Hagoromo chalk is a cult favorite among those who praise it for its silky feel, vibrant colors and nearly unbreakable quality. The brand has survived World War II and the closing of the company that originally made it. The pandemic is the latest threat. nyti.ms/331AX6U
Despite its renown, Hagoromo is still produced on a relatively small scale, using custom-made equipment, much of it run by two laborers (who are identical twins).
The early stages of the process look a lot like food production. The ingredients of its “recipe” are dumped into a mixer originally designed for bread dough, and what comes out is fed into a kneader originally intended to make udon noodles.
Later, the bright-white sticks drop one by one into the whir and clatter of a weatherworn piece of machinery, where they are stamped with the most celebrated name in chalk: Hagoromo.
There's more significance to Hagoromo’s continued existence: It's also an unlikely story that connects Japan and South Korea, two countries that have had an uneasy, and often bitter, relationship ever since the war.
Read more about the history and mystery of this cult favorite: nyti.ms/331AX6U

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More from @nytimes

22 Nov
The coronavirus, and the precautions, have upended Thanksgiving in unprecedented ways. Families are scrambling to devise holiday plans that won’t endanger their health. Some are forgoing Thanksgiving altogether. But not everyone is quite as fastidious. nyti.ms/3kOK15i
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22 Nov
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21 Nov
Recognize any of these people? From Facebook? Twitter?

These images are not real — they’re from the mind of a computer, and they’re infiltrating the internet.

We set up our own AI system to understand how this technology works. nyti.ms/3pPVo0I
They look stunningly real at first, and the technology used to create them is getting better — quickly. nyti.ms/3pPVo0I
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It will soon be hard to tell online who is real. nyti.ms/3pPVo0I
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20 Nov
The grocery store is usually a circus around Thanksgiving, but it’s especially stressful this year. The coronavirus is raging, and many communities are imposing new restrictions.

Here are some tips on how to stay safe at the grocery store. nyti.ms/3lQt8si
The most important thing you can do to stay safe — and keep others safe — while grocery shopping is wearing a mask. Most people catch the virus by spending extended time with an infected person in an enclosed space. Masks help reduce that risk. nyti.ms/3pOJILC
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19 Nov
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States that didn't keep up forceful virus containment efforts or implement basic measures in the first place are seeing the worst surges now, our analysis of University of Oxford data shows. nyti.ms/3pKBUu8
Our charts show how the number of new cases in each state relate to the state’s recent containment measures.

They show that:
— North Dakota and South Dakota had few recent measures — and now, the worst outbreaks.
— Hawaii had the strictest measures and is seeing few cases.
Hospitalizations show a similar trend: The states with fewer recent containment measures have higher hospitalization rates.
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