“The Gateway” (Season 2)
Ukiyo-e has inspired countless numbers of spinoffs that have riffed on everything from Star Wars and Nintendo characters to animated gifs. But one mashup we did not see coming was Edo Ball, a series of artworks by Australia-based art director Andrew Archer and “inspired by basketball, Japan, NBA and culture.”
all photos by Hirota Kiriyama courtesy Sankei News
In a previous series on Mt. Fuji we talked about the many niche subcategories of photographing Mt. There’s Mt. Fuji with clouds, Mt. Fuji from afar, Mt. Fuji from the city and Mt. Fuji framed by various objects and sculptures. There’s even a dedicated group of photographers who get their kicks by shooting Mt. Fuji from different train stations. Now there’s one more subcategory: photographs that capture factories against a Mt. Fuji backdrop.
Yuki Tatsumi was working as a waiter in a restaurant when one day, as he was cleaning up a table, he noticed that a customer had intricately folded up the paper chopstick sleeve and left it behind. Japan doesn’t have a culture of tipping but Tatsumi imagined that this was a discreet , subconscious method of showing appreciation. He began paying attention and sure enough noticed that other customers were doing the same thing. Tatsumi began collecting these “tips” which eventually led to his art project: Japanese Tip.
photo by jiji press, taken from ferris wheel
With just about 2 weeks before Japan welcomes in 2018, the new year of the dog, Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture has unveiled an enormous geoglyph of a Shiba-inu and 2 pups. The large sculpture measures 23 x 27 meters (75 x 89 ft) and is made from natural elements found in the park like kochia plants, tree branches and pine cones.
Japan has a rich appreciation for flowers like sakura (cherry blossoms) and kiku (chrysanthemums), which are practically national symbols. Deeply ingrained in the culture as part of the country’s appreciation for the 4 seasons, Japan even has a language of flowers (花言葉) that associates different emotions with plants. Now, a Japanese designer has adopted 5 of the most symbolic flowers and turned them into a set of colored pencils, recreating each color but also the shape of the flower.
all photos by Tatsuto | used with permission
It’s well-documented that Tokyo is amongst the world’s most densely-populated cities. And you don’t have to look to far for visual confirmation of this: simply board a train headed for central Tokyo during rush hour, or walk around Shibuya almost any day of the week. But the discerning photographer Tatsuto captures Tokyo’s density in a different way: through spectacularly chaotic and overstimulating photos of objects that make up this vibrant city.
The many decision-making processes for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been a bumpy ride, to say the least. Plagiarism allegations forced the committee to scrap their original logo and seek a new one. Then, when the new Tokyo Stadium proposal by the late Zaha Hadid was unveiled it was met with heavy criticisms over budget and site-specific appropriateness, which eventually forced the committee to start from scratch again. Now, with less than 1000 days to go, things seems to be back on track. Earlier this week 3 candidates were announced as potential mascots.
The 2017 Kansai Photojournalism Awards were announced last week. Exceptional photojournalism and videography from this year was recognized in various categories like News and Sports. The Kansai Photojournalism Association, which is made up of 76 news organizations with offices in the Kansai region, presented the most coveted Association Award to 2 photographers at Sankei News for their coverage of fireworks festivals over the summer.
I’ve been on a Yakitori kick these days. Sure it’s just chicken, but it’s also so much more! There’s nothing quite like sitting at the counter, watching the chef roast your skewer over hot coals as he fans the flames and smoke rises from the cinders. Omoide Yokocho, which also has the less-appetizing name Piss Alley, can be fun, but it’s swarming with tourists. If you’re looking for something a little more exclusive and intimate, head to Meguro where, nestled away on a side street is Torietsu.
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are lovely, and can act as a robust focal point in any home. But accessing the high shelves can be a problem. The common side-kick has always been ladders, which can also add character and charm. But for smaller homes like in Japan they can be a nuisance, occupying too much space for not enough usage. But Japanese architect Shinsuke Fujii came up with a simple, yet brilliant solution that solves another problem too: earthquake safety.
Winners of the 2026 Kokuyo Design Awards
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Tokyo is Gearing Up for an Art-Filled Fall. And the Entire City is Here for It
Japanese Instant Noodle Warriors by Taishi Arimura
Candidates Announced for Suica Penguin’s Successor. A Public Vote Will Decide the Outcome
