The Japanese language has a whole category of words for describing specific sensory imagery — how something looks, moves, sounds, tastes, and feels. For example, biri biri can describe a cluster of related imagery: the feel of electricity, a buzzing sound, the pins and needles sensation you get when your arm falls asleep. Gangan can represent hard knocking on a door or a pounding headache. Pachi pachi can represent the crackling of a fire, the clicking sound of abacus beads, or rapid eye blinking.
There are many such words to describe specific textures as well, and now Japanese design firm Nendo has created a box of chocolates to embody them. See if you can guess which one is which.
Tsubu tsubu
Granular, made of individual bits or drops
Sube sube
Smooth, polished, silky
Toge toge
Spiky, pokey
Zara zara
Rough, irregular in surface
Goro goro
Rocks tumbling or rolling, knocking over each other
Fuwa fuwa
Soft, fluffy, air-filled
Poki poki
Snapping, popping, the sound of sticks or thin things breaking
Suka suka,
Empty, extra space
Zaku zaku
Crunchy, grainy, like walking on gravel
The chocolates were created for the design trade show Maison et Object in Paris. If you want to try them, you should get there fast. According to Japanese design blog Spoon & Tamago only 400 sets of these limited edition chocolates will be sold there.
Get a closer look at the chocolates, and see them in their fancy box, at Nendo.
