Page 125 of 394

Illustrated Cross-Sections of Major Train Stations in Tokyo by Tomoyuki Tanaka

tomoyuki tanaka rendering shinjuku

a detailed cross-section of Shinjuku Station. At 748,000 daily users, it’s the world’s busiest train station

In addition to being an architect, Tomoyuki Tanaka is also a master draftsman. Every project he’s done – from renovations and residential homes to urban planning – has been accompanied by detailed sketches, cross-sections and diagrams, all painstakingly produced by hand. In an age of CAD and computer-generated renderings, Tanaka’s architectural studies stand out as adding a human element to often cold, mechanical renderings of urban architecture.

Continue reading

Learn Japanese on Instagram Through Nihongo Flashcards

pompette nihongo flashcards (header)

Japanese certainly isn’t an easy language to master. It requires a lot of dedication and memorization. One proven method is immersion: surrounding yourself in the language so that your mind has no other choice but to begin picking up words. Now, one place you can start is with your Instagram stream.

Continue reading

The Whispering Star: a new film and solo exhibition by Sono Sion

sion sono whispering star

Sono Sion is a man of many talents. At age 17, poet. At age 23, filmmaker. At age 32, author. But most prolific were his films, which helped him establish a cult following. So singular was he as a director that “even in a country known for eccentric filmmakers, he stands out as a genre practically unto himself,” wrote a film critic in the WSJ.

Continue reading

This Summer, Kyoto’s Shimogamo Shrine Will Come to Life at Night

Shimogamo Shrine Light Festival (1)

Kyoto’s Shimogamo Shrine is one of Japan’s oldest shrines, dating back over 1200 years. The shrine and its surrounding primeval forest Tadasu no Mori (literally “Forest of Correction”) was thought to have protected Kyoto from malign influences

The sacred grounds of the UNESCO-designated world heritage site typically close at 5:00 pm. This summer, however, visitors will be encouraged to arrive after-hours, on the rare occasion that the grounds are opened up at night and the shrine and forest brought to life by a spectacular light festival.

Continue reading

Takashi Murakami is Getting into the Sake Business

takashi murakami next5 sake (2)

Contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is one of Japan’s most commercially successful artists. He’s also the proprietor of his own gallery and bar, where’s he’s free to exercise some of his other interests. The artist is now merging two art forms, sake distillery and his own contemporary art, to create a unique line of Japanese sake that will be sold at his bar, as well as other stores throughout Japan.

Continue reading

New Cut Paper Book Sculptures by Noriko Ambe

Noriko Ambe’s Man and the Sea, cut on a book of the same name and completed in 2016

Noriko Ambe is a longtime Japanese transplant in the New York creative scene, who hand-slices thousands of paper sheets into remarkable sculptures. Ambe is exhibiting a new body of work at her solo show “Continuous Cutting Altered Daily” at the newly established Maho Kubota Gallery in Tokyo’s Shibuya district.

Continue reading

A New Kindergarten Made From Shipping Containers Teaches Kids to Value Resources

yochien11

Photography by Studio Bauhaus, Ryuji Inoue

For its 50th anniversary, Ogura Asahi Kindergarten in Saitama, Japan upcycled stacked shipping containers into an earthquake-resistant and environmentally friendly kindergarten. These alternative structures were completed in a relatively short amount of time in 2016 by Hibinosekkei + Youji No Shiro, architects who specialize in the construction of children’s facilities. The reconstruction strives to send an educational message to OA kindergarteners about reuse and green living.

Continue reading

Sukima Atelier: a home in Tokyo that’s like a stroll through the city

atelier_6

Welcome to Sukima Atelier, a structure which captures the vibe of the Tokyo cityscape in a single residential home. While some like to consider the home as a relaxing shelter from the hustle and bustle of city life, others like to think about ways to bring the experience of that very same city into their home.

Continue reading

Wagashi Shop in Tokyo Sells Seppuku-Themed Dessert

seppuku-monaka_set

Just South of Central Tokyo, in the district of Shinbashi, is a 104-year old wagashi shop that’s been family-run for 3 generations. There, you’ll find a peculiar Japanese sweet called Seppuku Monaka. Indeed, it’s a suicide-themed desert that borrows its name the Japanese ritual suicide of stomach-cutting (also known as harakiri) that dates back over 800 years.

But for Yoshihisa Watanabe, the 3rd generation proprietor of Shinshodo who came up with the idea, the ominous dessert was more about remembering history than creating sensational sweets.

Continue reading

MUJI’s New Tatazumai Collection of Artisan Crafts

MUJI tatazumai collection

Teapot by Keisuke Iwata

If there’s any major retailer that can authentically make the claim of an “artisan craft collection,” it’s the Japanese minimal lifestyle retailer MUJI. And that’s exactly what they’ve done with their new Tatazumai collection. In doing so, MUJI has pushed their “no brand” philosophy to the side just a bit by teaming up with 6 different Japanese artisans who will oversee the production of the wooden, ceramic, glass and fabrics pieces.

Continue reading

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 Spoon & Tamago

Up ↑

Design by Bento Graphics