A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
Kuchinashi (Gardenia)
Shogi, often referred to as “Japanese Chess”, dates from over five hundred years ago, around the same time that Western chess was invented.
Sweet Tooth Tiger
The Japanese zodiac is divided into a twelve year cycle, with repeating blocks of years represented by a different animal. It is said that you pick up a few characteristics from the animal year you were born during.
Snail Box (Creative Secret 1)
Sloeing things down a bit on the puzzling side as well, I present the “Snail” box, a collaborative effort from the Karakuri Creation Group.
Dragon Wing
Shiro Tajima, a former member of the Karakuri Creation Group, has created a series of Asian zodiac themed puzzle boxes over the years.
The Monkey’s Palanquin
It’s hard to imagine how a simple wooden box can surprise you. Most of the time, it's just a box, with a lid that comes off, just like you would expect. But you still want to open it. The fact that it is a box implies its opening function, and something inside you is compelled by that function. So you try to open it, lift the lid, turn the latch, swing the hinges.