iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words, I really do appreciate them so much. I apologise for not replying to each comment individually. 💙

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Hello everyone. I want to thank you all for supporting me here on Bluesky and elsewhere. It has been seven and a half years now since I started sharing folklore online as curious ordinary. Unfortunately, life has thrown a lot at me over the past few years, and I have reached the point where I... 1/3

A blue sky fading to gold with crowd flying.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

...kind words and support. I sincerely hope that my posts have brought some beauty and joy into your lives over the years. My very best wishes to you all, and take care. Angela 💙 🎨'Pagoda and Crows at Sunset' - Takahashi Hiroaki, ca. 1930s (details above, full print below). 3/3

Japanese landscape print depicting a pagoda in a forest. The sky is red near the horizon and fades to yellow above then blue at the top of the print. Eleven black birds can be seen flying through the sky, some closer and others in the distance.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

...need to take a bit of a break. I just want to let you all know that I may not be posting regularly for a while as I take the time to rest and re-calibrate. This has been a very difficult decision for me, but I hope it will give me the time and space I need. Thank you for all the... 2/3

A pagoda against a red sky, a crow flies above.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

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XingWu🐉ChineseFolklore @xingwu.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Magu (麻姑), goddess of longevity, is eternity wearing a human face. In Chinese mythology, she has watched the sea turn into mulberry fields three times, making her a witness to worlds rising, vanishing, and returning again. Legends say she crossed waters in wooden clogs and 1/2

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The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Netsuke (Japan, 1701-1900). Hare grinding with a mortar and pestle. Refers to the ‘Hare in the Moon’, a messenger of the moon deity. The hare mixes the elixir of immortality with his mortar and pestle.

An exquisite, finely carved toggle from the Edo or Meiji period (1701–1900) presents a captivating depiction of the mythical Moon Hare (Tsuki no Usagi). This miniature netsuke—traditionally used as a structural counterweight to secure personal pouches to a kimono sash—is sculpted from an elegant piece of aged ivory or bone. Set against a stark black background, the composition isolates the masterful craftsmanship and playful narrative depth characteristic of Japanese miniature sagemono arts.

The sculpture centers on a personified hare depicted mid-labor, bracing its body against a deep, smoothly turned wooden-style mortar (usu). Standing upright on its hind legs, the hare grips a heavy, rounded pestle (kine) with both forepaws, captured in a dynamic moment of rhythmic pounding. In East Asian folklore, while the hare is often associated with pounding rice to make auspicious mochi cakes, this specific depiction draws upon classical mythological traditions where the creature acts as a celestial apothecary, mixing the rare ingredients for the elixir of immortality.

What elevates this particular netsuke is its remarkable attention to character and textile design. The artisan has clothed the hare in a miniature patterned robe or vest, meticulously incised with dark ink-filled lines that form geometric checkered grids and delicate floral patches across the shoulder. The animal's long, expressive ears are swept smoothly back along its neck to keep them out of the mortar's rim, and its face is carved with an expression of quiet, focused intensity. The dark, inlaid circular eyes gleam with a lifelike intelligence, catching the light perfectly. The surface of the ivory displays a warm, rich cream patina, with subtle natural grain lines and a small archival or catalog number (14509.) carefully inscribed near the base

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Hiroko Yoda @hirokoyoda.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I'm on Australia's ABC Radio! I spoke to @natashamitchell.bsky.social about Japan’s unique approach to blending secular and sacred, and how it can help you navigate complicated times. It was recorded at the 2026 Melbourne Writers Festival; now you can listen here! www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

abc.net.au

8 Million Ways to Happiness with Hiroko Yoda — what we can all learn about life, love, and loss from Japan’s flexible spirituality - ABC listen

When writer Hiroko Yoda's mother died, she found herself unmoored. They'd argued a fair bit over the years — as daughters and their mothers can — some things were unresolved. So now what? She found he...

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

✨CHIMAKI CHARMS🙏 One of the most important tasks in July for many households and businesses in Kyōto is the refreshing of the 'chimaki' (茅巻き). Sold exclusively during the Gion Matsuri, these broom-like charms hang by doorways to prevent misfortune entering the home or office.

Display of chimaki at Daimaru Department Store.

Suzuka-yama's chimaki comes with a votive tablet featuring a picture of the float.

Kakkyo-yama's chimaki features a gold coin design.

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XingWu🐉ChineseFolklore @xingwu.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Fangzhang Mountain (方丈山) is one of the three sacred isles said to rise from the East Sea, a square realm so vast that each side spans 5,000 li. In its golden palaces, jade springs nourish fields of immortal herbs, and dragons wheel through the shining air. 1/2 #art

方丈洲在東海中心，西南東北岸正等，方丈方面各五千里。上專是群龍所聚，有金玉琉璃之宮，三天司命所治之處。群仙不欲升天者，皆往來此洲，受太玄生籙，仙家數十萬。耕田種芝草，課計頃畝，如種稻狀，亦有玉石泉，上有九源丈人宮主，領天下水神，及龍蛇巨鯨陰精水獸之輩。

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Shin Hanga Daily @shinhangadaily.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Toshi Yoshida - Waterfall #ShinHanga #Woodblock #Print #JapaneseArt #Ukiyo-e

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

'Spring Rain at Matsushima' - Tsuchiya Koitsu, 1936. #JapaneseArt #shinhanga

A landscape with trees in the left foreground overlooking a lake with two small islands and a white sailing boat.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

In #JapaneseFolklore there is a strange tale of a ghostly sake drinking binge. One day an antique dealer discovered a very realistic painting of a ghost. That very day a customer agreed to buy it for ten times what he had paid, saying he would return the next day with the money. #PhantomsFriday 1/6

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

SpookySunday sounds like a great idea! I have lots of yokai that definitely fit under the category of 'spooky' but are not necessarily 'ghosts.'

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

‘The Tanabata Festival’ from the series ‘Precious Children’s Games of the Five Festivals’ - Torii Kiyonaga, 1794. #JapaneseArt #ukiyoe #tanabata

Children write wishes on strips of paper and tie them to bamboo.

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

At Tanabata (七夕) people write wishes on colourful paper strips called 'tanzaku' (短冊) and hang them from decorated bamboo fronds. In ancient times people originally etched poems on the leaves of sacred kajinoki (梶の木 'paper mulberry') trees and offered them to the gods.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I agree, I really love this one too.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Today in Japan is Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival. Last year I wrote this article about Tanabata folklore, history and traditions, with plenty of art featuring Tanabata celebrations too. open.substack.com/pub/curiouso... #JapaneseArt #JapaneseFolklore

open.substack.com

Tanabata

The Japanese Star Festival

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

🥒THE MONTH WITHOUT CUCUMBERS🚫 The crest of Yasaka-jinja (八坂神社), home to the Gion Matsuri, resembles the cross-section of a cucumber, and thus the fruit has gained sacred status during the festival. One of the strangest customs in Kyōto is the giving up of cucumbers for July!

Nao-san models with a Gion Matsuri lantern inspired obi, and a fan emblazoned with the 2 crests of the festival.

For tea time dry sugar sweets in the shape of fans iced with Gion Matsuri crests, and wafers with an abstract lantern display design.

In July Oimatsu's delicious domoyoji sweets come branded with a Gion Matsuri crest.

During the yoiyama afternoons and evenings before the Gion Matsuri parade the festival floats are adorned with lanterns.

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🎃 Zack o' Lantern 🎃 @zackdavisson.com · 06/07/2026

When cats live too long, they gain magical powers and transform. But what they transform into depends on the cat's personality. Are they monster? Trickster? Pillow sitter? What will YOUR cat become? Find out in KAIBYO: THE SUPERNATURAL CATS OF JAPAN Preorder for Nov 19 release! amzn.to/4b9cLTg

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I had not heard about this cucumber tradition, thanks for enlightening me as always with your wonderful threads.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

'Tanuki Moving House' from the album 'Playful Pictures' - Adachi Ginko, 1885. #JapaneseArt #ukiyoe #yokai

A small straw house beside a river. Tanuki carry things to the other side.

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

❤️A TALE OF LOVE💔 Orihime (織姫), represented by the star Vega, and her lover Hikoboshi (彦星), the star Altair, can meet only once a year. On the 7th day of the 7th month, if the weather is fine, a mischief of magpies form a bridge across the 'Heavenly River' (the Milky Way).

Woodblock print of Orihime and Hikoboshi meeting across the Milky Way.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Woodblock print of fireworks, with people enjoying the display from riverboats.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Woodblock print of a woman weaving.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

The 'go-sekku' (lunar calendar): 🎍1/1 Kochōhai (小朝拝 New Year) 🎎3/3 Kyokusui-no-en (曲水の宴 Feast of Drinking around a Meandering Stream) 🎏5/5 Tango-no-sekku (端午の節句 Boys' Festival) 🪡7/7 Kikkōden (乞功奠 Tanabata) 🍶9/9 Chōyō-no-en (重陽の宴 Feast of Chrysanthemums)

Woodblock: cleaning New Year decorations in preparation for celebrations.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Woodblock: carp streamers hung for Boy's Day celebrations.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Woodblock: admiring chrysanthemums for the chrysanthemum festival in autumn.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Tomorrow is Tanabata, the Star Festival. Even though I'm not in Japan, I still write my wishes on strips of coloured paper and hang them on the bamboo growing in my garden. It's a lovely ritual that makes me feel hopeful for the year ahead. The wonderful thread below is all about tanabata.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

'Tsukumojima in Shimabara' from the series 'Selected Views of Japan' - Hasui Kawase, 1922. From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collection. #JapaneseArt #shinhanga

Landscape in pale blue and pink tones. A lake with several small islands. On the closest is a torii (gate) and trees. A small boat with two people is in the foreground. Pink clouds in a blue sky.

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

👻THE ORIGINS OF THE GION MATSURI🙏 Simply put = 👹😱😫🤒🤮 🙏 👹➡️😇 💪🥳 In looking at the origins of the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) we must start a few years prior to the plague of 869, to the first goryō-e (御霊会). Disease in those days was attributed to either gods or spirits.

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Hiroko Yoda @hirokoyoda.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Thanks to Christopher Harding for interviewing me on his newsletter! www.chrishardingjapan.com/p/eight-mill...

chrishardingjapan.com

Eight Million Ways to Happiness

Hiroko Yoda and Japanese Approaches to Life

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Shin Hanga Daily @shinhangadaily.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Tsuchiya Koitsu - Araki Yokocho at Yotsuya #ShinHanga #Woodblock #Print #JapaneseArt #Ukiyo-e

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XingWu🐉ChineseFolklore @xingwu.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

The dragon motif comes from the Seated Portrait of Emperor Xizong (明熹宗, 1605–1627), a ruler whose image radiates imperial power even as his reign unraveled behind the throne. Remembered as the Ming “carpenter emperor,” Xizong preferred woodwork, hunting, and 1/2 #art

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Sorry I keep missing these, life is a bit crazy right now. I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts though and hopefully I will be able to contribute again soon.

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Coffin Boffin @coffinboffin.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

SAMURAI CATS who even knew these were a thing! Japanese artists Utagawa Yoshiiku (歌川芳幾, 1833-1904) & Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳 (1798-1861) depict stunning Samurai cats including a Samurai cat picnic #Caturday

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The Ghost Monk @theghostmonk.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Justly celebrated as one of the greatest illustrators ever, Gustave Dore's landscape painting is less well-known (at least to me). Here is his moody and dramatic depiction of Loch Lomond, dating from the 1870s. #painting #landscape #art #Dore #Scotland

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XingWu🐉ChineseFolklore @xingwu.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

In the Ming dynasty, cats were courtly art made alive. At the royal court, each feline received a name as elegant as a poem: a pure white cat was “A Piece of Jade,” a black cat with a white belly became “Black Clouds Covering Snow,” and a white cat 1/2 #caturday #history

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

That's magnificent, thanks so much for sharing.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

'Jumantsubo Plain at Suzaki, Fukagawa' from the series '100 Views of Edo' - Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857. #JapaneseArt #ukiyoe

An eagle in flight at the top of the frame above a pale blue snowy sky and a swampy area below with lake.

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Matthew Meyer @yokai.com · 01/07/2026

Who's the culprit? Could it be the maid? The merchant? The innkeeper? 🍚🐾 Find out in this week's kidan, free to read on my Patreon at the link below: www.patreon.com/theyokaiguy/...

patreon.com

Kidan: The Cold Rice Thief | Matthew Meyer (The Yokai Guy)

Greetings yokai lovers! Today I'm happy to share June's final tale, The Cold Rice Thief. This story takes place in Kitanoshō, the old name f

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

During the festival the gods of Yasaka-jinja are brought across the Kamo-gawa to a temporary lodging in the city. In former times a temporary bridge was constructed for the express use of the gods (as shown in the 1574 folding screen 'Rakuchū Rakugai-zu' 洛中洛外図屏風). #Kyoto

In this close up of the Rakuchu Rakugai-zu folding screen painting you can see two bridges across the Kamogawa. The left is a floating bridge created for the express use of the Gion gods (this is how the mikoshi are carried into the city).

Image thanks - https://plus.kyoto.travel/entry/rakuchurakugaizu

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

👹KYŌTO'S GRANDEST FESTIVAL😇 Summer in Kyōto is said to begin with the Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) and end with the Gozan-no-Okuribi (五山送り火)🤔 an anti-plague charm on Simon bamboo... door of the inn なよ竹のささら三八御宿哉 -Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1812. Trans. David Lanoue. #Kyoto #京都 #Japan #祇園祭 #祭

Beautiful tapestries decorate one of the Gion Matsuri's floats.

A giant red decoration hanging for Tanabata in the worship hall of Imamiya-jinja.

Prayers said at Eki-jinja in Yasaka-jinja's grounds mark the end of the Gion Matsuri.

Daimonji, greatest of the Gozan-no-Okuribi.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

'Moon at Musashino' - Tonouchi Misho, ca. 1937. From the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art collection. #FullMoon #JapaneseArt

A huge bright full moon in an inky sky fading to pale blue at the horizon and then to a green field.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

'Swallows, Peach Blossoms and Full Moon' - Utagawa Hiroshige, ca. 1835 #FullMoon #ukiyoe #JapaneseArt

Two birds sit on a flowering branch beneath a full moon.

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curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

'Shrine Gate Pass at Rokusozan in Kazusa Province' from the series 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' - Utagawa Hiroshige, 1852. From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collection. #ToriiTuesday #ukiyoe #JapaneseArt

A torii (gate) stands in a path leading towards green hills and the sea with the top of Mount Fuji visible on the horizon in a hazy pink sky. Near the torii is a person on a horse and several other people walking.

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

crow and nightingale pass through it too... purification hoop 御鴉も鶯も潜る茅の輪哉 -Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶). Trans. David G. Lanoue. As the haiku suggests (crow = commoners and nightingale = nobility), the summer purification ceremony does not discriminate...all are welcome🐦‍⬛ #Kyoto

Illustration of a priest before a chinowa and worshippers purifying themselves at a water font.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Right image: Illustration of a priest before a chinowa and worshippers purifying themselves at a water font.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Woodblock print of visitors readying to walk through a shrine chinowa.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

Illustration of worshippers crowding into the grounds of a shrine and beneath a giant chinowa ring.

Image thanks - https://ja.ukiyo-e.org/

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