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| ramen vendor's cart |
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| tofu vendor's cart |
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| roasted sweet potato vendor's cart |
These images are works-in-progress from my Showa Era series. They depict just a few of the many mobile vendors that used to be around when I was a child during Japan's Showa period: 1926~1989, the time of history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito. Though they aren't quite extinct, these mobile vendors are much less common than they used to be, and running across one these days is a nostalgic experience.
Over the next few months, I plan to add the goldfish vendor, the wind chime vendor, the bamboo laundry pole vendor, the soba noodle delivery man, and others. Each type of vendor has its own unique sing-song call or musical notes played on a tin horn by which it announces itself, and which draws eager customers into the street to make their purchases.
Posts
I felt hungry looking at your ramen vendor cart, then saw the sweet potatoes and thought that sounded good too. This is bad for my vague ideas about dieting but just goes to show that you're really good at capturing the feel of things :)
ReplyDeleteHow interesting Debbie, and your illustrations are charming.
ReplyDeleteYour illustrations are just wonderful Debbie. They put me in a place of visualizing walking in the streets and having so many wonderful choices to chose from. I'm looking forward to your future carts!
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL! evokes multi-sensory memories sound, smell and taste, too!
ReplyDeleteI love these. I love street food and the whole idea of homemade specialty foods being vended in that way, but these are especially charming. And Mmmmm...ramen.
ReplyDeleteA unique way to describe these mobile vendors.
ReplyDeleteI love the focussed use of colour, making the pictures so striking.
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