Jonelle Patrick's Blog, page 19
December 1, 2019
At The Mori Museum: 3D-Printed Sushi & Other Glimpses Of The Future
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The Mori Museum’s current exhibit, Future and the Arts: AI, Robotics, Cities, Life – How Humanity Will Live Tomorrow pushes all my favorite buttons: food, fashion & WTF!
It’s a satisfyingly huge show, with installations ranging from utopian plans that harness cutting-edge tech, to darker commentary on how we’ll use technology to evolve in a world that’s not entirely changing for the better.
Here are my favorites:
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This captivating concept (by the Dentsu team) is called “Sushi Singularity,” which imagines a machine that can 3D-print exquisite bites of food…
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…and structures them in new and exciting forms and textures (I mean if you’re putting together the building blocks anyway – why not? It’s like, Molecular Gastronomy 10.0!)
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They imagine a computer-driven design process that matches traditional flavors with new and exciting architectures, like (from left to right): Cell-cultured tuna, Powdered, sintered uni, Squid castle, Negative stiffness honeycomb octopus, Oze tick cucumber, Anisotropic stiffness steamed shrimp, Micro pillar eel, and (the final soup course) Dashi soup universe…
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The sushi would be assembled by a combination of 3D printing, laser carving…
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and vat-grown protein techniques…
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…to produce perfectly tasty bites on demand
They even made a promo video for “Sushi Singularity,” the sushi restaurant of the future!
But crazy food wasn’t the only thing artists have ideas about. Fashion and design took a page from the biology notebook too.
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These dresses are laser-cut designs based on systems of the body. From left to right, the lungs, the nervous system, ligaments & tendons (Artist: Amy Karle)
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And this stool was grown from…mushrooms (Artist: Klarenbeek & Dros)
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This elaborate Noh costume was woven entirely from silk made by genetically-altered silkworms, which produce fibers that glow in the dark (Artist: Another Farm)
This slightly creepier comment on global warming suggests genetic modifications to babies that would adapt future workers to function better in a world that’s much hotter than it is today.
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Called “Thermal Epidermalplasty” this piece posits that extra skin on the head might dissipate heat more efficiently (Artist: Agi Haines)
There are tons more thought-provoking and conversation-sparking pieces, but (how well you know me!) the one I spent the most time with was this towering 2001-ish monolith, with its hypnotic digital skin.
Go see this show, if you have a chance. Even at ¥1800 a pop, it’s worth it.
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Open: Every day, from November 19 (2019) – March 29 (2020)
Hours: 10:00 – 22:00
Admission: Adult – ¥1800; Student (High school-university) ¥1200; Child (4+) ¥600
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November 24, 2019
Where To See The Best Holiday Illuminations In Tokyo 2019!
The frenzy of building bigger, newer, better illuminations with which to charm shoppers during the holiday season has died back a bit in Tokyo, but there are still plenty of amazing free displays, if you know where to look! Here are my must-sees for 2019:
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New for 2019!
HIBIYA MIDTOWN
This is the first time I’ve seen Hibiya Midtown’s illuminations in action, and although I was a bit afraid that I was about to witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle tree…
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…when I came back at night, it totally won me over.
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At first it glitters and glows with blue-white criss-crossing ribbons…
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then colors begin to kindle within…
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until soon it’s pulsing with rainbow disco goodness
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And yes, you can go inside! Mysteriously space-themed planet videos move across suspended disks, and all I could think was that even though this isn’t part of the questionable Star Wars Xmas-themed weirdness in Marunouchi, it’s still as close to going to lightspeed in the Millennium Falcon as I’m likely to get
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The bare trees lining the surrounding walkways are decked out in sparkled finery too, and they change colors in time with the music and main tree show
Dates: November 14 – December 25
Hours: 17:00 – 24:00 (special shows every :15)
Admission: Free
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TOKYO DOME CITY
Tokyo Dome City’s odd summer-themed winter illuminations continue, with all-new light-up attractions.
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At the far end of the park, on the upper level, a color-changing Mt. Fuji and torii gates…
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make a popular backdrop for holiday photos
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Festival lanterns line the walkways this year
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And the bon-odori pavilion lights blink and flash when the taiko drum inside is played by passers-by
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The Tanabata trees in the long reflecting pond are a bit of a disappointment after last year’s spectacular fireworks-themed installation, but they’re still pretty
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And the brightest new piece is a color-changing cherry tree in full bloom, over near the carousel
November 13 – February 26
16:00 – 24:00
Admission: Free
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SHIODOME CARETTA
Even though Shiodome Caretta is still in thrall to the Disney machine, its “Arabian Nights” themed holiday show this year is more delightful than usual, setting the flashing and sparkling to tunes from “Aladdin”
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It starts with the usual blue candelabra and tree-shaped tent, but already the colors are way beyond insipid
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Before the show starts, you can sneak in and try to make a wish on The Lamp
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And once the music gets going, and the genie is conjured with smoke and lights, it’s non-stop eye candy
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Crazy colors…
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and lots of different light-up elements…
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dance around individually…
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in time to the music…
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so the show feels like it’s going somewhere, not just blinking and flashing
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I loved how they really mixed and matched the colors this time…
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and got way more sophisticated with using the color-changing LEDs to good advantage
Dates: November 14 – February 14 (closed January 1-2)
Hours: 17:00 – 23:00 (18:00 – 23:00 after January 1)
Admission: Free
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TOKYO MIDTOWN
This year’s Starlight Garden is, basically, Last Year 2.0, with the addition of a light-up tower. The same lollipop glow balls, bubbles and synchronized light show fill the big lawn near DesignSight 21/21
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Even the second time around, not a disappointment
Dates: November 26 – December 25
Hours: 17:00 – 23:00
Admission: Free
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SHIBUYA “BLUE CAVERN”
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This is actually far better than I thought it would be – they cover the street with some sort of shiny surface, so the effect of the blue lights is doubled in the reflection. And the tunnel of blue trees is surprisingly long, so even if there are mobs of people there, it’s still spectacular
Where: Shibuya Koen Dori Street to Yoyogi Park Keyaki Namiki (about 800 m)
Dates: November 29 – December 31 (although the lights on Shibuya Koen Dori stay up until January 16)
Hours: 17:00 – 22:00
Admission: Free
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EBISU GARDEN PLACE
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They finally updated this classic date stroll with colored lights on the main tree
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And added some festive blue glow that splashes onto other bits and pieces around Ebisu Garden Place
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I’m also happy to report that the elegant (but, let’s face it, kinda boring) jumbo Baccarat chandelier is now lit up in colors…
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that change in a pleasingly mesmerizing way
Dates: November 3 – February 13
Hours: 16:00 – 24:00
Admission: Free
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MEGURO RIVER “MINNA NO ILLUMINATION”
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There are a lot of “streets lined with trees lit up with fairy lights” around Tokyo, but this one is the best, because the lights are doubled by the reflection in the Meguro River
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Plus, there are a lot of little bridges that criss-cross it, making for nice pix
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As a bonus, there is this stretch of walkway near the Osaki end of the illuminations, where it turns into a tunnel of pink stars
The 2.2 kilometer stretch along the Meguro River between JR Gotanda Station and JR Osaki Station is lit up with 420,000 pink lights for your strolling pleasure. It’s about a 5 minute walk from either station to the river.
Dates: November 8 – January 5
Hours: 17:00-22:00
Admission: Free
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ROPPONGI HILLS
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Here’s what Keyakizaka Street by Roppongi Hills looks like most of the time: a mix of “Snow & Blue”
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But for ten minutes, every half hour, it switches to “Candle & Amber”
Over at Roppongi Hills, the display of lights on Keyakizaka-dori hasn’t changed (still instabae). The best place to see the promenade (and get a view of Tokyo Tower) is from the bridge over the street by the Louis Vuitton store. It changes from “Snow & Blue” to “Candle & Amber” at 00:00 and 00:30
Dates: November 10 – December 25
Hours: 17:00 – 23:00
Admission: Free
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SHINJUKU SOUTHERN TERRACE
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Shinjuku Southern Terrace hasn’t changed their display for a while – it’s a pleasantly festive walk, but none too exciting
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Same with Mosaic Street, except the lights are pink
Dates: November 5 – February 14
Hours: 17:00 – 24:00
Admission: Free
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• Destination Illuminations •
And if you really want to see acres of lights, get out of town to these two amazing light-up extravaganzas:
YOMIURILAND
The Yomiuriland illuminations have a new theme this year: Jewelry Olympus, and it looks like they’ve kept the basic Jewellumination foundation and reprogrammed the lights to reflect “courts” of the twelve main Olympic gods.
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This is the “Artemis’s Court” area
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As you can see, everything in the park is lit to the eyeballs
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The tunnel o’ lights is more dramatic than ever – you feel like you’re in the midst of a spinning galaxy as you walk through
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Zeus’s court is a landscape of color-changing LEDs that pulse and change all around…
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…the Matterhorn-like mountain
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And the latest dancing fountain shows are spectacular
Getting to Yomiuriland is a bit of a pain, but it’s really worth it! It takes hours to see all the twinkly bits, and the quality does not disappoint. No surface or growing thing is left un-sparkled, and even if you don’t go on a single ride, it’s fun to see it all.
Dates: October 11 – February 17
Open: Every day except for these holidays: Jan 1, Jan 15-17, Jan 21-24
Hours: 16:00 – 22:00*
Admission: You can go see the illuminations with a special Night Entrance Fee that starts at 16:00 and includes a free pass for all the attractions: Adults(18-64) ¥1400; Middle and high school students ¥600; Children ¥300 (under 3 are free); Senior(65+) ¥600
*Check their English web page here for other prices and hours, because sometimes they’re open later
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ILLUMILLIONS THEME PARK
This park seems like it’s gotten less thrilling over time, but if you haven’t been, it’s still a fun place to walk around and get your fill of LED goodness
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The undersea-themed parts of the park are unchanged, but still worth seeing if you haven’t been before
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The big valley is a sea of lights dotted with color-changing globes
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And you can climb a gentle hill between rows of “cherry trees” all decked out in pink and white lights…
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…to a pavilion where the Grand Pooh-bah of all cherry trees cycles through pink and white and gold
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They always have some incidental lit-up pieces, like this Xmas tree, which are great for taking snaps
This place is a bit of a trek from Tokyo (it takes about an hour by train from Shinjuku Station, then a short bus ride). Tips & tricks for getting there are here, and be sure to dress warmly because it gets hella cold up on the side of the hill.
Dates: November 2 – April 5 (open every day until January 8, closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays from Jan 8 – Mar 12)
Hours: 16:00 – 21:00 (last admission 30 minutes before closing time)
Admission: ¥1000
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November 20, 2019
The Shrine Maiden Vending Machine
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Are ya feelin’ lucky? Because this vending machine dispenses fortunes, just like the ones you can buy at Japanese shrines! But that’s not all – it’s delivered by a little animatronic shrine maiden, who fetches if from the inner precincts and deposits it in the offering box for your future-divining pleasure.
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Color-changing lights flash and traditional music plays as your coins drop home, then the shrine doors open and this little beauty whirls around to head inside for your fortune. When she comes back out, she tips her tray into the box at the front, and your future tumbles down to the opening below
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However, if you get one as snarkily unlucky as mine…
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…you might want to tie it onto the handy vending machine rope and leave it behind!
If you’d like to visit the shrine maiden vending machine the next time you’re in Tokyo, there’s a map on the curated Yanaka walking tour on my other blog, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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November 17, 2019
Where To See The Best Autumn Leaves In Tokyo…Lit Up At Night!
The hot new trend of holiday illuminations in Tokyo has spread to the gardens and parks, with more and more lighting up their naturally spectacular autumn leaves and opening for special evening viewing! Here are my current favorites:
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SHOWA KINEN PARK near Tachikawa Station
There are two areas lit up at night:
1: The grand ginkgo alley
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These aren’t the much-instagrammed ones near the Tachikawa Gate, they’re a far taller and grander promenade near the West Tachikawa Gate
They even do a dramatic light show!
They do this every :00 (and possibly more often – I saw this at 6:00, but there was no schedule posted of other times they do this. I’m suspecting it’s every :15)
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And after you make it through the long tunnel, you can indulge in a quintessentially Japanese autumn snack: a freshly roasted sweet potato
2: The Japanese garden & pond
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On a still night, the teahouse looks pretty great from across the pond
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You get double the changing leaves color for your money, with the reflections
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Crossing the long cedar bridge
Evening light-up dates: November 2 – 24 and November 29 – December 1 (2019)
Hours: 17:00 – 21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Admission: ¥610 (regular admission ticket plus ¥160 evening hours addition*)
*You can enter at any time during the day with a regular ticket, but if you didn’t buy the inclusive ¥610 ticket when you arrived, you’ll have to pay the extra ¥160 before entering any of the lit-up areas after 4:30. If you bought the ¥610 inclusive ticket, you’ll be asked to show it at the entrance of the lit-up areas.
Transportation note: The only gate open after 17:00 is the Nishi-tachikawa Gate, near Nishi-tachikawa Station. Even if you came in during the day by the Tachikawa Gate, you have to leave by the other one. They also strictly control the route in the park after dark, roping off all but the approved walkways, and stationing park personnel at every turn, so abandon any ideas you might have about taking shortcuts!
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RIKUGI-EN GARDEN near Komagome Station
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From the moment you walk through the gate…
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…and catch a glimpse of my favorite bridge, all fancy for the holidays…
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…and stroll around the big pond all lit up…
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…everywhere you look…
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…trees are lit up for your viewing pleasure
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But the best reason to come…
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…is to gobble up a tasty stick of miso-sauced rice balls!
Evening light-up dates: November 20 – December 12 (2019)
Hours: 17:00 – 21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Admission: ¥300
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MEJIRO GARDEN near Mejiro Station
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I just discovered this jewel of a garden
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And they do a night light-up that will be well worth seeing (photo thanks to Tokyo Weekender)
Night light-up dates: November 23 – December 1 (2019)
Hours: 17:30 – 21:00
Admission: Free
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KAWAGUCHI-KO near Mt. Fuji
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There’s still time to catch the lit-up leaves at Lake Kawaguchi, the easiest of Mt. Fuji’s five lakes to get to from Tokyo
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The evening stroll is well worth the trip
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The trees totally look like they’re on fire, and the leaves are much more vivid than they are in Tokyo
Night light-up dates: November 1 – November 23 (2019)
Hours: 17:30 – 22:00
Admission: Free
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November 15, 2019
Killer Chrysanthemums 2019
It’s that time of year again, when the chrysanthemum wranglers of Tokyo liberate their flower-of-choice from ragtag funeral bouquets and show the world they can hold their own with far more glamorous blooms!
Here’s what’s new for 2019:
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It’s hard to argue that this isn’t the must-see chrysanthemum diorama every year. These kiku ningyo (sacred chrysanthemum dolls) are sculpted from living plants, and every day they bloom a little more brightly
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The Yushima Shrine has an unfair advantage, in that it’s gorgeous even without its fancy on, and during chrysanthemum season, its architecture provides the perfect frame for the traditional styles of flower training
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Chrysanthemum season would not be complete without a floral calligraphy “Reiwa,” which is the name of the new imperial era that started when the new emperor ascended the – yes, it’s really called the – Chrysanthemum Throne this year
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There are also some smaller displays of sculpted plants, in the shape of pagodas and daruma figures & such
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…as well as the usual umbrellas o’ flower goodness and perfect fluffy flower bombs on a stick
The rest of the displays at the Yushima Shrine are here: Where To See The Best Chrysanthemums In Tokyo
Dates: November 1-23
Admission: Free
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It’s worth the trip out to Chofu, just to see the cartload of fox tails
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But of course they also have perfect specimens of all the usual kinds…
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…and the full complement of pagodas & Elvis pompadours…
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…as well as an odd category, which is cascades of blooms in the shape of Shizuoka Prefecture
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WHY
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Jindai also has a robust collection of bonsai landscapes (I especially love this one, which features Mt. Fuji and the pirate ships that ply the waters of Lake Ashinoko)
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There’s a special category of rather large bonsai landscapes represented too, like this one with vintage toy castles and temples
Dates: October 25 – November 17th (2019)
Admission: Adults: ¥500, Children: ¥250
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HIBIYA PARK
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Hibiya Park has lots of every kind of chrysanthemum you can imagine, but the thing not to miss here is the various bonsai categories
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These Xmas-tree-shaped ones come in every color
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But there are lots of other styles too, including ones that have been trained to look like trees clinging to rustic cliff faces…
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And miniature landscapes, where chrysanthemums are king
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Of course, they have the usual perfect examples of unusual types and colors
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…including these, which are the tallest freaking chrysanthemums I’ve ever seen (oyaji for scale)
Dates: November 1-23
Admission: Free
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If you’d like to see ALL my favorite places to ogle chrysanthemums in Tokyo, hop over to Where To See the Best Chrysanthemums in Tokyo
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November 13, 2019
Stars Wars X Christmas Mash-up NOOOOOO
Wishing that tagline was “My Precioussss…For You” since That Other Cult Franchise at least features some elves
I love chocolate. And I love mushrooms. But not together. Which is why, even if these displays hadn’t reared their blatantly commercial heads on the freakin’ day after Halloween, it will always be #toosoon for this logo-bedizened Star Wars X Christmas mash-up.
I mean, except for the tannenbaum-ish shape, I think you’ll agree that there is nothing remotely Christmassy about this sound and light extravaganza. (Earbuds recommended, since no decibels were spared in producing the Dark Side/Light Side medley o’ not-carols.)
Spoilers:
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The Dark Side makes a festive appearance at 1:30
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And the epic battle between good & evil (that perennial Christmas theme) begins around 2:04
You might think I’d be a little more tolerant, considering this is the land that dishes up blue poinsettias, Christmas hats from hell, and decidedly weird takes on Santa Claus, but this multi-venue movie ad* would be pushing my what-the-whating-what buttons no matter where I was.
And it gets worse – the themed and logo-emblazoned decorations don’t end with the light saber tree.
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Displays supposedly inspired by each movie in the Star Wars franchise are scattered throughout buildings near this alley of lit-up street trees near Tokyo Station. They aren’t even redeemed by the surrounding illuminations, since ones in Marunouchi are too ho-hum for anyone to go out of their way for, unless they’re bridal couples timing wedding shots between the traffic lights
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I had slight hopes for this display, because the publicity shots showed R2D2 levitating all those presents, but there were no signs of gravity being defeated while I stood there expectantly
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Even though this snowflake features crystalline motifs of C3PO, Yoda, and the Millennium Falcon…
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…and this odd reading room is supposed to conjure the spirit of neo-Jedi Rei, they had to slap the logo front and center everywhere, or we’d never have guessed
Fortunately for us all, the REAL Tokyo Illuminations are starting up this week, and as soon as enough of them rev up their engines, I’ll be posting the new crop here, for your ultimate holiday lights fix!
*It’s no coincidence that Episode Nine comes out in December 2019, and in case you still don’t think this is a giant paid publicity grab, there’s a sprawling Star Wars merch store right next to the light saber tree for your branded gift-buying pleasure ARG.
If you must go see the Marunouchi Star Wars displays, they’ll be up until December 25 (2019)
The lightsaber Xmas tree light & sound show plays from 17:00 – 21:00, every fifteen minutes at :00, :15, :30 and :45
Here’s a map of where they are:
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This map is posted all over the place in Marunouchi too
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November 8, 2019
One Fried Noodle Sandwich, Please
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From the land that junk food shame forgot, this. A yakisoba sandwich is basically the Japanese equivalent of cold pizza for breakfast, on a bun. This is what frugal Japanese fry up for breakfast if one of their fridge leftovers happens to be noodles, so it was rare to find this homely item for sale at a little bakery near Tawaramachi Station.
Mind you, it took me a while to decide whether to buy this, or the equally weird “Napolitan” spaghetti sandwich right next to it.
*Those of you who know what “Napolitan” is will already be laughing/shuddering, but if you’ve never had the dubious pleasure, it’s a beloved Japanese version of the Italian pasta classic, made with ketchup instead of anything remotely resembling Italian spaghetti sauce.
If you’d like to nab one of these treasures for yourself (and see some killer fake food model stores, while you’re at it), here’s where to find them:
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November 4, 2019
The Most Beautiful Autumn Leaves In Japan
Last fall on this exact day, I was ogling some of the most gorgeous autumn leaves in Japan, and I’ve been WAITING for the season to roll around again, so I can show you!
All these places are within shouting distance of Tokyo, but while the leaves are still maddeningly green in the city, they’re already all colors of glorious, just a few hours away.
First stop: Suwa City in Nagano prefecture
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The very best leaves were at a place discovered by accident! Riding through a totally ordinary neighborhood in Suwa City, we turned a corner, and suddenly…CASTLE
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And not just a castle. Across the moat and through the gate…
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THIS
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Takashima Castle’s garden was aglow in every color of autumn leaf imaginable, and it checked every single Japanese garden box: artfully-placed boulders, mirror-like reflecting pond, stone lanterns and picturesque bridges galore…
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murmuring waterfalls…
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And my favorite features: we had the place entirely to ourselves…
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and it was FREE!
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Next stop: the venerable Suwa Taisha Shrine, which is actually spread over four different locations around the lake. This one is called (quite appropriately) the Autumn Shrine
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The Japanese maple leaves were at that exquisite state of changing that looks like the whole landscape was painted with the Photoshop gradient tool, shading from yellow to red in this-has-to-be-fake-but-it’s-not beauteousness
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The leaves greeted us as we crossed the stone bridge to the entrance…
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and gave us a grand finale fireworks send-off as we stopped to admire the garden on our way out
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And in between, this fabulous shrine building, with my favorite kind of super-chonky sacred rice straw rope over the entrance
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Dunno why I’m so fascinated by these fat bois, but I really love them (and took about a thousand pictures of this, from every possible angle, so give thanks that my feeble leaf-dazzled brain’s editing functions are slightly stronger than my shutter finger)
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Because otherwise you’d be tired of looking at these photos before I showed you the shrine’s awesome purification spring, which spouts steamy hot spring water instead of the usual chilly offering, and gives the distinct impression that firebreathing dragons have been harnessed for the greater good
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And these sacred logs, which are ridden down the mountainside by intrepid locals every six years, at the Obashira festival, one of the most dangerous events in all of Japan. Ever since the eighth century – when the shrine was founded – four huge trees are felled and ridden down the mountain to each of the four locations of the Suwa Taisho shrine. Excellent photos and details at Kuriositas here, if you’d see what it’s like to REALLY live dangerously
And if that isn’t enough to get you on the train to Suwa City right now, it’s also home to Masumi, my favorite sake brewery, where they not only produce such fine sake that it’s paired with cuisine at fancy restaurants all over the world, every year they do a special bottling with killer label art.
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A visit to their tasting room after a hard day of leaf-viewing is just what the doctor ordered, and you can actually learn what qualities you most like in a sake by seeing where your favorite falls on the fruity-to-dry spectrum
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And see how the illustration wraps around the box for the special artist label variety? Kinda makes you want to buy three, doesn’t it? NOT THAT WE KNOW ANYBODY WHO WOULD DO THAT
Getting there: Suwa City can be reached in just over two hours by riding the Chuo Line Azusa from Shinjuku to Kamisuwa Station
Next stop: Tateshina also in Nagano prefecture
This is the closest place to Tokyo for fall leaves in all their wild glory, untamed by gardener’s hands (yet somehow still impossibly picturesque!)
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The test of true leaf devotion is to get to this famous mirror pond at six in the morning, to see its surface unruffled by any breeze or obscured by mist. We arrived at 5:55, and managed to snap about five photos before the clouds began to roll in. The cars that wheeled up at 6:10 were treated to a view of pea soup so thick you couldn’t see those trees on the far side (>
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But the clouds only made the surrounding landscape more beautiful
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The way the brilliant autumn leaves fade into the magical mist takes my breath away every time
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But early birds don’t have all the fun – right in the middle of Tateshina town is a lake surrounded by walking paths, and this is where everyone’s dream of an ideal stroll among the autumn leaves comes true
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The walkways meander alongside a stream that feeds the lake
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…delivering can’t-believe-it’s-true color around every bend
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…with curtains of yellow and orange and red all around
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I felt totally surrounded by autumnal princess robes
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…and had to stop to marvel at the sheer perfection,
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It’s an autumn landscape so vast and perfect, I spent hours here, just wallowing in its beauties
Getting there: The bullet train from Tokyo Station to Sakudaira Station takes about an hour and a half
And finally: Lake Kawaguchi near Mt. Fuji
In less than two hours by train, you can be basking in these amazing autumn leaves in the town bordering Kawaguchi-ko, the easiest Mt. Fuji area lake to get to.
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The famous mountain holds court to trees dressed in fall finery during the day…
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…but it’s seeing the leaves lit up at night that makes it so worth the trip
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All the trees lining the main thoroughfare are spotlit from sundown on
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It’s a fine evening walk along the paths
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…stopping to admire the occasional lantern along the way
Getting there: The JR Chuo Line Azusa takes about an hour to get from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki Station, where you transfer to the Fujikyu Railway Line, and ride another scenic hour to Kawaguchiko Station
And one more…Ryuzu Falls in Nikko
I hesitate to include this one, because even though it’s gorgeous, it’s not worth an entire trip from Tokyo, but if you’re already in the Nikko area franting about the Toshogu Shrine and such, take the bus bound for Yumoto Onsen from the Nikko train station, and get off at the “Ryuzu no taki” bus stop to see this:
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It’s pretty spectacular, but all you can do is look at it and take pictures from the very extensive souvenir & snack stand
If you’re like me, and love the leaves but hate the crowds, take a peek at how to avoid masses of people and peak season prices, while still managing to snap way too many colored leaf pix in Japan!
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November 1, 2019
Smart Illumination Yokohama 2019: WOW
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This year, there were fewer artworks at the Yokohama Smart Illuminations, but the ones on exhibit were SO worth seeing! Or – more accurately – worth DOING. Because this year the participation element was front and center, and quite a few of them required serious athletic juice from the audience to power them.
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When I first arrived, this giant bespangled egg was just being brought online. It was completely dark until one of the techs climbed onto one of the the spin cycles set around it in a semi-circle, and began pedaling
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As more people hopped onto the bikes, more elements in the egg began to light up
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I tested it by trying different bikes, and sure enough, each one controlled a different effect. The art constantly changed as people got winded and left, then others took their places (Artist: Mirror Bowler)
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The building projection this year also rewarded movement – standing behind a light bar on the ground and dancing/jumping/waving projected a capering outline onto the nearby tower (Artist: Mitsuru Takeuchi)
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And this “pump room” pitted four participants against each other, trying to be the first to raise the glowing liquid in their tube to the top (Artists: Daisuke Matsumoto + Hisashi Harada)
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This installation lets participants see the paths their glowing lightsticks are making in real time. See the screen in front of them, where their movements are being projected?
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Here’s what the set-up looks like from the side
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This one might have been designed for audience participation at first, but watching the artist launch the balls four at a time in a way that their increasingly complex motion didn’t result in any collisions requires such split-second timing that ordinary folks would have been able to launch about five before it all got derailed. It was super-mesmerizing to watch, though! (Artist: Shun Onozawa)
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And if you have kids, abandon hope all ye who enter here
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Through this rainbow tunnel…
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is a maze filled with kid-sized lit-up delights…
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…they’re going to make you run around to the end of the line again and again, all night long
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So you’d better walk around the other parts looking for the man in the lighted priest robes first (Artist: Junichi Kusaka)
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Even the walk from the subway station is entertaining – the lanterns brightening this promenade winked and shone in an ever-changing pattern, while animated ukiyo-e prints flickered on the adjacent screens
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…and koi swam languidly across a parking lot pool
Tokyo friends: there’s still lots of time to see all the Smart Illuminations, so (how did you know I was going to say this) GO.
Where: Zou-no-hana Park, Yokohama (Nihon-odori Station)
Dates: November 1-4, 2019
Hours: 17:30 – 21:30
Admission: Free
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October 28, 2019
Insanely Detailed Sculptures Made From Japanese Snack Packages
Generations of small boys have fantasized about becoming mighty cyborgs while scarfing Bisco cookies
From the nation of insane Japanese modelmakers, this.
The artist known as “Karabako Shokunin Harukiru” (That’s “Empty Box Craftsman Harukiru” to you), snips and folds and glues the unlikely medium of Japanese snack food boxes into unbelievably intricate sculptures, and right now there’s a killer exhibit of his work at the Ikebukuro PARCO museum.
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Mad X-acto skillz, am I right or am I right?
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From legendary Japanese swordsmen (who undoubtedly would have been delighted to inhale a bowl of instant noodles after hacking their way through their enemies)…
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…to knights in shining whisky armor
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…this guy knows how to put anything on a Ritz
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He can even make horrid diet bars look appealing (And can we just stop for a moment to admire how he made the face by cutting out sections of the box instead of gluing something on?)
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Harukiru brings the graphics on the packages to life by constructing little scenes that look like what might go on behind closed cupboard doors
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His animation of familiar logos is delightful
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And he didn’t confine himself to using just the outside of the pack – see that shiny drum head? That’s snipped from the wrapper that keeps the koala cookies fresh in the Land Of Crushing Humidity
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And look how he put the barcode to work as a piano keyboard!
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But Harukiru’s not just a cut and paste man – check out the movement he coaxes out of that stiff cardboard packaging. You can see the influence of the modern school of origami that uses artfully crumpled surfaces to bring nuanced gesture to what used to be strictly a stiff, angular art form
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You can see it even better here, in his quintet of dancing Pringles dudes
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Up close, even better. There’s a video of him making this one, and I only planned to watch for five seconds, but I was still totally standing there, openmouthed, five minutes later. He’s that good
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And how the heckin’ heck did he make THIS from just a styrofoam cup and foil seal?
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Last but not least, a shout-out to the curator – the exhibit design is great too. The single items are beautifully lit on pedestals or recessed “windows” without glass, and a few are tucked into life-sized dioramas like this or spotlit in changing colors to throw their shadows against the wall
And if seeing all these snack boxes makes you hungry, you can buy the real thing at the exhibit shop on your way out. Or if you’re a madman, and this inspires you to try making these on your own, there’s a how-to book for sale too!
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All the modelmakers on my list are getting this for Xmas
One more thing I really admire about this artist: his work first became famous on Twitter, and he utterly understands that MORE people will come see his work if visitors upload pix and tell others how great the show is, instead of prohibiting photo snapping. Photography is not only encouraged, there’s even a hashtag! This is it: ＃空箱職人はるきる
If you want to follow Harukiru on Twitter, he’s @02ESyRaez4VhR2l
There’s still plenty of time to see “A Fantasy World Made From Snack Boxes,” so put Ikebukuro on your list for this weekend or you’ll have REGRETS
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Where: Ikebukuro Parco Museum, Minamiikebukuro, 1-28-2 (Go out the East Exit of Ikebukuro station, and turn left at the top of the steps. Go into the PARCO and up to the seventh floor)
Hours: 10:00 – 21:00 p.m. (final admission at 20:30)
Admission: ¥800 yen (high school and up); ¥500 yen (elementary/junior high); Younger children free
If you’d like to wander the neighborhood after you finish ogling the snack sculptures, my favorite stuff to do in Ikebukuro is on my other website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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