We’re big fans of the minimalist sculptor Mitsuru Koga (previously), so when we heard he had a new show in Tokyo we couldn’t pass up the chance to check it out.
We’re big fans of the minimalist sculptor Mitsuru Koga (previously), so when we heard he had a new show in Tokyo we couldn’t pass up the chance to check it out.
The Chichibu Chinsekikan | all photos courtesy Sankei Photo
In Chichibu, Japan, two hours northwest of Tokyo, there’s an odd museum; perhaps the only one of its kind. It’s called the Chinsekikan (which means hall of curious rocks) and it houses over 1700 rocks that resemble human faces.
the entrance to oku no hosomichi (the narrow road to the deep north) | all photos by spoon & tamago
When the train doors opened there was 4 inches of snow I had to jump over to land in a shoveled away area and prevent my slip-on shoes from immediately getting soaked. Admittedly, I had been warned: my train car waiting for me idly at Sendai Station wouldn’t open its doors unless I pressed a button. “It’s that cold where this train is headed,” I thought.
left: the “party” airvase | right: the “Mt. Fuji” airvase
The airvase is a revolutionary series of paper vessels designed by Tokyo-based Torafu Architects. The product comes as a flat disc with perforations that allow the user to pull up each side, shaping the vase in any number of ways. Different patterns are printed on both sides of the vase, creating varying impressions depending on the angle.
a painting of a salaryman in deep apology, or dogeza
Japanese businessmen are called salarymen in Japan and for years they’ve been the butt of jokes. Younger generations ridicule their corporate obedience and lack of independence. And they’re an easy target because they don’t fight back. They just quietly take the abuse.
all photos by Takumi Ota
Bake isn’t any ordinary pastry shop. Although its roots date back 33 years to a small pastry business in Hokkaido, today it functions more like a tech startup. It has an R&D lab, as well as a web magazine. And with creative side-projects like Pictcake (upload smartphone photo and print it on a cake) and 99chocolate (customize your own chocolate bars) the company is defying many stereotypes associated with Japanese companies. So it’s no surprise that their latest shop in Kyoto blends traditional architecture and woodwork with Lego.
all photos by takumi ota | click to enlarge
In May of last year, James Freeman’s Blue Bottle coffee roaster opened their first shop in Tokyo. The company is known for being disciplined in their expansion due to Freeman’s obsessive stance on quality control. But that’s not the case in Japan. Perhaps because the country already possesses a sophistication towards coffee, or maybe because of such strong demand, within a year and a half the California-based coffee shop has grown to 5 locations (there will actually be 6 by the end of the year) with the latest in Nakameguro.
“Three Wise Monkeys” (2016) by Feebe | click all images to enlarge
The Japanese artist who goes by the name Feebee is an illustrator by trade. But a self-taught one. She’s been helping create advertisements, CD jackets, characters and other forms of illustration since 2002. And her neo-Japonesque style of bold colors and delicate lines that form her primarily female subjects have won over countless fans. But it wasn’t until relatively recently that she pivoted in her career and began creating paintings as well.
Gears, springs, nuts and bolts: they’re the silent heroes of our gadgets and appliances, quietly playing a critical role in the shadows of technology. But there’s nothing silent about the way they’re made. In fact, a new project wants to give their beautiful sounds a voice!
If you’ve had too much to drink, go to sleep. That was the idea behind the concept for this ishobin sake bottle pillow modeled after the largest of sake bottles.
OrySnack: The Bar Where Bartenders Work From Home
Winners of Japan’s 2027 Packaging Design Awards
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.
Japanese Craftsmanship Meets Pokemon at Kanazawa’s National Crafts Museum
