The time-lapse motion picture looks like a miniature set, but it is a real night view of Osaka. Osaka is a large and teeming city, there are many people and cars gather day and night.

The movie was taken from the Umeda Sky Building which is the tallest building in Umeda. Shinnosuke took some time-lapse motion pictures in Osaka and Kyoto, and his beautiful and active movies are a lot of fun to watch.

When you watch the movies you can feel the bustling atmosphere in Osaka. The city looks like a toy box!

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The lovely hedgehog has moss prickles. You can pat the hedgehog without pain.

The hedgehog is a Bonsai, made by Sinajina. They also use the moss to resemble sheep. The attempt to put something into completely different things is called “Mitate” in Japan, and it is a big feature of Japanese culture.

The hedgehog and sheep pots are made by casting brass by hand. The detailed shapes are stylish and cute.

Some Bonsai look like a tree on top of a hill. The thick moss expresses the hill. The moss can become all of the things in the world, such as a hill, animals or an island.

A Bonsai requires a lot of effort over a number of years to grow, but the Bonsai by Sinajina are enjoyed easily. The scenery with the small world of Bonsai will relax you.
There are many kind of Bonsai on the Sinajina website. Why don’t you find your favorite one?

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The silver metal dragons are dancing, filling the entire screen.–This is the inside of a Large Helical Device, in the National Institute for Fusion Science in Japan.

“Build the future” is a photography book by NISHIZAWA Joe. He has taken many photos of factories and research facilities. His photos are vigorous and impressive, they have been well established over the world.

Sometimes, human beings build incredibly large and complex structures. The structures somehow have a demonic beauty. You will be impressed by the photography, and the power of mankind. It contains over 100 photos of 7 research facilities, such as the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization and the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel.

Often the science research facilities have restricted areas, “Build the future” includes the photos of these restricted areas. Some areas took over 2 years to be cleared to have photos taken. The photography contains such precious photos.
If you love architecture, take a look the photography book.

You can see some of photos in “Build the future” on NISHIZAWA Joe’s website.

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This pig leather passport case is printed with the Ukiyoe by Hokusai; “Aka Fuji”(Red fuji) and “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa” from “36 Views of Mount Fuji”. It is a very impressive and sophisticated design.

Sakura launched a set of Hokusai pig leather goods called “Hokusai” to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Hokusai. Hokusai was born in the Sumida ward in Tokyo, so Sakura makes the Hokusai goods with only craftsmen in Sumida.

The skillful craftsmen make them by hand. The high quality pig leather lets air through and has a comfortable texture, but it is hard to dye white. Only skillful craftsmen can dye pig leather in such clear colors.

In addition, the pig leather is not an ordinary one. This pig leather is called “Eco leather”. Japanese people like pork, so there are a lot of pig leather provided in Japan. Eco leather was developed to use the pig leather more effectively.
Eco leather is vegetable tanned, it returned to the ground when it is thrown out. You can contribute to environmental protection by using it.

The current products include a passport case, card case, pen case and Luggage tag. The kind of products will be increased upon demand. I want an iPhone case or a mouse-pad.How about you? Please let me know what you want from Hokusai series.

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Tokyo Cherry Blossom: @Komazawa Park

This sakura photo is remarkably beautiful like a painting. Is it a real landscape not CG?

The photo is taken by Atlas, a popular photographer on Flickr. He is living in Japan and takes some great photos in Japan.

Toba Hinode: Sunrise in Toba,

These photos are HDR rendered. The vivid color is the feature of HDR. The unrealistic colors attract people.

Paradise Island: Sea Paradise in Yokohama,

Actually, real Japan is not such a vivid country. Though the photo world of Atlas is very great and catches up us. Check more great photos on Flickr.

Ise Torii: @Ise Shrine (Ise jingu)

Sunrise in Akasaka.

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HASEGAWA Tohaku : national tresure “Shorin-zu byobu” (right) in Tokyo national museum

This is tense and modern painting. Only black and white depict trees daringly. Do you believe that it is 400 years old?

HASEGAWA Tohaku : important cultural property “Koboku enkoh zu” (right) in Ryozen-an

HASEGAWA Tohaku is the greatest Japanese painter, born in 1539. He started his career as a painter of Buddhist paintings. He had a strong rivalry with the mainstream, as he pursued his own style.

HASEGAWA Tohaku : important cultural property “U-ro zu byobu” (right) in Kawamura kinen museum

He learned Chinese ink-wash painting eagerly. Shorin-zu is his masterpiece using the ink-wash style, though, he had shown his ability in luxurious paintings. The delicate and elegant paintings are just beautiful.

HASEGAWA Tohaku : national tresure “Kaede-zu kabe haritsuke” (right) in Chishakuin

The special exhibition of HASEGAWA Tohaku commemorates the 400th anniversary of his death. It is the largest exhibition of HASEGAWA Tohaku and it contains 3 national treasures.

The exhibition is held in the Tokyo national museum and the Kyoto national museum. You can not understand Japanese painting without this exhibition!

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Cakes, macaroons, cookies, and chocolate…..Do you like sweets? Maybe many people will answer “yes”. So, do you want to be surrounded by such pretty sweets everyday? If your answer was “yes” again, you should pay attention this time much more than before!

Today, we’ll introduce you to “Sweets Deco.” This means “people decorate many things with pretty sweets.” Of course we don’t decorate with real sweets but the parts are made by resined clay and they look like real ones! The glue is silicone and this serves as whipped cream. Decoration artists make full use of those sweets parts, silicone whipped cream, and colored sauce to make wonderful sweets goods! They give many women a lot of dreams. Have you ever dreamed of living in the house made of sweets in “Hansel and Gretal” ? Although you can’t live in that house, you can spend happy days surrounded by many pretty sweets.

“Dolce Deco” is the website managed by Yukari Kumagai who is a sweets deco artist. They make and sell “sweets decoden”(=decorated cell phones), sweets straps, sweets keyrings, DSi/DS Lite covers, iPod covers, accessories cases, compact ashtrays, mirrors, necklaces, bracelets and so on. All of them are handmade. Her works are picked by many media and she appears in lots of Japanese TV shows and magazines too.
Decoden kits and some sweets parts are also sold at this website so you can make sweets deco goods by yourself!

Yukari Kumagai

*history
2005 When she lived in the U.S., she showed her sweets decorated works on her blog.
Models, actresses, and talent put on her macaroon straps and accessories as their favorite ones
2006 Dolce Deco set up as a web shop.

*media
Sweets decoden were shown on Fuji TV “Appare Sanma Shinkyoujyu.” It was the first time they were introduced in Japan.
Brand collaborated bags were showed in “Shibuya Tokyo Girls Collection”.
Appeared in “Himesama no corner” of TBS “Ousama no branch”.
Appeared on NHK “Tokyo Kawaii TV”.

*magazine
BRUTUS, Scawaii, Jelly, Decostyle and so on, American advertising agency Japanese culture of “Wise ＋ Kenedy”

*school
Opening of a sweets deco class in Ikebukuro Community College, school tour ship of Inc.
Lisow Education, LAFORE Harajuku Sendai, workshop in PARCO Niigara, Dolce Deco Nakameguro private school. Appeared as a lecture in a hobby show superintended Japan Hobby Society.

*plan and production
2009 Aug. Appeared in event plan of Inc.Johnson.
Sep. Appeared in event plan of scotch 3M.

2009 Dec. Disney Sweets Deco Book went on sale written by Yukari Kumatani and Miwa Tani.

(Written by Humi)

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Falling cherry blossom petals by Atelier Hitoshio.

Right-Peacocks in the clouds by Tomihiro dyeing factory. Left- Flowers in the Rinpa style by Tomihiro dyeing factory

Right- The dragon by Ohmi dyeing factory. Left- The wave by Ohmi dyeing factory

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The beautiful pictures may be art which must be framed and displayed on the wall……
No, they are washcloths called “Tenugui”!

Dyeing tenugui with a yuzen machine.

Dyeing yuzen tenugui by hand.

Dyeing tenugui by Chusen.

Humorous cat tenugui.

A person who can master tenugui is regarded as sophisticated in Japan. Why don’t you try a tenugui in your daily life?

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Academic Life Inc. released a series of framed Ukiyoe prints with an english description. The Ukiyoe are printed very finely and have a really neat layout with the description on a black board.

The Ukiyoe are replicated by woodblock artists with traditional handiwork. You can get the “genuine” Ukiyoe works. When you decorate the wall with this Ukiyoe, your home seems to become a museum.


Academic Life offers the prints of “KITAGAWA Utamaro”, “TOSHUSAI Sharaku”, “KATSUSHIKA Hokusai” and “UTAGAWA Hiroshige”, who are considered to be the four great painters in Japan.

You can get them in Daikanyama. There are many framed art, stationery and painting instruments in Academic life shop in Daikanyama. The aesthetic atmosphere of this shop will fulfills your intellectual curiosity.

URL: http://www.academiclife.co.jp/ (Japanese)
Size: 512mm x 382mm
Price: 39,900 Yen
Japanese description provided.

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