Origami Apartment in New York by Eric Schneider

The bed / living room divider looks a little unwieldy but the result is terrific and there’s even room for guests with plenty of storage space. I especially like the kitchen configuration and lack of visible light fixtures. Checkout this even smaller‘shoebox’ apartment in Manhattan that goes one step further.

Lego Apartment in Barcelona by Christian Schallert

My favourite thing here has to be the way the balcony connects to the rest of the room which all neatly folds away, leaving an empty box. The polished concrete floor complements warmth of the bespoke wooden panelling and looks easy to keep clean. When things are folded out it starts to look cramped.

Transformer Apartment in Hong Kong by Gary Chang

An amazing amount of thinking must have gone into how all the different components in this apartment fit together with such a high-quality finish. The use of floating walls and mirrors to create separate spaces within spaces is especially ingenious. Smart but perhaps a little over-complicated and fiddley.

Modern Hanok House in Seoul by Simone Carena

This modern take by an Italian on a traditional Korean Hanok house captured my imagination since it updates centuries old sensibilities with modern conveniences. An interoir courtyard maintains privacy while still allowing light into the building via huge windows and mirrors. More photos here.

Feng Shui Cube in California by Liu Ming

This “compact mobile dwelling cube” which can be moved around on wheels takes things to a different level with a study, bedroom, and tea room within a tiny box which sits itself within a large loft apartment. Possibly more philosophical than practical but a pretty cool talking point all the same!

‘Kyosho Jutaku’ Micro Houses in Japan

Many people mentioned Japan as a source of inspiration for their compact designs and the video above gives you some idea of the extremes micro houses have been taken to over there – many sit on barely the footprint of a car parking space! While they may have been born out of necessity, demand for ultra-compact homes, known as ‘kyosho jutaku‘, is apparently rising.

The Potential of Emptiness

The Japanese have a unique philosophical take on the sense of space with its ability to take on multiple forms and thus an empty space is seen to have more potential than a cluttered space. Author and art director of MUJI, Kenya Hara, elaborates on the importance of “emptiness” vs “simplicity” in both the visual and philosophical traditions of Japan, and its application to design -

“The concept of simplicity is only a very recent part of human history in the context of creating our environment… What [the Japanese] found pleasing was a concept of emptiness which is different from the simplicity that was later discovered by Modernism… It seems that being constantly exposed and becoming familiar with various cultures, Japan has actually created a sensibility of ultimate plainness that is liberated from all cultural styles…

In the tea ceremony a principle of emptiness is at work. It serves as a resource of ideas that communicate with and ignites any of a vast range of possible situations, either among people or between the person and the object.

Behind MUJI’s thinking is the idea of applying the simplicity of the products as emptiness… Within the MUJI concept is the idea of discovering within simplicity a luxury that rivals meer appearance.

To create is not just to create an object or a phenomenon. Coming up with a question is also creation. In fact, a question that has huge receptive capacity doesn’t even need a definitive answer… Questioning is emptiness… Emptiness is itself the possibility of being filled.”

You can watch the full and fascinating presentation he gave at Google or again at W+K.

MUJI sells a number of prefabricated houses which are designed to be small but function and environmentally friendly. While “prefab” might be a dirty word for some, these seem to be very well thought through and exemplify the Japanese concept of “emptiness”.

DIY?

Philosophical ideals aside, the core theme when designing for a compact space seems to be creating areas of functional overlap. To live comfortably in such a space careful consideration must be given to ensure that everything is meaningful and has a reason to exist. I can’t help but feel we’d all be a lot happier if we simply had less space to fill with meaningless junk.

While most of these projects have been professionally designed by architects I don’t find them outside the realm of something which could be achievable and maybe before too long I’ll start putting some of the ideas in my head down on paper. As for cost, that’s an entirely different matter!

It’s appropriately titled ‘android dreams‘ after the novel written by Philip K. Dick which inspired the original movie. Although it’s in a similar vein to his previous videos (below), I can’t get enough of these amazing portraits of Tokyo which is as close to the science-fiction as it is fact. They make my own attempts at doing similar to Hong Kong very tame!

inter // states

floating point

(autumn)

static : pulse

remanence : variance

I’m a bit disappointed that I haven’t managed to re-visit Japan this year after my 2010 visit but hope to return soon. Speaking of androids and Tokyo you may want to checkout the new CNNGo app for Android which was designed by yours truly - it’s great for finding the cool lesser-known spots in some of Asia’s biggest cities (more on this in the near future).

Related posts you might like:

1. Electric Akihabara & Tokyo Transport
2. Tokyo – Finally
3. Photogenic

Yowayowa Camera Woman

Natsumi Hayashi lives in Tokyo with two cats and posts daily self-portraits of herself levitating in various places and poses (cats not levitating). The combination of her almost comically natural expressions and well-framed surroundings create such a surreal feeling that brings a smile to my face every day:

Adorable.

World Order

Genki Sudo is a former Japanese mixed martial artist and kickboxer who after retiring became a singer, dancer and actor in Japanese dramas (like you do). His group, WORLD ORDER, has a marvelously choreographed hypnotizing robotic dance style which has to be seen to be believed:

The music is also pretty catchy!

Totally awesome.

The video above was made especially to show world solidarity with the people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It’s quite a marvel of synchronized precision.

Meywa Denki

Meywa Denji is a Japanese performance group, an art collective, and an educational organization created by Nobumichi Tosa. He makes nonsensical instruments from random electronic parts which he deems ‘products’ that are then used in live ‘product demonstrations’ (or performances to you and me). Check out this BBC report on what they do:

Sadly most of the ‘product prototypes’ are not for sale although you could pick up a Otamatone.

Love Exposure

WARNING: The video below is not for children, Catholics, or the morally sensitive. If in doubt do not watch.

Every now and then the Japanese create a film that is so outrageous that it almost defies belief. Directed by Sion Sono, the premise of Love Exposure (愛のむきだし) is quite simple; a Catholic priest has an affair which causes him to force his son, Yu, (from his previous wife who died) to confess his sins daily. The priest gets mad if Yu doesn’t confess anything so he commits increasingly bad sins to provide him with something to say to his abusive father. To make matters worse the boy falls in love with an equally messed up girl who he mistakes for the Virgin Mary. At four hours long this is just the tip of this crazy iceberg.

Phew. Now for something completely different…

Nyan Cat

While not technically 100% from Japan, Nyan Cat, also known as Pop Tart Cat, is an 8-bit animation depicting a cat with the body of a cherry pop tart flying through outer space in a repeating loop. The animation and music were separately produced by different artists but it wasn’t until they were combined together that it really took off:

Addictive right? The cat reminds me of a certain friend of mine

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short trip from the top to the bottom of Japanese artistic endeavors, hope you’ve not been too badly shocked!

Related posts you might like:

1. The Japanese Tradition
2. Japan – The Strange Country

While I think most people had attended in good faith I found it somewhat disingenuous that the plight of a nation had been twisted towards Greenpeace’s own agenda. The people of Japan are suffering from the effects of a natural disaster (earthquake + tsunami) and the nuclear situation is simply a byproduct of this – NOT the cause.

Greenpeace is campaigning specifically in Hong Kong to try to raise awareness around the risks involved in the development of nuclear energy in the region and to ultimately halt proposals for expansion. In all fairness they do have a compelling argument but this isn’t the point; people had come to remember Japan, not be lectured about the dangers of nuclear energy.

What really annoyed me was that they were showing images of victims and the destroyed cities on a projector screen while discussing nuclear safety when the two are entirely separate. To me it was morally and ethically wrong for Greenpeace to hijack the disaster to promote their own propaganda.

My own personal opinion is that nuclear energy is a necessary evil required until renewable technology is sufficiently developed to replace it. It’s clearly not ideal but we are left with little choice in a society so hungry for electricity – asking people to reduce their consumption just isn’t going to work unless they are personally impacted in some way.

As was pointed out here, an aging atomic reactor has just been subjected to one of the harshest of possible tests, and considering the scale of the catastrophe is holding up remarkably well. Before jumping to conclusions or pointing fingers lets take a moment to remember the people who have lost their lives and those who are still suffering the after effects of its impact.

Related posts you might like:

1. My First Impressions of Japan
2. Japan – The Strange Country
3. Seismic Reaction

Providing much-needed donations to aid in the relief effort is the best thing anyone can do and it’s been interesting to see how designers have reacted to the situation by producing and selling posters to raise funds. Here are a few of my favourites (linked back to their creators):

By Daniel Freytag

By SignalNoise

By Alton Yeung

By under­dog

I find it interesting how so many of the designs have taken the Japanese flag, officially called Nisshōki (日章旗 – “sun-mark flag”) in Japanese, and adapted it as a visual metaphor for disaster. The simplicity of the red disc on a white background lends itself well to modification in this way where other flags would not. I can’t remember seeing anything like this during the quake in China 3 years ago.

By Linda Yuki Nakanishi

By Jacob Cass

By Max Erdenberger

Inside Japan conscientious citizens have also been designing posters to educate and alert others to their social responsibilities like saving electricity, not panic buying, and helping those in need – this blog shows some good examples.

It’s been amazing to see just how well the Japanese have coped considering they’ve been dealt the tripple blow of an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown – not to mention the snow which is hampering the rescue efforts. As I observed on my first trip to Japan, if any nation has the organisation skills and mental attitude to deal with such a situation it’s Japan, and that’s about the only saving factor in this whole situation.

I’ve added a link at the top of my blog to the Google Crisis Response page for the crisis where you can easily donate to a number of relevant organisations.

Update: More great work being down at Designers for Japan.

Related posts you might like:

1. Emergency in Lychee Park
2. Greenpeace Hijacks Japan Vigil

Walking through a quiet bamboo and maple lined path I approached Koto-in; reputed to be one of the most beautiful sub-temples in the area.

As I wrote this sitting on the temple veranda overlooking the beautiful garden within its confines all I could hear was the chatter of birds in the trees and the distant voices of school children playing somewhere nearby. Lush green trees and a bamboo grove stretched out in front of me with a mossy carpet at the base.

Two strangers sat beside me enjoying the peace and quiet in silent contemplation. The zen monks must have been onto something when they built this place as it’s simply divine.

It felt almost blasphemous to be typing away on my iPad and snapping pictures in a place like this but its aesthetic (and dare I say spiritual) allure is undeniable. Using iA Writer for iPad feels almost zen-like in itself so I was feeling a bit better about it!

In one corner a groundskeeper was sweeping the moss with a quiet precision and dedication which can only be found in Japan. In a place like this I can’t think of a more pleasurable job.

Despite its small size the garden has been expertly crafted and around every corner there are hidden gems nestled within the foliage. When the maple trees turn colour in late November it’s supposed to look spectacular.

The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language. Although not being a Buddhist myself it’s easy to see how a place like this provides the perfect setting for entering a meditative state through which enlightenment can ultimately be obtained.

I fantasize about living in a place like this one day surrounded by peace, tranquility and natural beauty removed from the distractions of modernity. I think I could quite happily sit here all day.

Inside the rooms are fairly sparse in keeping with the Japanese tradition of enabling a space to take on any function depending on the immediate requirements. Even the walls can be easily moved to reconfigure the layout.

Within the same complex Ryogen-in (龍源院) sub-temple is renowned for its dry landscape gardens (枯山水) which were first constructed in 1502. This unique style makes symbolic representations of natural landscapes using stone arrangements, white sand, moss and pruned trees. The act of raking the gravel into a pattern recalling waves or rippling water has an aesthetic function and Zen priests practice this to help their concentration.

This particular garden is known as Isshidan and sits in front of Hojo building which is perfect for relaxed viewing. The rocks on the left represent a mountain while the ones in the middle represent an island, with the moss being land or forest.

On the other side of the building another ethereal garden made almost entirely from moss can be found. It is said to represent mountains rising from the sea, the biggest of which symbolises the center of the universe.

After slowly wandering through some of the many sub-temples it was almost time for me to head back to Tokyo but I had just enough time to grab a scrumptious and healthy lunch at one of the small restaurants opposite the main east entrance.

I then headed back to Kyoto Station and took the wonderfully fast and efficient Shinkansen bullet train back to Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. If ever there was a model of how a train system should be, this is it.

And so drew to a close my first trip to Japan but I can guarantee not the last. Despite the high cost of travel here you can still get around on a modest budget if you’re careful and for anyone who enjoys a mixture of mega cities and the natural environment you’re spoilt for choice. I can’t wait to get back.

Related posts you might like:

1. Arashiyama Tenryū-ji Bamboo Forest
2. Walking The Path of Philosophy
3. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Stone Buddhas

The route is so-named because the influential 20th century Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro who is thought to have used it for daily meditation. The path it is most visited when the cherries blossom between late March and early April, and again in November when autumn arrives.

My first stop along the path was the particularly tranquil Honen-in temple which can be found hidden among the lush trees through a thatched gateway beyond which are two sculpted sand formations and an attractive pond.

Admission is free and upon crossing over the small bridge you are greeted by a number of small secluded buildings around which are more carefully arranged gardens.

Looking around doesn’t take more than five minutes but you may wish to stay longer to soak up the peaceful atmosphere. It’s at moments like this when I wonder why we blight ourselves with mobile technology which constantly interrupts us.

Further along the path can be found the far larger Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺) temple, otherwise known as the Silver Pavilion, being somewhat ironically named since the founders original plan to cover the temple in silver was never carried out. Set in incredibly beautiful gardens this is definitely one not to miss.

What I found most fascinating were the perfectly sculpted mounds of sand, the one above being though to symbolise Mt. Fuji. I overheard an American proclaiming that it “must have been made by a machine” – I almost wanted to hit him.

The juxtaposition of the sharply raked sand with the verdant trees in the foothills behind creates a strange harmony between the organic and that which has been intricately arranged by man. I’m not entirely sure what the 15th-century creators were thinking but I like it.

On my way through the gardens I came across an orderly group of Japanese school children on an excursion. Somehow I can’t quite imagine English school kids accepting a uniform like that but at least it would be hard for them to get lost!

Part of the beauty of this garden is viewing it from multiple angles, all of which ingeniously present the different faces the strategically placed objects; be it the rocks, small stone bridges, mounds of sand, or the Silver Pavilion itself.

The hills above afford a nice overview of the whole temple and the city beyond which marks the end to the Path of Philosophy which you could easily spend half a day or more exploring.

Related posts you might like:

1. The Essence of Zen at Daitoku-ji
2. Arashiyama Tenryū-ji Bamboo Forest
3. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Stone Buddhas

Consisting of a large number of extremely small coffin-like “rooms” big enough for  a single person to sleep in, Japan’s first capsule hotel made its appearance in Osaka in 1979. They have a bit of a grim reputation for their chicken-coop approach to habitation but in 2009 Tokyo-based Cubic Corp decided to take a fresh approach to this uniquely Japanese mode of accommodation.

Their collaboration with Fumie Shibata of design studio S resulted in the development of nine hours (9h) in Kyoto, located on Teramachi street, two minutes walk from Kawaramachi station. Having already won multiple design awards I decided to check out what all the fuss was about…

Upon arrival the first thing you do is place your shoes in a numbered locker and give the key to reception while checking-in; I doubt they get many people running off without paying the bill!

A night at 9h costs ¥4900 (£38) and the hotel’s philosophy is indicated in its name: 1 hour to shower + 7 hours to sleep + 1 hour to rest = nine hours (although guests can stay up to 17 hours if they wish). Everything is literally black and white.

The lobby also provides a functional lounge area for guests to use the free wi-fi and relax before sleeping. The no-clutter effect verges on being clinical but overall quite soothing (although I think I’d go manic trying to keep the place clean).

Female and male capsules are provided on separate floors with segregated lifts servicing each.

Clear bilingual signage is provided throughout the hotel with your navigation through the complex clearly defined as a step-by-step process designed to be as effortless as possible.

Your next stop is the locker and washroom where you can get changed and shower. All-black sleep wear is provided.

I was a bit disconcerted to see rows of security cameras in the locker room, presumably for the security of your possessions, but slightly creepy.

Everything is extremely minimal and a perfect balance has been struck between function and style; only the necessities are provided. No more, no less.

Individual body soap, conditioner, and shampoo sachets uniformly arranged.

High-quality white towels left, showers right.

Have you ever seen a more beautifully sculpted sink?

After washing you head down the stairs to your allotted sleeping floor. By this point I was convinced I’d entered a certain Stanley Kubrick movie.

In stark contrast to the bright white everywhere else the only light on the sleeping floors came from the glowing capsules which are stacked two-high along one side of the corridor.

Inside the capsule the white moulded plastic shell is interrupted only by the ambient LED light and simple control panel.

Created by Panasonic the alarm clock emits no noise and instead controls the light, slowly dimming when your ready to sleep, then gently rising like the sun at the time you determine to wake.

At the entrance is a simple blind to enclose yourself in the pod. Far from being cramped like I had imagined there is enough room to stretch out and sit up. In no way did I feel claustrophobic or uncomfortable; in fact quite the contrary.

I’m a light sleeper who is easily disturbed by noise but I managed to sleep right through the night with interruption. I’m not sure if the capsules are soundproofed but they certainly seemed near silent.

I can honestly say that I got one of the best nights sleep in the capsule that I’d had in a long time. Whether it was the feeling of enclosure or the gentle alarm system I’m not sure (perhaps a psychologist could provide some insights here). I quite fancy the lighting system for my bedroom.

Booking a stay at 9 hours is simple through their website and I’d highly recommend it if you’re in the Kyoto area; it’s worth it for the sci-fi (verging on monastic) experience alone. Below are a couple of video’s to give you more of a flavour of what’s in store.

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3. 78 Hours Later

Two women sit inside a huge doorway near the entrance to Nanzen-ji (南禅寺) Zen Buddhist temple.

Pausing for reflection outside one of the temple halls where some people light incense sticks to be placed in the iron caldron in-front.

Green leaves backlit by the falling sun overhang still waters inside a nearby garden.

Bridges cross over a pond inside Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji (永観堂禅林寺) Buddhist temple where hints of autumn were beginning to show.

A rectangular window on a deck overlooking the pond provides a picture-postcard view as the sun begins to set.

Outside Amida Hall (阿弥陀堂) a painter delicately works to restore the intricately painted columns.

Kyoto spread out at sunset, viewed from the highest point of the temple compound with the enclosing mountains in the background.

In the evening I went downtown again for some sushi at conveyor belt restaurant (回転寿司) - considered fast-food in Japan but pretty tasty. The final bill is based on the number and type of plates of the consumed sushi.

Ironically I’ve always been a bit of a fussy eater and just a few years ago you probably wouldn’t have found anywhere near here, let alone tucking into raw fish. However, since moving east I’ve taken a strong liking to these tasty little morsels and find myself getting regular cravings!

Related posts you might like:

1. Macau Photo Walk – Part 2
2. Shinjuku Photo Walk
3. Macau Photo Walk – Part 1

It’s estimated that there are well over 10,000 such torii gates leading for over 4km through the woods to the top of the Inari mountain (a journey which takes about 2 hours to complete). Each was donated and inscribed by a local business – their sheer volume makes for quite a sight.

As well as being the name of the mountain the shrine is dedicated to Inari who is the Shinto god of rice, and foxes are thought to be his messengers. There is a superstition among the Japanese that they are capable of possessing a human’s spirit, making you lose your mind! Some visitors had written their wishes on wooden plaques shaped like a fox head and customised it with their own drawings.

Walking through the gated tunnels is quite a magical experience and apparently even more so if you visit around dusk. It was drizzling when I visited but didn’t dampen the overall spirit.

There are so many gates that it appears maintenance is a bit of a problem with many rotting stumps awaiting replacement.

Within the main shrine there are many other smaller sub-shrines which are connected by the paths which criss-cross the mountain.

The vibrant reddish-orange vermilion pigment was traditionally made from a mineral called cinnabar but today is most commonly artificially produced by reacting mercury with molten sulfur. Most naturally produced vermilion comes from cinnabar mined in China, giving rise to its alternative name of China red.

After the rain: bright shafts of sunlight break through the gaps between the gates casting a bright orange glow all around.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is located in south Kyoto as is a three-minute walk from Inari station on the JR Nara line. It’s open 24/7 and admission is free.

Related posts you might like:

1. Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine
2. Meiji Jingu Shrine
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