June 13, 2024
Tokyo’s Official Dating App — A Lot to Love?
Bloomberg has called it “actually a good idea” and VICE has provided the click-bait fuel by calling it a “sex app”.
Let’s take a closer look.
The Shibuya Creative Tech Committee nurtures innovative technologies across the Shibuya area, connecting its diverse cultural assets through digital advancements.
Today, the Committee and EDCON (Community Ethereum Development Conference) have announced a strategic partnership to create a subcommittee that will enhance EDCON 2024, which will be supported by the Shibuya City Office and is free to attend.
This collaboration will unlock new opportunities in the global art and tech community by combining expertise and fostering creativity through innovative programming.
May 15, 2024
A Brief History of the Meikyoku Kissa
Meikyoku kissas (名曲喫茶), or “classical music cafés,” are a distinctive part of Japanese culture, particularly in Tokyo. These establishments emerged in the early 20th century and provided a unique space for music enthusiasts to enjoy classical music in a café setting.
Heralded kissas like Lion Cafe have been garnering media and tourist attention as of late, with some calling it Tokyo’s “worst best kept secret.”
A brief history of these wonderfully unique establishments may help contextualize why they are so revered by enthusiasts and regulars, yet also so often misunderstood by non-Japanese visitors.
May 10, 2024
Quick Guides — Japan’s Summer Blockchain Events
As cryptocurrency markets surge and the Yen continues to tumble, Tokyo and Kyoto are serving as hosts to several premier blockchain events this July and August, including the free to attend EDCON at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya.
Check out all the details in our full guide below.
November 24, 2023
Tokyo’s Newest District, 30 Years in the Making
A new district in the heart of Tokyo designed by Heatherwick Studio has been opened by the Prime Minister of Japan, marking the culmination of a thirty-year long regeneration process steered by Mori Building Company.
November 15, 2023
Shinji Ohmaki: Interface of Being
Shinji Ohmaki is known for creating large-scale installations that inquire into the nature of being and disrupt the somatic senses of viewers.
He has presented these ambitious works to high acclaim not only in Japan but also in many other countries across Asia and Europe.
The National Art Center, Tokyo is presenting Interface of Being, a solo exhibition of installations reflecting Ohmaki’s deepening psychological exploration. The exhibition is scheduled to present new works rooted in fundamental questions surrounding our reasons for living.
October 27, 2023
Quick Guides — Koenji (高円寺)
October 20, 2023
Tokyo’s Complicated Relationship with Halloween
Japan, a country steeped in tradition and seasonal holidays, has a somewhat odd and longstanding fascination with Halloween.
Arguably, it makes sense on paper — the prevalence of cosplay, liberal open container laws and a voracious appetite for entertainment. It certainly puts the Japanese concepts of “honne 本音,” and “tatemae 建前” into an interesting juxtaposition as well.
In Tokyo, Halloween has evolved into an adult holiday, with street parties abound, but none more famous than what transpires in Shibuya. But, this year, its Mayor is officially spooked.
In close collaboration with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, the National Art Center, Tokyo is set to present the inaugural extensive retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent in Japan following his passing.
The exhibition will feature a comprehensive collection of 262 items organized into twelve chapters, encompassing 110 of the designer’s iconic ensembles, along with accessories, drawings and photographs.
October 10, 2023
21_21 DESIGN SITE
In 2003, Issey Miyake contributed an essay entitled “Let’s Create―Design Museum (Tsukuro- dezain myu-jiamu),” to the January 28th evening edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
The piece lamented Japan’s lack of a museum devoted to design generated a great deal of attention, and as an unexpected result, Miyake gained a number of backers and advocates interested in helping him realize his dream.
Four years later in 2007, thanks to their help 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT opened in the Garden of the Tokyo Midtown complex in Roppongi.