Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will undergo a massive renovation beginning in May of 2023. And for three years the honden main hall will be completely closed off to the roughly 10 million visitors who come to the shrine each year. So plans were made to create a temporary hall of worship and it was architect Sou Fujimoto who was selected for his use of blending nature with architecture.
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Come for the art, stay for the coffee.
Japan’s numerous museums offer a little bit of everything. Whether it’s cutting edge, contemporary art in Tokyo or a tiny museum in the countryside dedicated to a single sculptor, seeking them out is always rewarding. What’s also rewarding is the calm break at the museum cafe. Although unlike regular cafes, there’s usually the museum cover charge required to access it. But the space offers an opportunity to reflect on everything seen at the museum. The menu too is often thoughtful and inspired by the art or architectural aspects of the museum. We present to you, a few of our favorite museum cafes. And whether they’re in Tokyo or beyond, each is definitely worth the visit.
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The moment we saw this foldable electric bike, something awakened our inner child. We couldn’t quite put our finger on it bit it was a feeling akin to seeing a brand new toy in a toy shop. It turns out that the origin story of the Icoma Electric Bike is very much a part of many of our childhoods. It’s inspired by the transformer toys of the 80s and 90s. In fact, the creator is a former employee of the company responsible for introducing “Transformers” to the world.
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photo courtesy Sabogawa Koinobori Kawanagashi Association
Around this time of year, Japan becomes decorated with scenes of fish fluttering in the sky. Known as koinobori, the carp streamers are an important celebration of Children’s Day, which is on May 5th, and is one of the consecutive holidays that makes up Golden Week in Japan. But one of our favorite forms of the celebration happens at Sabogawa River, which plays host to an unusual yet exquisite tradition. Colorful koinobori, which usually flutter in the wind, are placed back into the river where they belong.
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All images © Simose Art Museum
Stretching over an area of 4.6 hectares and situated alongside the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima is the Simose Art Garden Villa. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban (previously), the newly opened destination comprises ten villas, a restaurant, and is built around the Simose Art Museum.
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Tatami mats are traditional Japanese flooring made from sewn-together igusa grass. But despite their lovely aroma and natural resistance to mold, their usage has consistently declined as modern consumers opt for more contemporary living choices. The Tatami ReFab Project is an initiative to take discarded tatami mats and reintroduce them into the home by transforming them into a series of contemporary furniture.
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All images © Ichiro Mishima courtesy IKAWAYA Architects
Merging the organic with the inorganic; walking the fine line between indoors and outdoors, is a predominant theme in contemporary Japanese architecture. One of the latest iterations is from architect Atsushi Ikawaya, who recently completed a residential home in Eastern Japan that doubles as a music studio. The site location was ideal as it offered the convenience of being a 5-min walk from the train station for easy commuting, while being nestled in nature.
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All images courtesy of Nakamura Ippan | used with permission
Nakamura Ippan, a non-binary artist known for their web comic series ‘Jimocoro‘ and ‘Minna no Gohan‘, held their first solo exhibition last month in Tokyo. Art enthusiasts had the opportunity to witness Nakamura’s artistic brilliance firsthand at their exhibition titled ‘Love’, held at HB Gallery in Omotesando.
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the winning photograph of the Koumi Line photo contest
There are numerous tiny train lines across Japan that are a dying breed. One of those is the Koumi Line, which connects Kobuchizawa Station in Yamanashi with Komoro Station in Nagano. The picturesque line, despite its views of mountains and rolling rice paddies, has been a victim of urbanization and depopulation particularly in rural areas of Japan. In an attempt to boost ridership and make up their budget deficit, the train has turned its advertisement space into a photo gallery and is hosting an in-car photo exhibition of the train submitted by users and train enthusiasts.
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photo by teerayut hiruntaraporn
Japan’s cherry blossoms usually get all the attention for their short-lived beauty. But equally ephemeral are Japan’s Nemophila, or Baby Blue Eyes. And once a year, around late April to Early May, an astounding sea of 5.3 million of these little flowers cover the land for a little over a week. If you missed the cherry blossoms you can still catch these.
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Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Antiwar Posters by Graphic Designer Shigeo Fukuda
Keisuke Aiso’s Ubume Sculpture that was Missappropriated as the Face of the Momo Hoax
Whimsical Ceramic Banana Peel Art by Koji Kasatani
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
