Celebrate the Year of the Rat (Chinese New Year 2020) with Fun Japanese Products! Part 1
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CONTENTS
Usually called "Chinese New Year" in English, the lunar new year is almost here, and it’s celebrated all over the world! We already know that Japan loves to make special limited edition products for holidays of all kinds, and thanks to the Chinese zodiac, the lunar new is always associated with a cute animal, perfect for kawaii products of all kinds. In fact, we found so many adorable, mouse-themed items this year that we needed to break our list up into two parts! So read on for part 1.
Our Favorite Year of the Rat Items for Chinese New Year 2020
Coming to Japan any time soon? Or maybe you just want to ogle the coolest, cutest, and silliest mouse and rat-themed items of the year! Everyone from individual artisans to major character-based brands love getting in on this holiday action, so don't worry, we've got plenty to share.
① ETRO x Tom and Jerry
Source: Fashion Press
Take one luxury Italian leather brand, famous for paisley-patterned purses popular throughout Asia, and add the wacky long-beloved American animated characters of Tom and Jerry, and what do you get? Well, apparently, this great Jerry-print leather bag! The bags are being sold in special lunar new year pop-ups in Etro's Ginza branch and inside the GINZA SIX department store, alongside other appropriately mouse-themed goods.
② Disney® x Gucci
Of course, Jerry isn't the only famous mouse character to join in on the fun this year.
Source: Fashion Press
Disney® is really going for it during the year of the rat, with a line of vintage-style Mickey Mouse clothing and accessories available for a limited time at Japanese Gucci stores or their webshop. Since "rat" and "mouse" are the same word in Japanese, you can see that companies are taking advantage of that and clearly going the cute route this year! We can't blame them, really.
③ UGG CA805 X 2020 Sneaker
Sure, this looks fluffy, but rat-themed…?
Source: Fashion Press
Aha, there we are. A classic hunk of cheese.
UGG shoes has a line of sneakers that releases a new design every month of the year, and for the first month of 2020, they've gone for a year of the rat design, complete with mousey fur and a tasty-looking triangle of swiss. If you want to look like you've got rats on your feet (??), you can pick up a pair at the UGG store in Ginza.
④ SK-II Mickey Mouse Facial Treatment Essense
Source: PR Times
Mickey just can't stay away! He's at it again for the lunar new year, teaming up with super high-end Japanese skincare maker SK-II to find himself featured on a limited edition bottle of PITERA™ Essence Facial Treatment. If your new year's resolution is to work on your skin, this bottle of serum (featuring ingredients inspired by traditional sake brewing ingredients, and decorated with possibly the world's favorite mouse) might kill two birds with one stone. Grab some in duty free or get it shipped from their webshop.
Did you pick up any of these products this New Year's season? How are you celebrating the Year of the Rat? Tell us all about it on twitter, instagram, and facebook!
Details
NAME:Chinese New Year 2020
Japankuru's head Chinese editor: mid-30s, likes to write, draw, and take photos. Aiming to become an old aunty with a girlish look. Articles written in Chinese by Lucy Wu, and translated by Sophia Appelbaum.
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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