On my way home from work, my coworker said, “I can smell rain.”
I had never really thought about it before, but apparently, rain does have a scent.
Plant oils, geosmin produced by soil microbes, and ozone.
By the way, it was perfectly sunny that day, and it didn’t drizzle until two days later.
I wonder how many days in advance the smell of rain works.
The sky was grey and heavy from morning, with a little rain here and there.
My hair was doing its thing, so I just tied it up and headed out.
Only Thursday. Still two whole days to go.
Walking along with my eyes kind of cast downward, I spotted something — small, round, and fluffy.
I somehow hoped it would still be round on my way home, and made my way to work.
On the way back, it was still there. Still perfectly round.
Tougher than it looks.
I kind of hope it’ll still be round tomorrow.
Still round on Friday.
My cat walks across my stomach on purpose.
Stick a foot out of the blanket, and she attacks my toes and runs away.
Whenever I stand in front of the fridge, she rubs against my legs, so I give her some bonito flakes.
She sniffs them and leaves.
When I open a fresh pack, she comes back and starts rubbing against me again.
I eat the old bonito flakes in my miso soup.
It was another peaceful day.
My father sometimes asks me what English words mean.
One Saturday afternoon, I went back to my parents’ house, and once again he asked me something.
“Misato, what does ‘Papa out ai’ mean?”
So I answered:
“It means Dad is bad with AI.”
He looked unconvinced and went back to his room.
So I asked ChatGPT instead.
“Dad is panicking about AI.”
Same level.
A little later, music started playing from my father’s room.
“Papa, où t’es ?”
I don’t understand the lyrics.
But I felt certain it probably didn’t mean “Dad is bad with AI” or “Dad is panicking about AI.”
It was another peaceful day.
I’m happy to live in a world with chopstick rests.
A white polar bear looks right on a pale blue skateboard.
A pink bird belongs on the red one.
But then another question came up.
What color works best with grilled horse mackerel?
The pale blue one somehow makes it look less appetizing.
The red one is not bad, but still feels wrong.
So I tried yellow.
Perfect.
Today, I learned that grilled horse mackerel looks best with a yellow skateboard-shaped chopstick rest.
It was a peaceful day.
Chopstick rests are not really necessary.
Nothing bad happens without them.
And yet, today again, I find myself wondering which color of chopsticks would look best with a wasabi-shaped chopstick rest.
On busy days, I barely have the energy to stand in the kitchen.
I eat store-bought side dishes and a sliced tomato in a hurry.
When I have more time, I spend minutes deciding whether white, black, or blue plates would fit better.
Sometimes I seriously think about the difference between how proteins and carbohydrates behave on a cast iron pan.
Pointless, maybe. But it works for me.
These acorn-shaped chopstick rests are made by Ihoshiro Kiln, a workshop in Mizunami, Gifu, known for handcrafting over 500 varieties of chopstick rests in Mino ware.
Design and Feel
Plump, glossy, and just like real acorns — they’re almost too cute to be a chopstick rest. I have three different varieties, and seeing them lined up together is half the appeal.
The body is smooth and gently rounded, while the cap has a slightly rough texture. Because of this, the chopsticks sit naturally between the two parts without rolling — a small but thoughtful detail.
They are slightly smaller than most chopstick rests, so they don’t stand out too much, but quietly bring a sense of season to the table.
The Varieties
The ones I use are mizunara, arakashi, and matebashii — all different kinds of acorns found in Japan.
Other varieties include akagashi and shirakashi.
I hadn’t really paid attention to the names or kinds of acorns before, but since using these, I’ve started to notice them more when autumn comes.
Who These Are For
A good fit for anyone who enjoys seasonal touches on the table, anyone looking for a small and considered gift from Japan, or anyone who appreciates handmade ceramics in everyday use.
Where to Buy
Available internationally through Musubikiln.com and Minimaru.com, both of which ship overseas.
Closing
They’re small, but in a quiet way, they’ve changed how I notice the season.
→ Back to: A Guide to Japanese Chopstick Rests