Spoon & Tamago

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The 2021 Japan Packaging Design Awards

September 14, 2020 / Johnny / 4 Comments

Japan has a rich history of packaging design that dates back hundreds of years and rooted in a tradition of gift-giving. Before industrial materials like plastic and cardboard, gifts were wrapped in straw, bamboo, leaves and paper: an art unto itself that lives on today in the form of products often wrapped in as many physical as symbolic layers.

Every two years the JPDA (Japan Packaging Design Association) celebrates excellence in packaging design by hosting the Japan Packaging Design Awards. The winners of the 2021 Awards were just announced and can be all viewed here (PDF) but we’ve put together some of our favorites!

Long-Exposure Photographs of Torii Shrine Gates by Ronny Behnert

September 9, 2020 / Johnny / 2 Comments

Torii on Bentenjima (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka)

In 2019, German photographer Ronny Behnert travelled around Japan visiting various Torii, the traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of Shinto shrines and used to symbolically demarcate the transition between our world and the sacred world of the gods. And I know what you’re thinking — do we really need another photo gallery of Torii taken by a foreigner? We asked ourselves the same question and the answer, in this case, was yes.

The Newly Renovated Koganeyu Sento in Tokyo

September 8, 2020 / Johnny / 1 Comment

all photos by Yurika Kono

It must be a public bath miracle. Just last week we wrote about how rare it was to see a sento open instead of close, or be converted into a cafe. Now it’s happened again. Rather than bending to the winds of change, the owners of Koganeyu, an 88-year old sento in Tokyo, have doubled-down on their aging public bath, launching a crowdfunding campaign to support renovations. The new Koganeyu reopened this week.

New Large Scale Structure Planned For Jingumae Crossing in Harajuku

September 7, 2020 / Johnny / 4 Comments

The face of one of Tokyo’s most famous crossings continues to change. The West corner of Jingumae Crossing has largely remained unchanged for the past 50 years. But when the iconic Condomania relocated in late 2018, it proved to be the first sign of new changes to come. Now, renderings have been revealed: a monolithic, multi-functional structure designed by architect Akihisa Hirata will open in 2022.

A Wooden Cabin Constructed Locally in the Mountains of Japan Using a 3D Wood Cutter

September 2, 2020 / Johnny / 2 Comments

unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takumi Ota

Nestled deep in the Gokayama mountains of Japan is Marebito no ie, a wooden cabin constructed near Toga village. The region is renowned for a unique type of A-frame housing design and architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り) which uses wooden beams combined to form a steep roof that can easily shed snow from their roofs. Marebito no ie was designed as a contemporary homage to this tradition but with minimal impact to the environment: an affordable Shopbot 3D wood cutter was brought in and the entire project was completed with local timber that did not have to be transported.

Kuwamizu Sento: A Private Residence with a Public Bath in Kumamoto

September 1, 2020 / Johnny / Comments Off

photos by Shigeo Ogawa

There are a countless number of projects these days to renovate sento public baths and turn them into cafes, art galleries or both. Indeed, the old relics of society are on the decline and it’s not everyday a new sento opens but that’s exactly what happened in Kumamoto recently with the opening of Kuwamizu Sento.

Makeup Artist & Buddhist Monk Kodo Nishimura on Celebrating Sexual Diversity

August 31, 2020 / Johnny / 3 Comments

all photographs by Masaki Sato

Kodo Nishimura grew up in Tokyo but moved to New York at age 18 to study art at Parsons. After returning to Japan to complete his training as a monk he then chose to travel again to Los Angeles where he furthered his classical training in makeup. Today, Nishimura, who identifies as non-binary, divides his time between his two passions: makeup artistry and the Buddhist monastery. He also recently published an autobiography celebrating sexual diversity and spreading the message in Japan that different is beautiful.

Spoon & Tamago Member Lecture with Kimono Researcher Sheila Cliffe

August 28, 2020 / Johnny / Comments Off

Join us on September 5th for an online talk with Dr. Sheila Cliffe: kimono researcher, author and stylist. A longtime resident of Japan, Sheila will discuss kimono fashion history, recent developments after the internet broke the kimono world hegemony, as well as her own work as cultural bridge and ambassador for kimono fashion.

The online lecture will be available to Spoon & Tamago members. Already a member? Awesome! Members will automatically be receiving a link by email to join. Not a member? Consider joining us and getting access to this talk, as well as many other perks!

Online Member Lecture Series with Sheila Cliffe
WHEN: September 5, 2020 (EST) | 7:00 – 7:40 PM
WHERE: Zoom Meeting
HOW TO JOIN: All members will be receiving an email with a link to join the meeting.

UPDATE: members now have access to the archive recording below. Sign in to view.

Art Collective Mé Inserts White Gallery Into Dilapidated Home

August 28, 2020 / Johnny / Comments Off

photo by Kuniya Oyamada

Art collective Mé have revelaed their latest artwork titled. For the Arts Towada 10th Anniversary Exhibition in northern Japan, the trio contributed an installation titled “space“, literally inserting a rectangular white-cube space into the second floor of a dilapidated building that was once a snack bar.

With its white walls and ceiling and large glass openings, the space is reminiscent of a museum. From the outside, the original windows and floors appear to have been abruptly cut away, as if a new space has been grafted onto the old building. In this work, elements with different uses and contexts coexist without ever blending together, highlighting their individual characteristics while simultaneously emphasizing the contrast and tension between them.