this post is sponsored by Japan Society
From July 26-Aug 6, Japan Society is presenting the 16th annual JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film. This year’s festival, which marks the first fully in-person JAPAN CUTS since 2019, features over 25 films from major blockbusters to indie darlings, spanning narratives, documentaries, experimental and short films, and anime, as well as a special tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Continue reading
The Okawa River, which runs through central Osaka, was lit up on Friday with 40,000 LED lights floating down the river as they evoked the celestial milky way. The surreal scene was part of a celebration of Tanabata, or the Star Festival, which is a major summer festival in Japan taking place on July 7th. It commemorates the story of two literal star-crossed lovers represented by the stars Vega and Altair who are only allowed to meet each other once a year on that night, as long as the skies are clear.
Continue reading
Summer in Japan is not summer in Japan without fireworks. The tradition originated over 280 years ago as a means of warding off epidemics and today, no matter where you are in Japan, you can be sure to encounter fireworks festivals both large and small. And while the grand finales are typically loud, bright and bolstrous, an unspoken rule among smaller gatherings is that fireworks should always end with senko hanabi. Literally meaning ‘incense fireworks,’ these small and subtle sparklers are packed with about 10 seconds of delicate pyrotechnics. This charming yet ephemeral summer tradition has been encapsulated into a stunning set of earrings by a Japanese accessory maker.
Continue reading
When Japanese internet media company GREE relocated offices last year, they wanted to do something special; something that would capture the unique creativity and artistic drive behind many of their employees. So the company worked with art agency TokyoDex and the architecural designers at Tokyo Creators’ Project to pull off one of the most ambitious office space transformation projects we’ve ever seen.
Working with 22 individual artists, the highly collaborative effort resulted in a massive 129 pieces of art spread over six floors. Each floor is uniquely curated with its own sub-theme, but is tied together by the governing concept of “Subcultural Retreat with a Kick.”
Continue reading
All images © toha courtesy DDAA
Hender Scheme’s flagship store in Kansai is an adaptive reuse of a sixty-plus-year-old one-story wooden house near Umeda Station in Osaka. With a spacious area of around 175m² and impressive high ceilings, the store has been designed to reflect Hender Scheme’s unique aesthetic while honoring the building’s history. The goal was to create a retail space that serves as an extension of their fashion and product design approach.
Continue reading
all images courtesy Furuya Design
Eshikoto is a brand created by Nizaemon Ishidaya, proprietor of the Kokuryu Sake Brewery which was founded in 1804 in the mountains of Fukui. With a motto not dissimilar to the famous quote from Field of Dreams–”if we make good sake, people will support it”–the brewery has been hand-crafting small batches of sake for over 200 years. Last year, the brand opened a new restaurant and sake tasting center that is nestled between the mountains of Fukui and sits along the Kuzuryu: the River of the Nine-Headed Dragon.
Continue reading
All images © Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates
Built on reclaimed land that seamlessly blends the expanse of the sea with the majestic mountains, ‘See-Sea Park‘ is a new commercial complex spanning over an area of 10,800 square meters in Oimachi, Fukui. The structure aims to create a pleasant environment for people to gather while also providing a comfortable setting for new entrepreneurs and startups.
Continue reading
“natsu no prelude” (prelude of the summer) by Yoko Tada won honorable mention last year from the Japan Watercolor Association
The painter Yoko Tada is having what some would call “a moment.” Last year her work was recognized by the Japan Watercolor Association, an organization founded almost 110 years ago that sponsors Japan’s oldest art show. This year she is publishing her first book of paintings. But her path to artistry has been anything but straight. She is turning 100 this year, and after over a 60-year gap, rekindled her love for painting in her 80s.
Continue reading
The coronavirus pandemic had a drastic and immediate impact on Yuichiro Shimizu’s taxi business. As early as January 2020, Nichiei Taxi, a local business that has been servicing Saitama prefecture for over 50 years, saw their revenue drop by a staggering 80%. To save the company, and their roughly 40 employees, the team got together to brainstorm new business initiatives and they ended up hitting on something unexpected: growing wood ear mushrooms.
Continue reading
Last month, the 107th High School Kanazawa City Sumo Tournament was held. The event has been held annually for over 100 years and attracts spectators locally but also from across Japan. But for the past 3 years, because of covid restrictions, the event had been held without spectators. So to welcome back the crowds, a series visual posters were created.
Continue reading
Candidates Announced for Suica Penguin’s Successor. A Public Vote Will Decide the Outcome
Tokyo is Gearing Up for an Art-Filled Fall. And the Entire City is Here for It
Artist Hiro Sugiyama Recreates Hokusai’s ‘Great Wave’ With 750,000 Dahlias
Kawaii Buildings, as Seen Through the Lens of Urban Photographer Ken Ohyama
Haneda Airport Unveils Collaboration with Beloved Penguin Illustrator Chiharu Sakazaki
