Okura Oriental Art Blog

From the airplane, my daughter took the photos.  I don't know it was on purpose or not, but they are so beautiful. You will see a small Mt.Fuji in center on the 2nd one. 

The Earth is still blue & beautifull, and we hope it will be clean forever.

偶然、飛行機から娘が撮った写真。この娘が大きくなっても美しくあって欲しいですね。　

願いをこめて・・・・。

We normally have many customers on the weekend, but it is quite different from usual this weekend as we guessed.

However, it was nice to see my best friend from Hong Kong. He moved to Hong kong  from Tokyo, but he came back to Tokyo to help his collegues.  He and his wife love Japan more than Japanese people. He was worried about us.

We got many contacts on phone and e-mail to confirm our safety.  We felt 'We're not alone at all.'  and knew we are supported by many people.  It is difficult to think about it well in our normal life, but we felt kindness of the people.

We will try to work hard for the supporters of Okura Oriental Art.

日本全体が自粛ムード、節電モードの中、営業を再開しています。

いつもなら多くのお客様に訪れていただくのですが、さすがに今週は・・・・・・。

そのような中、昨年香港へ引っ越ししてしまった親友が私たちを心配して様子を見に来てくれました。　このブログでも度々ご紹介している夫妻です。　彼自身の会社も今回の地震で多大な被害が出たとのこと。復旧、応援を兼ねて戻ってきたそうです。

日本が大好きで、日本人以上に日本を愛してくれている彼らはこの天災を自分達のことのように考えています。

東京に戻られた方からのご連絡や、数々のお客様・友人からの私たちの安否を気遣うE-mailを頂き、心から感謝しています。　色々な方に支えられて生きていることを実感することが出来てとても幸せな気持ちでいっぱいです。　

支えてくださる方達のためにも元気いっぱいで営業していこうと改めて思った週末でした。

Thinking of what I can do for the suffering people for now, this is still the best way to save electricity.  In Minato-ku, there is no planned outage, but the people are positive to do it.

I used candles with my favorite candle holders(or 'Haidai' sake cup holders) for dinner this evening. I don't have time to enjoy candle-dinner normally, but found it is very nice to spend relaxed time with the candle light.  Moreover, the regular dinner looks gorgeous:) 

Please try it... the warm light will make your dinner time more happy.

今小さなことでも出来る事・・・節電。　どこでも今積極的に取り組んでいますよね。　すごく良いことだと思います。計画停電はさておき、23区内の今の状況は本来これで足りるのだったらずっとこのままでもいいのではないかな、と考えさせられます。

今日は電気を消して蝋燭の灯りで夕食を。お気に入りの染付の盃台をキャンドルホルダーにして。　これくらいの大きさなら大げさでなく気軽に楽しめます。

いつもは忙しく料理をしてそんな余裕はありませんが、意外といいものですね。たいした節電にはならないと思いますが、ちょっとした気持ちの転換でこんな時間を楽しむのも良いかもしれません。　普通のお惣菜も豪華に見せてくれますよ

During the time we closed our shop, I went to Kyushu island to see my relatives and old friends with my family.  It was very long trip for me. 

When we left my apartment, I couldn't make up my mind to throw the fresh flowers away, but I left them as they were.

After 1 week, I peered in the room, and found the flowers were still fresh!  I heared heartfelt stories for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and I was filled with sorrow.  But at the moment I saw the flowers, I could feel the strength of life.

Japan is now filled with grief, but we must have 'Hope'!!   

From tomorrow, we will re-open the shop．We hope our customers will enjoy our shop and website again.

しばらく休業させていただいておりましたが明日より営業を再開させていただきます。

OKURA  ORIENTAL ART

From Mar 24th, the shop will be re-opened. We look foward to seeing our customers at our shop again.  Thank you.

3月23日まで臨時休業とさせてただきます。　

お問い合わせについてはEメールで承ります。尚、返信が遅れる場合もございます。

☆状況により予告なく休業期間の延長をさせていただく場合もございますのでご了承ください。

Okura Oriental Art

Though many people worried about us, there is no damage at the shop. The shop is opened as usual.  We sincerely appreciate their kindness.

We mourn for all the people who lost their lives and hope the victims will be rescued as soon as possible.

Mizue Sasa

昨日、大きな地震に見舞われましたが、幸いにして私達は被害もなく無事でした。

多くのお客様より安否についてご連絡を頂き誠にありがとうございました。

被災された方々には心からお見舞い申し上げます。

大蔵オリエンタルアート

Our great customer, Mr.& Mrs. D, sent the photos of the interior decoration using the many things from our shop on our facebook page. The title is 'Our house looks an extension of Okura's' !!

It is the best effect to start facebook!!  I'm so happy to see them and I feel very grateful for getting them.  They used to live near the shop, and I remember they bought many items for the gifts for their family.  And also, Mr.D is a collector of Masks.  His huge collections are decorated on the wall. 

I always thank our customers like Mr.&Mrs.D for keeping in touch with us for very long time.  There was no PC at the shop 10 years ago, and it was not easy to communicate with the customers in the other countries. It is much easier than before and we can take order and ship any items at any time anywhere. 

Please take a look of our facebookpage, and try to send the album of your interior decoration. I'm sure they will be the good hints for the other antique lovers!!

One of my friends commented, 'Iron lantern on my former blog is not available for camping' ...

But they are the real ones for camping!!

My friend, O, has very interesting hobby to collect vintage Coleman lanterns.  He collects the ones which were made in the years of his family birthday months. He got one for his wife's birthday gift the hard way, but her response was not so good....

I guess he will try to find the one for all of his family and hope they will show him much gratitude to him!!

鉄灯籠はキャンプでは役に立たないとわざわざコメントしてくれた友人がいましたが、

その流れでちょっとご紹介　

友人が自分の誕生した年のランタン（誕生月にも拘って・・・）　をコレクションしています。

着目点がなかなか面白い　　画像のこの二点、自分と奥さんの誕生年月にマッチングしたもの。

そもそも、COLEMANランタンにヴィンテージが存在することすら知りませんでした。

40年以上経ったものとは思えないほど状態が良い

（しかも共箱付）　いわゆるデッドストックというやつですね

友人は苦労してこれらを入手したのですが、せっかくプレゼントした奥さんの反応はイマイチ・・・・・

まぁ　男子の趣味はよくわからんってことで・・・・・

P.S.　Oちゃん　頑張れっ

There are so many kinds of camping equipment recently.  But there's only one iron lantern in the world!!  It is originally for hanging, but it good to use on the table, too.

It's very old (over 100 years old), but idea is fresh!!  I'm sure your friends will be curious  about it

We are looking for a person who try it.  But it is covered with Washi paper..... Please watch the weather...

可愛いサイズの灯籠が入荷しました。　上部には鎖がついていて吊り下げても良し。また、置いて使用しても良し。　

これを見ていてふと思い立ったアイデア

キャンプにこれ持っていったらウケるかも・・・・　　蛍光灯やLEDのランタンもいいけどキャンドルを灯したらきっと違った雰囲気が演出出来そう

どなたか実践してみませんか　

「いいね　」　と思った方ご連絡ください。　

今年の夏、あなたはキャンプ場の人気者・・・・・・かも・・・・・。

OKURA　ORIENTAL ART