Etegami : A Japanese practice of looking, painting & sharing

What happens when you take a little time to really look at something ordinary?

A flower. A piece of fruit. Your favourite mug. A leaf you picked up on your hike.

Etegami (pronounced eh-teh-gah-mee) is a Japanese practice of painting such simple things by hand, then adding a few handwritten words — a thought, a small observation, a greeting, or simply whatever comes to mind.

Think of it as an analog version of Instagram: one image, one caption, one captured moment. But instead of scrolling past, you spend time looking. Instead of collecting likes, you make something with your own hands that can be shared, mailed, or simply kept.

And you don't need to be an artist.

In fact, Etegami is not about producing a beautiful or technically perfect painting. It is about looking closely,