To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Isetan Shinjuku, from Wednesday, September 20th to Friday, September 29th, multi-artist Shinsuke Kawahara will be hosting a special event with the theme of "New Moon Viewing" at the Isetan Shinjuku store, in collaboration with Suzukake (confectionery), Kaikado (tea caddy) and EN TEA.
"Moon viewing with petit usagi"
We have lived with the moon since ancient times.In the past, people would gaze at the moon and compose poems, entrusting their feelings to its appearance. They also offered rice dumplings and manju (buns) in the shape of the moon to give thanks for bountiful harvests and prayed to the moon. Sometimes they would drink tea while gazing at the moon and talk all night with friends. The moon has always been close to us, sometimes a mirror that reflects our own hearts, sometimes an object of worship, and sometimes simply something to be gazed upon.
What we propose is a "new style of moon viewing."
Our relationship with the moon is gradually changing as our lifestyles change. However, the feeling of looking up at the sky at night and appreciating the moon remains the same. The moon may seem a little more distant to us living in the modern age than it once was, but we hope that the "new moon viewing" will help to shorten that distance even just a little.
Petit Usagi, created by artist Kawahara Shinsuke, is a messenger of the moon that brings us a new style of moon viewing.
It is not clear when Japanese people first began to see rabbits in the light and shadow of the moon, but they already appear in the Choju-giga paintings, which are thought to have been painted between the end of the Heian period and the beginning of the Kamakura period. In Europe, rabbits have also been woven into tapestries since the Middle Ages.
The "petit" in "petit usagi" means "small" in French. Rabbits are small, but they have lived robustly, moving through time and space in Japan, the world, and on the moon. Petit usagi, beloved by people as they are close to them, brings us a new way to enjoy the moon viewing. Along with their charming, mysteriously long ears.
Petit Usagi invites you to enjoy a casual, modern, yet authentic moon-viewing experience at home, alone or with friends, partners or family.
This fall, why not take a break and watch the moon with petit usagi?
"Petit Usagi" by Suzukake
Manju, an essential treat for moon viewing, are made by Suzukake, who carefully considers not only the taste and ingredients but also how each sweet should be, and injects Japanese aesthetics into small Japanese sweets. After meeting artist Kawahara Shinsuke, and the two companies' mutual worldviews resonating with each other, the Petit Usagi Manju was created, combining modernity and elegance in a simple form, making it a perfect treat for a modern moon viewing. The sweet potato dough is scented with yam and encases a filling of smooth bean paste with chestnut paste in the center. Enjoy the double layer of bean paste.
Sales price: 432 yen (tax included)
Sales location: Suzukake Isetan Shinjuku store Sales period: September 20th (Wed) - September 29th (Fri)
28 specific ingredients: Japanese yam Shelf life: 2 days Limited quantity each day
"Petit Usagi on Round Plate" by Kaikado
Kaikado, which continues to make traditional tea caddies, has a deep and thorough knowledge and passion for the metals they use as materials, just like their history. Instead of tea caddies, they chose a cute-sized round plate from their new, easy-to-make tableware series, which resembles the shape of the moon. Furthermore, by carefully and delicately shaping the petit usagi pattern, they express the story of the moon and the rabbit, which is familiar to Japanese people.
Sales price: 16,500 yen (tax included)
Sales location: EN TEA Isetan Shinjuku store Sales period: September 20th (Wed) - September 29th (Fri)
Limited to 10 copies. *Available while supplies last. Additional reservations are accepted for a limited quantity only.
EN TEA "petit usagi in roasted black tea"
Shinsuke Kawahara, a multi-artist who draws EN TEA and petit usagi, met in Paris and have been talking about the charm of tea in Japan and France, without cultural barriers. The cuteness of petit usagi and its taste that combines the charms of both Japan and the West. We have prepared an original roasted black tea inspired by the air of early autumn and the image of a modern moon viewing.
Sales price: 4,212 yen (tax included)
Sales location: EN TEA Isetan Shinjuku store Sales period: September 20th (Wed) - September 29th (Fri)
Limited to 50 sets
■Artist profile Shinsuke Kawahara
Graduated from Musashino Art University. A multi-artist living in Paris since the 1980s, he recently exhibited his work at the Paris Museum of Applied Arts. His collaborations with Hermes are diverse, ranging from the limited edition bottle of the perfume "Rose Ikebana" to "Petit h," and this spring he is also in charge of the scenography for an exhibition at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka.
■Petit Usagi: Rabbits exist all over the world and in all eras.
Although not the main characters, they appear in cute images in the Choju Jinbutsu Giga paintings painted from the Heian to Kamakura periods in Japan, as well as in 15th century European tapestries.
Petit means "small" in French.
Although it may be small, it actually has the strength to have lived through any era in the world.
Petit Usagi was born from the idea of being a pet that is loved by people. If you think about it, its long ears are a charming feature, but they are also mysterious. By Shinsuke Kawahara
■Suzukake was founded 100 years ago, and continues to make Japanese sweets at its flagship store in Hakata, Kyushu, based on the teachings of the founder Saburo Nakaoka, who was awarded as a "Contemporary Master Craftsman." By perfecting the taste and techniques that come from using only carefully selected natural ingredients and incorporating progressive endeavors, the company is exploring the spread of Japanese sweets.
https://www.suzukake.co.jp/
■Kaikado Kyoto's Kaikado is the oldest hand-made tea canister store in Japan, founded in 1875. In 1875, during the Meiji Restoration, Kaikado was founded in Kyoto as a pioneer in the manufacture of round cans, using tinplate that had been imported from the UK. Since then, the company has continued to produce its products by hand, following the same methods used by its founder, even now, more than a century later.
https://www.kaikado.jp/japanese/
■Shop Information
EN TEA Isetan Shinjuku Store 3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, 1st basement floor, Tea Ceremony (near the Shinjuku-Sanchome Station entrance)
Business hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm Closed: Irregular holidays *Business hours and holidays are the same as Isetan Shinjuku store.