Japan travelogue – The Light of Shodoshima
by Taiwanese artist Wang Wen Chih
Located at Shodoshima, 小豆島, this giant dome is constructed out of 5,000 island-grown bamboo, and it lies at the foot of a slope of terraced fields (– see how this artwork is so seamlessly integrated within the landscapes of the island’s vegetation/plantation!). Visitors can enjoy wandering around, and inside the dome. When we were inside this dome, there were 2 other people already admiring the artwork, 1 guy was actually lying on the bamboo floor, admiring the ceiling with a hollow circle that leads your eyes to the vast skies above.
As a form of respect to these artworks, we were to remove our shoes before entering, and were encouraged to speak softly. This was a whole new experience for us – it allowed us to focus on the artwork, and there were these soothing and soft sounds of water trickling from the nature outside the dome :)
At night, it is said that it will also be lit up by LEDs. This artwork is only available for viewing in Spring, Summer & Autumn.
Some of these art installations under the Setouchi Triennale are seasonal and may not be available all the time. So be sure to read up and do your research before visiting to avoid disappointment. We made such silly mistake ourselves and it was no fun – since these art pieces are located very dispersed from one another, and lotsa traveling time were wasted! Another thing to take note is that time is definitely a factor when planning your art trails! There are many timings to note – the island bus timeslots, the last ferry that leaves the island (you don’t want to get stranded there if your homebase isn’t on that island you are visiting, it’s not funny especially when the sun sets, it gets really dark from very little public lighting),
Follow us on our Japan travelogue, and view past entries here.
Japan travelogue – 犬島 • 豊島 • 直島 • 小豆島 (part 2)
Here’s sharing more photos from these islands, the blues were really blue, and the greens were really green. Not to mention that the weather of Spring was really comforting
These islands are also known as art islands, and they’re part of the many islands involved under the Setouchi Triennale 2013. It’s really amazing how art installations/projects are so seamlessly integrated into the everyday life of these villagers. And it’s not just the young and cool that were visiting these artworks, there were おばさん (“oh bah sang”/aunties) cycling (and even up slopes!!) alongside with us on this art trail!
We’ll be sharing more of the art aspect of these islands and the Setouchi Triennale as we go along.
Follow us on our Japan travelogue, and view past entries here.
The Little / Little Co. Pencils
The smallest things in life tend to leave the deepest impressions. We remember most the tiny bits of joy and out of the blue surprises. These are moments of magic that shape us. Deriving our name from the musical term “poco a poco”, the Little by Little Co. hopes to inject a few crafty surprises into everyday living.
A little writing a day // keeps me smiling away
These Little / Little Co. pencils are new, and available at the little dröm store.
Japan travelogue – 犬島 • 豊島 • 直島 • 小豆島
After a week in the city areas, we retreated to somewhere else with a slower place. A few hours on the Shinkansen express train and we were whisked away from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto into Japan’s countryside. Our window view was like watching a breathtaking scenic film, really!
The few islands that we visited were 直島 (Naoshima), 豊島 (Teshima), 犬島 (Inujima), and 小豆島 (Shodoshima – how cute is this island’s name, it literally means “small bean island”). We based ourselves on Naoshima and then took ferry rides to visit the rest on day trips throughout our stay.
The nature surrounding us and the way of life here is really inspiring and humbling at the same time. Humbling because we got to see more of God and His amazing creations at work, and not so much of Men’s. It was truly nature at it’s best! Which was a breath of fresh air for us, since Singapore’s landscape is mostly man-made.
The photos we’re sharing here are from Inujima and Teshima. The vegetable plantations and home grown crops by the locals were some of the things that caught our attention. The onions and daikons were really huge and they look so healthy and delicious! It’s no wonder why the food here taste so fresh and authentic.
Another thing that caught our eyes were the sporadic pop-up cafes that literally was out in the middle of nature! Made up of small little houses or shacks, they all seem so self-contained. From the handwritten signage and menus to the setup of the sitting areas, now this is the kind of alfresco dining we would love to sit for hours!
Photos shared here were shot with our trusty (but sadly neglected) Nikon F50 film camera, it was fun to start shooting with film all over again!
Follow us on our Japan travelogue, and view past entries here.
Memory Card Game
With super cute illustrations by Swedish illustrator – Ingela P. Arrhenius! New at the little dröm store.
Japan travelogue, Tokyo
At our last day in Tokyo, we managed to squeeze in some time to pop by the super cute and quirky store, Doux Dimanche to meet Nathalie Lété. It was rather surreal to see her face to face actually! And here’s her signed autograph for us :)
At Doux Dimanche (Aoyama store), we also had the chance to stumble upon Japanese artist, Yumi Kitagishi – check out her nails! She paints them herself! We love the insane details that goes on each and every single nail! Really really love her owl and mushrooms. Yumi-san also makes her own rubber stamps and we chose and bought the パグ (pug) one (obviously!).
We promise to share more of our Japan trips on our blog as we go along. :) We have so many stories and photos to share with you all drömmers!
To follow our Japan travels, you could type “Japan Travel” tags under our search bar on the right :)
Sounds of SG
We’ve recently added 5 new designs to our series of Sounds of Singapore glasses. A total of 8 designs are now available.
• *Tu: poke*
• *Kiàp: to grasp/get stuck in between*
• *Buáh: spread*
• *Chao Ta: Burnt*
• *Pong: Expand*
• *Lau hong: to lose its crispiness (in context of food)*
• *Yum Seng: Cheers!*
• *La: Stir*
PEZ Totes
New at the little dröm store, available in 3 designs.
