We offer our hearty wishes for your happiness in the new year.
In Japan, we call this season "Shin-shun"; "Shin" means new and "shun" means spring.
However, we are in midwinter and it is still cold. All mountains surrounded on all four side of Kyoto are covered with snow,
we feel chilly to the bones.
Why do we call "Shin-shun", new spring for this season?
The reason is as follows;
January of old calendar was actual february, and February of old calendar was actual march.
Actual January (solar calendar) has been moved up by one month.
February, the New Year month of old calender is still winter, but the days are little bit longer than night, and we hear the sound of bush warblers make in the mountain.
So, even now, we call "New Spring " for New New Year season.
One of the traditional New Year decoration is "Kagami mochi", two- round piled up rice cakes, bitter orange on it.
We make round rice like a mirror. Mirror is one of the important sacred treasure in where the pure spirit stays.
As it is said that sacred sprit of dieties stays during first 15days of New Year (in Kyoto).
And, these are also one of the traditional New Year decoration, "Mochi- bana", flower of rice cakes.(You will see some branches above Kagami mochi.)
We pray for rich harvest this year, and pray for the well- being of all people in the world.
We have decorated auspicious items of our stores at the entrance.
Please visit our Official online store even though you can not visit our physical stores in Kyoto, Japan.
https://store.kyotohandicraftcenter.com/
Let's spread joy not germ for the year 2021.
新年のご挨拶を申し上げます。
この季節を新春と呼びますが、まだまだ冬の真っただ中。
京都は骨身に染みる寒さを味わう季節です（笑）。
しかしながら、この季節は冬真っただ中で大変寒く、京の町を囲む四方の山も雪に覆われることがしばしば。
京都ハンディクラフトセンターでは、少しでも心が上向く年になりますよう、鏡餅と餅花をこしらえさせていただきました。
鏡餅は丸いお餅を重ね、橙を載せて飾りますが、その丸いお餅を鏡に見立てています。
鏡には昔から「魂が宿る」という意味があり、私たちは「神様が宿る」と捉えております。
松の内の間（京都は1月15日まで）は神様とともに私たちも過ごさせていただきたいと思います。
餅花には五穀豊穣と、みなさまが安全に幸せな1年を過ごせますよう、祈りを込めさせていただきました。
お店のアルコーブにもお正月らしく縁起の良いとされる商品を陳列させていただきました。
私どもの京都の実店舗にお越しになれない方はぜひこちら、オンラインストアに遊びにいらしてくださいませ。
今年はウイルスではなく"喜び"が広がる1年になりますように！