all photos courtesy the artist
Today, JR East unveiled a new permanent public art installation outside the east exit of Shinjuku Station. As part of a beautification project for the world’s busiest train station, Lumine Department Store, along with their parent railway company, worked with New York-based Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, who designed a public plaza for pedestrians that encircles a 25-ft sculpture titled Hanao-san.
Continue reading
For 35 years, since he was in grade school, the sculptor Tomohiro Yasui has been making paper robots. He’s travelled around Japan conducting workshops and exhibitions and the number of robots he’s built exceeds 600. But he’s also branched out to other categories, creating figurines, costumes and even wrestler masks. But recently he’s been targeting his creative energy at the cheap toys and snacks sold at 100-yen shops around Japan. Working with these materials, Yasui fashions superhero-like figurines with movable parts that are animated and lifelike enough that they transport us back to childhood.
Continue reading
photo credit: Stéphanie Crohin
*this post is sponsored by Japan Foundation New York, Center for Global Partnership*
On Saturday, July 18, 2020 join a free online event with two experts to discuss Japan’s history of bath culture, art of public bath houses, science of Japanese bathing habits, and how to try at home.
Continue reading
Rubber train station stamps, known as eki stamps, are a uniquely Japanese phenomenon formally dating back to the early 1930s. Train stations would create their own stamps, usually based on local landmarks, and place them within the station for those who pass through to stamp their self-ordained “passports.” The system gave birth to an entire sub-genre of enthusiasts who would travel around collecting stamps. Now, these oshi-tetsu, as well as and other fans of train lines, have something new to get excited about. For the first time in 17 years, JR East has redesigned the stamps of 78 train stations across 11 train lines in Central Tokyo.
Continue reading
Kitamura Camera, a Japanese photography specialty shop with roots dating back to 1934, has opened a new flagship location in Shinjuku. With 6 floors of new & used cameras, along with a cafe & photography book lounge, the new location, which just opened in early July 2020, hopes to become a one-stop shop for amateur and professional photographers alike.
Continue reading
Shiro means white in Japanese and is the name of a new hotel inspired by the color and kanji character for white, 白. Located in the neighborhood of Ikebukuro, and with its clean lines and emphasis on minimal creativity, Shiro attempts to provide travelers with the authentic experience of staying in a neighborhood, rather than staying in a hotel.
Continue reading
Rather than just let the small piece of paper that wraps around individual sticks of gum go to waste, Japanese snack-maker Lotte decided to get playful. For each of their 7 different flavors of gum the firm created a series of graphic wrappers, a total of 58 different designs, each with their own distinct look.
Continue reading
Times have been difficult for Japan’s hanko, a personal signature tool that dates back centuries. Technology has been rendering the system obsolete and a work-from-home environment triggered by the global pandemic has only accelerated this phase-out. But it’s a beautiful tradition. And in order to rethink the hanko’s place in modern society, stationery company Shachihata has released a new line of hanko ink, normally just red or black, in beautiful, lush colors inspired by nature.
Continue reading
all photos by Kohei Yamamoto
Public baths, or sento as their called in Japan, are a dying breed. Their beloved architecture, endearing interiors and murals of Mt. Fuji have not been enough to maintain the flow of customers and keep them alive. It’s said that in Tokyo every week another sento goes bust. One of those was Miyanoyu, located in the Nezu district of Tokyo.
Continue reading
“Fantasy of a pet cat” (2006) by Tokuhiro Kawai
Japanese contemporary artist Tokuhiro Kawai uses his mastery of oil painting to create surreal images that invoke the Italian painters of the High Renaissance. But instead of biblical figures, kings and queens, Kawai infuses his paintings with cherubs, children and cats. Lots of cats.
Continue reading
