As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the elderly becomes an increasingly important issue. And while elderly populations are typically seen as a burden, there are places around rural Japan that offer glimpses of a more hopeful future. One where innovators and designers are demonstrating what’s possible, not with robotic caregivers, but with a fundamental redesign of what care for the elderly could look like.
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After the tragic and fatal Halloween crowd crush that occured in Seoul last year, Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, which has increasingly become a go-to spot for Halloween parties—often with dangerous consequences—is taking preemptive measures to discourage people from congregating in their ward later this month. Teaming up with art director Koichi Kosugi, this week Shibuya released a massive visual campaign to broadcast their message.
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All images courtesy of Keiji Ashizawa Design
Since opening its London flagship in 1973, The Conran Shop has been a go-to destination for all things contemporary design. And in their latest chapter, the curated shop welcomes you to its new space in Hillside Terrace, a relaxing village of shops and boutiques in the Daikanyama neighborhood of Tokyo. Architect Keiji Ashizawa, responsible for the interior design of The Conran Shop, described Daikanyama as “a very calm neighborhood” amid bustling Tokyo, and his vision was to create a store that offers respite from the city.
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Despite it’s image of neon lights and cyberpunk mystique propagated by the west, Tokyo is very much a mash-up of old and new. It’s a city where Tower Records is still alive and well. Where vinyl record and vintage clothing shops have to employ crowd control measures. And where a hand-written letter sent by FAX machine still holds value. So it was no surprise when we heard that a VHS cafe was opening in Tokyo.
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Seki Milk, a Gifu-based provider of milk and other dairy-based products to local schools, had long been dealing with an inconvenient truth. A large majority of students—65%, according to their own research— weren’t finishing their milk. This was leading to food loss but also a decrease in calcium and other nutrients the kids needed to grow. But getting schools to implement any kind of strict rule also felt wrong. The answer, it turned out, was in comics.
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This whimsical butter dish is sure to bring a sea of change to your kitchen. Designed by Akira Yoshimura (previously) and lovingly produced by the metal artisans of Takaoka-based Sanomasa, the Whale Butter Dish is made in the likeness of a whale that has swallowed a stick of butter in one huge gulp.
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Fans of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” will be delighted to learn that a new museum dedicated to children’s book author Eiko Kadono will open in Tokyo. Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, the three-story Kiki’s Museum of Literature will be located inside Nagisa Park, which is situated in the Edogawa district of Tokyo, known as the author’s home.
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Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days, brighter moons and bountiful harvests. Niigata prefecture, in Northern Japan, is known for its rice paddies and rice production. Around this time of year the rice harvest becomes a big deal, as well as the tons of rice straw, or wara, that is leftover. It can be plowed down as soil improver, fed to livestock, or even woven into decorative ornaments. But before any of that, for the past 10 years Uwasekigata Park has hosted a Wara Art Festival by teaming up with art students to create creatures, both large and small, from rice straw.
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All images © Atelier Air Flo Nukasawa courtesy of Harema Design Office
At the crossroads of childcare and dining, ‘Mirai no Table‘ (Table of the Future) is a café conceived from the dual perspectives by Harema Design Office.
The café embodies the idea that our food choices shape our future. By combining the expertise of the Sakura Sakumirai daycare center and Pan to Espresso bakery cafe, it strives to create a secure and enjoyable dining space for families. Services like warming baby food and reheating dishes ensure that parents with young children can dine without any worries.
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images courtesy Undercover
Flora and fauna were abound as designer Jun Takahashi’s fertile creativity was unleashed during Paris Fashion Week 2023. The designer’s iconic brand Undercover, equally revered as a cult name in streetwear and as a fixture on Paris’ haute couture calendar, was showing a collection titled “Deep Mist.”
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Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Shizuoka Aims to Reclaim Top Tea Status With New Branding Project
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
Keisuke Aiso’s Ubume Sculpture that was Missappropriated as the Face of the Momo Hoax
Yoko Tada Began Painting in her 80s. At 100 She’s Publishing Her First Book
