Tag: Japan

Photography

Tokyo nightlife mimics scenes in video games

Art Director Liam Wong creates some imaginative scenes for video game developer Ubisoft as part of his day job. At night, however, he prowls the streets of Tokyo, capturing scenes that mimic those found in video games. On Instagram he...

By Umar Ansari · 17 hrs ago

Photography

New series from Takashi Kitajima shows Tokyo through a magnifying glass

Magnifying glasses are...magnificent. Perhaps no one knows how to use them better than  Japanese photographer Takashi Kitajima. A computer software engineer by profession, Kitajima, previously featured on Design Faves...

By Umar Ansari · Dec. 30, 2019

Books

Michael Wolf captures different emotions in Tokyo’s congested subways

Known mostly for his magnificent architectural photographs of bustling cities like Hong Kong and Chicago, Michael Wolf is no stranger to the chaos and madness of rush hour. The German-born photographer, who has been residing...

By Mariza Monta · Dec. 25, 2019

Inspiration

Japanese chapel architecture inspired by hands in prayer

You don't expect to stumble upon incredible architecture on a random walk through the woods. Yet, the Sayama Forest Chapel exists and delivers just that. The three-year-old building, designed by Hiroshi Nakamura &...

By Umar Ansari · Dec. 22, 2019

Sculpture

Get lost in an interactive floating flower garden in Tokyo

For a limited time, the Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo is being turned into a floating flower garden. The installation by the always innovative teamLab houses more than 2,300 suspended flowers...

By Nhan Tran · Dec. 18, 2019

Design

Funny mugs appear to sink into your table

These coffee mugs from Japan are no sunken treasure. They might appear to be sinking into the surface, but your eyes are not playing tricks on you - that's only an illusion created by their unique design. Thanks to the laws of physics,...

By Nhan Tran · Dec. 18, 2019

Creativity

Unbelievable wooden lobster looks and moves like the real thing. Crazy!

Japanese sculptor Ryosuke Ohtake has realistically replicated a lobster out of hand carved wood. Even more impressive is that he also managed to replicate the movement of the lobster through precise engineering. The lobster...

By Justin Crowe · Dec. 15, 2019

Art

Globalization visualized in immersive Hong Kong art installation

The Tokyo-based art group known as teamLab is made up of individuals with diverse skills such as programmers, designers, mathematicians, animators, and architects. This group works together to create culturally relevent art...

By Justin Crowe · Dec. 03, 2019

Creativity

Skillfully arranged objects cast realistic shadow portraits

As if by magic, artist Kumi Yamashita skillfully manipulates shadows through minimalist sculptures that only unveil their true beauty through strategic lighting. Alphabet blocks on a wall are arranged to cast shadows in the...

By Nhan Tran · Nov. 30, 2019

Video

50,000 donated keys suspended above old wooden boats at the 2015 Venice Biennale

Artist Chiharu Shiota revealed an amusing installation under the title, "The Key in the Hand," at the 2015 Venice Biennale. The installation is essentially a web of scattered old wooden boats, each hosting a network of 50,000...

By Umar Ansari · Nov. 15, 2019

Art

Giants threatening Japan allude to the destructive forces of nature

Japanese artist Mikiko Kumazawa creates surreal depictions of the destructive ways of nature in her pencil drawing series titled 'Howl.' Here, scary giants stand for uncontrollable forces of nature in a mournful remembrance...

By Adomas Vasiliauskas · Nov. 14, 2019

Inspiration

This 144-year-old Wisteria is stunning. It is the oldest in Japan.

This insanely large wisteria vine rests in Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi, Japan. It covers nearly 2,000 square meters and is held aloft by a network of supports. The supports lift the massive vine above the heads of park visitors...

By Justin Crowe · Sep. 30, 2019

Cute

Japanese illustrator Maori Sakai perfectly captures happiness in her artwork

Born and raised in Japan, Maori Sakai has never seen herself doing anything other than creating interestingly cute, whimsical art. After attending Kuwasawa Design School in Tokyo for three years, she went on to work for a production...

By Mariza Monta · Sep. 10, 2019

Funny

Batman characters reimagined in medieval Japanese woodblock style

Illustrator Scott Wade had the brilliantly odd idea of mashing up Batman characters as medieval Japanese figures, drawn in their woodblock print style called "ukiyo-e." Wade paid tribute to the DC Comic's heroes and villains...

By Nhan Tran · Sep. 07, 2019

Art

Psychedelic collage-based concert posters from the 1970s

Tadanori Yokoo is a Japanese graphic designer, illustrator, printmaker and painter whose work came to prominence in the 1970s. His portfolio includes concert posters for the likes of The Beatles, Tangerine Dream, Earth Wind...

By Nhan Tran · Aug. 19, 2019