As the waiting game for our household goods continues, Nick and I decided, why not just purchase decorations. Cause who needs furniture with really cool decorations?! We found out that all of our things will not be arriving until September the 19th. So we might be sitting on the floor, but we will have wall art! Heehee!
Last weekend we went to the shrine sale again. It occurs the third Saturday of every month. Thanks to my friend Mari I just discovered it’s actual name, the Yamato Promenade Antique Market! Love it!
I posted pictures last month when Nick and I went to the shrine sale. However, this time we actually knew what to look for! The last time we went, we didn’t have a house and were so new to Japan that we just walked around with wide eyes and open mouths, bewildered at all the Japanese memorabilia. Now that we have been here awhile, we know what we want to put in our house and where! Needless to say, this time when we shopped at the Antique Market, we purchased a lot more!
My friend Sarah graciously drove us...thank goodness too, cause we had too much stuff to take the train!
This is by far my favorite thing we got...a giant Japanese glass fishing float! You can find these for a whole lotta money in the states and they are not authentic, but this one is the real deal! It even smells like it's been in the ocean! Japanese fishermen used to use these to keep their nets afloat. The floats I purchased caught my eye because they are teal...(as you will see, teal is a color that is used all throughout my house! ) Later in the day, I found the two small fishing floats and needed them to complete the set.
Apparently these will occasionally wash up on the beach and be discovered by a passerby. Often however, the nets aren't always in tact. I prefer the fishing floats to have the rope, that's what make the glass balls so unique!
Again with the teal...found these two pieces separately and fell in LOVE! Original pieces of art, which both will flow nicely in Nick and my home! (The artist's signature is even carved into the bottom of both pieces...one of the vendors identified it for me, indicating that I got a good piece! Arigato Gozaimasu!)
The Obi we purchased....we plan to get several of these, using them as wall decorations, curtains, and also table runners. (Hope that's not offensive to the Japanese!) An obi is what is worn to hold the kimono together. It's the kimono's belt or sash. Many times the kimono or yukata will be a simple fabric, but the obi will be vibrant and a contrasting color! The obi's are my favorite part of a kimono. The obi's purpose is to hold the kimono secure and is often tied up in the back into a detailed bow. Because of this, the obi's are very long. Women's obi's can be up to 12 inches wide and over 13 feet long!
Table runners in the US are not this long, nor are they as beautiful and intricate! At the shrine sale, there are always tons and tons of vintage kimonos, yukatas and obi's for sale...you might have to dig to find the one you want, but in my opinion it's worth it!
This obi is nothing really special, but I was on a "teal hunt" and therefore this one struck my fancy! (Anyone who has seen my kitchen knows it is all red and teal!!!)
Scrolls, scrolls, scrolls! Nick and I dug through scrolls at the last Antique Market, and didn't find one we couldn't live without. This time I did the digging, and with my new house in mind, I found 3 gems!
Scrolls are basically a way for the Japanese to display calligraphy and/or art. Some of the scrolls we found were really ancient, with faded pictures on them and torn paper. Others were made out of silk and were more expensive. Old scrolls that are still in good condition typically are hard to find, and are very pricey. The scrolls we found were not that expensive, but were antique without being too worn...Sold!
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the scroll on the left has a background that is...you guessed it, teal and brown! The one on the right is brown with a light green edge, which also matches Nick and my house decor. The one in the middle was nothing special, but Nick loved the picture on it!
A set of 4 chopstick rests....Nick and I never could find a unique set of these in the States. We saw several for sale at the shrine sale, but none were in a set like these! Delightful! (Not teal, but blue...close enough)
And for my inner diva...two super cute fans! Here in Japan it is soooo stinking hot, and they don't believe in airconditioning! (Seriously) Therefore everywhere you go, women, girls and even men will be fanning themselves with these!
I always loved Japanese fans as a child...I thought I was so cool when I got one. Problem was, the fans that I had as a kid were fake and cheaply made, therefore they broke easily. (Not saying it was my parents fault, it is the manufactures fault for tying to replicate and coming up with a crappy model!) Now I not only have several of my own "real" Japanese fans, but I get to actually use them for their intended purpose!!! (Which I do...of course!)
Now if only we can move into our house so that we can put our new goodies out on display! Currently, they are taking up space that is not available, and cramming our already crowded Navy Lodge room!
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