Hoshiko wears a dark, padded coat over clothing less fancy than her court wear, walking alongside her tour guide. She notes the paper shop she'd seen the other day, still shuttered. "Did that one just close up for the winter, Asako-san? I noticed it the other night, and Kuni-sama mentioned seeing it shuttered in the afternoon. There's other paper stalls, of course, but now the one I can't look at obviously seems the most interesting."

Kemichi shook his head. 'Sadly Mamoru-san passed with his apprentice just starting out. No one really to tkae over. His patrons were quite distraught."

He let out a smal sigg. "Which is sad, as he had a remarkable quality to his pages. Quite fine, overall."

He extended a hand to point towards a stand with various wooden Netsuke. "Oohp, but I see new wares have arrived to Jiro-san. He sells until his whole stock gets taken, retrrats i to meditation, and emerges with s new batch of inspired oney."

He smirked. "At least that is what he says. Truthfully I think he spends his money on shochu. Still, good with his hands at carving."

Asako Kenichi wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 13, 2025 6:25 am

snip

She offers a small gesture of blessing toward the shop and intended for the spirit. "What a pity. Was he the only paper-seller around? That could create a bit of a shortage for the winter."

The distraction of a pop-up netsuke shop draws her readily away from the sorrows of a dearth of fine paper. To her Crane-trained eye, the netsuke were less formally styled, but cleverly made. The little boat in the process of capsizing, complete with carved wave, was far too ill an omen to wear near the coast, but finely done.

"I wonder if I should get one to bring home as a gift for my father." She picks up one carved into a cat with a ball of twine. "He likes cats."