Colors Like Fluttering Butterflies
Right around the corner from where UH Garden attracts huge crowds, with no protection from the harsh Summer sun of Osaka, sits Michi Kawao (1981), now in her final year of Osaka University of Art.
Gross National Cool
According to an increasing number of believers, Japan’s days as an industrial powerhouse may well be on the wane, but its role as a global trendsetter is only now just getting started.
Beat Takeshi's Latest Movie
Director, actor and comedian Takeshi Kitano, aka Beat Takeshi, is in the midst of his latest project, which promises to be one of his best yet: his movie version of the story about master swordsman Zatoichi.
Ayumi Hamasaki's Figurines
Ayumi Hamasaki has been a top star for longer than many other J-pop artists. Most fade away after just a few seasons. Not Hamasaki.
Real Japanese Fashion
The 1995 earthquake that devastated Kobe and environs destroyed something inside fashion designer Takuya Sawada (1967) as well.
Tokyo Street Fashion
Over the past few years we have seen increasing numbers of American and European fashion designers, in-house designers, merchandisers, and so on coming to Tokyo because of their acute interest in what is happening here.
Romance on the Streets
Crescendo Time Lover is very easy to find on the streets of Osaka. Wherever they perform they tend to draw the largest crowds, even when nearby heavy metal bands all but drown them out.
Sex, Violence and Funny Jokes
The work of Japanese Illustrator Tsutomu Nagashima (1974), known on the streets as Keroman, at first seems disturbing and confusing.
100% Pure Osaka Street Funk
It is Sunday in front of Osaka Station. On top of a pedestrian overpass a bunch of orange-clad musicians are playing music as if their lives depend on it.
Fashion Hoax Fools People Worldwide
Thousands of people worldwide are being fooled by a clever fashion hoax which plays on people’s secret desires.
More Fun on the Computer
Hideki Itoh is not a street artist like the other artists that are introduced on these pages. He is obviously more matured, but his art is also not traditional street art.
Japanese Emoticons
Emoticons are everywhere these days. They are handy, cool, fun, and cute. Japan’s emoticons are super cool. They look like little manga and are preprogrammed into each and every mobile phone.
"I am Not an Artist..."
I discovered Sayaka Adachi (1977), or Chitchi, while I was taking Street Fashion photos in Osaka’s very trendy Horie district. Walking out of a park my eye got a glimpse of a huge painting hanging in a second floor gallery.
Apple Japan's Super Cute Momoko Kikuchi
Apple’s Switch commercials are adored by some, hated by others. But the people that love these ads, love them bad.
Kabaya Japanese Hero Collection
Japanese producers of sweets and candy often pack their goodies with little presents, so-called o-make. These o-make regularly become the one and only reason to buy the candy.
• Anime Collectibles
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• Japanese Women's Fashion
• Japanese Men's Fashion
• Visual Kei Type Fashion
• Kera Magazine
• Japanese Fashion Magazines
• Books on Japan
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