Take note, Japanophiles. Jonathan, the blogger and Japan textile enthusiast behind the blog Bandanna Almanac will be at Independence hosting an event showcasing exclusive items only available in Japan.
Jonathan lives in Osaka, where he’s extensively covered the craft, integrity and provenance behind Japan’s traditional textile culture. He’s schooled us on the topic and shown us how to hand-darn; he’s interviewed the father-son-duo behind the cult denim label Kapital and even collaborated with custom jeans makers extraordinaire Ooe Yofukuften to release the Albuquerque Project. In short, Jonathan knows what he’s talking about.
Shibui, which like many Japanese words has no direct English translation, is the concept of simple, subtle and unobtrusive beauty. It’s a kind of aesthetic beauty that needs time to reveal. So expect some gnarly, beat-up, one-of-a-kind stuff.
Shibui in Chicago takes place Saturday, July 20th at Independence Chicago, 47 E. Oak St.
As the latest proof of Mozilla's commitment to the philosophy of open source projects, the software company has applied the same collaborative, free information concept to its new office in Japan. After working with Nosigner to design an office complete with a special floor to conceal a network of cables, original light fixtures, and communal desks, Mozilla published the plans as a set of drawings anyone can download and use to recreate the office with the same inexpensive materials found in the original. Despite what look like extremely high quality working conditions, the new office is dubbed the "Mozilla Factory" [via Spoon Tamago]
Borrowing the form of vintage medium format models, the Sun & Cloud camera from Japan's SuperHeadz isn't meant for high definition shooting. Instead, it's designed for off-the-cuff photos, not unlike those in the style of Lomography. While there is a USB charging option, the camera has a solar panel on top, as well as a hand crank for off-the-grid power. To help make the most of the lo-fi sensor, the camera also comes equipped with 15 digital filters.
Thinking of taking the Sun & Cloud on summer vacation? Grab one at AC Gears.
Omote 3D Shashin Kan touts its pop-up store, which recently occupied a Gyre mall in Shibuya, Tokyo, as the first 3D family portrait scanner and 3D printer project. We liken the concept as much to a photobooth that spits out an action figure of yourself as the family photo portrait gallery. Either way, we could see 3D portrait figurine creation really taking off.
Omote 3D's three-step process requires the subject or family to pose for 15 minutes for 3D scanning, the creation of a model in software based on the scanned data, and finally the 3D printing of the miniature figurine in color.
Olan Mills, are you listening?
The Japanese housewares brand aeru is always looking for ways to make the lives of young families easier. Its latest product, a collaboration with the designers at Nosinger, is a line of handmade bowls that help young children learn how to eat on their own with fewer messy spills. The design is simple: starting with traditional Japanese flatware materials, a small ledge is built as a center ring in the bowl in order to help the eater-in-training push food back onto a utensil before taking a bite. According to Spoon-Tamago, the bowls come in three varieties: Yamanaka Lacquer, Ootani-yaki pottery, and Tobe-yaki porcelain, and depending on the materials, a set of three costs between $45 and $100.
This Japanese website ranks 880 mascots, many of which represent Japan's 47 prefectures as well as towns, festivals, and events. We wish we knew more. Why, for example, is number one a rather innocuous duck with a ship in his belt?