Kokeshi book 2nd edition

Just another quick book plug again, the second edition of my book Kokeshi, from Tohoku with Love will be out in about a month. You can preorder it here,
but again, if you can, get it at Kinokuniya, they have shops all over the world, for photography, art, illustration and graphic design books, it is truly fantastic.
The first edition is a charity book and it is nearly sold out (a few boxes if that) I am super grateful to everyone who bought it.
The second edition is not a new book, but it is larger, around 50 more photos, 240 pages, more profiles, more pages, hardcover, stitched back, larger format and very high grade paper from sustainable sources. There are over 250 photos of kokeshi in the book.
If you like cute stuff, rural travel, artisan made items, or Japanese culture, please pick it up!
Kokeshi dolls are an old school kind of cute, but some of the artisans really make OTT kawaii styles now to fit with contemporary clientele -- there is a kokeshi boom at the moment with young, creative type females, and galleries like PARCO and Claska held kokeshi shows recently, and there are a bunch of events in Koenji periodically as well.  Many of my interviewees for the Kawaii, Japan's Culture of Cute mentioned them in their interviews as having the same aesthetic sensibilities as contemporary kawaii design.

15 things happening in Japan

In episode #1000000 of  where my work ends up, I have no idea, I recently saw that one of my articles on kawaii for the Wall Stret Journal online is in a book called "15 things happening in Japan" and is used to teach students English (!). If you have actually met me and heard me speaking in my native tongue,  Astrayan, you will probably find this totally hilarious. They used one of Takuya Angel's photos on the cover-- most people who are familiar with Japanese subcultures know his fashion, but actually, he gives really good interviews and he also lectures at fashion schools. I know he gets a lot of press overseas, but I really do reccomend talking to him as well.
 Anyways, they have printed a bunch of WSJ articles that focus on contemporary Japan, and it's actually quite interesting.

 

check them out*
5 things you didnt know about kawaii
Uniqlo Finds WEalth of Data in Bangladesh Not-For-Profit venture
When the B List is Best
Harvard Degree: The political economy of Kumamon
Saving Fukuoka's street food
A Japanese artist Finds New Life After the Quake.
Fictional Japanese TV Banker takes Double the payback
As Sentiment Improves, Red Lipstick bakc in Vogue
Japan's Aging Female criminals?
Cult Tv Travelogue lets you share Wednesday's Ride
Want to cosplay? lose that sword
Fukushima Watch : Who wrote the NEw Anti-Nuke Novel
For Some, Scented Fabric Softeners No laughing matter
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics,  a turning point for Japan
New Valentine's day in Japan: No Men

Kimono Now

Quick plug for my next book, Kimono Now, it is out in the UK and the rest of the world soon. The outlook is very contemporary, and should appeal to the people who also liked the kawaii book. 

Check it out! 

kawaii in the sky!

Did a short 2 page spread for Jetstar's inflight magazine, really cute layout and cover!

The panda bus you can see in downtown Tokyo, which is more known for traditional crafts than hyper colored kitsch, but there is a panda in Ueno zoo so there is SO much panda related kawaii stuff there.  

It takes you around the Asakusa area, check it out! 

thanks so much kimberley and anne as always xxxx

...I should add that pandas are not from Japan --check out Chengdu if you want to see real pandas:)

BranD Magazine

Did an interview about a year ago with a Hong Kong journalist for collectable design mag BranD. I didn't think it would eventuate as it was so long ago, so I kind of forgot about it. But, I am really, happy that it has been included in their current Brand Positivity issue, I actually cant think of a better way to describe kawaii culture.  This magazine is gorgeously designed, and I have several of the publishing houses (sendpoints) books as well, I have even had people introduce me to their books (like, "have you seen this book?")  in places like Vienna!
Thanks so much Sophia for dropping me a line, it is really appreciated m(_  _)m
This is a spread from their mag:

Kimono Now book

Just a quick photo post to plug my next book, Kimono Now. It looks at contemporary kimono culture, and the makers, designers, artists and fans who are part of the dynamic world of kimonos today. I think it is common knowledge that the makers and artisans are having a difficult time now, and the industry is extremely tough at the moment, but at the same time, there are a number of hugely talented people putting their efforts in to keep this culture alive. 

It should also appeal to the people who liked Kawaii, Japan's Culture of Cute. I have sections on kimonos in manga, street fashion, cosplay, and profiles with some really interesting and experimental visionaries who are making kimonos to appeal to certain subcultures from punk to goth. 

It wont look anything like the 80s English language kimonos books that are out there, the photos are gorgeous, it is a real eye candy, coffee table book. Also some of the Harajuku models appear again, Kumamiki, Kurebayashi, Rin Rin and new face Kaoru. A lot of people dont realise that Harajuku is also hugely important in kimono culture as well, and many of the contemporary designers/ shop owners/ makers were once street fashion kids in harajuku playing around with vintage kimonos, and this is happening again now, a couple of the aforementioned models are designing yukata as well. 

Kimonos are a national and ceremonial dress, but they are also a kind of fashion and living culture...and also a lot of fun. 

Itll be out fairly soon...actually UK get it first it seems, it should be out in the next 2 weeks or so. 

Some outtakes:

get lost magazine & kimono dogs

Wrote an article for ozzie travel magazine Get Lost on Asakusa culture, (the topic of an upcoming book Im making as well) if you see it, check it out. It has some photos that we took for the kawaii book, from one of the kimono shoots that we shot at Taito ryokan of model Takako. Also, all the decorations are also made from kimono fabric too, it is a common hobby for Japanese people to patchwork these bits and pieces together into collages, toys,  interior goods, and so on.
thank you Catherine! It looks really cool!

 Speaking of kimonos, I typed in "kimono" to search for these photos on my harddrive, and these dog ones came out of the woodwork…they have nothing to do with anything, but I think the readers of this blog will probably dig them. So here you go.

They were taken first week of the 2012, when almost everyone in Japan goes to pray for a lovely new year, traditionally in kimonos. It sounds religious, but Japanese people go to temples, shrines and festivals for aesthetic and cultural purposes ...or just to doll up in a cute kimonos, or dress their dogs up, apparently.   I don't actually know anyone who claims to be Buddhist or even know that much about Shintoism, but festivals are a huge part of having fun in Japan, especially in summer. 
I can't imagine how ridiculous my mongrel mutts would look in this, but these guys looked so great!

Anyways, I also wrote about shooting the kintaro ame shop for Get Lost, which we also feature in the kawaii book. Kintaro ame are these super sweet, candy rolls, which are assembled in parts which are rolled together. Then they form this long tube, and when cut, it produces a face inside. If that description is puzzling, the photos below might help.
Kintaro Ame are the most famous motif, but they also make a plethora of really cute traditional animals and folkloric figures.

parts:

satcked together

rolled out

extremely rolled out

cut

this is kintaro's face. I should add Kintaro is a folkloric character.