Introducing "365: Joyful Celebration," the new stamp from the 365 regular series released in January.
This month's theme is Lunar New Year. I'm sure many of you are unfamiliar with the holiday, but after doing some research, I found out that the three biggest Chinatowns in Japan, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki, hold big events. There are also some areas in Okinawa that celebrate the Lunar New Year.
First up is Hana-chan dressed up in a Chinese dress. Her hairstyle is different from usual and she is cute! Her friend Kuma-san is also dressed up. The stamps of these two and their dog sitting around the dinner table convey a peaceful atmosphere.
As for food stamps, I included dumplings, lantern dumplings, mandarin oranges, various sweets, and other lucky foods that are indispensable during the Lunar New Year, as well as take-out containers and fortune cookies from American Chinese restaurants. I was unsure whether to include these last two until the last minute when I was narrowing down the ideas, but that's when I learned that they incorporate Japanese culture. The take-out containers were inspired by origami, and the prevailing theory is that fortune cookies are sweets that have been around in Japan since the Edo period that were brought to America by Japanese immigrants. Amazing. I've gone off topic, but these stamps can also be used when you go out to eat Chinese food or dim sum.
Of course, there are also stamps of lion dancing, dragon dancing, firecrackers, red envelopes (red envelopes with money inside), and lanterns. The decorative stamps include peony-style flowers, fireworks, clouds, horn decorations, and thunder crests. The thunder crest is the pattern often seen on ramen bowls. It is a pattern of thunder and is said to have the meaning of warding off evil. It is a stamp that you can use even on the day you eat ramen!
And, then... please take a look at the mount for "365: Joyful Celebration." This mount was designed specifically for this stamp. It's fresh and different from the usual 365 atmosphere! The part where the stamp name is written is actually a dragon. I love these playful details. Igloo*dining* is truly impressive! The design of the 4x6 size stamp mounts, which have been released monthly since August last year, is always in line with the theme of the stamp. Looking at them is one of my favorite things to do.
This year's Chinese New Year is on January 22nd. The January release was delayed, so this is just after the release, but I think it will be a great stamp to use not only for Chinese New Year, but also when traveling in China, strolling around Chinatown, eating Chinese food or dim sum, etc.
The event is scheduled to start tomorrow, January 20th (Friday) at 10:00. We will also have our monthly bonus set. Thank you for your support.