Writing about remembering loved ones in Japan reminded me of visiting my husband's family's ancestral graves close to the city of Kamakura and being struck by a special place in the same cemetery to commemorate pets.

One of my favorite aunties passed away last week, and as I'm far away and not able to go to the funeral service I started thinking on how to best honor her passing. Then I remembered a funeral service I attended in Japan, and I wanted to share the thoughful way these things are done over there.

A few weeks ago I shared a story about treasuring a Hinamatsuri set I received from a dear friend, as this day is celebrated on March 3rd (today!) I wanted to share some more details about the festival itself.

You may have heard of Aisaibento (愛妻弁当 - loving wife bento), the salaryman lunchbox carefully prepared by his wife. This culinary tradition embodies the love, care, and effort that a wife puts into preparing a bento (弁当) for her husband. Nowadays of course there will be husbands preparing these for their wives too!

The practice of incense in Japan, known as kō (香), is an ancient tradition that intertwines art, spirituality, and mindfulness. This practice goes beyond mere fragrance; it is a meditative ritual that promotes tranquility and self-reflection.

The attached picture shows a 55-year old Hinamatsuri set (set out to celebrate Girls' Day, coming up on March 3rd - come back in a few weeks for more details about that festival) I received from a dear friend. This set went from Japan to Belgium and finally made it to the US just a few weeks ago.