Modern Mermaids

I think I may have mentioned this before, but CBS Sunday Morning has become one of my favorite weekend rituals. The show is clearly geared towards an older, early-rising generation with its bow-tied host and profiles on Danny Kaye and the origin of the steamboat. But more often than not I've seen some features that have actually brought tears to my eyes and others that have even taught me something new. 

Two weeks ago they had a super interesting segment on female Japanese free divers known as the ama. These women plunge to depths of up to 80 feet in search of seafood and pearls without the use of oxygen tanks. It is mainly a female profession as it is thought that women are better insulated than men when it comes to enduring the colder temperatures of deep waters because of how their body fat is distributed. The divers used to work topless, wearing only a loincloth, but now most of them zip up in more modest wet suits. It is a 2000 year old tradition that is strictly regulated and many of the divers are now older women, some practicing well into their 80s and 90s. The profession is now dying out somewhat because of climate change and overfishing as well as the attraction of more modern careers. Of course as soon as the segment was over I dug into the internet looking for more information and found these beautiful photos from the 1950s: 

photo by Yoshiyuki Iwase

Harvesting Seaweed, 1956

Taken Aback, 1950

I also discovered a Vice interview with photographer Nina Poppe who published Ama, a book featuring her photographs of a present day ama community from Ise-Shima. 

- Cathleen 

[Images 1-3 by Yoshiyuki Iwase via lomography.com, 

images 4-6 by Nina Poppe via Vice.com] 

Labyrinth Love

When I was little I was a maniac for puzzles and mazes (a cool kid in the making) and to help nurture my obsession, my mom got me a subscription to Highlights Magazine Puzzlemania books. Every three  months a magazine would arrive in the mail with page after page of puzzles and mazes. It was awesome!

I love you, Puzzlemania.

I read this story a few months back and this man's skillz put Highlights Magazine to shame:

All pictures via Spoon & Tamago

Yep, that's right, a Japanese father spent 7 years (!) creating a 1cm scale maze. The whole sheet of paper (and maze) measure 33" x 23". Yowzers! This would keep me busy for a long damn time. 

Apparently the maze went up for sale on March 1st. Good luck bidders!

Dance magic dance!

- Grace

Kashigata Molds

Sparrow, $35 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Kashigata are Japanese hand-carved cake molds used to make traditional edible gifts. These beautiful molds, from VintageFromJapan on Etsy, can still be used to make small sweets of your own, or paperclay ornaments, or would even look quite lovely up on a kitchen shelf. The origin story from their site: 

"Often made of sakura (cherry wood) and seasoned for about 3 years before carving, kashigata were used to make dried confectionery made of rice flour and sugar called rakugan. Earliest records show that this practice dates back to the mid-17th century. These confections were used as offerings and snacks for celebratory occasions and even unfortunate events. For example when a person died, it was expensive to give flowers or fresh food so, people made these sweets in the form of flowers, fish etc. These items were then placed on the "butsudan" (family shrine found in the house) for the dead person. Kashigata were also used in the making of wagashi (nama-gashi or freshly made cake and hi-gashi or dried confectionery) for tea ceremonies."

Clam Chestnut, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Chrysanthemum Kiku Flower, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Square, $45 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Pine Tree, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Lotus Leaf, $55 via VintageFronJapan on Etsy

- Cathleen

Paper Art: Bicycle Edition

At website Upon A Fold you can buy this amazing paper bicycle kit. Designed by Shinichi Iwami of Japan this Michaux 1864 bike model is part of his series titled "Micro Museum". Made from thick black paper this can be made using a scalpel, tweezers and some glue. Costs $45 but you can impress your friends with your steady hand for a lifetime. 

Enjoy!

-Grace