As the buzzing cicadas grow fewer, the last few fireworks displays finish, and the air gets crisper each day, you can tell that autumn is on its way in Japan. With autumn comes many wonderful things, including the changing of the maple leaves from green to fiery shades of red, orange, and gold.
Even if you live far away from Japan, you can still invite a Japanese autumn atmosphere into your home with the following recommended items from BECOS.
1. Autumn-themed Folding Fans by Onishi Tsune Shoten
In Japan, Autumn can still be quite hot! This means that this gorgeous autumn-themed fan by Onishi Tsune Shoten can be used not just for decoration, but as a practical method to keep yourself cool on a hot day.
Made from traditional washi paper, this fan represents the best of Kyoto fan craftsmanship and is painted with a delicate and sensible design that expresses the ephemeral beauty of autumn.
2. Chochin Paper Lanterns with Japanese Maple Leaves by Ozeki
Autumn is the season where days grow shorter and evenings are spent in darkness. What better way to decorate your space than with a lovely paper lantern, called "chochin" in Japanese.
This particular chochin from Ozeki features a hand-painted maple leaf design that looks great during the day or when lit up in the dark. You can even write a personal message directly onto the lantern and send it as a letter in the post as a charming gift to someone you care about.
3. Autumn-themed Japanese Wa-rosoku candle set by Nakamura Candle
"Wa-rosoku" means literally "Japanese candle" and expresses the uniquely Japanese style of candles which are made with a hollow core, allowing for airflow to create a distinctly fatter flame that gently flickers as it burns. This set of candles can of course be burned, but also make for a refined decoration as-is.
The box of two candles even comes with a stand so that the candles can be propped up and displayed in the box. These small and charming candles make for an excellent gift that anyone will appreciate.
4. Color-changing Sake Cups with Japanese Maple Pattern by Marumo Takagi
These traditional shallow sake cups are called "hira sakazuki," and have been made in the region of Gifu prefecture where Marumo Takagi is based for hundreds of years. Marumo Takagi's twist on this ancient design was to add color-changing pigments to the beautiful seasonal designs painted on the cups.
Watch as the leaves change from green to shades of red, orange, and pink as a cold beverage is poured in. These make a lovely gift or can be used to surprise your guests as you pour them a drink.
5. Chopsticks with Autumn Colors by 18 Zen
While not specifically intended as an autumn-themed design, the natural brown color of these simple yet stylish chopsticks harmonizes with the gold patterns, evoking a sense of glittering golden foliage in autumn.
Hand made and painted with natural "urushi" lacquer, these chopsticks feel comfortable in the hand and are sturdy yet elegant. They just might become your favorite pair of chopsticks.
BECOS Autumn Gift Boxes—Give a Collection of Autumn-themed items as a Gift!
Can't choose between the items introduced above? Get them all at a special price buy purchasing one of the BECOS autumn gift boxes—perfect as a gift to someone special or as a treat for yourself. They come in a beautiful reusable paulownia box, so check them out!
5-Piece Autumn Gift Box
This gift box comes with 5 autumn-themed items to liven up your home: a chochin lantern with maple leaf pattern, an autumn-themed folding fan and matching case, a pair of chopsticks that evoke autumn, and a set of sake cups that show the changing of the leaves when a cold beverage is poured in.
9-Piece Autumn Gift Box
The 9-piece gift box comes with all the items in the 5-piece box, plus an additional hand fan with a different autumn design and matching case, an additional pair of chopsticks in a complementary color, and a set of beautiful wa-rosoku Japanese candles with a hand-painted maple leaf pattern on them.