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China and nostalgia: both evolving
In the past few years, Chinese nationalism and pride have grown to such an extent that many domestic brands are now perceived to be on a par with foreign ones. The Guochao or ‘Rising China’ (国潮) trend makes this particularly clear.
Preparing for the Past
During a visit to Daikin’s Innovation Centre in Osaka, I came across a beautiful air-conditioning unit from the 1960s or 70s. My suggestion that a relaunch could turn it into a hit product, was dismissed: “It’s old-fashioned, no one wants that ‘70s stuff over a sleek new white one”. But that was my point: old-fashioned nowadays can be good.
Loving the Yuzu
For us, the yuzu is everything we love about Japan. Tangy yet mellow, the yuzu’s subtlety and nuance are a revelation: when you first taste it, it is both oddly familiar and yet an unforgettable surprise.
Monks and Brothels
A number of years ago, I found myself celebrating Christmas in the depths of Kyoto’s red-light district. The club was a time capsule of the bright and brash 1980s, albeit sparingly decorated in 100 yen store-bought tinsel, draped over the neon lights.
One-stop persona
Standing before the magazine rack of a kombini , anyone would marvel at the sheer number of titles catering to every interest. Some, like Classy, have hundreds of thousands of readers; others, like Oggi, will be more niche. But what is even more remarkable is something not immediately obvious: the power that all these magazines exert.
Everyday Objects
In this series, we look at mundane objects from everyday life in Japan. Based on our first pop-up exhibition, and including many of your personal contributions, we use every day artefacts as starting points to learn about cultural frameworks.