Before eateries had English menus; before selfies were snapped at the Robot Restaurant; before tourists in Mario costumes zipped down the streets of Shibuya in go-karts there was a grittier Tokyo. One that photographer Greg Girard describes as “post-war scruffiness combined with a transitional modernity.”
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Japanese architect Tadao Ando, known for his minimal use of bare concrete, has completed 152 Elizabeth Street, his first project in New York City. In a city where acclaimed architects from around the world compete with ambitious, loud and grandiose proposals, Ando held his own, creating a 7-story condo primarily of concrete and glass.
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Prehistoric creatures have long been extinct. But evidence that they once roamed the very world we inhabit has fueled a never-ending fascination with these ancient speciemens. Now, a new series of picture books by art director Ken Tsuchiya offers a unique way to enjoy and think about these mysterious organisms.
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Japanese trains are renowned for their punctuality, comfort and overall reliability. But part of what makes them so reliable is an “unseen” workforce of overnight trains. These trains will be unfamiliar to the everyday rider because they only show themselves after regular service has ended for the day. Working through the wee hours of night and early morning, they perform maintenance work on tracks and electrical wires that ensures a smooth and uninterrupted ride during the day.
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Today, May 30, is Zero Waste Day* in Japan. And on this day, the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper ran a full-page editorial made to look like a front-page headline titled “Plastics Floating in our Seas” and highlighting the devastating impact that plastic is having on sea life.
Everything from the article headline to the images and text were actually carved into sand on a beach in Japan and photographed from above.
*The name is derived from the numeric pun for 5 (go) 3 (mi) 0 (zero), which can be read as gomi zero, or zero waste.Continue reading
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.
Tadao Ando Designed & Donated a Floating Library that Delivers Books to Children
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Hand in Hand by Terada Mokei
FrancFranc Aoyama by Yasumichi Morita
Shiro Kuramata and Ettore Sottsass
