I just found that my wisteria was blossoming this morning. I remember full blossom wisteria were everywhere in my hometown at the beginning of spring.

When I was little, my Grandma used to take my sister and I for a walk to enjoy watching the wisteria garden near our home.

I know she will come and see me even here in Australia because of this wisteria in front of my garden. Only she and I know about this.

My work has been so busy lately and I haven’t spoken to any of my family in Japan. I feel so far away from all of them. My mind is a bit scattered also and I feel I am losing focus lately.

I was rushing to take my son to his soccer game and saw my wisteria was blossoming in my front garden this morning, it made me slow down and think about reconnection.

I better call my mum tonight and say hello.
I feel a little awkward because I haven’t made the effort to call her and ask how she has been.

In your country do you celebrate your ancestors? How do you reconnect to them?

They wear their own Rice Field uniforms and wrap with old aprons. 
All different types of check and stripes were mixed together and the crosshatch collection of fields became very lively. 
As soon as I see stripes and check it reminds me of my hometown. My sister and I used to watch and enjoy the smell of fresh and burned grass.

When summer comes the rice field becomes greener. The women wear deep triangle straw hats to avoid the sun. The colourful materials worn to cover their faces and necks looked beautiful in the greenfield.           
I remember those mixed patterns looked very interesting. Japanese workman uniforms are quite conservative but I liked their indigo colours and the range of muted sun bleached tones. Many of them lined up together in the fields to plant rice, they looked beautiful in my eyes. 

For this coming collection, I am deeply inspired by these Japanese workmen clothes.
Here is the first styling of the striped linen Kosa Jacket and Wide Pants

How would you wear STRIPE? 

In Japan, most girl's school uniform skirts were pleated when I was young.
I loathed the pleated skirt at that time and we thought it was cool to make the skirt longer. 
(I got in trouble by my teacher for doing it) 
 

 
Now I like pleated skirts.
The asymmetrical cut in my designs must be coming from Kimono layering. 
Even though the Kimono itself is symmetrical, the layering cloth often shows a slight unbalance in my eye.
 
It can be a little difficult to describe Japanese beauty.  
These days the term "Wabi Sabi" is becoming more understood and used in Western society. Unbalanced beauty is everywhere. I often see beauty in both structured and unstructured objects. 
Here is my 'unstructured' structure in my styling.
 
Can you see the Japanese elements in my design? 

I am sure many of you may have experienced something similar to my story?
My son recently started to play guitar. He is into music (at the moment) and most of the time he wears his earphones wherever he goes and especially in the car when I try to talk to him..

Teens influence each other with their music choices and no doubt my son's music tastes have been changing constantly. I much prefer him playing music instead of playing computer games. 

He is recently playing some retro music from the 70's and 80's. I can even sing along with him. That's often have a happy time together singing songs that we both know. 

My son is practicing 'Blackbird' from the Beatles at the moment. 
During these school holidays, he didn't play computer games so much, instead he was practicing guitar in his room most of the time until late at night. 
He plays the same phrase over and over for ever...

It's about 20 or 30 seconds long and it goes over and over for all day and night.
it doesn't seem to go any further than that. Just only the one phrase.
I often think it's good enough and I want him to move onto the next phrase. 
I nearly screamed at him to stop practicing the same thing. But I tried to be patient not to tell him.

After a few weeks of his constant practice, I think his guitar skills have improved a lot. I didn't know that he was that enthusiastic and patient on something he loves, other than gaming.

Being parents, we sometimes need to be patient as well don't we? 
I don't tell my son, but I go a bit crazy with the song. I hope he moves onto the next phrase soon. 
Even when he is not practicing I still can't get rid of the song looping in my mind all day..!

Some of you may have already heard that we are going to move our studio soon. My team members and I have been here for three years on the south side of Brisbane in . This is our second studio since the flooding in 2011. It's a quite large industrial space and is a convenient location for all of our team members. We have been a fashion house as well as a manufacturer since we started in 1999. 

Over the last 24 years, we have grown, and shrunk and grown again. The shape of keltiskesenge has been changed and moulded as we have evolved, and the studio buildings have witnessed that. Some people come and some go, some stay for a long time. 

Although we didn't have a long relationship with this studio building, we stayed together during COVID time. At one stage there were only 4 of us working here during COVID, making masks and searching for PPE filters. We are now back to nearly 15 members working here. We have survived!\

We are moving soon. It was a challenge for us to find a large space within a distance where it suited all my members. So this time I have decided to move to a house. It will be an interesting experience to work in a house. I wonder what she/he is like? 

One thing that I am going to miss the most is our 11m long cutting table. 
Unfortunately the long cutting table is not going to fit into our next small space that we are planning to move into. 
Although our next place is yet to be confirmed, I am still thinking of somehow trying to bring my long friend with us for the next move.

It was only 1 week since our dearest dog Kuma passed away suddenly.
It was unexpected death of our Akita family member.
It's almost like she was waiting for us to come back from our Japan trip, and then she ended her life.

Did she consciously choose to end her life? Her body didn't work the same as it used to. Kuma spent her entire 12 years of life growing with my children and protecting us all. There are so many beautiful memories that we created together. I don’t understand why this has happened so quickly. I keep asking and asking what does this really mean to us.

At the end of last year my daughter finished high school. I was quite excited to experience our new journey from this year. It will be different without Kuma. It was so sudden when Kuma passed away, all of our family were so shocked and having a challenging time with the adjustment. It feels like her spirit has been with us even though we can’t see her any more.
We miss her deeply.

In Buddhism we believe that all lives reincarnate. Once we have been connected in this life, or a passed life, we will reconnect together in our next lives. There is a huge gap in our family and we feel the emptiness. Whatever we do, Kuma was always there with us. It still feels that way.

Hopefully one day we will be able to stop crying for missing you Kuma, but we will be excited to meet you again somewhere in our next life.

Beautiful drawing of Kuma by @kerrihobba

Second drawing of Kuma by @naimadrawings when she was 11 years old

During my trip in Kyoto, we visited FUSHIMI Inari shrine.

More than 2000 years ago, wolves were known as messengers to the god of harvest. Farmers used to worship those wolves that lived in the mountains and the villages. About 1300 years ago when harvest time was established those wolves were pushed away to the deep mountains and foxes started to appear instead.

I did not know what to expect from this experience.

It was my first experience and as soon as we stepped into the mountain the temperature dropped immediately. We were surrounded by mountain forest.

We then slowly went through those red gates - TORII.
There are thousands of those red gates, the sacred gates to the way to connect to the mountain gods. It took us to the completely different space and it was beautiful but mysterious.

Foxes were known as messenger to the mountain gods and have been living in the mountain for a long time.

When we were going up the stone steps, so many things went through my mind. All things I did last year and things I couldn’t do... about family, friends in Australia and Japan.

It took almost 1.5 hours to the top.
More than 14000 steps to go through.
As much as it was an effort, I couldn’t stop half way.

It was important to GO THROUGH those gates.

Every time when I walk to the end, it felt like someone was watching us from the forest between the red gates.

I wonder if those foxes were watching us ..
We were all powered by them for sure.

Power of nature. ..

I am currently in Japan travelling with my two children.
I wanted to travel a little bit in this trip as my daughter just finished her high school and wanted to have a good experiences and our memories together.

Arriving in Osaka, we have stayed few days here. It’s a big city and my children were so excited with everything they saw. We then moved to a place called Okayama located south of Osaka. I never been in this town. My old school friend and her family live in this town.

I was originally planning to stay at my friend’s place for one night. But we ended up staying more days. we had so many things to talk about our memories and the future. Looking around in Okayama and the surrounding areas and islands. I really fell in love with this places. I love travelling without fixed plans.
How about you?

There are so many arts this area that I was amazed and beautiful histories.
Spontaneous travelling could end up some unexpected surprises which can be good and bad. Some art galleries were closed due to the end of year.
But it’s ok. There are reason to come back this town again.
We had an amazing time together here.

Now I am slowly heading to my hometown Fukui tomorrow. Somehow I am feeling a little hesitating to go back to my hometown. Somewhere in my mind, I have a little fear and sadness to go back to my home. Everyone when I go home, my grandma was so excited to welcome me back. After COVID, I am now going home. The home where my grandma is no longer there. I don’t know what to say or how to start conversation with my mum.

Slowly slowly heading to my home town. As I see the view of Japan sea side, my old memories will be coming back to my mind. Half of my mind is excited to spend time with my children in my country, and at the same time I have a mixed emotion and that I can’t ignore.

Here in Okayama is sunny day today. After a long time in train, we will go through several mountains. Then once going through the final tunnel we will be expecting to see the white snow world. My home town, Fukui.
We better purchase gumboots tomorrow before we arrive the snow country.

I have been having strange mixed emotions about Naima and this graduation day. As much as I am so happy to see her beautiful growth, somewhere in my mind, I am having a struggle about letting her go.
I have a sad feeling about it, I can't share this feeling with anyone.

One day, my grandma told me that she regretted letting me come to Australia.
As much as she was happy with me exploring the world she was so sad not to be able to see me as often as she wanted.
I rarely went back to my small hometown.

She passed away last year and I couldn't see her.

Now I am having the same emotions towards my daughter.

MONONO AWARE - SENSE OF IMPERMANENCE

We experience many different emotions in our life and we can't avoid them.
Sometimes I wish we could.
But in the end, I am grateful to have experienced such a wonderful chapter of our life together.
Naima and I.

A flowing river continues changing it's shape and speed, it will never go back to the way it was.
Everything on this earth is the same as a river.
Reminding us that the only thing in the universe that will never change, is the fact that everything changes.

Sense of Impermanence

Through Tiel's creations, I experienced the memories of my childhood, the views of the rice fields that I grew up with. The bamboo bush behind my old house that I thought would never change.
It was not an exciting view at that time.
But now that I get older, that view stays in my heart forever.
All those memories and sentimental beauty.
Art has the power to move people, reminding them of a place they once were or somewhere they long to be.

After the big storms at the beginning of summer, I still remember the excitement of waiting for the summer festival in Japan called Natsu Matsuri.
It is a colourful festival culture displayed in many villages in Japan.. 
The Mikuni Matsuri in my hometown near the beach has a massive fireworks display every year and it's quite famous. 
My Grandma and our neighbours would get ready by preparing the traditional festival food for the gathering. 

My sister and I got so excited weeks before, waiting for the day to come. 
On the festival day, We go there early to get the best space near the shore and wait until dusk arrives.
It takes a few hours to walk to the beach and we used to love the journey. 

Gradually more and more people come to fill the beach and by 5 O'clock, the whole Mikuni beach is filled with people. 
My Grandma would give us 10 each for the day and we were always very careful choosing what to spend our money on.
When the fireworks start around 6:00 at night, the vibration through the ocean gets to our body. We know that is the starting time. 
Three Seconds later, we see the biggest fireworks in the dark sky with a huge noise. 
The fireworks fill the entire sky and all of us become silent.  The most beautiful fireworks in the world!
Then another one comes out. We kept looking in the sky and couldn't stop to close our eyes out of fear we would miss some of them. 
By then the Ramune drink bottle (lemonade drink with the little marble inside the lid) that we bought was empty. I tilt the glass bottle to try to drink the last drop.
I still remember those vivid colours of fireworks reflecting through the Ramune glass bottle.
After the fireworks we all go to small stores and buy candies. 
Every summer after the storm the colourful memory of Matsuri comes to my mind.
One of my favorite memories with my sister.
I wonder if my sister has the same colour memory that I have. 

——
Fireworks Photos by @kanazawanoji

When Autumn dyes the whole mountain with several shades of red, people not only see, but can feel the change of the new coming season.
Soon the temperature drops quickly and all animals and insects are getting ready for a tough winter.

On the way home from the mountains during the cooler Autumn days, people collect firewood, pick tree nuts and enjoy watching maple leaves and the other creatures celebrating the beautiful colours of the new season arrival.
The deep red of the Autumn leaves indicates fragility and the preciousness of life in Japan.

Welcoming the cold hard Winter, we used to entrust our heart and body with those momiji leaves, knowing that if we have faith, we will see the warm spring soon enough.

I went to Monju mountain in my home town with my good friends and my children to celebrate the end of 2017. I did not know what to expect.
As soon as we stepped onto the mountain, the temperature dropped immediately. The snow was knee deep and we were surrounded by mountain forest. It took us to a completely different space and it was beautiful, but also mysterious.

Tengu goblin has been living in this mountain. He is a long nosed Goblin or bird like monster and has been living in this mountain as a protector for a 1000s of years. He is also considered to be a mountain god who can change his form.
When we are walking through the mountain, so many things went through my mind. Firstly, I wondered if Tengu was watching us, and then i thought about all the things I did this year and all the things I couldn’t do... about my family and friends, Australia and Japan.

It took almost 1.5 hours to reach the top, by the time we arrived my mind was completely calm. On the way down however, than calmness did not last long, whenever I trekked at the back of the line, it felt like we were being watched.
Perhaps Tengu was just making sure to grant us safe passage through his forest.

Featuring the Henge Shapeshifter - As an incantation moves matter into magic, this piece shifts from skirt to coat.

I recently purchased those beautiful old Japanese threads in a box from Facebook marketplace. It was an impulse purchase and it reminded me of my mum who used to make kimonos when she was young in Kyoto. Those old Japanese pins in a tin box took me to my home in Japan, my mum used to use them all the time. All kimonos are made by hand gently. When I received the thread box, I met a young lady who reminded me of my daughter. Maybe mid 30's? She told me a story about why she is selling those Japanese threads, and about her Japanese mum who used to make kimonos when she was young in Japan. 

The story of her mum was so fascinating, and I wanted to know more about her mum. Her mum met an Australian man and fell in love. She showed me a beautiful photo of her mum. The old sepia coloured photo indicated the duration of past time.They have been living in Australia and have a beautiful daughter. A few years ago she lost her husband and now no longer makes kimonos.

She now lives by herself in aged care. The whole story made me feel a little sad. I wish I could talk to her face to face if I could. Especially when we get older and when my children become independent I wonder how I will feel one day. The cultures, the languages and our dialect, the home cooked food, the smell of winter air coming through between the wooden door and fire in the hearth cooking mountain vegetables.

All I could do was write a handwritten letter to this lady that I had never met before. I packed Japanese food with the little letter, I hope she could enjoy the little moment of Japan.

 I grew up in a snowy country village in Japan. The amount of snow that we have is so much, sometimes we had to go outside from the second floor. The view of the snowy horizon was incredibly beautiful. In my garage at home, my family’s old straw jackets were hanging there for a long time.  

I always remember the old straw jacket.
It was my grand mother's jacket. I didn’t remember that she wore the jacket. 

The Yo-kan box had a symbol of a little boy wearing a straw jacket in the package also. When I was a little girl, we used to enjoy this Japanese sweet called Yo-kan. It's like a jelly kind of texture, and it's made of red beans. It was a luxury sweet for us. In Japan, we have a gift culture, and we often take this Yo-kan box to people as a gift and we are also often given by others in my home town. When I saw the Yo-kan box on the table after school, my sister and I were so excited and couldn't wait for my father to come home and open the box. In our home we had to give the first piece to our Buddha, then my grandfather. After that the whole family got to eat.

I still miss Yo-Kan from my hometown which has the little guy wearing the straw jacket. Same as my grandmothers in our garage. Little memories of my hometown like this take me back to slower times.

I have an opportunity to go to a cultural event this week and was wondering what formal dress to wear for the event. 

Something elegant but a little unique. 

This dress is one of my oldest designs I ever made about 20 years ago. 

I lost the pattern during the flood in 2011. So we recreated the pattern this week. 

It's not exactly the same as my original one but I am pretty happy with the result. 

Even though the design was from 20 years ago I still think this is a fresh and unique dress.

I have attached a hand-written talisman panel at the bottom of the 'Eri-collar". Hand-written on the fabric, it says "蝶舞百花風".

A dress that I have designed as a symbol of where I am from and where I am going. 

I usually would find inspiration for my designs through my previous experiences and memories, but this time I have designed this dress for an opportunity. An opportunity to grow and evolve.

I see myself as a butterfly dancing my way through the breeze, as I encounter hundreds of flowers. Each one is different from the next. One's personality is never the same as the next. I learn and grow from each and every one. 

I think I am about to come across a new flower in my life. A flower that will give me the opportunity to take keltiskesenge to new places. 

What would you think of a formal dress for yourself? 

Something to represent yourself and for you to feel elegant. 

Please let me know your thoughts.

My grandma turned 103 years old the other day.
I haven't seen my family for almost 2 years now, but feel like I haven't seen them for more than decades. These days my grandma wakes up for a short time everyday. When my grandma wakes up, she makes sure that my mum is near her and my grandma seems happy. They have a routine life that is very simple and slow in the countryside of my hometown.

I sometimes wonder if it may be one of the happiest times of their lives where they don't have to worry about anything any more. They just live quietly, two of them together.

My mum has been looking after my grandma for quite a few years at home since she stopped walking by herself.
These days, my grandma can't do much.
I used to go home regularly and my grandma would get so excited to see me.
My grandma doesn't know about COVID. Since she can't hear nor see well anymore, and doesn't read newspapers or watch TV, no computer nor mobile phone, she lives in her own world. She just lives a simple life and waits for me to come home and see her. Sometimes she gets confused between me and my sister.

Who would have thought this kind of situation would arise where we are not able to cross countries and see families and loved one for such a long time?
I just know now that it is unlikely that I will see my grandma again. I feel so much pain when my grandma asks my mum about me. All my Mum can say is 'Masayo is coming back soon.'

I spoke to my mum last night and all I could say to her was that she is doing a great job looking after her mother and please take care.
I feel my home is so far away.

Gracing the hidden streets of this town, the Etched Wichelen knows countless secrets

Like Obsidian silk overlaid on the divine patterned skin, every mark tells a tale of the past and possible futures.

Shades of midnight ink are her incantation - read, spoken, sung or chanted, they hint at true power and elegance.

Amulets and sigils lead her way, casting shadows of ancestral magic.

Listen closely as the Etched Wichelen has many things to impart, though, these tails are not for the faint of heart.