all photos sourced from Google Maps
For the past 7 years, Toru Matsui, a plumber who lives in the mountainous Inabucho town of Aichi prefecture, has taken on an ambitious annual art project. Each winter, as temperatures fall and tourists begin to dwindle, Matsui’s artwork becomes a beacon of light that encourages visitors to travel out to his neck of the woods to see his waterfall of ice.
all photos courtesy Yusuke Aonuma
One would be hard-pressed to find a more delicate material to create art from. But for Japanese artist Yusuke Aonuma, single dandelion fluff, the feathery, umbrella-like structure that carries the seed to faraway lands, captivated his creative mind.
Japanese tabloids, like those in any other country, are known for their loud, obnoxious headlines with fonts, text and images all designed to scream at us and catch our attention. But when the noise, in the most literal sense, is cropped out, even these tabloids can transform into abstract art that is at once both calm and meditative.
unless otherwise noted, all photos courtesy Guardian Garden gallery
There’s something endearing but also “off” about the dogs of Akina Tokiyoshi. Glitchy, perhaps, is the right word. As their beady eyes stare back, you feel like you’ve slipped in between a real and digital world; somewhere in the middle of here and there.
Indeed, Tokiyoshi, who graduated from Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2016, breathes life into her dogs in a peculiar process that’s simultaneously digital and analog: a mixed breed of craft and fine art.
Ru Kuwahata is a Japanese animator based in the U.S. Along with Max Porter, she’s one half of the brilliant animation studio Tiny Inventions, which, most recently, were nominated for a 2018 Academy Award for their animated short film “Negative Space.” From 2011 – 2013, Kuwahata was an artist-in-residence in the Netherlands and during this time she created a humorous and insightful comic series that compares Dutch, Japanese and American cultures.
In a bid to promote their autonomous driving technology, Nissan has launched a temporary pilot program in which they are deploying their autonomous driving technology (dubbed “ProPILOT”) into a Japanese ryokan in Hakone, a popular resort town just 1 hour from Tokyo.
It is perhaps one of the most famous anecdotes in the history of science. In 1666, a young Isaac Newton is sitting in his garden when an apple falls on his head. In a stroke of brilliant insight, he comes up with a theory of understanding gravitational force. Applying that anecdote to play is artist Yasuhiro Suzuki, who came up with the idea of replacing the ball of a kendama with an apple.
Japanese illustrator Noryco is many things but one of those things is a cat lover. And it shows in her work. Her portfolio is full of emblazoned cats, cherry blossom cats, working cats and even a section dedicated to cats inspired by Tim Burton. One of our favorites though are these simple but charming watercolors of different types of cats wearing different styles of eyewear.
From Exotic shorthairs in teardrop frames to a Bombay in a pair of styling Wellingtons, we’re here to give you your full fix of bespectacled felines.
all photos by Nacasa & Partners Inc. courtesy the architects
9h is stylish and futuristic take on Japan’s capsule hotels. Featuring tiny pods large enough for just 1 person to sleep, 9h has proven popular and has since grown to 6 different locations since launching in 2010. Now, they’re hoping to reach an even broader clientele by adding a sister brand ℃ (pronounced do-she) that offers sauna and accommodation.
Among the many different traditional Japanese arts, Japan’s special relationship with nature is perhaps best seen in ikebana, or flower arrangement. Taking this art form to new heights is “flower artist” Takayuki Tanaka and his floral design firm United Flowers, who collaborated with Tsutaya Electrics for their spring 2016 advertising campaign.
OrySnack: The Bar Where Bartenders Work From Home
Tokyo is Gearing Up for an Art-Filled Fall. And the Entire City is Here for It
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
Ripple Flower Vase by Taku Omura
