Posted in design, museums on Mar 12th, 2007 No Comments »
Although I made a special study of Japan’s art museums, it remained long hidden even to me that Osaka has a modern art museum. I am not talking about the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art (this Tennoji Park museum is anyway in the first place dedicated to ancient art forms, although it hosts temporary modern […]
Posted in food, design, intercultural on Dec 30th, 2006 No Comments »
Saw this advertisement for Iemon green tea from Suntory today on the JR Tozai line in Osaka. It has the form of a noren, a traditional shop curtain, and is indeed made from textile rather than paper. Also the New Year decoration (shimekazari) attached to the curtain is real - including the straw and […]
Posted in architecture, travel and places, design, museums on Jul 12th, 2006 No Comments »
In the Middle Ages, all Japanese cities imitated the then capital Kyoto, which resulted in a large number of “small Kyoto’s,” as lovely Tsuwano; in the Edo-period, the model was Edo, so we have numerous small Edo’s as, for example, Kawagoe. Now the model is Tokyo and all cities in Japan seem bent on imitating […]
Posted in architecture, art and photography, design on Jun 27th, 2006 No Comments »
The Ginza, Japan’s major upscale shopping district is full of interesting galleries and design shops as well. On Gridskipper I found this suggestion for a design tour through the area, from the Ginza Graphic gallery to the International Forum.
[Inside the huge hall of the Tokyo International Forum. Photo © Ad Blankestijn]
Some Ginza suggestions (non-design) I […]