“There must be a union between the spirit in wood and the spirit in man ... The object created can live forever. The tree lives on in its new form. The object cannot follow a transitory ‘style,’ here for a moment, discarded the next. Its appeal must be universal.”
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Wood life: the soulful craft of George Nakashima
Imagine pulling up to a roadside service area in Hakodate and discovering black squid ink-flavored soft serve. Next stop: blue honeysuckle or Yubari melon. As part of its rural revitalization project, "Savor Japan," the Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MILT) is stocking roadside service stations with special soft serve flavors to showcase regional and local ingredients.
ATLASOBSCURA.COM
Japan Is Combating Rural Decline With a National Network of Ice Cream
Pro-tip: Add a healthy, refreshing bite to your dishes with the help of a Japanese vegetable grater!
BONAPPETIT.COM
This Japanese Kitchen Tool Is My Quickest Route to Dinner
It's International Coffee Day! Coffee culture has a comparatively recent history in Japan. When Dutch and Portuguese traders arrived at the Port of Nagasaki in the 16th & 17th centuries with their darkly roasted beans, the Japanese wondered at the bitter, black beverage they thought lacked the subtle refinement of tea.
It wasn't until the Taisho era (1912–1926) that kissaten (coffee shops) established themselves as a new type of social space. The invention of UCC canned coffee in the 1960s for salarymen on-the-go and chain cafés in the 1980s aimed to increase standardization and efficiency, while others in Japan were focused on slowing down and perfecting the art of coffee.
As Japanese connoisseurs continue to refine the experience, coffee has evolved into a space for expression, mastery and craftsmanship. While adopting the influences of other artisanal scenes around the world, Japan's own "third-wave" coffee scene is now a destination for the coffee-obsessed.
Learn more about Japan's love of coffee: bit.ly/3l2EsRi
Photo by Stan Lee
Meet Imma, a virtual CG influencer with 256,000 followers on Instagram. imma recently spent a weekend "hanging out" in her own personally curated bedroom and living room at IKEA Harajuku. See what happened! https://bit.ly/34WlBmh
THEVERGE.COM
Ikea turned a virtual influencer into a physical installation
Check out our Q&A with documentary filmmaker Alison Klayman, whose latest film, "Flower Punk," captures the avant-garde arrangements and design philosophy of Japanese floral artist, Makoto Azuma. The former punk rocker's striking botanical creations embrace the simultaneity of beauty and decay as a reflection on the impermanence of life.
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Interview | Alison Klayman
Working from home can be hard when you're trying to get into "the zone," especially if you share space with others. Panasonic Corporation's "Komoru" work station can help keep some of those unwanted distractions out of sight and (hopefully!) out of mind.
APARTMENTTHERAPY.COM
Sick Of Your Roommates? Panasonic Has a Cubicle Designed for WFH
When Steve Jobs unveiled the very first Macintosh computer during an Apple keynote event in 1984, his graphics demonstration included a rendering of a Japanese woodblock print that depicted a "Woman combing her hair" (1920) by the shin-hanga artist, Goyo Hashiguchi. See how an early introduction to the early 20th-century Japanese aesthetic began Jobs' lifelong love of shin-hanga art.
WWW3.NHK.OR.JP
Japanese Art That Inspired Steve Jobs | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
With many travelers concerned about flying during the pandemic, ANA.Japan's heightened safety measures now feature touch-less "elbow doorknobs" to minimize the risk of infection between passengers.
TRAVELANDLEISURE.COM
This Airline Is Testing Out Hands-free Bathroom Doors
We love seeing everyone's clever ideas for Japan House Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest! So rather than keep all the fun to ourselves, we thought we'd begin sharing some of your fun contest entries to prove Sou Fujimoto's point that "Architecture is Everywhere"!
▪︎ "Safety Cubes" by Alison Brummer transforms interlaced cotton swabs into architectural sculptures!
See official #TinyArchitect contest rules and prize details to enter: bit.ly/2GZ0HIU
It's no wonder Issey Miyake's "seihin pleats" have remained a cult favorite among fashionistas and jet setters since they first appeared on catwalks in 1988. The lightweight, fashion-forward garments are machine-washable, travel well and require no ironing!
FT.COM
Pleat wave: the cult of Issey Miyake
How do you take your tea? Artist Takashi Murakami is offering fans the chance to experience his technicolor version of afternoon tea, complete with rainbow scones, flower-themed petit fours and other sweets.
HYPEBEAST.COM
A Murakami-Themed Afternoon Tea Has Gone on Sale in Japan
Cat Chang's creativity knows no bounds! She's brimming with ideas and has come up with so many fun ways to arrange the objects in her studio — it's a treasure trove in there! — into fanciful structures for her #TinyArchitect.
Enter to win by posting your #TinyArchitect ideas before the contest ends on November 5! You can create your own architectural models out of ordinary, everyday objects and any small figurines. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed Japanese architect, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes here: https://www.japanhousela.com/events/tiny-architect-contest/
We look forward to everyone joining us on Tuesday, Oct. 20, for our virtual panel discussion on "Rethinking MA: Space - Time 2020." For those of you who've asked, here's some info about the Japanese concept of ma, which Pritzker Prize-winning architect Arata Isozaki describes as an "in-between space" between two points or objects.
https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/a-perspective-on-the-japanese-concept-of-ma/
Shibori is an eighth-century resist-dye technique that was popularized during the Edo period (1603–1868) when the lower classes sought alternatives to silk textiles, which were reserved for the wealthy. Learn the various techniques developed by shibori artisans to produce their intricate indigo patterned fabrics.
JAPANOBJECTS.COM
5 Things You Should Know About Japanese Shibori Dyeing
The Japanese word, "ma," is used to describe the space between two points or objects. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Arata Isozaki explains why he considers this in-between space more important than the points or objects themselves.
YOUTUBE.COM
Arata Isozaki — TIME SPACE EXISTENCE
It's an all-out "Snack time battle" as the Osaka no obasan, maneki neko and Fuchiko race to the cookie tin! See which gachapon (capsule toy) gets there first in this hilarious scene staged by one of our #TinyArchitect contestants.
Enter to win by posting your #TinyArchitect ideas before the contest ends on November 5! Click for official contest rules and prizes: https://bit.ly/3nSnM10
Look closely and you'll see that a little imagination is all it takes to transform even the most ordinary household objects into wondrous architectural forms. Jane Henry's #TinyArchitect gazes up from "Beneath the lucet bridge."
Show us what objects your #TinyArchitect is inspired by! You have until Nov. 5 to post your own whimsical creations for our #TinyArchitect contest. Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your own miniature models. No plastic figurines — no problem! Paper cut-outs, toys or any other small figurines will do. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may only submit one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes:
Halloween might not be up to its usual tricks this year, which is all the more reason to get festive with these groovy origami ghoulies! 🎃
YOUTUBE.COM
Halloween Origami
For two days only, Destroyer chef Jordan Khan will team up with acclaimed Japanese chef Zaiyu Hasegawa of DEN Tokyo as part of this year's Los Angeles Food Bowl! DEN holds 2 Michelin stars and is currently ranked #11 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. On Oct. 26 & 27, this culinary collab will offer Angelenos a Tokyo x LA fried chicken sandwich based on chef Hasegawa's world-famous "Dentucky Fried Chicken," with cocktail kits provided by House of Suntory.
Reserve your #DentuckyFriedChickenSandwich before they're gone! You must be 21 or older to purchase.
https://checkout.square.site/buy/233J3TRAHG5DUW4F52CMDHAG
Presented by JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles and Suntory.
The "Care 22" UV lamp, developed by USHIO Group（ウシオ電機株式会社）in partnership with Columbia University in the City of New York, is capable of disinfecting trains, buses, elevators and other high-traffic spaces without harming occupants. #COVID19
ENGLISH.KYODONEWS.NET
Ushio launches world's 1st UV lamp safely killing coronavirus
Brendan Farrell's #TinyArchitect and her expedition explore the inner sanctum of Space Captain Breadman's secret hideaway. 🛸
Here's how you can enter our #TinyArchitect contest:
Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your own whimsical architectural models. Don't have plastic figurines? No problem! You can use paper cut-outs, toys or any other small figurines. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may only submit one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes here: https://www.japanhousela.com/events/tiny-architect-contest/
Harumichi Shibasaki might not seem like your average TikTok star, but this 73-year-old Japanese grandpa's watercolor channel has amassed nearly 30 million views! Shibasaki's low-key vibe and easy-to-follow brush strokes will help you rediscover the joys of painting in no time.
NEWS.ARTNET.COM
Is This Tik Tok Artist Really ‘Bob Ross of Japan’? See the Gentle Painting Videos That Made Harumichi Shibasaki an Unlikely Star
JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' Art & Cultural Director, Meher McArthur, invites you to consider the role of windows as both architectural and cultural elements that frame each of our unique perspectives on the world in our new virtual exhibition, “Windowology: New Architectural Views from Japan.”
YOUTUBE.COM
#Windowology | Welcome Message by Meher McArthur
Meagan Matthew's #TinyArchitect transforms toys into organic structures that recall the post-war style of Japanese Metabolist architecture in "Toys vs Metabolism."
Enter the #TinyArchitect contest before November 5! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your own whimsical architectural models. Don't have plastic figurines? No problem! Paper cut-outs, toys or any other small figurines will do. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may only submit one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/2HJrjOS
Earlier this year, award-winning Japanese architect and co-host of our #TinyArchitect contest, Sou Fujimoto Architects, presented a scale model of his "house N" for "The Window: A Journey of Art and Architecture Through Windows," an exhibition curated by the Window Research Institute／窓研究所 for the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (東京国立近代美術館 広報).
By stepping "inside," visitors experienced multiple layers of spatial relationships between the house's "interior" and the "exterior" environment. "Windows carry the important role of separating and connecting the inside and outside ... I wanted to attempt to experiment with this most critical part of architecture. ['house N] is composed of three boxes that have been nested in such a way that there are more windows beyond a window, and there are still more windows even farther beyond those windows."
DESIGNBOOM.COM
sou fujimoto exhibits scaled model of 'house N' at the national museum of modern art, tokyo
In search of a deeper connection, the #TinyArchitect gazes intently into Minna Philips' "Infinite Object Series #4."
Enter the #TinyArchitect contest before November 5! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your own whimsical architectural models. Don't have plastic figurines? No problem! Paper cut-outs, toys or any other small figurines will do. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may only submit one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/2HJrjOS
From now thru Nov. 3, DESIGNART Tokyo 2020 is offering those of us who can't make it to this year's festival the opportunity to view the "diverse objects and experiences created in the crossover between interior design, art, fashion, and food from around the globe" virtually!
DESIGNBOOM.COM
DESIGNART tokyo 2020: for 12-days, japan's capital city becomes an open-air museum
Don't miss the virtual Japan Connects Hollywood Film Festival this weekend! 3 full days of Japanese feature films, shorts, panels, an awards ceremony and more. Reserve your festival pass now!
JAPANCONNECTSHOLLYWOOD.COM
Japan Connects Hollywood
Now on view (virtually!) at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles! "WINDOWOLOGY: New Architectural Views from Japan" aims to express the distinctive qualities of Japanese windows by examining various regional and historical styles, from traditional to post-war, modern and contemporary.
"In traditional Japanese architecture, windows are constructed very differently from those in Western architecture," #WINDOWOLOGY exhibition director Igarashi Tarō explains. "Traditional Japanese windows are generally integrated within wooden post-and-beam construction with sliding doors and shoji screens fitted between. Removing these fittings leaves the interior spaces completely open to the elements. [The fact] that windows generally exist not as openings in walls, as in Western architecture, is a defining characteristic of Japanese architecture."
YOUTUBE.COM
#Windowology Interview | Tarō Igarashi, Exhibition Director
Check out Matteo Ceschina Photography's #TinyArchitect grinding on his Epiphone electric guitar! 🛹
Enter @japanhousela’s #TinyArchitect contest by using any ordinary, everyday objects to create your own whimsical architectural models. Don't have plastic figurines? No problem! Paper cut-outs, toys or any other small figurines will do. Then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed with the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may only submit one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
News flash! Due to popular demand, we've extended the deadline for JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest to Friday, November 20!
Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
“Every longevity culture in the world suffered periods of hardships ... They went through wars, famines, the same sorts of stresses that we’re suffering right now, and that’s a lesson for all of us.”
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM
This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times
"For people who create things, avoiding disruptions to daily life and having freedom are critical. Freedom abides inside those who were born free. I aim to deliver works like these to people currently living through the age of Covid-19, works that make them free." — YOSHITOMO NARA
JAPAN-FORWARD.COM
STARS at the Mori Art Museum: Five Contemporary Art Superstars Share their Views on a Post-Corona World | JAPAN Forward
The Japanese art of hoshigaki (dried persimmons) is a true test of patience and the ultimate labor of love. Find out why these dried delicacies have been likened to the "Kobe beef of fruits."
NPR.ORG
Ancient Japanese Food Craft Brings Persimmons To American Palates
One more week left to go before JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest ends this Friday, November 20!
Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook.
#WindowsonCraft visits the workshops of artisans and craftspeople whose longstanding practices rely on windows for more than just natural light and ventilation. Windows play an integral role in the production of traditional Japanese foods such as hoshigaki (dried persimmons), yuba (soy milk skin), smoked iburigakko (pickled daikon radish) and the naturally processed sea salt of Aguni Island in Okinawa, while also helping to transform the materials used to create time-honored crafts like Izumo washi (paper), Mashiko pottery, indigo-dyed textiles (aizome) and incense.
Sponsored by the Window Research Institute／窓研究所, researchers from the Tsukamoto Lab at the Tokyo Institute of Technology traveled throughout Japan to document these artisanal practices for our "WINDOWOLOGY: New Views from Japan" exhibition, which you can learn more about here: bit.ly/35UUab0
Antonio diBernardo's #TinyArchitect takes his moves to the stage ... inside a cheese grater! #ArchitectureisEverywhere
Enter JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest before it ends this Friday, Nov. 20! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
Has #COVID19 got you overdue for a trim? These disposable Japanese face masks gently adhere to your face so you can stay protected while getting your hair cut and not have to worry about straps. https://bit.ly/3n2lb3t
TIMEOUT.COM
A Japanese company has created a strapless, stick-on face mask for haircuts
Did you know you can take a virtual tour of our new exhibition, “WINDOWOLOGY: New Architectural View’s from Japan”? Curated under the direction of architectural historian and critic, Igarashi Tarō, #Windowology considers windows as architectural elements that provide an important cultural framework in shaping our unique perspectives on the world. #windowology
Visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website to start your virtual tour: bit.ly/windowology
#WindowsonCraft: Did you know traditional Japanese indigo dyes are made by fermenting the dried leaves of the Indigofera tinctoria plant? Find out how windows play a key role in the centuries-old process of indigo-dyeing (aizome). #windowology
https://www.japanhousela.com/windowology-windows-on-craft/
#WindowsonCraft: A visit to a Japanese yuba-maker shows how different windows are used to regulate humidity and air flow inside the shop. Similar to the slippery skin that forms when milk is heated, the soy milk is brought to a gentle boil, causing the protein-rich skins to collect along the surface. The delicate sheets of yuba (湯葉 = "hot water" + "leaf") are then gathered and hung to dry on racks before being packaged for customers. #windowology
https://www.japanhousela.com/windowology-windows-on-craft/
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▫︎ 'Windowology' research by Yoshiharu Tsukamoto Laboratory sponsored by @windowresearchinstitute, YKK AP, Inc.
Jon Forsyth's #TinyArchitect takes the Underwood stage, performing "Pirouettes in a Typewriter."
Just a few hours left before @japanhousela's #TinyArchitect contest ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (PST)! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
See Less
Japan House Los Angeles
November 20 at 8:28 PM ·
Jon Forsyth's #TinyArchitect takes the Underwood stage, performing "Pirouettes in a Typewriter."
Just a few hours left before @japanhousela's #TinyArchitect contest ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (PST)! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
Jon Forsyth's #TinyArchitect takes the Underwood stage, performing "Pirouettes in a Typewriter."
Just a few hours left before @japanhousela's #TinyArchitect contest ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (PST)! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
Watching shadows take form. "Architectural Shadow Play" by Melanie Tran
Just a few hours left to enter JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest before it ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (PST)! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
Ximena Sanchez puts a mesmerizing spin on her #TinyArchitect's "Coaster Continuum."
Enter JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' #TinyArchitect contest before it ends tonight (Friday, Nov. 20) at 11:59 p.m. (PST)! Use any ordinary, everyday objects to create your #TinyArchitect's whimsical world, then just snap a photo and post it to your social feed and include the title + description and #TinyArchitect hashtag in your caption. Be sure to tag @JapanHouseLA! Contestants may submit only one entry per day. Winning entries will be judged by internationally-acclaimed architect and co-presenter, Sou Fujimoto.
See official contest rules and prizes: bit.ly/tinyarchitect
MON, NOV 23 AT 5:00 PM PST
Director's Talk: 'Memories of Origin" - Hiroshi Sugimoto
What We're Watching: In traditional Japanese wood frame architecture, hashirama sōchi refers to shōji (sliding paper doors), fusuma (paper screens), tatami, walls and other architectural elements that can be placed in the bays between columns.
Sponsored by the Window Research Institute／窓研究所, "A City of Columns," explores one of the few surviving tenement neighborhoods in Osaka, "revealing how the early-modern hashirama sōchi brought standard dimensions to residences, neighborhoods and the city as a whole, a form of standardization whose traces can still be found in the contemporary city." #Windowology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6D__H4iaJw
YOUTUBE.COM
柱都 / A City Of Columns
If our “eyes are the window to one's soul," can the same be said about the function of windows in buildings? Windows serve a dual role as portals, while demarcating the boundaries between our personal lives and public spaces. Different from doors, windows are multi-functional and transparent by design, allowing for more than just light to pass through. #windowology
Read about the unspoken power of windows to shape and frame our surroundings and ever-changing views in our latest article, "The World in a Window": bit.ly/worldinawindow
"Near Annaberg in Austria" from the 15-year project, "Out My Window," by Gail Albert Halaban
Over the next several weeks, we'll be sharing a variety of #Windowology perspectives on JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' social channels with photography and video partners.
Rania Matar Photographer was born and raised in Lebanon and moved to the US in 1984. As a Lebanese-born American artist and mother, her cross-cultural experience and personal narrative inform her photography. Matar’s work has been widely exhibited in museums worldwide, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Carnegie Museum of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and more.
To share your #WindowToMyWorld view with us, tag #Windowology.
The holidays are upon us, forcing many of us to figure out safe new ways to celebrate and connect with our loved ones this year. Over the next several weeks, our photographer and videographer partners — Gail Albert Halaban, Rania Matar, Minh Tran and Kyle Huber — will share each of their #Windowology perspectives on JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles' social feeds.
Share your #WindowToMyWorld view with us by tagging #Windowology.
"Brooklyn, Reading" (2010) is from the 15-year project, "Out My Window," by Gail Albert Halaban.
"There was no intention from the beginning to bring in the exterior into the interior, or [expose] the daily life of the resident to the surroundings. However, there was such a thought of providing a depth to the extent of life produced within the cityscape, site ground and the house – which we have never felt before. I imagine the sort of new, powerful residents of ["O House"] transforming the house into a living space or a cityscape, through the daily lives of the family of four fully utilizing the depth of the extent I tried to produce." — Hideyuki Nakayama Architecture on "O House" (2009) in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward
Photo by Jérémie Souteyrat. Visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website for more from "WINDOWOLOGY: New Architectural Views from Japan": bit.ly/windowsonhowwelivenow
THU, DEC 10 AT 5:00 PM PST
#Tokyo2020 Olympics: The Power of Games for Communities (Part 2 of 2)
Curious to know more about #windowology? Register for our virtual discussion next Monday, Dec. 7, with "WINDOWOLOGY" Exhibition Director Igarashi Tarō (Window Research Institute／窓研究所) and Takashi Yanai of the LA-based firm, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects, moderated by Monocle Magazine’s Tokyo Bureau Chief, Fiona Wilson. ⠀
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Touching on a variety of window-related topics ranging from windows and Japanese aesthetics and their influence on global architecture, these thought leaders will also examine the evolution of windows in the workplace and our homes, while speaking to the future of windows in a post-pandemic world. ⠀
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Register below for our complimentary “WINDOWOLOGY” webinar. You can also take a virtual tour of the exhibition here: bit.ly/33Cpnz
MON, DEC 7 AT 5:00 PM PST
New Views: The Influence of Windows on Architecture & Society
Has anyone noticed YOSHITOMO NARA's 25-foot-tall "Miss Forest" outside of LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art? "Moriko," as the artist affectionately refers to his 4,446-pound bronze sculpture, is the museum's latest outdoor acquisition, which is good news for Angelenos who've been hoping for a glimpse of the artist's hotly anticipated retrospective that has been closed to the public due to COVID-19. Thankfully, "Miss Forest" is here to stay.
https://www.art-critique.com/en/2020/11/the-los-angeles-county-museum-of-art-acquired-a-7-5-meter-tall-yoshitomo-nara-sculpture/
ART-CRITIQUE.COM
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art acquired a 7.5 meter-tall Yoshitomo Nara sculpture
THU, DEC 17 AT 4:00 PM PST
Journey through Japan: Chiune Sugihara's Story of Compassion
“'In my naivety, I thought I could master the art of urushi in three to six months and am now here 36 years,' Ross says from her studio in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, the home of wajima-nuri. 'It’s not something you can master in a lifetime, which is probably true for all traditional Japanese arts. You don’t master them; they master you, and it’s a very humbling experience.'”
JAPANTIMES.CO.JP
Masters of their craft: Foreign apprentices reveal their life-changing experiences in Japan
TUE, DEC 15 AT 5:00 PM PST
Journey through Japan: Chiune Sugihara's Story of Compassion
We'd like to thank our Olympic athlete guests — 8x medalist speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, Japanese judo gold medalist #AaronPhilipWolf and pro-surfer Kanoa Igarashi — for inspiring all of us with their personal stories about "#WhyResilienceMatters: Facing Setbacks Like a Champ" during tonight's virtual conversation with moderator and ABC7's David Ono! ⛸🏄🏽♂️🥋
And a big thank you to everyone who tuned in and to our co-presenters, the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and Japan America Society of Southern California, for making tonight's webinar possible! 🙏🏼
COMING UP NEXT: The Power of the Games for Communities, Part 2 🤸🏻♀️
Please join us next Thursday, Dec. 10, for part two of our #Tokyo2020 webinar series on #WhyResilienceMatters, when John Harper, COO of the upcoming LA28 Olympics, and Hidemasa Nakamura, GDO of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, will be joined by moderator Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation, to discuss "The Power of the Games for Communities."
Register now for part two of our virtual series on #WhyResilienceMatters: bit.ly/olympics_power_of_communities
We'd like to extend a huge thank you to everyone for participating in our #TinyArchitect contest! What a joy it was to see so much creativity and passion expressed in each of your (sometimes multiple!) #TinyArchitect submissions! We hope the contest sparked a sense of inspiration and connectedness at a time when so many of us could use a little break from our everyday lives.
And now, a special thank you from our co-presenter of the #TinyArchitect contest, Sou Fujimoto Architects!
Japan House Los Angeles added a new photo.
11 hrs ·
2ND PRIZE goes to "Architectural Shadow Play" by Melanie Tran!
"[The shadows] are three-dimensional objects projected in two dimensions. There is no space there, but it makes you imagine a space by adding smaller human figures. What was three-dimensional becomes two-dimensional. And then it returns to becoming architecture once more. This cycle is intriguing as it's not simply about rediscovering three-dimensional objects as architecture, but about the dimensional transitions. Going from three dimensions to two dimensions and back to three dimensions again, and I found this unique and beautiful." — Sou Fujimoto
See Sou Fujimoto share his thoughts on "Architectural Shadow Play" here: bit.ly/tinyarchitectfinalists See Less
We're excited to announce that the first prize for our #TinyArchitect contest goes to Alexander Cheong of RizoRock Chemical Drawings for "Alone in the Garden"!
"In the title, it says 'garden' ... But the scale of the [wood shavings] expands and contracts from miniature furniture with a small body to architecture, a garden, a city, urban cities, a mountain range and so on. Even now, it's interesting how many of these cone-shaped pieces can ignite a great deal of imagination." — Sou Fujimoto
See Sou Fujimoto share more of his thoughts about "Alone in the Garden" here: bit.ly/tinyarchitectfinalists
Japan House Los Angeles added a new photo.
14 hrs ·
Our #TinyArchitect Contest 3RD PRIZE goes to "Hand Pavilion" by Sao Ohtake!
"We use our hands everyday just like using any other ordinary everyday objects. Then, my hand must be the architecture." — Sao Ohtake
"The idea of using a hand to create a shelter-like place. And then adding small figurines there to transform the scenery to an architectural space was quite creative. It's like the small figurine and our full-scale bodies can communicate with each other by forming some type of interactive relationship. It's very interesting to see how the scale transitions or, in other words, changes in unexpected ways. I also enjoyed how the hand seems placed in a natural position and changes in many ways. In that sense, it changes indefinitely." — Sou Fujimoto
See Sou Fujimoto share more of his thoughts about Sao Ohtake's "Hand Pavilion" on the Japan House Los Angeles website: bit.ly/tinyarchitectfinalists
Japan House Los Angeles added a new photo.
15 hrs ·
This fall, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles and Sou Fujimoto Architects co-hosted #TinyArchitect: Architecture is Everywhere, a social media contest that invited the general public to create their own architecture on a miniature scale by pairing tiny figurines with ordinary, everyday objects. The entries we received exceeded our wildest expectations, with over 400 submissions from the US and Japan submitted via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The sheer range of your imaginative entries transported us to never-before-seen places using everything from dried noodles, ice cubes and poppy seed bagels to utensils, musical instruments, plants and so much, much more! #ArchitectureisEverywhere
Japan House Los Angeles added a new photo.
16 hrs ·
"After Thoughts" by Alison Brummer
TODAY at 4 P.M. (PST)! The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and Japan House Los Angeles are pleased to welcome Glen S. Fukushima, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, for a virtual conversation. Mr. Fukushima will reflect on the recent 2020 US presidential election and share his insights into the incoming Biden Administration's foreign policy priorities regarding the US-Japan relationship and its implications for Japan.
Click below to register for this complimentary webinar.
THU, DEC 17 AT 4:00 PM PST
Prospects for US-Japan Relations Under the Biden Administration
UNESCO recognizes 17 Japanese woodworking techniques (e.g. ancient wood-processing, thatching and ornamentation, etc) required for the conservation of traditional timber-framed structures as an intangible cultural heritage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klD-Pbk_2aw
YOUTUBE.COM
Japanese architectural techniques to be recognized as intangible heritage
#WindowsonArt: As part of our "Windowology" exhibition, we invited artist Tsuda, Michiko to create a site-specific installation for Japan House Los Angeles in our main gallery and display windows along the public passage. "Shakkei Trilogue: Walk Straight" (2020) uses frames, mirrors and camera footage to distort views of the gallery's interior and periphery by transposing people passing by into a multidimensional visual experience that alters their perception of space. #windowology
Visit our website to see more of Tsuda, Michiko's work: bit.ly/windowsonart
Photo by Yamamoto, Tadasu
“Hokkaidō milk is among the best in the world. We knew with this milk we could make cheese just as good as any in Italy." With fresh milk and cheese sales down due to the pandemic, Japanese dairy farmers have expanded their milk production into cheesemaking as producers like Fattoria Bio Hokkaido have turned their attention to matured cheeses and are winning accolades.
https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00938/
NIPPON.COM
COVID-Era Cheese Boom: Japan-Made Italian-Style Cheese on the Rise
TODAY at 5 PM (PST): Join us for a virtual visit to the #ChiuneSugihara Memorial Hall in Gifu prefecture and other Jewish heritage locations in Japan as we retell the remarkable stories of humanity and courage.
Please register for this complimentary event: https://bit.ly/3mGjw3C
#WindowsonArt: Artist Tsuda, Michiko blurs the boundaries between the viewer (subject) and the art (object), the past, present and our perception of the future in "You would come back there to see me again the following day" (2016).
How many different ways can you butter a slice of toast? Let us count the ways.
CORE77.COM
Analyzing the Design of Unusual Japanese Butter Tableware - Core77
How can art therapy help heal patients? RxART, a US-based nonprofit that partners with artists to decorate hospital spaces, enlisted Takashi Murakami 村上隆 to put his signature stamp on a CT scan suite at the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.
https://mymodernmet.com/takashi-murakami-rxart/
MYMODERNMET.COM
Takashi Murakami Transforms Children’s Hospital Suite With His Iconic Colorful Flowers
#WindowonEnvironment: Today’s growing climate crisis has forced many of us to rethink the function of windows in an effort to maximize solar gains and natural ventilation in our living and workspaces. The interest in sustainability has generated renewed interest in the “breathable” designs of traditional Japanese architecture and the idea of living in harmony with nature.
Learn more about #WindowsonEnvironment: bit.ly/windowsonenvironment
Find out how bilateral cooperation between the Japanese and Chinese governments enabled the safe passage of a priceless gold reliquary containing the bones of Buddha amid the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring the continuation of Toshodaiji's sacred 800-year-old ceremonial rites.
ASIA.NIKKEI.COM
National Treasure: Japan and China defy pandemic to return Ganjin's relics
Shopping for holiday decorations may be out of the question this year, but you can still add some holiday cheer to your space with these cute #DIY origami Christmas ornaments! #SaferAtHome
GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM
These Origami and Paper Craft Projects Are Perfect for the Whole Family
ぴえん。🥺 It's official! Japanese dictionary publisher @honten_sanseido has chosen "pien" as its #COVID-related word of the year. See what other trending terms have defined 2020.
NIPPON.COM
Endearing Dejection: “Pien” Picked as One of Japan’s Words of 2020
See how Japan's cross-cultural exchanges with the West beginning in the Edo period spurred a remarkable outpouring of fine ceramic, glassware, textile and print works that reveal the technical mastery and shared aesthetic sensibilities. On view now thru January 18 at the Suntory Museum of Art (サントリー美術館).
JAPANTIMES.CO.JP
Suntory Museum of Art exhibition focuses on new beauty created by crossing borders
How boutique consumer electronics maker バルミューダ（BALMUDA）transformed Sunday brunches into a "toast nirvana of external crispiness and internal, exquisite fluffiness."
FT.COM
Japanese retail investors give shares in toaster maker 88% pop
In a bustling city like Tokyo where space is limited, architecture studio ON design partners turns heads by splitting a single-family residence into two separate but interconnected massings linked through a series of catwalks and inward-facing windows on both sides. #windowology
DESIGNBOOM.COM
ON design partners: a life with a large opening
How do the Japanese celebrate Christmas? The yuletide holiday is actually a more recent adoption that has become a popular day for going out to celebrate! See how Christmas in Japan differs from the holiday festivities in your home country.
JW-WEBMAGAZINE.COM
Christmas in Japan
Wishing everyone a safe and restful holiday season. Happy holidays from all of us at Japan House Los Angeles. ✨🎄✨
"Winter is Magic" by photographer Thismintymoment. Japan House Los Angeles is showcasing Minh Tran's windows-themed photography in conjunction with our current exhibition, “Windowology: New Architectural Views from Japan.” #windowology
‘Tis better to give than to receive. This beautiful sentiment rings especially true this holiday season when even a small gesture of thoughtfulness can go a long way in bringing much-needed joy to someone's year. Learn how the Japanese custom of year-end gifting known as "oseibo" and the Christmas holiday have merged into thoughtful expressions of care, gratitude and respect for one another.
Take a sneak peak at architect Yuko Nagayama's stunning interactive design for Expo 2020 Dubai, now set to take place this October. Nagayama's three-dimensional structure is based on the traditional Japanese asa no ha (hemp leaf) geometric pattern, which resembles an arabesque when viewed from certain angles.
WWW3.NHK.OR.JP
Japanese Architect Takes 'Interactive' Design Abroad | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
"Diet, social practices and genetics" are the key to Okinawa's longevity culture. So how are the island's older residents adapting to challenges posed by the pandemic?
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM
This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times
Kumiki (joinery) techniques are among the tool kit of centuries-old Japanese woodworking techniques UNESCO recently recognized as essential for the preservation of traditional timber-framed architecture. Watch Yamanashi-based carpenter Dylan Iwakuni demonstrate the tongue-and-groove support systems that have kept historic monuments like Todai-ji in Nara and Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto intact for over a thousand years — without any nails!
THISISCOLOSSAL.COM
Dive Into the Incredibly Satisfying Art of Japanese Wood Joinery
Traditions abound at the start of the New Year, when Japanese families exchange holiday greetings and gather for Oshougatsu to enjoy auspicious meals rich with symbolism. See how Japanese New Year's celebrations differ from your culture's!
JPNINFO.COM
How Do Japanese Celebrate New Year – 9 Things to Know about Japan`s Oshougatsu ! – Japan Info
"Oshougatsu" is the most important holiday of the year, a time when we say, "Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu" as a way of wishing each other "Happy New Year!" ✨🎍✨
Many Japanese visit Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines during the early days of January to give offerings and pray for good health and fortune. This customary practice is known as "hatsumode," when visitors inscribe wishes on wooden plaques (ema), purchase slips of paper with fortunes written on them (omikuji) and lucky talismans (omamori) to protect them in the coming year.
Learn more about Seigantoji Temple in Wakayama prefecture and other Japanese temples and shrines. #ASMRJapan bit.ly/seigantoji
Love it or hate it — Japanese year-end company parties (bõnenkai) are a chance to let loose with office mates and forget past shortcomings as everyone motivates for the year ahead. Check out these helpful dos & don'ts for surviving a couple of rounds with ... your boss!
JOBSINJAPAN.COM
Bōnenkai: Understanding Japanese New Year’s Parties - JobsInJapan.com
Exercising healthy habits makes a difference! Sarah Harvey, author of "Kaizen: The Japanese Secret to Lasting Change" explains how the kakeibo approach to managing one's finances helped her make more mindful decisions about spending and saving. #NewYearNewMe
NBCLOSANGELES.COM
I Tried ‘Kakeibo': The Japanese Art of Saving Money—and It Completely Changed How I Spend My Money
WATCH: Meet Ebizo Ichikawa XI 市川海老蔵, the 13th heir to the legendary Ichikawa Danjuro dynasty, a family of Kabuki pedigree "famous as much for their good looks as their skill." Having recently adapted "Star Wars" for Kabuki, this dashing, young theater idol may hold the key to modernizing and revitalizing Japan's enduring art form.
CBSNEWS.COM
Inside the Japanese artform of Kabuki
"Sazae-san" appeared in Japanese newspapers from 1946 to 1974, depicting the everyday lives of the multi-generational Isono family living together under one roof in Tokyo. Written and illustrated by Machiko Hasegawa, this yonkoma (four-cell) comic strip shows a character returning home after working the night shift as a taxi driver. #windowology
Images courtesy of the Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum. See more #WindowsonManga: bit.ly/windowsonmanga
"Grounded, loyal, gentle and trustworthy" are a welcome change after the tumult of 2020. With little more than a month to go before the Year of the Ox, we can only hope 2021 will bring forth the positive attributes associated with this venerated creature's "Buddha nature."
JAPANTIMES.CO.JP
After a year of anxiety, what can we expect from the Year of the Ox in 2021?
Did you know this year's Tokyo 2020 + 1 mascots, #Miraitowa and #Someity, were chosen by popular vote by nearly 6.5 million elementary school students from all over Japan and abroad? It's true! Talk about an enthusiastic show of spirit for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games!
Check out the kids casting their votes! (Subtitles on.)
YOUTUBE.COM
東京2020大会マスコット小学生投票結果発表！投票振り返りムービー
Are you a fan of Kewpie mayonnaise? Find out why so many chefs are obsessed with this kawaii squeeze bottle of Japanese mayo! 💛
LATIMES.COM
Is this the world's best mayonnaise?
Do you know the proper way to serve your sake? Similar to wine, sake — or "Nihonshu," as we call it in Japan — is best served in drinkware which allows you to fully appreciate the characteristics that distinguish each style. Thoughtful presentation will enhance your enjoyment so get to know the proper pairings!
http://bit.ly/howtoenjoynihonshu
Miho Imada is one of a handful of female master brewers (tōji) turning heads for her high-end sake and seasonal offerings available through her family's Imada Shuzo and Fukucho labels.
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Master brewer: the woman excelling in Japan's male world of sake
Bathing is both a cleansing ritual and a means of purification for the Japanese, who have luxuriated in onsen (hot springs) since ancient times. During the Edo period (1615–1867), soaking in onsen became common practice for farmers who relieved their aches and pains in the steamy, mineral-rich waters after a hard day's labor.
Take a break from it all and explore the different styles of Japanese onsen: bit.ly/onseninjapan
Give your space a timeless refresh by incorporating a "Japandi" mix of Japanese wabi-sabi and Scandinavian design elements. #NewYearNewMe
LIFESTYLEASIA.COM
A move on Scandi, 'Japandi' is forecasted as 2021's biggest interior trend
Have you tried kirigami? Similar to origami, the word "kirigami" is derived from "kiru" ("to cut") and "kami" ("paper"). Single sheets of paper are folded and cut to reveal new patterns (think: snowflakes!). Check out these artists making next-level kirigami art!
MYMODERNMET.COM
Kirigami: The Ancient Art of Paper Cutting and How Contemporary Artists Are Keeping It Alive
Calling all youth and young professionals! You're invited to join Sister Cities International's California Youth Leadership Summit on Saturday, February 6, at 2 p.m. (PST). Watch panelists from across the globe speak on issues of climate change and sustainability, world peace and cooperation, racial equality and gender equity, and find out how California's sister cities are coping with the pandemic.
Register now to participate: youth.socalsistercities.org
Prime minister Yoshihide Suga unveils his ambitious roadmap to eliminate gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 as part of Japan's new “green growth strategy” for achieving a carbon-free future.
APNEWS.COM
Japan adopts green growth plan to go carbon free by 2050
From the Kamakura period (1185–1333 CE) onward, traditional Japanese folk houses, known as "minka,” were built as either "noka," which were farmhouses, or townhouses called "machiya." Noka like this L-shaped farmhouse were adapted for agricultural work and built to include a stable alongside the living quarters. A designated area with earthen floors was reserved for indoor kamado cooking.
Pictured: Umaya-zukuri, L-shaped farmhouse with horse stable, Tono City in Iwate Prefecture. Learn more about the evolution of Japanese home design: bit.ly/japanesehomedesign
“Eiko Ishioka: Blood, Sweat, and Tears — A Life of Design," presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, celebrates the Japanese art director & designer's extraordinary 50-year career, which included commissions for everyone from Miles Davis to Grace Jones, Francis Ford Coppola, Björk, the Olympic Games and many more.
TOKYOARTBEAT.COM
Timeless, Fearless, and Borderless: Eiko Ishioka
Studies based on national diets from 1960, 1975, 1990 and 2005 found that not all Japanese diets are equal. Can you guess which decade's diet was most conducive to a longer, healthier life?
BBC.COM
Should we eat more like the Japanese?
A single pickled plum resting on a bed of rice may not seem as enticing as the lavish, artfully prepared bento boxes brimming with tamagoyaki, edamame, karaage and other savory sides we're accustomed to seeing on restaurant menus and social media.
Born of humble origin, the classic hinomaru bento has sustained many Japanese through difficult times, particularly during the post-war period, when basic rations like rice were scarce. The umeboshi, a symbolic reference to the bento's namesake, represents the crimson-colored "circle of the sun" at the heart of Japan's "hinomaru" flag. The frugal yet filling meal was a lifeline for those who had-not, served with a sense of national pride in the face of adversity and sacrifice.
Learn more about the essence of Japanese cuisine: bit.ly/essenceofwashoku
Harajuku's street culture teems with kawaii kids and visual-kei goths. Tour Takeshita Street with French fashion designer, Mathilde Baker, to see how this Tokyo district has radically transformed since the 1940s.
EURONEWS.COM
How a clash of cultures transformed Tokyo's Harajuku district
Since when did high-end fashion get so kawaii? First, there was Louis Vuitton x Murakami, then Balenciaga x Hello Kitty, Gucci x Doraemon ... and now Loewe's x Totoro??
CRFASHIONBOOK.COM
This is Why Fashion is Tapping into Japanese Arts
TODAY at 4 p.m. (PST)! Be sure to register for our virtual panel discussion, co-hosted by the UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, about the rewards and challenges of bridging and diversifying theater and Asian studies research beyond passing references to Noh and Kabuki.
INTERNATIONAL.UCLA.EDU
Locating Japan in Theater and Performance Studies Today
The idea that Japanese meals always begin with miso soup is a common misconception. In Japan, the concept of ichiju-sansai — "one soup, three dishes" — serves as a guiding principle for healthy, balanced teishoku meals. While there are no set rules that dictate which ingredients to expect on your teishoku tray, these nutritious Japanese set meals always include a main protein, a bowl of rice and soup, vegetable side(s) and tsukemono (pickled vegetables) served altogether.
Learn more about Japanese cuisine and the changing of seasons: bit.ly/2EIAFt1
Have you heard of Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town? Outfitted with solar panels and smart monitoring systems, residents of this case study town in Kanagawa prefecture can track their own C02 reductions, water savings and renewable energy use with the touch of an app. Small pilot communities like Fujisawa help generate greater awareness about the environmental impacts we can all make as individuals.
EURONEWS.COM
Sustainable cities for a sustainable Japan
Kabuki goes digital! Get a front row seat to "Kabuki on Demand" livestreams and past stage performances presented by Japanese film, theater and kabuki production company, KABUKI by Shochiku, which also has a new AR (augmented reality) smartphone app in the works. Subscribe to the SHOCHIKUch YouTube channel to stay tuned!
YOUTUBE.COM
【English Subtitled 】Learning about Kabuki via Videos: ‘Kabuki for Beginners’
Binge-watching Japanese home cook Imamu room's bento-making videos on YouTube is exactly the type of inspiration we need after months of wondering what to make for breakfast, lunch AND dinner!
EATER.COM
The Soothing Bento YouTube Videos That Will Inspire You to Get Back in the Kitchen
Japan's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it susceptible to earthquakes and typhoons. See how Japanese architects and engineers employ both ancient and state-of-the-art building technology to withstand the devastating impacts of natural disasters.
BLOOMBERG.COM
How Japan Built Disaster-Proof Skyscrapers
Designed for the modern home, the H+ Stand lamp by Kakishita Woody Works Co., Ltd. in collaboration with Finnish industrial and furniture designer Heikki Ruoho (b. 1969) pairs the traditional Japanese wood-framed andon lamp down to its most basic elements. Building upon the aesthetic sensibility and time-honored techniques honed by generations of Hida no takumi (master craftsmen), the H+ Stand lamp reflects the warmth and timelessness of natural wood design. #TAKUMI
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
TAKUMI | The Arts and Crafts of Hida Takayama
Looking for a cool weekend project? Grab a couple of old shirts from your closet and give these shibori dye techniques a whirl!
KIDSPOT.COM.AU
Make a shibori tie dye shirt with the kids
He's been called the Japanese Bill Cunningham of men's fashion. After more than a decade spent documenting the latest trends in Tokyo streetwear, Shoichi Aoki, founder and editor of STREET and FRUiTS magazines, has released a digital trove of 128 issues of TUNE, an offshoot project which featured the hottest styles of Harajuku's youthful street culture.
I-D.VICE.COM
How to access every issue of Japanese men's street style mag TUNE
We're hiring! Come work with us as we foster awareness for Japan by showcasing the very best of Japanese art, culture, design, technology, innovation, gastronomy and more! Japan House Los Angeles is seeking qualified candidates for the roles of Program Manager and Event Manager to join our team. Sound like you? We want to hear from you!
For more information and to apply, please visit www.japanhousela.com/employment.
The Shibukusa Ryuzo kiln, now in its sixth and seventh generations, is one of the oldest pottery studios in the Hida-Takayama region of Gifu prefecture. Since 1841, each generation has passed on the essential techniques of Shibukusa-yaki to the next heir, while cultivating one's own signature style. Soshiro Toda (b. 1946) says, "Creating tradition means the continuity of innovation.” Toda's father, Shibukusa V, singled him out as a child for his artistic skills, naming him heir to the Shibukusa Ryuzo lineage. As Shibukusa Ryuzo VI, Toda has developed an entirely new set of painting techniques, clay surfaces and ceramic glazes to better express the traditional Japanese cherry blossom motif for his signature "Sakura" series.
Learn more about Shibukusa wares: bit.ly/shibukusaruzo
Consider the journey of a single tea leaf plucked from its distant source of origin. Whether it's a ceremonial cup of thoughtfully prepared Japanese matcha or a hojicha latte to-go, all teas — green, oolong and black — begin as leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. Learn about the incredible transformation each leaf undergoes before being served in your cup. 🍵
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
A Cup of Innovation | The Continuing Journey of Japanese Tea
Hoping to sneak in a little *You* time this weekend? Treat the kids to every single Super Nintendo World ride — virtually! — at Universal Studios Japan! Best thing about it? No waiting in lines!
HYPEBEAST.COM
Experience Every Universal Studios Japan Super Nintendo World Ride Now
On View Now: Did you know you can stream a free rotating selection of Japanese traditional and regional folk performances staged from Japan Heritage sites? Learn the rich history of Iriki-Fumoto, once home to the Satsuma samurai clan in Kagoshima prefecture.
NOBODYKNOWS.TOURS
NOBODY KNOWS Online Video SATSUMASENDAI | 2021 | eventreport | nobody knows
Who says you can't wear socks with slippers? The Japanese have been sporting tabi socks with their wooden geta and zori sandals since the 15th century. From tabi shoes to tabi socks, today's fashion brands are digging these split-toe solutions to avoiding those unwanted toe holes in your socks!
FOOTWEARNEWS.COM
11 Japanese-Inspired Tabi Socks to Wear With Split-Toe Shoes
Japanese film fans! Japan Society is offering Japan House Los Angeles followers an exclusive 10% discount for its "21st Century Japan: Films From 2001–2020" film festival from now thru February 25! Just enter the code JAPANHOUSELA to receive 10% off any individual films, then sit back and enjoy!
FILM.JAPANSOCIETY.ORG
Japan Society Film | Home
Japan Society
January 22 at 9:03 AM ·
21st Century Japan: Films from 2001-2020 streams from 2/5-2/25—as Japan’s film industry enters its third decade in the new millennium, join us for a 30-film retrospective look at the best in Japanese cinema over the last 20 years. Head to film.japansociety.org for the full line-up and more information 📽
#JSFromHome
Join us on Thursday, February 25, for Part Two of our U.S.-Japan alliance webinar series, co-presented by the RAND Corporation. Leading #5G technology experts will discuss the evolving telecommunications infrastructure, government & private sector roles and policy options for U.S.-Japan IT cooperation.
Please register for Conference II: http://bit.ly/us-japan-alliance-conference-2
This year's Sapporo Snow Festival (オンラインさっぽろ雪まつり2021) may be closed to the public for the first time in 71 years, but you can still check out the massive snow sculptures virtually! Feeling inspired? Head to the festival's website for tutorial videos from the experts on how to take your snow sculptures to the next level!
TIMEOUT.COM
Sapporo Snow Festival has gone virtual and you can attend for free online
"When considering the renovation of the award office, rather than exchanging gifts under an ordinary roof, such as one you would find in any building in Japan, we felt that we had to change the physical space in order to create a spiritual space worthy of the auspicious act of gift-giving."
Remembering what a difference the support of our American friends made in the aftermath of the March 11 "Great East Japan Earthquake." In the days leading up to the 10th anniversary, the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan will retell the heartfelt stories of the #UnshakableFriendship shared between our two countries. 🇺🇸🤝🇯🇵
"Grounded, loyal, gentle and trustworthy" are welcome traits after the tumult of last year. Here's to hoping the Year of the Ox will bring forth the calm associated with this venerated creature.
This 15-minute video produced by Yoshida Kiyoko illustrates the woodblock printing process of Yoshida Tsukasa, grandson of Japanese woodblock print artist, Yoshida Hiroshi (1876–1950), whose work is featured in"NATURE/SUPERNATURE." our upcoming exhibition that will be on view — virtually — beginning on February 15!
FRI, FEB 19 AT 4:00 PM PST
Part III - The Art of Sakeware Treasures: Minoyaki Pottery & Joboji Ceramics Roundtable and Q&A
WED, FEB 17 AT 4:00 PM PST
Part II - The Art of Sakeware Treasures: Joboji Lacquerware (Iwate Prefecture)
The word, ukiyo, translates as “floating world,” a term once used to refer to Edo's colorful nightlife district with its kabuki theaters and entertainment, which were often the subject of paintings, woodblock prints and illustrated books that were collectively called “ukiyo-e.” Learn how Japanese woodblock prints continue to make their mark on today's culture.
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Five Views of Ukiyo-e | New Ways to Look at Woodblock Prints
#ICYMI: Don't fret if you missed this week's virtual visits to Gifu and Iwate prefectures to see Minoyaki ceramics and Joboji lacquerware. You can still join us tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 19) at 4 p.m. (PST) for a roundtable discussion and Q&A session with the participants from both our Minoyaki pottery and Joboji lacquerware programs, so be sure to register below and have your questions ready!
Presented in partnership with the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.
HAPPENING NOW
Part III - The Art of Sakeware Treasures: Minoyaki Pottery & Joboji Ceramics Roundtable and Q&A
"Before each firing, a small blessing of sake, rice, and salt is offered; a quiet prayer is murmured; after a brief silence, the kiln is lit. The ritual is a moment of reverence and hope for a good firing."
IMPRINTSPACE.COM
Bizen, Japan: A Primal Union of Man, Earth, and Fire
Imagine if getting a COVID-19 test was as easy as stopping by a vending machine. Tokyo and Yokohama residents now have the option of self-administering PCR tests and getting their results emailed back within 24 hours. How's that for convenient?
TIMEOUT.COM
You can now get Covid-19 test kits from vending machines in Tokyo
TODAY at 4 p.m. (PST): Join us for a virtual trip to the city of Ninohe in Iwate prefecture, home to the 3,000-year-old craft tradition of Joboji urushi (lacquerware), recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. Learn all about the incredibly labor-intensive processes required to achieve the smooth, high-gloss finishes of these surprisingly resilient wares, and find out what makes Joboji urushi ware the preferred choice when it comes to serving sake at the Nanbu Bijin sake brewery in Ninohe. Register below.
WED, FEB 17
Part II - The Art of Sakeware Treasures: Joboji Lacquerware (Iwate Prefecture)
How many different ways can you cook tofu? Freeze, fry, bake, smoke and even ferment your way to delicious meals with this nutritious and incredibly versatile ingredient!
FOODANDWINE.COM
The Food & Wine Guide to Tofu
Did you know you can tour our new exhibition, "NATURE/SUPERNATURE: Visions of This World & Beyond in Japanese Woodblock Prints," from anywhere in the world? Visit our Japan House Los Angeles galleries virtually to see works by Hokusai, HHiroshige, Kunisada and many more!
Take our virtual tour: bit.ly/3bQosPx
“Tea is more than an idealization in the form of drinking,” wrote scholar Okakura, Kakuzō, “it is a religion of the art of life.” In his 1906 essay turned manifesto, “The Book of Tea,” Okakura helped introduce the tradition of Japanese #tea to the West, expounding on different types of teas, preparation methods, and the ways in which this essential drink had infused itself into Japanese culture and philosophy.
https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/a-cup-of-innovation-the-continuing-journey-of-japanese-tea/
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JAPANHOUSELA.COM
A Cup of Innovation | The Continuing Journey of Japanese Tea
Animators! Netflix has teamed up with WIT STUDIO,Inc. to offer 10 aspiring animators scholarships for WIT Animator Academy's six-month training course taught by Hitomi Tateno at Tokyo’s Sasayuri Video Training Institute. Applications are due by February 28!
ITSNICETHAT.COM
Netflix launches anime scholarship, designed and taught by Studio Ghibli’s Hitomi Tateno
In 1709, a textiles merchant from Shimane prefecture named Tawaraya Wasuke acquired a parcel of land in Kyoto and established Tawaraya Ryokan to accommodate visiting feudal retainers. Today this tranquil hideaway is considered one of Japan's finest traditional inns (ryokan) with its enclosed courtyards, tatami-floored guest rooms and private gardens. Its quiet refinement offers guests an urban retreat far removed from the bustling activity beyond its walls.
Tour Tawara Ryokan with Kenya Hara, creative adviser to the JAPAN HOUSE Tokyo Secretariat, and see more select destinations from his exclusive "Teikūhikō" video series.
https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/teikuhiko-kyoto-tawaraya/
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Kyoto Prefecture | Kyoto Tawaraya Ryokan
TODAY at 5 p.m. (PST): Join us for an online lecture with Meher McArthur, Art & Cultural Director of Japan House Los Angeles and curator of "NATURE/SUPERNATURE: Visions of This World and Beyond in Japanese Woodblock Prints." Learn about the history and process of woodblock printing in Japan, and its significance as an art form in traditional Japanese culture. See how some of Japan's most renowned 19th and early 20th-century artists used woodblock printing to illustrate beautiful landscapes as well as some of the most fascinating spiritual and frightening supernatural beings.
MON, FEB 22
Curator's Talk | "NATURE/SUPERNATURE: Visions of This World and Beyond in Japanese Woodblock Prints"
WATCH Japanese master woodblock printmaker Keiji Shinohara demonstrate the meticulous process of reproducing an ukiyo-e scene from "The 69 Stations of the Kiso Kaidō" by Utagawa Hiroshige and Keisai Eisen.
YOUTUBE.COM
The Ukiyo-e Technique: Traditional Japanese Printmaking
Discover the enduring artistry of Chiso, a prestigious 465-year-old kimono design and production house based in Kyoto. Established in 1555, this luxury kimono company has withstood the tests of time by remaining unwaveringly true to its commitment to beauty.
KIMONOCOUTURE.WORCESTERART.ORG
Kimono Couture: The Beauty of Chiso
REGISTER NOW: Join us for a webinar discussion about "Japan’s Leadership in Building a Hydrogen Society" on Wednesday, March 3, at 5 p.m. (PST) with leading experts Eiji Ohira of Japan's New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Jeff Simmons of Toshiba America Energy Systems Corp.
Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and Japan America Society of Southern California.
WED, MAR 3 AT 5:00 PM PST
Hydrogen Solutions, Part I: Japan’s Leadership in Building a Hydrogen Society
Did you know that sake brewers and entrepreneurs face a bewildering array of strict regulations for sake produced here in North America? Tune into "The Rules of the Brew: The Journey of Craft Sake Brewing in North America" on Tuesday, March 2, at 4 p.m. (PST) to learn the ins and outs of navigating the complex regulatory landscape, along with insider insights on the future of the sake industry.
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Sake Brewing Series | The Journey of Craft Sake Brewing in North America
Join us tomorrow from 5-6pm PST for a virtual conversation with True Mothers award-winning Writer and Director Naomi Kawase and Claudia Puig, President of LAFCA - The Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Register now to also get complimentary access to view the film!
https://www.japanhousela.com/events/mothers-and-film-making-evening-with-naomi-kawase-and-claudia-puig/
This event is supported by Asia Society Southern California and WIF.
Photos ©2020 “AsagaKuru” FILM PARTNERS/KINOSHITA GROUP, KUMIE
The handiwork of this Japanese shop owner and her origami vending machine are bringing some much-needed joy to children in the small town of Uchiko in Ehime prefecture.
MAINICHI.JP
Vending machine selling origami toys stays open in small Japan town to delight of children - The Mainichi
WED, MAR 10 AT 5:00 PM PST
Be Prepared! Lessons Learned on Readiness & Resilience
This week, Kenya Hara, creative adviser to the JAPAN HOUSE Tokyo Secretariat, takes us to Yufuin Kamenoi Villa in Oita prefecture on Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu. Established in 1921 by Mijiro Nakaya, this traditional Japanese inn (#ryokan) sits nestled in the foothills between Mount Tsurumi and Mount Yufu, soaking in the vitality of its forested surroundings and natural hot springs.
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Oita Prefecture | Yufuin Kamenoi Villa
TOMORROW at 4 p.m. (PST): Join us on Tuesday, March 9, for Part Two of our "Hydrogen Solutions" webinar series to learn how green hydrogen is shaping California's environmental mandates in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. City of Los Angeles' Chief Sustainability Officer Lauren Faber O'Connor, Peter J. Sawicki of Mitsubishi Motors USA and Craig Scott of Toyota USA will share real-world case studies and discuss the potential for a new green energy sector and industry.
Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and the Japan America Society of Southern California.
TUE, MAR 9 AT 4:00 PM PST
Hydrogen Solutions, Part II: Los Angeles' Green Energy Goals and Collaboration from Japan
WED, MAR 17 AT 5:00 PM PDT
Redesigning Communities for an Aging Society
Imagine being able to get up-close and personal with Takashi Murakami's art. Book a night in the exclusive Murakami suite at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo - グランド ハイアット 東京, and we promise you'll be the envy of Instagram!
THEPEAKMAGAZINE.COM.SG
Stay a night in a private art gallery dedicated to Takashi Murakami’s work | The Peak Singapore - Your Guide to The Finer Things in Life
Japan House Los Angeles added a new photo.
21 hrs ·
The famous whirlpools of Naruto are a natural phenomenon that occurs in the channel between Tokushima and Awaji Island, connecting Japan's Inland Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Twice a day, the waves rush in and out of this narrow strait at speeds of about 10 miles per hour, causing spectacular whirlpools — "uzushio" or "uzumaki" in Japanese — created by some of the strongest recorded currents in the world.
In Hiroshige's "Whirlpools and Waves at Naruto," the artist cleverly uses the white washi (paper) background to show angry torrents of waves cresting and crashing over the water's surface, forming a massive spiraling whirlpool — a raw expression of nature's immense energy and a possible homage to Hokusai’s iconic "Great Wave."
"Whirlpools and Waves at Naruto," Awa Province, No. 55 in the series, "Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces" by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858)
Edo period (1603–1868), c. 1853-1856
Full-color woodblock print, ink on paper
@scrippscollege, Claremont, CA
Gift of Mrs. J. Stanley Johnson, 2000.1.66
Sake lovers, register now for a virtual #sake brewing panel, hosted by the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan and the Sake Brewers Association of North America (SBANA) on Tuesday, Mar. 23, at 4 p.m. (PST). Brewers Andrew Centofante of North American Sake Brewery (Charlottesville, VA), Euka Isawa of MiCURA Craft Sake brewing kit (Miyagi, Japan) and Patrick Shearer of Ben's American Sake (Asheville, NC) share their passion for "The Beauty of the Brew."
This event will be held in conjunction with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the greatest springtime celebration commemorating Japan and the United States' #UnshakableFriendship.
https://www.japanhousela.com/events/sake-brewing-series-craft-sake-brewing-in-north-america/
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Sake Brewing Series | The Journey of Craft Sake Brewing in North America
Looking for weekend plans? Explore our virtual exhibit, NATURE/SUPERNATURE to experience over sixty prints from some of Japan’s most prominent artists.
https://www.japanhousela.com/exhibitions/nature-supernature/
Yay or nay? We have to say we're loving the look of Japan Airlines' new origami crane-inspired in-flight amenities.
DEZEEN.COM
Origami crane informs Nendo's minimalist overhaul of Japan Airlines amenity kits
Don't miss the world premiere of "Beauty of the Brew: A Sake Brewer's Journey," an animated video illustrating sake’s unique tradition, craft and range of enjoyment, produced by the Sake Brewers Association of North America (SBANA)! The screening on Tuesday, Mar. 23, at 4 p.m. (PDT) will be followed by a virtual panel of sake brewers sharing their passions for the "beauty of the brew."
Presented by the Embassy of Japan in the USA and the Sake Brewers Association of North America. Register below.
YOUTUBE.COM
Beauty of the Brew: A Sake Brewer's Journey [Teaser]
Join Michael Dylan Foster (UC Davis) and Zack Davisson (author)—two experts on the supernatural beings known as yōkai—for an enlightening discussion about Japanese folklore.
Taking place virtually on March 25th.
https://www.japanhousela.com/events/yokai-past-and-present/?utm_source=R%26C&utm_medium=Social%20Media%20Ads&utm_campaign=Yokai%20Talk
Has your pandemic wardrobe left you feeling uninspired? "As the Way it Comes to be," ISSEY MIYAKE USA's fall/winter 2021 collection of signature pleats echoes the jewel tones and organic forms found in nature, reminding us that some looks are still worth aspiring to.
DOCUMENTJOURNAL.COM
Issey Miyake strikes a sophisticated balance between organic beauty and futuristic utility
Sports fans! Tune in for a virtual talk with Kumi Yokoyama and Saori Takarada of the Washington Spirit and the Japanese national soccer team this Friday, Mar. 10, at 4 p.m. (PDT). Kikuko Okajima, chair of Japan’s WE (Women’s Empowerment) League, will share exciting new developments in women's soccer happening in the US and Japan, plus the latest on technological enhancements to the fan experience.
ZOOM.US
Welcome! You are invited to join an online event: WE Have the Spirit! US& Japan Elevating Women's Soccer. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the event.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health and economies of nations across the globe, although not all countries have been equally affected. On Monday, Mar. 29, at 5 p.m. (PDT), the UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies will host a roundtable with a group of experts who were deeply involved in Japan's response to the pandemic, and will share their insights as to what we can learn from Japan's experience.
Register here: bit.ly/38OgWUh
Finally! Kubota Glasses offer a non-invasive way to correct myopia. Worn for just 60 to 90 minutes a day, these smart wearable devices correct the refractive error responsible for nearsightedness.
ASIA.NIKKEI.COM
Myopia correcting 'smart glasses' from Japan to be sold across Asia
Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami goes on the record about his new UNIQLO USA line of graphic tees, his own personal style and learning to "embrace [his] identity as a Japanese author."
THEGUARDIAN.COM
Haruki Murakami's new T-shirt line proves it: he's no recluse
This month, Japan hosted the 14th United Nations' Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, aimed at strengthening the rule of law within the global community to achieve “peace and justice for all."
https://wapo.st/3tKNpmv
#HopeLightsOurWay: Watch the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay as it kicks off from the J-Village National Training Center in Fukushima! 🔥 Approximately 10,000 runners will carry the Olympic flame across all 47 of Japan's prefectures to reach the Tokyo Olympic Stadium in time for the start of the Games on July 23, 2021. #StrongerTogether
YOUTUBE.COM
LIVE Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay! 🔥
There's a lot we're thankful for, but pandemic life has made us especially grateful for instant ramen! And that's thanks to the culinary genius of Momofuku Ando, inventor of Nissin's Cup Noodles and Top Ramen.
YOUTUBE.COM
Momofuku Ando's Instant Ramen Museum
Don’t miss your chance to stream A Letter to Momo by Hiroyuki Okiura, an exquisite piece of animation that was seven years in the making.
The film will be available until March 31 – register for free below:
https://www.japanhousela.com/events/film-screening-a-letter-to-momo/?utm_source=R%26C&utm_medium=Social%20Media%20Ads&utm_campaign=A%20Letter%20to%20Momo
This week, JAPAN HOUSE Tokyo Secretariat’s Creative Adviser Kenya Hara takes us high above the hills of Kagoshima to 天空の森 ~Private Resort ~ Tenku no Mori, a mountaintop hideaway for escaping one's worldly concerns while soaking in distant views of Mt. Kirishima. Built as a series of cantilevered terraces, this secluded woodland resort brings to life 76-year-old proprietor Tateo Tajima's lofty vision of a "forest in the sky."
Tour Tenku no Mori with Kenya Hara and see more select destinations from his exclusive "Teikūhikō" video series.
https://www.japanhousela.com/articles/teikuhiko-kagoshima-kirishima-mountain-range-tenku/
JAPANHOUSELA.COM
Kagoshima Prefecture | Kirishima Mountain Range TENKU
