Father’s Day, ‘Kyoto’ style. Yummy wagashi on the theme of work, fishing and love. Thanks Dad!

While wandering around Gion, Peko dropped into one of his favorite wagashi shops and discovered these delightful Father’s Day themed wagashi set. Kawaii indeed goes a long way to communicate feelings of love and affection.

The Wagashi

Salaryman Shirt and Tie Wagashi

Work: Dads work hard!

Creel with Ayu Wagashi

Weekends: Dads like to fish. This is a woven fish basket with ayu. Ayu is a very well-loved river fish that is in season here in the early summer.

Rose Wagashi

Love.

Father’s Day Wagashi Set

The Package

Box: Wrapped

Box: Unwrapped

The message, “お父さん ありがとう” means, “Thanks Dad”.

Box: Opened

‘Cute’ (kawaii) in Japan is all pervasive … and it sells. The other day I ran across this lovely and whimsically designed sake bottle from a brewery in Fushimi. It got me thinking…

A recent remark by one of my professors from undergraduate school who is in Kyoto on a Fulbright Scholarship researching manga and anime made me realize our difference in perspective on the phenomenon of ‘cute’ in Japanese culture, especially in advertising and marketing.

As someone who has done a good deal of creative direction and product development, I have had occasion to work with numerous Japanese designers, illustrators, ad agencies and clients.

My professor had remarked that ‘cute’ is a ploy for the accumulation of capital only, something phony and manipulative. But that has not been my experience at all.

‘Cute’ does indeed sell in Japan, and people in other countries now seem to like it, usually chuckling in mild disbelief of their own fondness of kawaii. My experience in Japan is that creators and purveyors of ‘cute’ are indeed sincere. There is no intended button pushing going on.

In that sense, kawaii is something quite deep.

The name of this sake is natsu-no-tawamure (夏の戯れ), it means, ‘play in summer’.

Cute Summer Sake Bottle – Goldfish

Foodies of the world, what do you think? Do goldfish go with sake? Do you think of summer, or fetid water?

Product Name
Natsu-no-tawamure (夏の戯れ)
Brewery Information
Shoutoku Brewery Co., Ltd.
English website