Cool Hunting
Entries with keyword "japan"
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P.A.M. x Undercover Shade Lamp
(03 January 2008) - Using macabre imagery to form an eerily symbolic sculptural piece, Jun Takahashi of Undercover joined forces with P.A.M. to create the Shade Lamp. The scene depicts a tree growing out of (or through?) a skull in a cemetery somewhere with the branches (fittingly) holding the shade. For mood lighting, I like the green and gold eyes, but my favorite part of the lamp has...
(03 January 2008) - Using macabre imagery to form an eerily symbolic sculptural piece, Jun Takahashi of Undercover joined forces with P.A.M. to create the Shade Lamp. The scene depicts a tree growing out of (or through?) a skull in a cemetery somewhere with the branches (fittingly) holding the shade. For mood lighting, I like the green and gold eyes, but my favorite part of the lamp has...
Seiko Moving Design Collection: The Discus
(03 January 2008) - Seventies-inspired mechanical digital watches keep rotating into modern designs, including this "Discus" from the Seiko Moving Design Collection. It features a jumping hour display of spinning discs through a porthole viewer, all under a smoky transparent crystal. Powered by a mechanical automatic movement, it sells for close to $900 outside the U.S....
(03 January 2008) - Seventies-inspired mechanical digital watches keep rotating into modern designs, including this "Discus" from the Seiko Moving Design Collection. It features a jumping hour display of spinning discs through a porthole viewer, all under a smoky transparent crystal. Powered by a mechanical automatic movement, it sells for close to $900 outside the U.S....
Kumi Yamashita
(03 January 2008) - If we had a third thumb, we'd give Kumi Yamashita three thumbs up. The Japanese artist creates stunning visual effects with lighting and simple forms, like letters of the alphabet, children's blocks and shoeprints. Yamashita finds the rare balance between beauty and brains....
(03 January 2008) - If we had a third thumb, we'd give Kumi Yamashita three thumbs up. The Japanese artist creates stunning visual effects with lighting and simple forms, like letters of the alphabet, children's blocks and shoeprints. Yamashita finds the rare balance between beauty and brains....
Bagjack x Beinghunted Messenger Bag 1-B
(18 December 2007) - Bagjack, well-known for their utility bags in Europe and Japan, collaborated with our friends at Beinghunted to create the 1-B Messenger bag back in 2005. This year, they reissued it for the holidays, but bigger! In fact, it fits a shoe box plus some. The innovative three-point strap system enables one pull tightening of the shoulder strap, perfect for when you're on your bike....
(18 December 2007) - Bagjack, well-known for their utility bags in Europe and Japan, collaborated with our friends at Beinghunted to create the 1-B Messenger bag back in 2005. This year, they reissued it for the holidays, but bigger! In fact, it fits a shoe box plus some. The innovative three-point strap system enables one pull tightening of the shoulder strap, perfect for when you're on your bike....
The North Face NSE Collection
(15 November 2007) - Last night we got our first look at the new North Face NSE Collection, a special limited collaboration with the Japanese sportswear manufacturer Goldwin. Inspired by the white birch forests that thrive on the northern island of Japan, the centerpiece of the collection is a new camo print featuring images of the birch forests. The first of the NSE special collector's edition, which will...
(15 November 2007) - Last night we got our first look at the new North Face NSE Collection, a special limited collaboration with the Japanese sportswear manufacturer Goldwin. Inspired by the white birch forests that thrive on the northern island of Japan, the centerpiece of the collection is a new camo print featuring images of the birch forests. The first of the NSE special collector's edition, which will...
Araki, Miyamoto, Sugimoto: Contemporary Japanese Photography
(09 November 2007) - by Anna OberthurCalled a genius by some and a misogynist by others, Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki is probably best known for his sexually provocative female nudes. But the controversial artist's work stretches beyond black and white portraits of women draped across rumpled bedclothes or—more distressingly—elaborately bound and tied to trees. In the Araki, Miyamoto, Sugimoto: Contemporary Japanese Photography exhibit opening 10 November 2007 at Kunstmuseum...
(09 November 2007) - by Anna OberthurCalled a genius by some and a misogynist by others, Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki is probably best known for his sexually provocative female nudes. But the controversial artist's work stretches beyond black and white portraits of women draped across rumpled bedclothes or—more distressingly—elaborately bound and tied to trees. In the Araki, Miyamoto, Sugimoto: Contemporary Japanese Photography exhibit opening 10 November 2007 at Kunstmuseum...
Muji Soho
(08 November 2007) - For you New Yorkers who have been sneaking into the Moma store to get your Japanese minimalist design fixes or stocking up when abroad, your time has come. The full-blown Muji experience is opening in New York on Friday, 16 November 2007, in Soho. For many this will be a dream come true. For others it will be a new adventure into the land...
(08 November 2007) - For you New Yorkers who have been sneaking into the Moma store to get your Japanese minimalist design fixes or stocking up when abroad, your time has come. The full-blown Muji experience is opening in New York on Friday, 16 November 2007, in Soho. For many this will be a dream come true. For others it will be a new adventure into the land...
Tatebanko Paper Diorama Kit
(08 November 2007) - Appealing to my weakness for dioramas and DIY paper projects, these kits also are a mini lesson on Tatebanko, the forgotten Edo-era Japanese art of creating perspectives from paper. They come in either a snowy scene representing a painting by the master Hiroshige or in a version of Hokusai's wave. Designed and printed in Japan by It's a Beautiful Day (the group leading the...
(08 November 2007) - Appealing to my weakness for dioramas and DIY paper projects, these kits also are a mini lesson on Tatebanko, the forgotten Edo-era Japanese art of creating perspectives from paper. They come in either a snowy scene representing a painting by the master Hiroshige or in a version of Hokusai's wave. Designed and printed in Japan by It's a Beautiful Day (the group leading the...
Ubiq Fall/Winter 2007
(16 October 2007) - Japanese brand Ubiq always comes up with head-turning, sometimes offbeat designs when it comes to their footwear. The latest 2007 Fall/Winter collection is no different. My favorites from the group have to be the Braska and Bernadette models. A mid-cut boot, the Braska (right) is not as clunky as most urban hiking alternatives. The most innovative feature is the gator-like fleece sock appended to...
(16 October 2007) - Japanese brand Ubiq always comes up with head-turning, sometimes offbeat designs when it comes to their footwear. The latest 2007 Fall/Winter collection is no different. My favorites from the group have to be the Braska and Bernadette models. A mid-cut boot, the Braska (right) is not as clunky as most urban hiking alternatives. The most innovative feature is the gator-like fleece sock appended to...
Hello Kitty Solid Gold Playing Cards
(01 October 2007) - by Brian Ashcraft If nothing says luxe like gold playing cards, then nothing says WTF like gold Hello Kitty playing cards. Starting 3 October 2007, Sanrio will start selling solid gold Hello Kitty trumps in honor of Kitty's 33rd anniversary. Each 99.99 percent gold card in the deck of 54 is sealed in a protective laminate, measures at 58 x 89 mm and is...
(01 October 2007) - by Brian Ashcraft If nothing says luxe like gold playing cards, then nothing says WTF like gold Hello Kitty playing cards. Starting 3 October 2007, Sanrio will start selling solid gold Hello Kitty trumps in honor of Kitty's 33rd anniversary. Each 99.99 percent gold card in the deck of 54 is sealed in a protective laminate, measures at 58 x 89 mm and is...
Kyotofu
(21 September 2007) - When we were putting together our tofu video, Tim mentioned Kyotofu, the Manhattan tofu restaurant opened in October 2006 that's reinventing tofu for the American palate with their delicious assortment of desserts and savory dishes. We contacted owners Nicole Bermensolo and Michael Berl, longtime friends from college, and recently found ourselves in their minimalist jewel box of a dining room, enjoying treats like chicken-tofu...
(21 September 2007) - When we were putting together our tofu video, Tim mentioned Kyotofu, the Manhattan tofu restaurant opened in October 2006 that's reinventing tofu for the American palate with their delicious assortment of desserts and savory dishes. We contacted owners Nicole Bermensolo and Michael Berl, longtime friends from college, and recently found ourselves in their minimalist jewel box of a dining room, enjoying treats like chicken-tofu...
Interview with Catalina Estrada
(18 September 2007) - Columbian illustrator Catalina Estrada recently designed some prints for Paul Smith in Japan. We checked in with her to see how it all came about. How did the assignment for Paul Smith come up and what was the brief? They contacted me by email. I think they saw my work in a book publication. They wanted me to create a few illustrations based on...
(18 September 2007) - Columbian illustrator Catalina Estrada recently designed some prints for Paul Smith in Japan. We checked in with her to see how it all came about. How did the assignment for Paul Smith come up and what was the brief? They contacted me by email. I think they saw my work in a book publication. They wanted me to create a few illustrations based on...
Geisai Artists at Giant Robot
(13 September 2007) - First organized in Japan more than six years ago, the Geisai art fair (derived from the Japanese word for "art festival") has since become a bi-annual event helping up-and-coming Japanese artists to exhibit their work internationally. And now, with a stateside version in the works, it's a rare opportunity to see new talent, many who are showing for the first time off the island....
(13 September 2007) - First organized in Japan more than six years ago, the Geisai art fair (derived from the Japanese word for "art festival") has since become a bi-annual event helping up-and-coming Japanese artists to exhibit their work internationally. And now, with a stateside version in the works, it's a rare opportunity to see new talent, many who are showing for the first time off the island....
Super-K
(11 September 2007) - The Super-Kamiokande, or Super-K as it's known, is not the latest nightclub VIP booth but is a neutrino observatory designed to search for proton decay, study solar and atmospheric neutrinos and keep watch for supernovas in the Milky Way. Located 1,000 meters underground in the Mozumi Mine in Hida City, Gifu, Japan, it consists of 50,000 tons of pure water surrounded by about 11,200...
(11 September 2007) - The Super-Kamiokande, or Super-K as it's known, is not the latest nightclub VIP booth but is a neutrino observatory designed to search for proton decay, study solar and atmospheric neutrinos and keep watch for supernovas in the Milky Way. Located 1,000 meters underground in the Mozumi Mine in Hida City, Gifu, Japan, it consists of 50,000 tons of pure water surrounded by about 11,200...
Japanese Scarecrows
(06 September 2007) - The Land of the Rising Sun is famous for its food and technology, but certainly not its scarecrows. That may change. Route 280 Bypass in Aomori Prefecture is quickly becoming the country's scarecrow hub with creations like scandalized sumo wrestler Asashoryu playing soccer (pictured). Every September, local folks take part in the Kakashi Road 280 ("kakashi" is Japanese for scarecrow). The event was designed...
(06 September 2007) - The Land of the Rising Sun is famous for its food and technology, but certainly not its scarecrows. That may change. Route 280 Bypass in Aomori Prefecture is quickly becoming the country's scarecrow hub with creations like scandalized sumo wrestler Asashoryu playing soccer (pictured). Every September, local folks take part in the Kakashi Road 280 ("kakashi" is Japanese for scarecrow). The event was designed...
Idiom: Fall/Winter 07
(06 September 2007) - Idiom, Burton's small Japanese house label, are back with some new styles and upgrades for the upcoming Fall and Winter. All of the jackets are simple with the attention to detail we've come to expect including taped seams, pit zips, waterproof zippers and handwarmer pockets, to name a few. Favorites include the 2.5 Slant Zip Jacket (above left), a new style featuring a great...
(06 September 2007) - Idiom, Burton's small Japanese house label, are back with some new styles and upgrades for the upcoming Fall and Winter. All of the jackets are simple with the attention to detail we've come to expect including taped seams, pit zips, waterproof zippers and handwarmer pockets, to name a few. Favorites include the 2.5 Slant Zip Jacket (above left), a new style featuring a great...
Nerd Cars
(21 August 2007) - Nerd-mobiles! At Japan's twice-annual comic convention Comiket, otaku (aka "geeks") showed off their hardcore dorkiness with sticker-covered cars. Called "itasha," these geeked-out cars take their name from the Japanese kanji for "itai" (painful) and "sha" (car). Rumor has it that the character "ita" was chosen because it sounds closest to the "Ita" from "Italian." Yes, these dork wagons are a word play on "Italian...
(21 August 2007) - Nerd-mobiles! At Japan's twice-annual comic convention Comiket, otaku (aka "geeks") showed off their hardcore dorkiness with sticker-covered cars. Called "itasha," these geeked-out cars take their name from the Japanese kanji for "itai" (painful) and "sha" (car). Rumor has it that the character "ita" was chosen because it sounds closest to the "Ita" from "Italian." Yes, these dork wagons are a word play on "Italian...
Vending Machine Ramen
(20 August 2007) - From hot canned coffee to warm corn soup, Japanese vending machines do their best to meet all your vending machine needs. This May, Kyoto-based company Fujitaka began selling Sapporo-style canned ramen for ¥300 ($2.67) a pop to nerds in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics district. Yes, you can buy canned noodles! For the country that invented instant ramen, vending machine noodles must be a godsend! The...
(20 August 2007) - From hot canned coffee to warm corn soup, Japanese vending machines do their best to meet all your vending machine needs. This May, Kyoto-based company Fujitaka began selling Sapporo-style canned ramen for ¥300 ($2.67) a pop to nerds in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics district. Yes, you can buy canned noodles! For the country that invented instant ramen, vending machine noodles must be a godsend! The...
Vending Machine Safety
(31 July 2007) - Vending machines are ubiquitous in big, crowded Japanese cities. Wouldn't it be great if they did more than dispense cold bottles of green tea and hot cans of coffee? Like, what if they could also protect people? In Osaka, they can. Security company Network Security Japan (NSJ) has created a network in the city's hipster hub Amerika-mura (American Village), an area packed with cafes,...
(31 July 2007) - Vending machines are ubiquitous in big, crowded Japanese cities. Wouldn't it be great if they did more than dispense cold bottles of green tea and hot cans of coffee? Like, what if they could also protect people? In Osaka, they can. Security company Network Security Japan (NSJ) has created a network in the city's hipster hub Amerika-mura (American Village), an area packed with cafes,...
Inakadate Rice Fields
(24 July 2007) - Located in southern Japan, around 8,000 Inakadate residents work together to create giant figurative pictures by carefully planting different varieties of rice, sometimes stretching across multiple farming fields. Since 1993 the residents have taken it upon themselves to select different themes each year. This year the farmers are using the green phase of the rice cultivation to depict motifs of Hokusai's 36 views of...
(24 July 2007) - Located in southern Japan, around 8,000 Inakadate residents work together to create giant figurative pictures by carefully planting different varieties of rice, sometimes stretching across multiple farming fields. Since 1993 the residents have taken it upon themselves to select different themes each year. This year the farmers are using the green phase of the rice cultivation to depict motifs of Hokusai's 36 views of...
Take-G Wooden Robot Toys
(27 June 2007) - Craftsman Takeji Nakagawa, aka "Take-G," doesn't simply make "toys." Rather, he creates tributes to childhood, nature and the future. The artisan crafts things like animals and futuristic robots out of four types of wood: keyaki (a Japanese tree of the genus Zelkova), teak, walnut and white ash. These four types of wood are joined through a traditional handicraft process called yosegi-mokuzougan (joined wooden block...
(27 June 2007) - Craftsman Takeji Nakagawa, aka "Take-G," doesn't simply make "toys." Rather, he creates tributes to childhood, nature and the future. The artisan crafts things like animals and futuristic robots out of four types of wood: keyaki (a Japanese tree of the genus Zelkova), teak, walnut and white ash. These four types of wood are joined through a traditional handicraft process called yosegi-mokuzougan (joined wooden block...
Floating Sparkly Gold for Coffee
(22 June 2007) - Japan is coffee savvy. The streets of metropolitan Tokyo are dotted with hip, trendy cafes serving up pricey lattes and espressos. And for those on the go, there are vending machines dispensing cans of coffee. In summer, the cans are even chilled and also heated in winter. How do you impress the country that invented canned vending machine coffee? With gold. At Asia's largest...
(22 June 2007) - Japan is coffee savvy. The streets of metropolitan Tokyo are dotted with hip, trendy cafes serving up pricey lattes and espressos. And for those on the go, there are vending machines dispensing cans of coffee. In summer, the cans are even chilled and also heated in winter. How do you impress the country that invented canned vending machine coffee? With gold. At Asia's largest...
M's System MS0801 Speaker
(18 June 2007) - Housing a speaker on either end, the MS0801 is a single vibrational speaker that has the capability to fill a room in stereo. (You can get a pair if you want surround sound.) Made from wood, the cylindrical shape also enhances acoustics. No matter how loud I turned up the volume, the bass never distorted and always sounded clean without dominating the spectrum. In...
(18 June 2007) - Housing a speaker on either end, the MS0801 is a single vibrational speaker that has the capability to fill a room in stereo. (You can get a pair if you want surround sound.) Made from wood, the cylindrical shape also enhances acoustics. No matter how loud I turned up the volume, the bass never distorted and always sounded clean without dominating the spectrum. In...
Chewing Gum For Men
(15 June 2007) - Guys and gals are different. In Japan, that means one thing: separate junk food. Osaka-based confectionary Glico paved the way years back when it introduced its popular chocolate and biscuit snack "Pocky" in male-geared bitter chocolate. The name of this groundbreaking product? "Men's Pocky." So clever. Now that we've got chocolate snacks covered, next up is chewing gum. Last fall, Kanebo Foods introduced Otoko...
(15 June 2007) - Guys and gals are different. In Japan, that means one thing: separate junk food. Osaka-based confectionary Glico paved the way years back when it introduced its popular chocolate and biscuit snack "Pocky" in male-geared bitter chocolate. The name of this groundbreaking product? "Men's Pocky." So clever. Now that we've got chocolate snacks covered, next up is chewing gum. Last fall, Kanebo Foods introduced Otoko...
Ice in a Can
(11 June 2007) - It's summer. And hot. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there are an increasing number of teen and preteens who getting hyperthermia (advanced state of heatstroke). The condition occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. Serious stuff—it's even lead to fatalities. Osaka's Kiribai Chemical Co., who invented those clever kairo hand warmers, has released a series of...
(11 June 2007) - It's summer. And hot. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there are an increasing number of teen and preteens who getting hyperthermia (advanced state of heatstroke). The condition occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. Serious stuff—it's even lead to fatalities. Osaka's Kiribai Chemical Co., who invented those clever kairo hand warmers, has released a series of...
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