One of my hobbies is getting pink shells at the beach.
They are so beautiful and make me so happy every time.
Why do we call the pink shells “Sakura shells”?
In Japan, these pink shells are called “Sakura shells (Sakura-gai)” .
Why?
Because the color of the pink shells looks like Sakura (cherry blossoms) petals.
Sakura shells are kind of “Tellina virgata” and bivalve.
It’s so beautiful and cute, but these shells are not so rare in Japan.
Some people believe that these pink shells bring you happiness, and they make accessories using them.
I read you can find the same shells in China and Korea, as well.
Getting Sakura shells (pink shells) in Japan
Because I live near the beach and there are a lot of opportunities to get Sakura shells.
But the problem is that Sakura shells are so fragile.
You can find broken Sakura shells on the sand.
Pink shells (Sakura shells) are fragile
As I said, the Sakura shells are so fragile.
Also, they are super light.
A comfortable breeze can blow the shells off so easily.
So finding perfect shaped Sakura shells is a bit difficult.
And of course, when you grab them harder, they can be broken easily as well.
Or, even if you put them into a box to store them, sometimes tragedy occurs.
For that reason, I want to recommend you store them firmly if you want to keep them safe.
This time, I’d like to show you how I store the pink shells.
Store the pink shells (Sakura shells)
Now I’m going to explain how I store the Sakura shells.
I will tell you each step.
Rinse the Sakura shells gently.
Sakura shells are so fragile, so be careful when you rinse them with other shells!
I usually change the water 2 or 3 times.
Dry the Sakura shells.
I dry the Sakura shells on a paper towel.
Paper towels are thicker and safe for Sakura shells.
Reinforce the Sakura shells with transparent nail polish or topcoat.
Paint the pink shells with transparent nail polish or topcoat to reinforce them.
Dry the pink Sakura shells for a while.
Dry the pink shells for a while!
Now the Sakura shells are stronger!
Now they are stronger!
But Sakura shells are really fragile even with nail polish.
So I store my favorite Sakura shells inside another box with cotton.
Look for the Sakura shells at the beach!
When you have a chance, go get some Sakura shells on the beach in Japan!
I feel so happy when I’m staring at them. They always give me positive energy.
Obviously, they are “Lucky shells”!
