Classiky x Ω社 OHM Factory Wooden Toy

The small wooden toys by Classiky x Ω社 are inspired by "The Pillow Book 枕草子" written by Sei Shonagan, a court lady during the Heian period. The beauty of nature, enjoyment, and fear featured from the book are now presented through the small adorable collections that wish to connects the present and the old days. 

The Pillow Book is a collection of notebooks or notes, which show a period of someone or something’s life. The author received a “bundle of notebooks”, that she didn’t know what to do with. Sei Shonagon asks if she might make a pillow out of them and in the end uses them for her own writing. The book has became a valuable source for the court society and cultural life of that time. 

In the Pillow Book, the author has a rich expression of the beauty of nature for each season.

In Spring, it is the dawn that is most beautiful — As the light creeps over the hills, when the slowly paling mountain rim is tinged with red and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them.

In the Summer nights, as the fireflies flit to and for, how beautiful it is! There are things that we are familiar in this era mentioned: the mosquito catcher, the morning glory and the wind chimes.

‘Autumn is sunset." — In autumn, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you will be attracted by the scene of sunset. When the glittering sun sinks close to the edge of the hills and the crows fly back to their nests in a group of three, four or two. Looking at the golden rice and scarecrow, you can feel the nostalgia.

It says, "Winter is early in the morning." — If snow is falling, or even just when it’s very cold, the attendants were in a rush to build up the fires in the braziers and carry in fresh charcoal. But I hope it doesn’t melt a snowman. As the noon approaches, nothing remains but piles of white ashes.

The artist create the small toy from the sentence,

"The small things are all adorable"

A number of cute things were mentioned on this column.

One of them is hen and its children, it is cute when it walks with chicks and even an egg! 

Then, don't you think that the duck and ducklings have the same cuteness?

A baby sparrow that comes hopping up when one imitates the squeak of a mouse; or again, when one has tied it with a thread round its leg and its parents bring insects or worms and pop them in its mouth: delightful!

So far yet so close  — A paradise is far away. If you believe in it, you can go to paradise soon. The place that seems to be the farthest yet very close. The Buddha standing on the lotus flower will always watch over you.

Another part in the section "So far yet so close" — Things such as paradise and sex between men and women were written. In addition to that, "moon" was also somewhere where was too far back then. Let's enjoy the romance of the distance. 

And some other adorable little things mentioned in the book...

Take these adorable wooden toys with you now here! 

References & Credit: Translation version of the book by Ivan Morris; Classiky; Ω社