Spoon & Tamago

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Japanese Designer New Year’s Cards of 2023

Welcome to the frolicking year of the rabbit! We love all of Japan’s quaint traditions around New Year’s: eating toshi-koshi soba on New Year’s Eve, having ozoni on New Year’s morning, visiting a temple or shrine for hatsumode. Well, we have a tradition of our own: admiring New Year’s cards (nangajo) created by some of our favorite Japanese artists and designers.

From anime and printmaking to minimal geometric and animated, enjoy all the different art styles of rabbits, mochi and moons.

Hotamet is an Environmentally Friendly Helmet Made From Leftover Scallop Shells

December 27, 2022 / Johnny / 4 Comments

Scallop shells, or any seashells for that matter, are intended to protect their inhabitants from predators. Using biomimicry along with a sustainable design process, a team of researchers and designers in Japan have created a helmet to protect human lives that’s made out of discarded scallop shells. The resulting product is not only better for the environment but is also more durable and lighter than conventional plastic helmets.

Spoon & Tamago’s Most-Popular Posts of 2022

December 23, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

As we wind down our 15^th (!) year of blogging, we embark on our annual exercise of ranking our most popular posts based on viewership. It’s always fun and interesting to see what captivated readers the most. Ever since our beginnings we’ve made a point of providing our readers with eclectic coverage of Japan that shys away from sensationalism. From mundane halloween costumes and cool visual tricks to matchbooks and cat cafe, we hope we’ve been able to add a little bit of beauty and insight into your daily lives by delivering stories about Japan through an art & design lens.

But enough from us. Happy holidays to everyone and here are our top 10 articles of 2022:

Our Favorite Tokyo Designer Christmas Trees of 2022

December 23, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

If you’re doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in Tokyo, try and swing by some of these locations where you’ll find the best seasonal yet unorthodox designer Christmas trees. Happy Holidays!

Creative Use of Perspective Turns Corridors into Christmas Trees

December 14, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

Apropos of nothing, other than the fact that this is December, we wanted to share one of our favorite holiday advertising campaigns. This one is by art director Yuni Yoshida, who applied a creative use of perspective to transform a green stairway and a red hallway into Christmas Trees.

New Timber Takahama Cafe Offers Views of the Tottori Sand Dunes

December 10, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

unless otherwise noted, all images © Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji Photograph Office, courtesy Kengo Kuma Architects

If you’re headed to see the Tottori Sand Dunes, be sure to stop by the newly opened Takahama Cafe, a dramatic, timber structure that recently opened. Part cafe and part observation deck, the cafe was designed by architect Kengo Kuma and offers spectacular views of the Tottori Sand Dunes.

A Museum Dedicated to Mistranslated Japanese Phrases

December 6, 2022 / Johnny / 11 Comments

Anyone who has been to Japan has undoubtedly encountered the mistranslated phrase. Robotic translator gone awry? Translation job outsourced to intern who took a semester of English? Whatever the reason, these mistranslations have offered endless chuckles but are also a reminder of the nuances of language and how difficult it can be to accurately capture true meaning. So instead of scolding, this museum celebrates these mistakes, positioning them as valuable stepping stones in acquiring a new language.

Gato Mikio Has Been Preserving the Art of Hand-Turned Woodwork for Over 100 Years

November 25, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

Gato Mikio was founded in 1908 in Yamanaka Hot Spring, a town famed for wood turning. Following the intentions and spirit of the original kijishi wood-turners, the company has dedicated itself to preserving the craft of woodwork and lacquerware by creating timeless and functional tableware that accentuates the beauty of natural wood.

Paper-Cut Cityscapes by Kirie Artist Hiroki Saito

November 22, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

all images by Hiroki Saito | used with permission

Hiroki Saito first discovered the art of kirie in high school. And for the past 8 years he has been perfecting his craft. Saito’s dedication is evident in his work, which features meticulous and delicate incisions that render cityscapes so lifelike they could easily be mistaken for photographs.

The Amaterasu Railway Now Runs on Leftover Tonkotsu Ramen Broth

November 21, 2022 / Johnny / Comments Off

unless otherwise noted, all photos courtesy Takachiho Amaterasu Railway

The Amaterasu Railway in Miyazaki Prefecture is a popular local train that takes passengers on a gorgeous 30-minute journey through the spectacular scenery of Takachiho. The quirky train is known for its open roof, its journey over Japan’s highest train bridge, and train conductors who blow bubbles along the way. But now they’re known for something else: leaving passengers feeling hungry.