The Good Design Company was founded in 1998 by creative director Manabu Mizuno and, since their inception, have stayed true to their name. For 20 years Mizuno has attempted to “make things better” through design. And that has remained constant whether he’s designing a store, a train, a beer glass or Japan’s most lovable mascot Kumamon. Now, a new exhibition reflects on 2 decades of Mizuno’s Good Design.
the history behinds Japan’s postal 〒 mark (all photos via wikimedia commons)
If you live in Japan, surely you’ve seen it before. It’s a symbol that looks like the capital letter T but with an additional horizontal line above it: 〒. Known as the postal mark (yubin kigo), it’s a symbol that represents the Japanese postal system. Despite a decline in physical letters sent, the postal system is still very much a part of life in Japan as it also offers banking and other financial services (an odd notion in itself as most Americans would never consider banking with USPS) and the 〒 appears on post boxes, delivery trucks and branch offices.
Think Of Things is a unique space in Tokyo that attempts to blend the boundaries between lifestyle and workstyle. It opened last year in Harajuku and is operated by Kokuyo, one of our favorite stationary brands. To that end, they offer a collection of stationary, furniture, fashion and art items in their 1st floor shop. There’s also a café on the ground level with large windows that open up to a terrace where coffee from Sangenjyaya, Tokyo-based Obscura Coffee Roasters is proudly being served.
all photos by Kenta Hasegawa / Shinkennchiku-sha courtesy Daisuke Motogi Architects
Architects are usually shackled with requirements, parameters and demands. But when you give them free-reign, it usually results in good things. At least that was the case for this private room, situated above a company’s Tokyo headquarters.
portraits from the Awa Odori festival in Koenji (2018) | all photos by Benjamin Beech
I grew up in Koenji, a small suburb of Tokyo. Every summer the town would host the Awa Odori, one of the grandest festivals I had ever seen. For days leading up to the event I would watch in wonder as preparations were made. A makeshift wooden tower was erected outside the train station, lights and lanterns would be hung and an electric vibe began permeating the shopping streets and among the storekeepers as anticipation built. Then, as the sun set, the lights went on and suddenly a procession of sound, dance and color descended upon the town.
photo by Masanobu Higashiyama
Last night in Tokyo an enormous cumulonimbus cloud hovered over Tokyo for hours, bringing with it a spectacular light show that at times felt like the end of days. But the thunder and lightning also afforded photographers the opportunity to capture the storm system. One of the most ‘striking’ photographs was by Masanobu Higashiyama, a reporter from the Asahi Newspaper.
Those familiar with the Ghibli film Laputa will identify the cloud not as its scientific name but as “the Dragon’s Nest.”
unless otherwise noted, all photos by KOP courtesy Key Operation Architects
Social Good Roasters is a new coffee shop in Tokyo that just opened last month, and they’re on a mission to help society one cup of coffee at a time. Located in a 2nd floor space in Tokyo with plenty of windows and sunlight, Social Good Roasters employs individuals with conditions like Down Syndrome and autism and functions as a coffee bean roaster and cafe.
Taishi Arimura is a young graphic designer based in Tokyo. At the age of 25, his eclectic body of work contains humor, wit and beauty – everything one would want in a visual designer. In one particular series of works, Arimura uses imitation food samples and actual instant noodle packaging to create ‘noodle warriors.’ We don’t know whether we want to watch them fight, or eat them.
a photo from a festival in Hokkaido taken by Hiroshi Wajima (2017). It captures someone dressed as the deity Sarutahiko crossing a sea of flames.
Japanese festivals, or matsuri, happen throughout the country, usually around late summer as many of them are closely associated to the rice harvest. Larger, more notable matsuri often feature processions and elaborate floats. But the format and size can differ drastically depending on the local region. And to ensure that these festivals, regardless of size, are documented and passed down to the next generation, Fujifilm has been sponsoring annual photography exhibitions using submissions from photographers around Japan.
We started Spoon & Tamago 11 years ago (in July of 2007) to highlight exceptional Japanese art & design projects, and to connect them to the rest of their world. Since then this little blog has seen several transformations such as the addition of a shop, studio visits of NY-based artists and a Tokyo Guide.
Today, we’re happy to announce a new project: the Spoon & Tamago Jobs Board. Over the years, one of the most common inquiries we get is about finding work in the the Japanese creative industry. And so often we’re unable to be very helpful. But now, there’s a solution!
Are you looking for work in Japan, or with a Japanese creative company? Or are you a Japanese company looking to hire bilingual talent? Either way, head over to our jobs board and see what it’s all about!
