If you’ve ever driven in Japan you may have come across an unfamiliar scene: a small shrine right in the middle of the road. Sometimes the road curves to one side to avoid the shrine and give it some space. Other times the shrine rests literally in the middle of the road, unbothered by the passing traffic as if the cars are just a blip in time. And sometimes they aren’t even formal shrines. Just a sacred rock or tree.
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If you’ve ever walked through the back streets of suburban Japan you may have noticed the ubiquitous use of ceramic tile. They’re everywhere from the roofs of homes to the fencing around them, serving both functional but also decorative means. These tiles have typically been reserved for industrial use and made available only in bulk. But the Tile Kiosk is changing that.
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If you’re looking for an excursion off the beaten path, we have just the spot for you. The new Goemon House, which recently opened after a 3-year renovation, is an inn built from a 65-year old wooden home. It’s located on Momojima Island, which is just off the coast of Onomichi in Hiroshima, and accessible by a 30-minute ferry ride. Don’t come for convenience. Come for the chance to immerse yourself in island life, art and a piece of Japan’s grisly past.
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Tokyo’s vibrant skin can be overstimulating and chaotic to some. But the neon shop signs vertically stacked on one another is what gives the city its unique, almost nostalgic feel. Now, you can recreate that vibe in the comfort of your own room as long as you have stacks of, preferably unread, books.
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After years of back-and-forth over the fate of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo’s iconic structure and symbol of the Japanese Metabolism movement is being demolished. Designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and completed in 1972, the tower stood in Ginza for 50 years promoting the concept of metropolis as living organism. Much has been written about the landmark (this piece in the L.A. Times is a good place to start) but today we’re remembering the Nakagin Capsule Towers through a lovely rendered video by UK-based designer Sho Ito.
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From The Kyoto Distillery and the Tokyo Riverside Distillery to the Mitosaya Botanical Distillery in Chiba, it’s no secret that, in recent years, Japan has been experiencing a domestic craft spirits boom. One of the latest to join that group is the Tokyo Hachioji Distillery, located in the western suburbs of Hachioji and producing gin under the clever name, Hachio Gin.
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Throughout the pandemic, as travel restrictions kept us in our homes, an unlikely project was in the works: a new travel brand called moln. Inspired by the Swedish word for cloud, moln aspires to take us on a idyllic journey beyond borders and languages.
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all images courtesy @q_micke
Japanese era names are called nengō or gengō and were first adopted in 645 AD. But they weren’t really used consistently until the end of the Edo period in 1868. Each have their own styles and aesthetics and although we have yet to see what the current era Reiwa has in store, a Japanese designer who goes by the name micke came up with a series of illustrations that imagines what the past era names might look like if they had logos.
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Watercolor artist Hiroki Takeda is known for his vivid and wholesome depictions of cats, dogs and other animals using his signature style of botanicals. But the artist has recently turned his colorful brush to a darker subject matter: anti-war imagery and hopes for peace.
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Are you a writer working towards a hard deadline but having trouble getting work done? Then the Manuscript Writing Cafe is your new best friend. Located in Koenji and run by a team of writers, the cafe is solely dedicated to other writers working on deadline. But beware, once you enter they will not let you leave until your work is done.
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Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
Tamatsukuri Kindergarten’s Renewed Circular Campus Fosters Inquisitive Learning and an Appreciation for Nature
Go on the Tokyo Toilet Tour and Never Worry About Finding a Public Restroom Again
Memories for the Future | images from google’s archive of buildings damaged in the tsunami
Keisuke Aiso’s Ubume Sculpture that was Missappropriated as the Face of the Momo Hoax
