November 15, 2023

Shinji Ohmaki: Interface of Being

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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.

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In the intricate dance of international aviation, securing slots at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is no simple feat for U.S. airlines. The meticulous control exercised by Japanese authorities over takeoff and landing permissions for long-haul flights at Haneda adds an additional layer of complexity.

Back in 2019, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Transportation and Japanese authorities resulted in the allocation of extra slots at Haneda to select domestic carriers. These allocations, however, came with a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ stipulation, temporarily relaxed during the pandemic but now a thing of the past as of last month.

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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.

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October 10, 2023

21_21 DESIGN SITE

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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.

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In order to understand the world around them, people separate it into independent entities with perceived boundaries between them. teamLab seeks to transcend these boundaries in our perceptions of the world, of the relationship between the self and the world, and of the continuity of time. Everything exists in a long, fragile yet miraculous, borderless continuity.

Since closing the Borderless digital art museum in Odaiba back in August of 2022, we’ve been patiently awaiting on update on the international art collective’s next plans.

Now, it’s confirmed that the exhibition will re-open in January 2024 in Central Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills.

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Jazz Kissas in Tokyo, also known as jazz cafes or jazz bars, are unique and cozy establishments that cater to jazz enthusiasts and music lovers.

These intimate venues offer a relaxed and intimate atmosphere where patrons can enjoy listening to jazz music on high-quality audio systems while sipping drinks and subtly interacting with the cafe’s proprietor and other patrons.

Jazz Kissas are an integral part of Tokyo’s vibrant jazz scene and have a rich history dating back to the pre-WWII era, rising to prominence in the 1960s and 70s in Japan, as music connoisseurs huddled in comfortable settings to listen to the latest Miles Davis or John Coltrane records in high-fidelity.

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Japan’s capital city is massive, with over 14 million people, but that doesn’t create an overpowering atmosphere. Instead, Tokyo is one of the world’s friendliest, most welcoming capitals, with a vast array of neighborhoods just waiting for visitors to explore.

For close to three years, pandemic border controls halted foreign travel to Tokyo, leaving its cityscape, sights and scenes exclusively to locals.

Now, with international tourists welcomed back in full, those willing to explore beyond the busier districts of Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku and wander down mazes of side streets in Sangenjaya or Shimokitazawa will find their own version of happiness sipping coffee in a charming kissaten, shopping the racks of a specialty boutique or taking refuge in many of Tokyo’s natural sanctuaries.

We like to think of Tokyo as “the capital of concealed treasures”, where you can imbibe at an intimate bar tucked up in a small office building or enjoy ultra-premium sushi hidden in plain sight.

 

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January 1, 2020

MUSTARD HOTEL — SHIBUYA

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Truly effective design bridges the gap between needs and requirements.

In this case, the needs are neighborhood access, convenience and practicality. The requirements are thoughtful, understated design, fair pricing and cohesiveness in experience.

Simple yet striking, MUSTARD HOTEL delivers a pronounced “secret ingredient” to Shibuya and its newly adorned Shibuya Bridge complex, as well as parallel properties in Asakusa — 2.

 

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