“Help Japan” Poster
Created by Alejandro Hernan.
Boxes Into Beds: Brilliant Idea Helps Earthquake Victims In Japan
On April 14 2016, Japan’s Kyushu Island in Kumamoto Prefecture was rocked by a magnitude 7 earthquake. The earthquake killed nine people and caused widespread damage to the region. Many people lost everything in the disaster, but thanks to these clever ‘Box Beds’, at least the victims have somewhere comfortable to sleep. Continue reading »
Into the Fantastical Realms of Naoyuki Kato: A Tour of Classic Japanese Science Fiction
Born in 1952 in Hamamatsu City, Japan, Naoyuki Kato is a renowned Japanese illustrator who specializes in science fiction and fantasy. Continue reading »
The Good, the Bad, and the Frustrating: Evangeline Neo’s Firsthand Account of Living in Japan
If you’ve ever studied or lived abroad, you know that culture shock is real. It can impact your perspective, especially if your home country is drastically different from the one you are visiting. Evangeline Neo experienced this firsthand when she studied in Tokyo from 2010 to 2014. She noticed a lot of cultural differences and decided to navigate them by portraying her experiences through comics. Continue reading »
The Incredible Hyper-Realistic Spherical Paintings of Japanese Artist Daisuke Samejima
Daisuke Samejima is an incredibly talented Japanese artist, whose remarkable paintings look like they could be what you’d see through a fish-eye lens. While painting a three-dimensional object, animal or person on a flat canvas is challenging enough, imagine what it takes to do it on a spherical one. Not only does the artist need to make sure that the artwork looks convincing from any direction, they also need to adjust for the warping that comes with the shape of the canvas. Continue reading »
Japanese Town Looks to Giant Squid Sculpture for Its Post-Pandemic Fortunes
When the Japanese government handed out millions of yen to local authorities to help revitalise the country’s post-pandemic economy it gave no stipulation as to how the money should be spent. A monumental sculpture of a goggle-eyed pink squid might not have been what was envisaged however. Continue reading »
Japanese Modeler Shows a Clever 100-Yen Store Trick to Turn Your Figures Into Frozen Prisoners and Warriors
Figure and acrylic modeling artist @ume_k_bou writes in his Twitter profile that his motto for his craft is “free, easy, and dirty self-satisfaction”, and a quick look at his works proves that to be true. One of his most recent works involves a little DIY creation to “freeze” your models to give them an aesthetic boost that can be done with the help of a 100 yen store and household items. Continue reading »
Japanese Guy Absolutely Nails Anime Girl Cosplay, from Evangelion to Sailor Moon
Meet Rei, a talented Japanese cosplayer. His fantastic makeup skill and costumes are great attention-grabbing in their own right, but they’re even more impressive when you take into account that even though Rei largely focuses on cosplaying popular female characters from video games and anime, Rei is actually a man. Continue reading »
Singaporean Artist Depicts How Strange She Feels In Japan
Being silent on a train or not seeing a trashcan anywhere are just some of the things you can only experience in Japan. After spending some time there, the Singaporean artist Evangeline Neo decided to demonstrate the differences between the Japanese culture and her homeland. Continue reading »
Japanese Nerd And Fetish Brand Releases Gakuran School Uniform Swimsuit
Japanese fetish and design brand School Fiction has been leading the way with a fashion lineup of “sexy” swimsuits with the aesthetic of traditional Japanese school uniforms. The latest in their series takes another classic Japanese school uniform, the gakuran, and transforms it into a stylish and very convincing swimsuit. Continue reading »
Japanese Engineer Perfectly Re-Creates Models From The Popular ’80s Sci-Fi Saga For His Son
If you are not familiar with Maschinen Krieger (abbreviated as Ma.K) here is a little bit of background. The franchise was started by Kow Yokoyama in the 1980’s. Yokoyama-san was a scratch-build modeller, artist and sculptor. Among his works he built machines of war that would fight in the 29th century, but took their visual cues from early 19th century weaponry and the early NASA space program. All his models were pieced together from numerous kits including armor, aircraft, cars and found objects (like ping pong balls). Continue reading »
Japanese Nighttime Factory Photography Will Have You Believing FF7’s Midgar Is Real
We’ve seen that nighttime scenes and tours of factories in Japan can be surprisingly gorgeous, as well as photography that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a world of science fiction. But while fans await the upcoming remake of Final Fantasy 7, they may have an opportunity to visually explore Midgar with the amazing drone photography of Tetsuro Kobayashi. Continue reading »
Japanese “Sheer” T-Shirt Gives You The Body You Always Wanted
The “Delusion Splash T-shirt” is an intriguing Japanese garment that cleverly uses shading to trick people into thinking that you look much better than you actually do. Continue reading »
Artist Photographs Workers On The Streets Of Tokyo To Pay Homage To The Proud Work Ethics Of Japan
Pastry Shop Staff
In Japanese culture, people share a strong respect for all occupations and the workers who fill them. So much so that they even have a unique term to describe a hard worker – “Hatarakimono”. Continue reading »
The Father’s Nursing Assistant: Japanese Device Allows Fathers To Breastfeed Their Babies
Fathers sometimes like to say that they can do anything mothers can, except give birth and breastfeed. Well, thanks to a new device developed by Japanese company Dentsu, breastfeeding babies may not be a problem for fathers in the near future. Continue reading »
Japanese Instagrammer Performs Bicycle Tricks On One Wheel
A Japanese Instagrammer, Mamoru Kanai, publishes images of himself performing one-wheeled bicycle stunts in his “Riding Pop” series. The photos feature Kanai performing “wheelies” (standing on the hindwheel) and “stoppies” (standing on the front wheel) while seated as if normally riding a bicycle. Since he can’t shoot photos of himself performing tricks he asks for a help from a skilled photographer friend. Continue reading »
What Do You Think of this Dessert Themed Public Toilet in Japan?
Photo by Yasunori Takeuchi, courtesy Toilennale
What looks like a giant cake, or possibly an ice cream sunday, stands in the street, connected to a park. This is a piece of art. But it’s also a public toilet. It’s both. As part of the 2015 Oita Toilennale, perhaps the world’s first art festival dedicated to toilets, artist Minako Nishiyama conceived of the project. And with the help of artists Mika Kasahara and Yuma Haruna, the 3 female artists brought “Melting Dream” to life. Continue reading »
You Won’t Believe Who Lives In This Japanese Village
Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images
Known as the scarecrow village of Okuharima, Seki district in Yasutomi, Himeji, Hyogo prefecture, the village attracts visitors with humorous scarecrows in work clothes and straw hats, looking just like humans. Continue reading »
iroha – Mother’s Little Helper
This is iroha. Just as we eat right, sleep well and take care of our bodies, self-care is something that is important to all of us. We believe the pleasure that our bodies seek, is also something we should value this way.iroha is a self-pleasure item, to respond to these natural needs. A brand created by women, for women, to provide a delectable experience unlike any other. A fun, safe way to treat your body, to the luxurious sensations it seeks. A new beginning in pleasure for women. Designed in Japan by Tenga. Continue reading »
Beautiful Winning Images From The International Nature Photography Awards 2023
Photography is an art that captures moments in time, and the 2023 International Photography Awards (IPA) has showcased some of the most stunning nature images that touch the heart and reveal the beauty of the natural world.
The contest, known for honoring outstanding talent from all over the world, has announced its winners, presenting a visual treat that takes viewers to the most magical places on our planet.
3rd Place In Nature/Aerial/Drone: “Veins Of The Earth” By Robert Bilos
“The rivers of Iceland run from the glaciers to the oceans, creating paths across the volcanic earth which look like the veins of the land when seen from the air. Continue reading »
Winning Photos Of The World Of Wearable Art Competition 2023
The World of Wearable Art (WOW) competition is a stunning spectacle that masterfully intertwines the worlds of fashion, art, and innovation. Each year, it witnesses the relentless pursuit of creativity by visionary designers across the globe, who infuse life into wearable works of art that enchant our senses.
For over thirty years, this competition has provided a platform for mesmerizing artworks, crafted by finalists and displayed annually at the WOW Show in Wellington’s TSB Arena, New Zealand. The 2023 edition upheld this tradition, uniting artists and designers from various parts of the world. Amidst a plethora of remarkable creations, the prestigious 2023 Supreme WOW Award was deservedly awarded to Nelson designer Gill Saunders for her captivating piece, “Earthling.”
Winner Of The Supreme Wow Award And The Open Section: “Earthling”
Designer: Gill Saunders, New Zealand
“Earthling celebrates the natural wonders of our planet in the form of an adult coloring book.” Continue reading »
Spectacular Winning Photos Of AAP Magazine Awards ‘Shapes 2023’
In AAP Magazine’s 34th edition, we sought submissions that explore composition and form in photography, embracing shape and form as transformative elements. Twenty-five photographers from twelve countries across four continents offered diverse works spanning various styles, highlighting the endless possibilities in shaping photographic aesthetics.
Winner: La Muralla Roja by Fabien Dendiéval (France)
“I feel sometimes photography as a kind of quest, a treasure hunt. It is a long term work that takes time and is full of pitfalls, constraints and frustrations but to find myself in front of a scene like this one makes me enthusiastic and rewards me for all my efforts.” Continue reading »
A Lens on Asia: The Vibrant World of Cinematic Photography by Antoine Mutin
Dive headfirst into the kaleidoscopic universe of Antoine Mutin, a virtuoso behind the camera, who calls the rhythmic city of Seoul his home. Continue reading »
Spectacular Winning Images Of The 2022 Travel Photographer Of The Year Awards
The results of the annual Travel Photographer of the Year competition have been announced, with one of the last remaining Northern White rhinos in the world being the subject of the top prize-winning snapshot. Out of the 20,000 entries received, Matjaz Krivic’s photographs captured the judges’ attention, as he conveyed the poignant story of these animals trying to survive and revive their species from the brink of extinction.
Krivic, a documentary photographer with more than 25 years of experience, has been traveling the world and capturing various stories of people and places. Currently, he is focused on highlighting environmental issues and advocating for a better future. This is not the first time Krivic has participated in the competition; according to Travel Photographer of the Year, he has submitted entries every year since the contest’s inception in 2003. The judges of the competition praised his work, stating that he portrayed Kenya’s sad story beautifully and sensitively, with images that are both tender and intimate.
Overall Winner: Travel Photographer Of The Year 2022: Matjaz Krivic, Slovenia
“Najin 33 one of the last two Northern White rhinos left in the world resting under a hot afternoon sun with her friend and caretaker Zachary Mutai in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The northern white rhino is all but extinct. The two last males died several years ago. The two females are still with us, but too feeble to bear babies. In an Italian lab, their eggs are now artificially fertilized by sperm from the late males, and kept at minus 196 celsius, in hopes that surrogate rhinos from another sub species can carry the northern white back from the brink.” Continue reading »
Celebrating 17 Years of Beauty: A Look at the Winners and Commended Entries of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition
Masaki Ito | Highly commended, Beautiful Gardens | A Smell So Sweet, Aichi prefecture, Japan
“The many hanging blooms of wisteria smelt so sweet as they reflected in the pond at a garden near to my house. When the flowers bloom in April, it signifies my birthday has arrived again” Continue reading »
