Showa-Kataitagarasu (昭和型板ガラス) was a type of frosted glass that featured different textures and designs embedded within. Offering light, privacy, as well as an element of design, they were popularly used in exterior-facing windows but also in interior cabinetry. The glass was largely produced during Japan’s Showa period and, true to its name, is now a relic of another era.
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One hundred years ago, on a cold February in 1919, the artist and poet Kaita Murayama left his house near current-day Yoyogi (Tokyo) and wandered into the cold night. He was discovered in a field early the next morning around 2AM and was pronounced dead shortly after. He was only 22 years old.
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We’re please to be able to announce that Yoshihito Kawase has won the 2019 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program, in initiative that Spoon & Tamago has supported since its inception both as judge and media partner.
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If you’re looking for an affordable and authentic stay in Kyoto, check out Utsuwa, a new designer hostel that opened last year. It’s centrally located — a 15 min walk or a 5 min cab ride from Kyoto station — and was designed to give visitors an authentic, local experience.
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Today — May 22, 2019 — in Japan, at a baseball game at Koshien Stadium between Hanshin and Yakult, a maiko-san threw the opening pitch. It was a dreamy scene as her light orange kimono fluttered through the air. The ball bounced once and landed in the catcher’s mitt. The batter swung and a strike was called. As the crowd cheered on the apprentice geisha I was reminded of the history behind Japan’s ceremonial opening pitch.
If you think there’s something new and old about Kyoto-based illustrator Kyoko Nakamura’s work, then she’s been successful. Using a combination of digital tools like Photoshop and analog materials like acrylic gouache, Nakamura creates colorful, neon illustrations inspired by her modern and traditional surroundings.
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This week’s Music Monday pick is a softer, more contemplative tone than usual. Ray Kunimoto is a sound artist who has primarily been creating acoustic sounds to accompany art installations at museums, galleries and other spaces such as this digital greenhouse in Tokyo. Currently based in New York, the artist has recently put out his first solo EP titled Amane.
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Arisa Kumagai is a Japanese artist who lives and works in Kyoto. Using primarily oil paints, and still in her late 20s, she’s developed a style of masterful realism that deftly balances black, negative space to create solemn scenes of life & death, rich & poor.
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Dubbed ‘wasabi pearls’ and ‘green caviar,’ Wasabeads (わさビーズ) have become one of Japan’s most sought-after condiments. They were developed by Tamaruya, a 140-year old producer of wasabi, as well as various wasabi-related products like wasabi salt and salad dressing. Wasabeads, which hit the market in December of 2018, are the company’s latest and are shaping up to be one of their most popular.
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Donuts are having a moment in Japan right now. In a land that’s been dominated by Mister Donuts for as long as I can remember, the country is suddenly seeing a numerous artisnal donut shops, both domestic and from abroad, pop up in major cities. The most recent is Koe Donuts, which opened in Kyoto in March.
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