japanese culture– tag –

Happy 2026! I’ve just returned to the "nightmare" of reality after the holidays. While most Japanese people are freezing in shrine queues to offer a 3-cent prayer, I’m waiting for the 11:00 AM rice-cake scattering—and for spring to hunt for French delicacies in the shadows of the gods. Join me as I explore the powder snow of Asahikawa and how a failed furniture sales pitch turned into a mushroom deal at a luxury forest lodge.

Today, let’s take a gently enthusiastic—occasionally cheeky—stroll through one of Tokyo’s eternal design icons: Spiral, the multi-purpose cultural complex in Omotesandō. Opened in 1985 and turning 40 in 2025, it somehow refuses to age. Y...

Today, we’re taking you on a casual, slightly cheeky stroll through one of Tokyo’s most inventive design hangouts: Tokyo Midtown Design Hub (TMDH). Imagine stepping into a building that gives a knowing wink to both your left-brain archit...

【】 When you hear Suntory, you probably think whisky on the rocks, highball cans from the konbini, or maybe that jingle that somehow gets stuck in your head for days. But plot twist: Suntory also runs a museum. Yep, a museum, and not ju...

【】 Step out of Omotesando Station and you’re ready for fashion runways and overpriced lattes. But walk for ten minutes, and—plot twist—you’re suddenly in a Zen bubble. Welcome to the Nezu Museum, where Tokyo’s chaos politely takes a se...

Harajuku’s legendary Kawaii Monster Café (2015–2021) is clawing its way back from the neon grave, only this time it evolved into KAWAII MONSTER LAND (KML)—a full-on technicolor amusement park opening Winter 2025. Picture this: a candy-sh...

In a world obsessed with precision, Hebocon is a profound rejection of efficiency. It is a "Sumo of Sorrows" where paper-faced robots self-destruct in a tragic microcosm of the human condition. Why do we love the "heboi" and the non-functional? From Doraemon to the Hatsune Miku Art Chair, we delve into the Japanese art of finding a soul in the beautifully unnecessary.

Let’s say you’re exploring Shibuya—you’ve shopped the sneaker drops, survived the Scramble Crossing, maybe even had a nostalgic crepe. And now, you think: "A little art would be nice." So you Google "museum" and end up at PARCO MUSEUM TO...

Welcome to GGG: Where Graphic Design Gets the Red Carpet Treatment Picture this: you're wandering through Ginza, Tokyo’s most glamorous jungle of high fashion and fancy watch displays, when you stumble upon a tiny building nestled betwee...

Tokyo is a city where every hidden elevator ride or tucked-away tower holds a surprise—be it a moody skyline lounge, an immersive art space, or a furniture showroom that doubles as a design playground. If you're in the mood for an unforg...