Cool Hunting
Entries with keyword "Japanese"
25 result(s) displayed (1 - 25 of 31)
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Japanese Barcode Design
(13 November 2009) - Masters of turning the mundane cute, we recently came across this collection of the clever ways Japanese designers have extended this eccentricity down to the boring barcode. Without impeding on the necessary numbers, inventive versions transform humble skus from the usual black-and-white rectangle to graphics that range from cityscapes to waves, often relating to the product it identifies. The online gallery from Tokyo's Design...
(13 November 2009) - Masters of turning the mundane cute, we recently came across this collection of the clever ways Japanese designers have extended this eccentricity down to the boring barcode. Without impeding on the necessary numbers, inventive versions transform humble skus from the usual black-and-white rectangle to graphics that range from cityscapes to waves, often relating to the product it identifies. The online gallery from Tokyo's Design...
Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty
(13 October 2009) - The world's most iconic feline, Hello Kitty, has lived way beyond her nine lives—she currently 35, in fact. To celebrate this all-important birthday marking her mid-thirties with no crisis in sight, Sanrio's extravaganza revolves around "Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty" opening at Royal/T in Los Angeles next week. Featuring 80 artists—among them Luke Chueh, Tara McPherson (pictured below right)...
(13 October 2009) - The world's most iconic feline, Hello Kitty, has lived way beyond her nine lives—she currently 35, in fact. To celebrate this all-important birthday marking her mid-thirties with no crisis in sight, Sanrio's extravaganza revolves around "Three Apples: An Exhibition Celebrating 35 Years of Hello Kitty" opening at Royal/T in Los Angeles next week. Featuring 80 artists—among them Luke Chueh, Tara McPherson (pictured below right)...
Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy
(21 July 2009) - by Julie Wolfson The exhibit, "Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy" pays homage to traditional Japanese Kokeshi, brightly painted wooden dolls with no arms or legs, at the LATDA in collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in downtown Los Angeles. A giant crocheted doll by Emi Motokaw greets museum goers at the entrance, welcoming them into the three-part exhibit. The first part...
(21 July 2009) - by Julie Wolfson The exhibit, "Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy" pays homage to traditional Japanese Kokeshi, brightly painted wooden dolls with no arms or legs, at the LATDA in collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in downtown Los Angeles. A giant crocheted doll by Emi Motokaw greets museum goers at the entrance, welcoming them into the three-part exhibit. The first part...
Self Edge New York
(06 July 2009) - San Francisco denim mecca Self Edge will be peddling their pure quality goods at a new location in the heart of NYC's Lower East Side beginning 24 July 2009. Known by denim heads around the world, Self Edge offers authentic Japanese selvedge jeans—at times joining forces with denim connoisseurs, like for their recent Self Edge x Dry Bones x Superfuture Community Denim collaboration. Owner...
(06 July 2009) - San Francisco denim mecca Self Edge will be peddling their pure quality goods at a new location in the heart of NYC's Lower East Side beginning 24 July 2009. Known by denim heads around the world, Self Edge offers authentic Japanese selvedge jeans—at times joining forces with denim connoisseurs, like for their recent Self Edge x Dry Bones x Superfuture Community Denim collaboration. Owner...
Japan Premium Beef, Inc.
(26 June 2009) - by Laura Neilson Just in time for grilling season, Japan Premium Beef recently opened its first retail shop in New York's Noho district to much acclaim. Now discerning carnivores can take meaty matters into their own hands by purchasing various cuts of the importer's Wagyu-style beef, formerly available to restaurants only. The superlative-quality beef, best known for its vividly marbled appearance, high percentage of unsaturated...
(26 June 2009) - by Laura Neilson Just in time for grilling season, Japan Premium Beef recently opened its first retail shop in New York's Noho district to much acclaim. Now discerning carnivores can take meaty matters into their own hands by purchasing various cuts of the importer's Wagyu-style beef, formerly available to restaurants only. The superlative-quality beef, best known for its vividly marbled appearance, high percentage of unsaturated...
Kenichi Yokono: New Work
(30 March 2009) - Since our first mention of Kenichi Yokono in 2006, the Japanese artist has been working at a furious pace and garnering attention from gallerists and collectors alike. For the past three years, Mark Moore Gallery has been showing Yokono's work during the Pulse Contemporary Art Fairs, while in 2007 the gallery gave the artist his first solo show stateside. The forthcoming show at Mark...
(30 March 2009) - Since our first mention of Kenichi Yokono in 2006, the Japanese artist has been working at a furious pace and garnering attention from gallerists and collectors alike. For the past three years, Mark Moore Gallery has been showing Yokono's work during the Pulse Contemporary Art Fairs, while in 2007 the gallery gave the artist his first solo show stateside. The forthcoming show at Mark...
Paco Cube Prefab Vacation House
(24 March 2009) - by Kelsey Keith With its three meter square Paco Cube, Schemata Architecture Office reinvents the vacation house. The space age looking portable living cube with stark white epoxy interior was designed by architect Nagasaka Hisashi to be equally at home on a beach, in a forest or inside an industrial loft. Think of it as an upgraded tent, as conceptual in nature as it is...
(24 March 2009) - by Kelsey Keith With its three meter square Paco Cube, Schemata Architecture Office reinvents the vacation house. The space age looking portable living cube with stark white epoxy interior was designed by architect Nagasaka Hisashi to be equally at home on a beach, in a forest or inside an industrial loft. Think of it as an upgraded tent, as conceptual in nature as it is...
Kyouei Design: Liquid Bookmarks and Lamps
(23 March 2009) - by Laura Neilson For all the devoted bibliophiles who refuse to save their page by dog-earing their favorite pieces of literature, this startling bookmark instead applies a faux drip of liquid making for a cheeky alternative. It's designed by Kouichi Okamoto of Kyouei Design, the same company that brought us the cleverly-conceived umbrella pot last spring and that's known for their inventive lighting systems. Just...
(23 March 2009) - by Laura Neilson For all the devoted bibliophiles who refuse to save their page by dog-earing their favorite pieces of literature, this startling bookmark instead applies a faux drip of liquid making for a cheeky alternative. It's designed by Kouichi Okamoto of Kyouei Design, the same company that brought us the cleverly-conceived umbrella pot last spring and that's known for their inventive lighting systems. Just...
Like-it Recycle Dust Station
(19 February 2009) - If you're the type of person who gets a rush out of visiting The Container Store, then listen up. Last month, the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) mounted a sizable exhibition of Japanese manufacturers at the New York International Gift Fair. One of the participants was the Yoshikawakuni Plastics Company which displayed its like-it line of home storage solutions. Similar in aesthetic to Muji, the...
(19 February 2009) - If you're the type of person who gets a rush out of visiting The Container Store, then listen up. Last month, the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) mounted a sizable exhibition of Japanese manufacturers at the New York International Gift Fair. One of the participants was the Yoshikawakuni Plastics Company which displayed its like-it line of home storage solutions. Similar in aesthetic to Muji, the...
Shin Tanaka x Scion x Giant Robot
(27 January 2009) - Few automotive brands know how to tap into the urban art scene like Scion, the hip entry-level marque by Toyota USA. Recently, Scion teamed up with Giant Robot Magazine and Japanese artist Shin Tanaka to offer the artist's signature cut and fold paper toys in the magazine's issues 56, 57 and soon to be released 58, which hits newsstands on 9 February, 2009. One...
(27 January 2009) - Few automotive brands know how to tap into the urban art scene like Scion, the hip entry-level marque by Toyota USA. Recently, Scion teamed up with Giant Robot Magazine and Japanese artist Shin Tanaka to offer the artist's signature cut and fold paper toys in the magazine's issues 56, 57 and soon to be released 58, which hits newsstands on 9 February, 2009. One...
Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake
(23 December 2008) - For an unconventional New Year's toast, we can't think of a better option than Marumoto Brewery's Hou Hou Shu, a sparkling unfiltered Junmaishu sake. Tim and I first sampled it when we visited NYC's tofu restaurant Kyotofu and loved the light, slightly sweet flavor and gentle, natural carbonation which makes for a drinking experience very similar to champagne. At only 6% alcohol, the fruity...
(23 December 2008) - For an unconventional New Year's toast, we can't think of a better option than Marumoto Brewery's Hou Hou Shu, a sparkling unfiltered Junmaishu sake. Tim and I first sampled it when we visited NYC's tofu restaurant Kyotofu and loved the light, slightly sweet flavor and gentle, natural carbonation which makes for a drinking experience very similar to champagne. At only 6% alcohol, the fruity...
San Francisco's Sustainable Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar
(16 December 2008) - by Laura NeilsonWhen you're a seven-table sushi restaurant—in San Francisco, a city overflowing with sushi joints—how do you stand apart from the others? San Francisco's Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar took this obvious challenge to task by being the country's first and only sustainable sushi restaurant. Co-owners Raymond Ho and Kin Lui, who opened Tataki earlier this year in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood,...
(16 December 2008) - by Laura NeilsonWhen you're a seven-table sushi restaurant—in San Francisco, a city overflowing with sushi joints—how do you stand apart from the others? San Francisco's Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar took this obvious challenge to task by being the country's first and only sustainable sushi restaurant. Co-owners Raymond Ho and Kin Lui, who opened Tataki earlier this year in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood,...
Sfera Kid's Poncho
(02 December 2008) - We wanted to add this to our 2008 gift guide but regrettably even with the help of Google Translate we still couldn't figure out how to purchase this adorable kiddy poncho. (We're adding "learn Japanese" to the CH 2009 New Years Resolutions). Made by design group Sfera and handwoven in Finland, this is by the far the cuddliest little poncho we've seen made completely...
(02 December 2008) - We wanted to add this to our 2008 gift guide but regrettably even with the help of Google Translate we still couldn't figure out how to purchase this adorable kiddy poncho. (We're adding "learn Japanese" to the CH 2009 New Years Resolutions). Made by design group Sfera and handwoven in Finland, this is by the far the cuddliest little poncho we've seen made completely...
Mr.: Nobody Dies
(17 November 2008) - Currently on view at Lehmann Maupin in New York, Japanese artist and Kaikai Kiki collaborator Mr. is presenting his first foray into film with "Nobody Dies," a 35-minute short about a group of adolescent Japanese girls who partake in a paintball riddled war game of capture-the-flag. Carefully toeing the line between perversion and commentary, the film is a continuation of the artist's investigation into...
(17 November 2008) - Currently on view at Lehmann Maupin in New York, Japanese artist and Kaikai Kiki collaborator Mr. is presenting his first foray into film with "Nobody Dies," a 35-minute short about a group of adolescent Japanese girls who partake in a paintball riddled war game of capture-the-flag. Carefully toeing the line between perversion and commentary, the film is a continuation of the artist's investigation into...
Cho-Cho San Restaurant
(10 November 2008) - What happens when an Italian opera director and a Japanese chef collaborate on a restaurant? Cho-Cho San, a new culinary hot spot in NYC's Greenwich Village, is the result of famed Metropolitan Opera director, Fabrizio Melano, and Jun Nagano, of the venerable Taste of Tokyo, joining forces. Named after the heroine of the opera Madama Butterfly, Cho-Cho San's menu combines traditional Japanese fare with...
(10 November 2008) - What happens when an Italian opera director and a Japanese chef collaborate on a restaurant? Cho-Cho San, a new culinary hot spot in NYC's Greenwich Village, is the result of famed Metropolitan Opera director, Fabrizio Melano, and Jun Nagano, of the venerable Taste of Tokyo, joining forces. Named after the heroine of the opera Madama Butterfly, Cho-Cho San's menu combines traditional Japanese fare with...
d.v.d
(30 October 2008) - Creating more than just beats, Tokyo-based drum trio d.v.d's live installations include synchronizing instruments to Flash technology (hooking up two sets of drums to images) resulting in a video game effect. Members Itoken, Jimanica and Ymg began performing in 2006 and have since gathered a large following of fans in both the music industry and the arts playing around Japan and Europe. This year...
(30 October 2008) - Creating more than just beats, Tokyo-based drum trio d.v.d's live installations include synchronizing instruments to Flash technology (hooking up two sets of drums to images) resulting in a video game effect. Members Itoken, Jimanica and Ymg began performing in 2006 and have since gathered a large following of fans in both the music industry and the arts playing around Japan and Europe. This year...
Muji's Message
(29 October 2008) - As longtime Muji fans, we were pleasantly surprised on a recent visit to see they've updated the site with a message expressing their tenets of true design. For a retailer that normally keeps to themselves, allowing their simply classic products to speak volumes in place of flashy marketing campaigns, it's a thoughtful marketing change. We're happy to see they haven't altered their philosophy, as this...
(29 October 2008) - As longtime Muji fans, we were pleasantly surprised on a recent visit to see they've updated the site with a message expressing their tenets of true design. For a retailer that normally keeps to themselves, allowing their simply classic products to speak volumes in place of flashy marketing campaigns, it's a thoughtful marketing change. We're happy to see they haven't altered their philosophy, as this...
Shinju Binchotan Radiation-Shielding Bracelet
(27 October 2008) - Made from bincho-tan, a traditional Japanese white charcoal made from oak, these Shinju Binchotan Bracelets are an attractive accessory that weigh in at less than $60. Designed with simplicity in mind, these handsome bracelets are believed to emanate positive ch'i that defend the wearer from environmental hazards from bad vibes to the potentially harmful EMF from computer monitors and mobile phones. ...
(27 October 2008) - Made from bincho-tan, a traditional Japanese white charcoal made from oak, these Shinju Binchotan Bracelets are an attractive accessory that weigh in at less than $60. Designed with simplicity in mind, these handsome bracelets are believed to emanate positive ch'i that defend the wearer from environmental hazards from bad vibes to the potentially harmful EMF from computer monitors and mobile phones. ...
Middle Colors Humidifier
(24 October 2008) - With winter just around the corner, it's time to pack away your air conditioner and bust out the humidifier. Luckily, the Japanese seem to have a small obsession with moisture and have produced several devices we wouldn't mind keeping out all year. The latest to join this lineup is the Middle Colors humidifier, which is not only attractive and available in a range of...
(24 October 2008) - With winter just around the corner, it's time to pack away your air conditioner and bust out the humidifier. Luckily, the Japanese seem to have a small obsession with moisture and have produced several devices we wouldn't mind keeping out all year. The latest to join this lineup is the Middle Colors humidifier, which is not only attractive and available in a range of...
Japanese Film Noir and Parque Via at San Sebastian 2008
(06 October 2008) - This year the San Sebastian Film Festival was an interesting mix of new cinema and nostalgia. The festival hosted a retrospective of Japanese Film Noir or Japon en Negro. A complex genre born out of imported American detective films, Japanese film noir is essentially American film noir digested by the Japanese post-war psyche. It even has its own nationalistic spin. The retrospective was thorough,...
(06 October 2008) - This year the San Sebastian Film Festival was an interesting mix of new cinema and nostalgia. The festival hosted a retrospective of Japanese Film Noir or Japon en Negro. A complex genre born out of imported American detective films, Japanese film noir is essentially American film noir digested by the Japanese post-war psyche. It even has its own nationalistic spin. The retrospective was thorough,...
Number Nine Shearling Lined High Top
(04 September 2008) - I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but before you know it we'll be stomping around in the cold ice and snow again. Luckily, Japanese label Number Nine recently released the Shearling Lined High Top Sneaker to help keep your feet warm and looking good during the colder months. In what seems to be a variation on the VisVim Kiefer silhouette, Number...
(04 September 2008) - I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but before you know it we'll be stomping around in the cold ice and snow again. Luckily, Japanese label Number Nine recently released the Shearling Lined High Top Sneaker to help keep your feet warm and looking good during the colder months. In what seems to be a variation on the VisVim Kiefer silhouette, Number...
Lucas Isawa: Koinobori
(31 July 2008) - By combining traditional Japanese Carp-shaped wind socks with paper lanterns, artist Lucas Isawa has turned his floating and illuminated school of fish into a breathtakingly peaceful spectacle. Building on koinobori (wind socks decorated with colorful Carp and flown in Japan on Children's Day), Isawa uses bamboo to first construct the skeleton shell of his highly-detailed fish and then fills in the gaps with silk...
(31 July 2008) - By combining traditional Japanese Carp-shaped wind socks with paper lanterns, artist Lucas Isawa has turned his floating and illuminated school of fish into a breathtakingly peaceful spectacle. Building on koinobori (wind socks decorated with colorful Carp and flown in Japan on Children's Day), Isawa uses bamboo to first construct the skeleton shell of his highly-detailed fish and then fills in the gaps with silk...
Rei Sato
(07 July 2008) - Discovered by Takashi Murakami when he staged the first GESAI art fair in 2002, Rei Sato has become part of the Kaikai Kiki roster of emerging Japanese talents that includes Chinatsu Ban, Aya Takano, and Chiho Aoshima, each of whom was included in the 2005 exhibit "Little Boy," Murakami's sweeping survey of contemporary Japanese pop art. Only born in 1984, the young Sato is...
(07 July 2008) - Discovered by Takashi Murakami when he staged the first GESAI art fair in 2002, Rei Sato has become part of the Kaikai Kiki roster of emerging Japanese talents that includes Chinatsu Ban, Aya Takano, and Chiho Aoshima, each of whom was included in the 2005 exhibit "Little Boy," Murakami's sweeping survey of contemporary Japanese pop art. Only born in 1984, the young Sato is...
Plus Minus Zero: 5th Collection
(03 July 2008) - Plus Minus Zero, the Japanese company co-founded by the master of minimal design Naoto Fukasawa, just released its fifth collection. Consisting of a table clock, a thermometer, a timer, a card case, a fan and an electric water kettle, the latest exudes a sense of austerity that, somehow, only Japanese design achieves. The success in Fukasawa's designs stems not only from a rigorous paring...
(03 July 2008) - Plus Minus Zero, the Japanese company co-founded by the master of minimal design Naoto Fukasawa, just released its fifth collection. Consisting of a table clock, a thermometer, a timer, a card case, a fan and an electric water kettle, the latest exudes a sense of austerity that, somehow, only Japanese design achieves. The success in Fukasawa's designs stems not only from a rigorous paring...
Split Ruler
(02 July 2008) - A cleverly subtle (and totally Japanese) update to the classic wooden ruler, the Split Ruler by Tokyo-based Cina has a pencil-shaped cut-out for placing pens or pencils when not in use. The duo behind Cina are the same two behind the snowflake-patterned flash drives that have been circulating around the internet this week, but in this case we're more captivated by the reinvention of...
(02 July 2008) - A cleverly subtle (and totally Japanese) update to the classic wooden ruler, the Split Ruler by Tokyo-based Cina has a pencil-shaped cut-out for placing pens or pencils when not in use. The duo behind Cina are the same two behind the snowflake-patterned flash drives that have been circulating around the internet this week, but in this case we're more captivated by the reinvention of...
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