Akabeko box, what is it ?
I really love Fukushima, sadly reduced to the disaster of 2011, but it’s an amazing prefecture. Wonderful places to see, lovely people, delicious food…
“Fukushima” means “island of happiness” !
With the Akabeko box, I would like to make you discover it differently.
For this, I drew Akabeko riding a bike with Méli and Malice, my two clouds characters that you must have seen everywhere on this site!
Akabeko box is a stationery set with 4 postcards with lovely illustrations.
You will also find a colorful and original map of Fukushima in your box.
And a cute folder that you can reuse as you want!
In your Akabeko box, you will find:
・4 postcards
・4 seasonal papers (between each postcard)
・1 Akabeko information paper (in Japanese, French and English)
・1 map of the Fukushima prefecture
・1 paper folder
Akabeko box is also :
– eco-friendly : the postcards are made from eco-friendly paper sources from sustainably managed forests, and the Fukushima’s map is made from recycled paper.
– eco-social : a part of the profits will be donated to a pet rescue in Fukushima.
– Local : The Akabeko box is made in Japan !
1 Akabeko box costs 1,000 yen (≃ $ 9.30), including tax.
Shipping costs for Japan are 400 yen (≃ $ 3.70) (Letter pack with tracking number).
International delivery costs are 720 yen (≃ $ 6.80) (airmail with tracking number, delivery in about 2 weeks).
Shipping costs are regardless of the number of products you order, so it’s better to group your items in one order!
Why did I start to draw Akabeko ?
I traveled around Minami-Aizu, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Goshiki-numa, etc … And I absolutely just loved it!
Once back to Yokohama, I started a project to make French speakers aware of Fukushima’s beauty. Then, I created a dedicated page on my website: www.melietmalice.com/fukushima
In order to give a little more appeal, I started to draw Akabeko, the castle of the Aizu-Wakamatsu city, etc … without imagining it would be the beginning of a wonderful love story with Fukushima!
Spring 2019: I started to sell merchandise with Akabeko, and donating 10% of the profits to a pet rescue in Fukushima.
How "Akabeko riding a bike" illustration has been created ?
In the fall of 2019, my beloved grandmother passed away and I went back to France to tell her my last love words.
Perhaps I needed to give an occupation to my mind or, maybe I wanted to relieve myself of a little sadness… so I started to draw on my notebook, in the car that swallowed the 1000km separating Brittany from Marseille.
Aizu-Wakamatsu castle… with Akabeko on his bike who rides, the 4 seasons, Méli and Malice characters walking around, and so on.
When I returned to Japan, I drew again.
These illustrations were the light the painful tunnel I was going through at this time.
The communicative smile of the red cow on his bike made my days easier. And still today, seeing her still makes me laugh so much!
And, if… the Akabeko box was a box of happiness!
I hope you will like these illustrations and smile too 🙂
Did your Akabeko box already arrived at home ?
Inside your box, you found the Fukushima’s map. There are a lot of illustrations, isn’t it ?
To discover Fukushima, I’ve wrote explanations about the illustrations (what is it ? How to go ? How does it cost ? And so on) on another page !
Click to the button below to access to the Fukushima’s map information.
English part is actually under construction ! Thank you for your understanding !
