#daikanyama

#daikanyama

The New Museum Store has reopened and is now more than twice its previous size, featuring artist-collaboration pieces and unique products like bodega-themed charms and specialty chocolates.

This was no accidental clash of shoulders in a crowded place, but one of the most visible examples of a spate of butsukari otoko bumping man shoving incidents in Japan that experts attribute to a combination of gender dynamics and the stresses of modern life.

Seongsu-dong is Seoul's creative hub, where old warehouses and factories have been transformed into design studios, cafés, and showrooms. Often referred to as 'the Brooklyn of Seoul,' the industrial infrastructure, pop-up scene, and design-led façades make it a photo-friendly destination favored by many design-loving visitors.

The flagship store of XiaoZhuo, located in a historic 1930s garden house, showcases a design that harmonizes with its lush surroundings and seasonal changes.

Monologue A Walker in Time's Soliloquy originates from a speculative narrative imagining that the Earth has undergone a reset. The project begins with a simple question: if an ancient civilization once existed before this reset, and a monastery had been built within that forgotten world, what architectural form might it have taken?

And while the convenience and amenities of a hotel stay may be tempting, renting an Airbnb just off the beaten path is an even better way to experience the city like a local. The bustling capital encompasses a dynamic mix of cultural sights, impressive culinary experiences, and globally-renowned shopping landmarks-from the vibrant Harajuku district to the Edo-era Senso-ji Temple-that make it one of the most bucket-listed travel destinations in the world.

Pizza toast is a throwback snack popularized in Japan's classic kissaten coffee shops. The first kissaten to serve pizza toast - milk bread topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and pizza toppings, toasted until the cheese is melted and bubbling - is reportedly Cafe Benisica in Tokyo, in 1964, which is still operating. The key to this version is to first make toasty garlic bread, and I use marinara instead of the yoshoku ("Western-style food") tradition of making a ketchup-based tomato sauce.

The restaurant group behind Goodman, Beast, Pinna, Chelsea Grill and Wild Tavern, has added a Japanese izakaya to its roster with the opening of Wild Izakaya in the City. Inspired by the establishments found all over Tokyo, Wild Izakaya features an open kitchen with counter seating, larger tables for groups, classic Japanese films on a projector, and a drinks list including Japanese beers, sake and cocktails.

Designed by Michael Kritzer, an industrial designer with Red Dot, iF, and Cannes Lions awards to his name, Dollights are inspired by creative Kokeshi dolls, those beautifully varied Japanese wooden figures that range from traditional to wildly expressive. The connection isn't literal. You won't mistake these for dolls on a shelf. But the DNA is there in the proportions, that satisfying relationship between a rounded head and a tapered body, the way each silhouette feels like it has its own quiet personality.

I grew up visiting this house. It originally belonged to my grandfather's older sister, and whenever I traveled down from Iwate, the northern prefecture in Japan where I grew up, this was where the family gathered. Later, I worked as a rehabilitation consultant at hospitals in Osaka and Yokohama. I moved, but this place was always in the back of my mind.

CIRCULUS Atelier is the working studio of Oka Architecture Design & Co., Ltd. (OAD) and a built application of the practice's CIRCULUS architectural framework, which examines circularity, continuity, and long-term adaptability in design. Conceived as both a in Yokohama, , and a prototype, the project investigates how digital fabrication can inform architecture as a system that integrates exterior enclosure and interior spatial treatment within a unified logic.

KITONOKO is a community-oriented complex located in a suburban commercial district, conceived as a place where architecture quietly connects people, work, and everyday life. Surrounded by large-scale retail and roadside developments, the project seeks to introduce a more human-scaled, open, and approachable environment within a typically car-oriented context. Rather than operating as a closed commercial facility, the building encourages local residents, visitors, and staff to naturally intersect through spatial openness and continuity.

Sometimes the best architecture knows when to turn away. UK studio Denizen Works just completed their first project in Japan, and it does exactly that. The House in Onomichi presents an almost entirely blank facade to the street, creating what founder Murray Kerr calls an "enigmatic quality." But this isn't architecture being rude. It's architecture understanding that privacy can be the ultimate luxury.

Residence AV is a courtyard house located in a dense residential neighborhood in Bruges, Belgium. Designed by YAMA architects, the project responds to a paradoxical brief: a strong desire for connection to the surrounding context combined with an equally strong need for privacy. The client, living alone, was attracted to the social presence and perceived safety of the neighborhood, yet sought a dwelling that could withdraw from direct views and support a more introspective way of living.