YAMA-ICHI KOSO: Kansai’s bloody Yakuza war
The 1981 death of Kazuo Taoka - the “Godfather of Godfathers” - left a power void in the Yamaguchi yakuza and led to a crime war that would ravage the streets of Kansai for almost 10 years
GUNKAN-JIMA: Japan’s ghost town at sea
We take a look at Japan’s abandoned ghost town floating at sea on a battleship shaped island
KINGYO-BU: the goldfish club
In 2012, the KINGYOBU (“goldfish club”) transformed phone booths in Osaka into standing aquariums, providing a visual break from the monotony of city life
RETROSPECTIVE: Hot-Dog PRESS 1981
NAKAGIN CAPSULE: an endangered species
With demolition looking increasingly likely, we take a look at Kurokawa Kisho’s paragon of Metabolist design
SAYAMA HILLS: Miyazaki’s world on the edge of Tokyo
Escape the noise of Tokyo and reconnect with nature in the park that inspired Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro
ELEMENTAL CHURCHES: Tadao Ando’s holy trinity
Wind, water & light - the three churches that contributed to the rise of architectural luminary Tadao Ando
JIMBOCHO: the heart of Tokyo’s book scene
Lose yourself exploring second hand stores in Tokyo’s book heaven
POCARI SWEAT: From underdog to cultural touchstone
The rise of the iconic drink from a struggling unknown to a symbol of faux nostalgia
SUN TRIBE: The disillusioned youth of postwar Japan
The mid 1950s exploration of youth, nihilism & sex that sent older generations into a state of complete moral panic
OKUTAMA: An interface between nature & architecture
Look no further than a non-descript fire station in Okutama to see the symbiosis between nature & architecture that runs to the core of Japanese design
MIA MIA: Redefining the Tokyo coffee scene
The unlikely Australian-Japanese cafe heralding a new era of Tokyo coffee shops
EYES ON: Yanaka
Yanaka is showing signs of modernization - but it’s managing it in a way that tastefully integrates with the traditional ‘shitamachi’ atmosphere
Grab a Western Brunch at Tractor, Nakameguro
The best spot in Tokyo to cure your hangover with a greasy bacon & egg roll