art

• 08/12/2010
• 03/01/2021

Bunkamura – Movies & Shopping at Shibuya, Tokyo

???Art? Fashion? or Both???? If you enjoy shopping and appreciating art at the same time in Shibuya, I recommend you the main Tokyu Department Store and Bunkamura(?????????, Cultural Village). Shibuya is the area, of which station is a major terminus for commuter train and subway lines on Tokyo’s southwest side, boasts a number of landmark places that are part of the overall Shibuya shopping and dining scene, and make the district the one of the most popular places in Tokyo. But there are a few spots where you can both enjoy shopping and appreciate art. The main Tokyu Department Store (??掩?ョ?乗襖綺?)?and Bunkamura are easy access from Shibuya St. JR Line,Tokyu-Toyoko, Keio-Inokashira and Ginza Line and so on. The location is along with a busy street called ???Bunkamura Street (???????????????)???,which was named after the Bunkamura building. A great variety of shops are around them, for example, a mega discount shop or book store across the street. ???The Main Tokyu Department Store??? There are two Tokyu Department Stores in Shibuya. The first one sets top of Shibuya Station, which takes up the first two floors of the 12-story building. On the other hand, the main Tokyu Store has 10 floors and parking […]

• 07/27/2010
• 02/28/2021

Japanese Paper Art

One remarkable characteristic of the traditional Japanese living is that paper is used for various purposes. For example, to keep out sunlight from the house, Japanese housings use Shoji(???絖?), which is made of wooden frame and paper, instead of using curtains made of cloth.? Shoji is also used as room dividers and doors. Shoji is made of Japanese paper, Washi (???膣?). Compared to western paper, the fiber used to make Washi is much longer.? This makes Washi tough, and makes its life span long. Washi was also used as Fusuma (茱?, sliding door which divide rooms), Byobu (絮馺?, folding screen), etc. Fusuma. Byobu. Wonder why Washi was used so heavily? For the Japanese climate is hot and humid, it was important to build houses in which people can enjoy comfortable lives since ancient times. Washi was used for housing because it modulates humidity, and the material was plentiful. Washi is not only used for housing. Surprisingly, it was even used to make umbrellas!? The surface is coated with Kakishibu (??炊??, fermented juice of date plum) and oil, which repels water. Today, Washi is not only used in the traditional way, but also used as modern art.? Various goods such as […]