zakka news from tokyo

This is a late-summer greeting card featuring a Japanese summer dance, sent to me by Masumi Boshita, a paper-cut artist I met in San Francisco. I heard that her family home in Wajima was damaged in the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024, and she sent this along with a letter describing the destruction of their home, her parents’ evacuation, and their efforts to rebuild their lives. Her heartfelt letters, which I receive twice a year—in summer and winter—always touch my heart. ［Japanese］サンフランシスコで知り合った切り絵作家の保下真澄さんから届いた、日本の夏の踊りをテーマにした残暑見舞いのカードです。2024年1月1日の能登半島地震で輪島にあったご実家が被災されたそうで、壊された家やご両親の避難から生活再建の様子などを綴ったお手紙と一緒に送ってくださいます。夏と冬、年に2回の心のこもったお便りに、毎回胸が熱くなります。