Spoon & Tamago

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Japan’s Jimi ‘Mundane’ Halloween Costumes of 2023

Ah, it’s Halloween weekend. And that means it’s time for our favorite Japanese festival Jimi Halloween, where people dress up in costumes so mundane they have to be explained.

The tradition was started in 2014 by a group of adults at Daily Portal Z who “kind of wanted to participate in the festivities of Halloween, but were too embarrassed to go all out in witch or zombie costumes.” So instead of the flashy and flamboyant costumes they had been seeing gain popularity in Japan, they decided to dress up in mundane, everyday costumes.

You can comb through social media using the hashtag #地味ハロウィン but below we present to you some of our favorites from this year’s festivities. We’ve been covering this event since 2018 so you can also take a look at some past years too!

Tsuchiya Kaban Creates Leather Randoseru For Dogs

October 25, 2023 / Johnny / 3 Comments

Tsuchiya Kaban, the 58-year old Japanese leather bagmaker known for their highly-specific bags, has released their very first line-up of pet products. And their doggy randoseru is absolutely adorable. For those who aren’t familiar, randoseru are backpacks for kids. Typically made from high-quality leather, they are expensive but are made to last for the entirety of a child’s time in school. Tsuchiya Kaban’s new line of pet products are made with the same handmade quality and care that goes in to any of their bags.

Laxative Literally ‘Empties Out’ All Other Ads in Creative Campaign Targeting Tokyo Metro

October 24, 2023 / Johnny / Comments Off

If you’ve boarded the Tokyo Metro this month, there’s a good chance you walked into a train car that was…well, different. Perhaps you felt unobstructed, light and fluid as you passed with ease through the typical blockage. If you experienced any of those symptoms, it’s the work of a creative ad campaign for Borraginol Smooth, an over-the-counter laxative developed by Amato Pharmaceutical Products.

Elongated Engawa Defines this Community Welfare Center in Chiba

October 23, 2023 / Johnny / 2 Comments

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.

Shibuya Unveils Graphics Discouraging Halloween Parties in Their Ward

October 17, 2023 / Johnny / 3 Comments

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.

The Conran Shop, A New Chapter For Hillside Terrace by Keiji Ashizawa Design

October 13, 2023 / Kushal Jain / Comments Off

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.

A VHS Cafe is Opening in Tokyo’s Shimokitazawa Neighborhood

October 12, 2023 / Johnny / 1 Comment

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.

School Lunch Provider Creates Manga Milk to Encourage Kids to Finish Their Milk

October 10, 2023 / Johnny / Comments Off

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.

Whale Butter Dish Designed by Akira Yoshimura

October 5, 2023 / Johnny / 4 Comments

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.

Designed by Kengo Kuma, Kiki’s Museum of Literature to Open in Tokyo

October 5, 2023 / Johnny / Comments Off

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.