A MUJI House for the price of “on the house”? That’s right. And it comes with MUJI furniture, MUJI cooking ware, MUJI stationary and everything else you would need. Sounds pretty good right? Well, 4 years after offering one lucky family the same deal, our favorite minimalist lifestyle retailer is back with a lottery in which the winner gets to live in a brand new, fully-furnished MUJI Window House (located in Kamakura) for 2 years, for free.
the “Tokyo-lization” of New York
Eiji, the protagonist in David Mitchell’s novel number9dream described Tokyo as “too close up to see.” His experience of the metropolis goes on: “There are no distances and everything is above your head – dentists, kindergartens, dance studios. Even the roads and walkways are up on murky stilts. An evil-twin Venice with all the water drained away.”
the steel arm built to support the guard tower at risk of imminent collapse
Kumamoto Castle sustained heavy damage during a series of powerful earthquakes that struck Southern Japan in April. Work to repair stone walls and other damaged properties is expected to take several years given the buildings historic significance: it was originally built in the 1400s but reconstructed in 1960. In early June reconstruction efforts began with one of the most time-sensitive projects: restoring the Iidamaru Gokai Yagura, a five-story guard tower that was at risk of imminent collapse.
The original Little Mermaid was written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1837. Since then it was been adapted in various forms with the most popular being the animated Disney film in 1989. It was a cheerful rendition with blissful songs and a happy ending. But now, in the hands of 87-year old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, it’s taking a darker turn, returning closer to the original form.
American musician Louis Armstrong’s affectionate nickname Satchmo has gone on to inspire everything from music festivals to restaurants and even an e-commerce framework. But one of its more recent reincarnations can be found in all the way in Japan, in the form of a 6-person band called Suchmos. Formed in 2013 by a group of friends, Suchmos soulfully blends elements of acid jazz and R&B with J-pop to create vintage rhythms layered with punchy pop synth.
In the year 1052, Fujiwara no Yorimichi built the Byodo-in Buddhist temple, effectively establishing the City of Uji in the Southern outskirts of Kyoto. 1000 years later, Uji, with its abundance of tea shops and traditional cormorant fishing, continues to be a popular destination. Bringing together everything good about ancient Uji, and putting a modern twist on it, is the Nigauri guesthouse that opened earlier this year in March.
When we build a new home, one of the most important parts of the construction process is keeping rainwater out. Water causes mold and rotting, which can compromise entire foundations of homes. But one family in Japan saw rainwater not as an unwanted intruder but simply a part of life that, when controlled, can bring you and your home closer in-tune with nature.
all photos by Chika Takami
The 1960s ushered in the golden age of record players as affordability made them a staple in almost every household. In Japan however, quality stereo sets remained unattainable for most, who then gravitated to a smaller, more affordable gadget: the portable record player.
the “Type 90 Large Air Sound Detector” being inspected by Emperor Hirohito (LIFE Magazine, 1936)
Acoustic location is the technology of identifying the location of objects by detecting sound waves they emit. It was quickly adopted by the military in the early 1900s as a way of locating aircrafts and submarines.
Despite being short-lived – the technology was quickly made obsolete by the development of radars – the contraptions, which typically involved large horns connected to the operator’s ears, made for some surreal imagery.
Cabinet Cards were a style of portrait photography used in the late 1800s. They typically measured about 4 x 6 inches: large enough to be viewed from across a room when displayed in a cabinet, which is probably why it got that name.
For New York-based artist Shinya Kato, these sepia-toned cards, and the anonymous people of the past captured in the frame, offered a mysterious allure.
‘Puddle’ Are a Series of Flower Vessels Inspired by Puddles of Water
With No Entrance or Exit, a Train Station Designed Solely as a Lookout Spot
The Hellish Art of Japanese Interlocking Wooden Architecture Revived at SunnyHills Minami-Aoyama
Myaku-Myaku Footwear, Inspired by the Googly-Eyed Mascot for the Osaka Expo
Five Unique Experiences at Harajuku’s Latest Development Harakado
