholic. This fashionable whippet was perched on a railing beside the Sumida River, admiring the last of the cherry blossoms no doubt, when we happened upon him during our recent pilgrimage. His master must have positioned him there before retiring to a nearby bench because there is no other way this little dog could have scaled that railing.

We also ran into a clutch of nursing home residents who didn't seem all that enamored with either the cherry blossoms or the sunshine, or me for that matter, but the sight of them struck a familiar chord, one that hasn't been plucked since we laid my mother to rest. There don't seem to be nearly as many nursing homes here as there are in the United States. From eavesdropping on my friends' conversations, I have the impression they are a relatively recent development in this part of the world.

These beautiful young ladies were clustered near Asakusa Shrine. Shinagawa-san told me they are bus tour guides-in-training. The school year ended last month and these girls are standing on the threshold of the real world. Maybe the Smithsonian Institution should institute uniforms for docents. One of those jaunty red scarves might have motivated me to lead perkier tours of the Postal Museum back in the day.

And that, dear friends, concludes the cherry blossom season for this year. On to wisteria and azalea!

Made in Japan

A few weeks ago Ishii taught me how to transform one of my craft kits into a Christmas gift for the Ancient Mariner. This was not half as difficult as I anticipated, mainly because Ishii subscribes to the finger method of smearing glue over the surface to be covered. My fingers are much easier to control than a brush.

She demonstrated her technique by constructing a box and covering it with washi paper. This is a New Year's gift for her mother.  I envy her her mother and her father, octagenarians both.  I enjoy hearing about their preparations and plans for the new year. 

Those inverted arches look tricky.  Good thing the kit I bought is less complicated.

Opening my kit, I am surprised to find enough supplies to make three boxes. Since we've already posted all our U.S.-bound gifts, the Ancient Mariner will be getting an abundance of boxes this year.

First I construct the boxes by folding the cardboard along the perforations. So far, so good. Then I smear slow-drying glue along each surface and apply black paper. Thanks to the slow-drying glue, I have time to correct most of my mistakes before carefully centering little squares of embossed paper along the sides and tops of the boxes.

This is what they looked like before I wiped off all the excess glue and tied a black bead through the top of each box. Then I filled them with sweets for my Sweetie.

My sister-in-law Cathy also received a homemade gift this year, an orange muffler in a pattern I've dubbed 'Belgian waffle' since one of her grandfathers emigrated to the United States from Belgium. She's half Irish but it will take me a few decades before I master four-leaf clovers.