crochet

Today was my bead crochet class. We made a 3-layer dome ring. It took the whole 2 hours! I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. (Sorry the photo is a bit dark and green...)

This weekend we're off to Okinawa. It is my mother-in-law's 77th birthday. She's wanted to go to Okinawa not only to see the sights, but also to take a photo in the traditional costume.

In Japan, the 77th birthday is called kiju. The chinese characters for kiju means "joyous year", in the early days for someone to live to the age of 77 was definitely fortunate. There are other interesting meanings for different years.

One is at 60 years, it is called kanreki. It is thought to be the second birth of the person. The calendar was based on the chinese characters and the lunar system and was organized on a 60-year cycle, so it is thought that life returns to its starting point at the 60th year. At the 60th celebration, the guest of honor wears a red vest and red cap. These symbolize the clothes worn by babies and the return to his/her birth.

80 years is called sanju, 88 is called beiju, 90 is called sotsuju and 99 is called hakuju.

Beiju is written with the character for rice. Rice was respected by everyone not only as a staple but also a symbol of their livelihood and happiness. A fundamental part of Japanese society, rice also symbolizes purity and goodness. The 88th birthday is celebrated as a very happy and joyous occasion.

Have a nice weekend!!