by Fünchkins
Swiss company Zai asked Kacper Hamilton to design a collection of tools inspired by the Japanese Higonokami, a folding pocket knife.
This knife is regarded as a “living fossil” because its design and production method has been unchanged since the late 19th century.
*Kacper’s answer to this request was the Higo Tool which can be purchased through Zai
Amigurumi is the Japanese of using crochet to make stuffed animals and shapes. Some examples are so tiny, and use embroidery floss and needle thin crochet hooks. Others can be over sized toys that rival anything won at a carnival.
This art has spread the world over and the word Amigurumi is now used to describe any sort of handmade crocheted soft toy.
*If you have ever wanted to try making your own Amigurumi toys, Miss Turtle has a great, simple to follow tutorial that will give you a base to start your Amigurumi adventures from
These adorable little cars are called Kuruma which means cars in Japanese. They are hand-carved by Mr. Togawa who uses the grain of each piece of wood to make every car totally unique.
The passengers have big happy smiles and are sure to bring hours of joy to that little boy or girl with a car fixation.
*Kuruma toys can be purchased from the baum-kuchen shop for just $58
I’ve always wanted to make my own udon miso soup, and now with this recipe from Steamy Kitchen, I can not only make it but I can make it in 15 minutes. Udon noodles are fat, soft Japanese noodles that can now be found at your local grocer and miso is a fermented seasoning popular in Japanese cooking. Fast to cook, looks delicious and packed with good things for your body, a winning combination according to me.
Steamy Kitchen‘s Udon Miso Soup recipe can be found on their website
These beautiful litte round pods are Japanese Steamless humidifiers, they are Naoto Fukasawa’s design and have smooth curves to make them fit in with contemporary decor. Humidifiers are great to combat winter dryness as well as for alergy and hayfever sufferers.
The Bone Stools by Cedric Ragot for Ymer & Malta are fine examples of how a combination of marble and wood, two natural raw materials, can work really well together.
Nomu, which means “to drink” in Japanese, is a teapot and teacups designed by Lee West. What makes this teapot special, is that it has no handle but instead has a removable cork sleeve so you don’t burn your hands.
The Nomu teapots and cups were launched by Eno at the Maison & Objet show in Paris
These blocks from Japan’s Torafu Architects, are made from Fine Revo, a new material being used in mattress making. The blocks look like cement building blocks, but are very light and can be used like LEGO.
More information on the Soft Blocks is available through the Torafu Architects‘ site (all in Japanese)
Although there are any number of apps for smart phones that allow piano students to hone their craft, there isn’t a portable instrument that improves on the experience gained from playing with your phone’s touchscreen.
For the perfect cup of tea, you don’t need very much, just recently boiled water, tea leaves of your choice, cup or mug and a little time to savour the magic that is a cup of tea. This Tea Kettle from Jason Krajewski is a great idea, it has thermochromic paint that turns from black to white when the water is hot, and the kettle on the whole looks modern, space-age almost.
For more information on the Tea Kettle, you can find Jason’s profile on Coroflot or from Freshouses
