"Yashiro(Shrine)"
Trudging deep into a forested grove
Upon a gravel road approaching a shrine
I vow and clasp my hands together.
The atmosphere clears and refreshes ones senses
Prayer attaches itself to the mind and one submits to the scenery
Thus one is made anew for the New Year.

(Katsuji Wakisaka, the textile designer)

睦月のテキスタイルデザインは「社(やしろ)」 。
参道で目に入る、朱赤の格子と松の木々をデザインしたテキスタイルです。
墨黒の松のモチーフをお菓子で表現しました。
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January's tetxtile design is Yashiro(shrine).
The textile inspired by the red lattice window and pine trees you see on the entrance path to a shrine.
We expressed charcoal black pine tree motif with our sweets.

図案をかたどった黒い皮は、竹炭入りの求肥。抹茶をたっぷり混ぜ込んだ餡の中には丹波産の黒豆が3粒入っていて、味と食感のアクセントになっています。
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The black pine tree design is made of Gyuhi, a popular wagashi ingredient and softer variety of mochi with bamboo charcoal inside. we put three black beans from Tanba area into the anko (sweetend black bean paste) along with matcha green tea for accented flavor and texture.

京菓子老舗長久堂とのコラボレート。1年の移ろいをポップなテキスタイルデザインで表現し、和菓子に落とし込みました。
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We collaborated with famous Kyoto patisserie Choukyudou.
Our pop vibrant textile design reflect changes in the seasons and these are also expressed in our wagashi.

平成21年『PHPスペシャル』に毎月連載していた、『SOU・SOUだより』。
移ろい行く四季の和花を和菓子で表現しました。
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SOU・SOU's textile designer Katsuji Wakisaka has been publishing new textile design on monthly magazine, "PHP Special". The seasonal changes are expressed in our wagashi.

京菓子老舗『亀屋良長』さんとのコラボレート。
日本の歳時記を表現したテキスタイルに合わせて和菓子を製作しました。
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We collaborated with The noted Kyoto patisserie Kameya Yoshinaga.
Together we created wagashi that emphasize Japanese seasonal changes as well as our graphic textile prints.

華道家元池坊直営・日本華道社出版『四季の花手帖』で発表した12ヶ月の花を和菓子にしました。お菓子の製作は、京菓子の老舗『亀屋良長』さん。
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SOU・SOU designed a new flower design corresponding to each month of the year in "Flower Notes For the Four Seasons', the booklet published by Nihon Kadou Sha, operated by Ikenobo*.

Ikenobo*
Ikenobo is the original school that produced ikebana (traditional Japanese Buddhist floral design) as a unique artform in Japan
over five centuries ago and continue to spread awareness and knowledge of the ikebana tradition worldwide.