Introducing: Charlie Yellow’s Osusowake Club!

Today, I finally get to write about a project I’ve been dreaming up for a long time: Charlie Yellow’s Osusowake Club!

So what is Charlie Yellow’s Osusowake Club? It’s a personal project where I’ll be sending surprise sets of illustrated postcards (probably sets of three!) to friends and family I love and appreciate. The illustrations will be seasonal and very “Charlie Yellow”—soft, whimsical, a little weird, and hopefully full of joy. The idea was inspired by a Chicago-based artist I admire who sends monthly risograph prints to her subscribers.

There’s a specific reason I wanted to focus on seasonal themes. Growing up in Japan, we learn to cherish the subtle changes of the seasons. Even now, while living in the U.S., I still cook seasonal ingredients and decorate my home with little touches that remind me of Japanese seasonal traditions. One word we often use is "旬 (shun)"—meaning peak season. In Japan, we believe eating seasonal foods helps us stay healthy, feel connected to time, and appreciate nature’s rhythm. I thought, why not do the same with my illustrations? What if I could deliver that seasonal magic in the form of tiny pieces of art?

And now you might be wondering—what is osusowake?
Osusowake is a Japanese word that means “a gentle act of sharing, born from the feeling that joy grows when it’s passed along.” It’s not quite the same as a gift. A gift might be wrapped and chosen for someone’s taste. But osusowake is more spontaneous—it’s sharing something you already have plenty of, just because you want someone else to enjoy it too. Like sharing veggies from your garden with a neighbor. Or bringing homemade cookies to your coworkers.

I created Charlie Yellow’s Osusowake Club to share—just a little bit ahead of time—the joy and anticipation that comes with each new season. Life gets busy, and if we’re not careful, a whole season can pass us by unnoticed. But I believe, as the idea of mindfulness reminds us, that happiness often comes from simply pausing to notice and savor the moment. Through my illustrations, I want to gently tap you on the shoulder and say, “Look! A new season is here.” And if my drawings can help someone pause for a second and smile at that quiet shift—well, that’s more than enough for me.

So here we go—Charlie Yellow’s Osusowake Club officially begins today! I’m nervous (firsts are always a little scary), but I’m also so excited to make something special, and to share a little joy with people I love.