The five winners of the second Japanese Traditional Culture Grand Prix have been announced! The contest was spearheaded by the Japan Traditional Culture Promotion Project, established in May 2020 as a collaborative effort among companies, associations, and local governments to establish a sustainable framework for the continued development of Japanese traditional culture.   The project is headed by Seiichi Kondou, the Former Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. United Arrows Honorary Chairman Osamu Shigematsu serves as Vice-Chairman. Along with Nobuo Yoshida, the 14th generation head of the 400-year-old traditional paper fan store Ibasen, the Japan Cultural Promotion Project began this Grand Prix as a way to honor outstanding works of Japanese culture by companies, organizations, and individuals. Anyone can enter, regardless of nationality, residence, or age. The jury consists of 11 people from various fields, including Richard Collasse, the Chairman of Chanel LLC, and popular model Kozue Akimoto.  

Grand Prix Winner

Dustpan x BroomLuo QiEach dustpan is shaped by hand to match the special shape of the Matsumoto broom, which is then dyed with natural Tokushima indigo dye. The broom is the only one in the world made from home-grown broomcorn, and each is made by a third-generation craftsman with years of experience.  

Runner-up Prizes

Japanese Lacquer Art - EtherTakehito Sasaki   [Critique] Both traditional and innovative. The spirit of Japanese culture and the meaning of this award seem to have taken shape in this work. The zippers do not open. The surface looks like leather, but it isn’t. When the lid is opened, the glossy lacquer seems to spread out. My expectations were surpassed. Anyone who sees it or uses it will find themselves lost in imagination, and I’m sure that thinking about that will bring a smile to the creator’s face. This beautiful craftsmanship was born from plenty of care and attention. What a pleasant surprise. (Risa Tanaka)Sake Drinking Set - Japanese nagomi Sake Cups Nagomi Fujita   [Critique] There’s something about this piece that shares a spirit with Art Nouveau. The delicate plants superimposed on the bright transparent glass are a powerful image. In traditional Japanese nagomi art, the linear appearance of the plants is painted a bit more lightly, but these overlapping layers and shapes resonate and make an impact. The artist used traditional techniques such as lacquer and foil in a subtle manner, while still making the plants look alive. I’d consider this as a modern take on ecology. (Yuko Hasegawa)  

Excellence Award

Floating Boat Counter Masafumi Kodama (Registered Architect with a First-Class License) / Taiki Ishikawa (First Class Carpenter/Registered Architect with a Second-Class License)   [Critique] The motif that inspired this piece is the traditional Japanese architectural technique of funahijiki. It’s an outstanding piece that utilizes practical architectural practices to create a piece of furniture at the center of a home, somewhere that the family relaxes. It brings the beauty of Japanese wood into the modern age. Funahijiki is a technique that has been used in incredible places, such as the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kojoin Temple. It’s graceful and elegant, and not often seen in the current age. (Hidetsugu Horikoshi)Folding Chair to Assist in Seiza patol stool SEIZAHirayama Daily Goods Shop, Makiko & Kazuhiko Hirayama   [Critique] The judges liked this folding chair for assisting seiza sitting, as it’s something that could be put to practical use right away. It’s sure to help people enjoy tatami culture, and will be a big help for people who seldom sit on the floor in this traditional way. The height and size of the chair, as well as its ability to be folded for easy storage, are nice touches. I’d consider this a masterpiece with incredible potential. (Yuji Akimoto)   These pieces of artwork managed to connect traditional Japanese culture with future sensibilities, so give them a look!

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Naruto anime series, Usaburo Kokeshi has created two traditional dolls modeled after Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. The original manga series by Masashi Kishimoto has become a global phenomenon, and fans won’t want to miss out on these unique pieces! Preorders are now open.   Usaburo Kokeshi makes each of these pieces by hand, transforming them from children’s playthings into traditional works of art. The wood used to create these pieces is from trees in Gunma Prefecture.     Usaburo Kokeshi Doll - Naruto Uzumaki   Usaburo Kokeshi Doll - Sasuke Uchiha These adorable dolls completely recreate both character’s outfits and hairstyles, and the designers clearly focused on the small details. Enjoy these palm-sized versions of your favorite Naruto characters!   ©岸本斉史 スコット／集英社・テレビ東京・ぴえろ  

Aiming to create a new kind of drinking culture, Aika in Gunma Prefecture has started preorders for SAKE COLA, a new cola liquor, on the crowdfunding site Makuake.    People love cola for its strong carbonation, sweetness, and distinctive spicy flavor. SAKE COLA has a complex, multi-layered aroma and refreshing sweetness offering a unique taste that no one has tasted before.In creating SAKE COLA, the company attempted to keep the authentic sweetness of sake. To this end, they decided to work with Rokkasen, a long-established sake brewery in Yamagata.    Rokkasen’s authentic rice-based shochu Goujoppari is brewed in the cold like sake and distilled like a ginjo sake. It has a beautiful citrus aroma and tastes similar in sweetness despite having zero sugar. Using Goujoppari as a base, malted rice is used to produce a mild, natural sweetness, and the spices added to the drink meld with the citrus scent to create a flavor defying imagination.The flavor and aroma of SAKE COLA spread in the mouth, with the spices and herbs lingering on the tongue. The spices were mixed by Hayashi Oki, who studied in Alsace, France before working as a pastry chef at one of Tokyo’s top patisseries.    Mace, the key spice, is characterized by its sweet and somewhat pungent aroma. It’s used to recreate the caramelized taste that is found in most cola.  Along with that, tonka beans, containing the natural sweeteners Vanillin and Coumarin, were blended into the mix to create a soft, lingering flavor. Customers are sure to enjoy it from the first sip to the last. SAKE COLA can be enjoyed at any time. It’s perfect for enjoying as an aperitif, and it can also be enjoyed with a meal, like beer or wine.  Like whiskey, it can also be enjoyed while relaxing after a meal. At Christmas time, it can be added to warm red wine or served as an affogato with ice cream and a splash of liqueur. How would you like to try this unique creation?

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her major-label debut, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is back in the news. The artist will perform at this year’s Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States, and recently released her first full-length album in three years ‘Candy Racer’ in October 2021.  On January 16, Kyary embarked on the largest tour of her career, ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ which will see the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the “LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project” was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. This exciting project is popping up all across the news!    Following a T-shirt collaboration with a 156-year-old kamaboko shop in Kanagawa, Kyary has teamed up with Gunma-based ekiben maker Oginoya, known for their famous Toge no Kamamaeshi–a pot of iron-kettle-cooked koshihikari rice soaked in a special sauce, chicken, shiitake, quail eggs, and chestnuts. That’s right–the singer now has her own tasty bento!   The special Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Toge no Kamameshi is packaged in an adorable pink clay pot with a paper cover boasting a new collaborative logo in the style of the singer’s 2011 single Tsukematsukeru. The new bento boasts more of the artist’s favorite foods, including extra chicken, mushrooms, edamame, bamboo sprouts, and pickled ginger. The signature quail eggs were given a cute pink hue by being slightly pickled, and some sour umeboshi were added–one in the bento and one on the side.    The bento was sold at the Gunma show, and currently, all items sold on the Local Power Project (with the exception of the bento) have completely sold out. Talk about a major success!     A new T-shirt collaboration has also been announced, featuring the new pink and purple color scheme and Kyary’s 10th-anniversary logo. 

HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER, a company that develops sneakers featuring Heisei era Kamen Riders, has released its long-awaited new "Kamen Rider Genm Sneaker" and "Wolf Orphnoch Sneaker" on the official website of atmos and HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER.  

Line-up

atmos × HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER TYPE EX-AID SNEAKERS T-SHIRT atmos original ve

atmos × HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER TYPE RYUKI SNEAKERS T-SHIRT atmos original ver.

BANDAI HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER Kamen Rider Genm Sneaker

BANDAI HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER Wolf Orphnoch Sneaker

BANDAI HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Sneaker

BANDAI HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER Kamen Rider Ryuki Sneaker

    The long-awaited new release of these two pairs are inspired by the characters that play an important role in each story, and not only the backbone of the character, but also the details of the character have been designed with great care. An original T-shirt commemorating the collaboration has also been released.   The sneakers are produced using an original atmos body with a comfortable fit, featuring unreleased illustrations of "Kamen Rider Ryuki" and "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid" on the front. The back of the sneakers features the logos of both atmos and HENSHIN by KAMEN RIDER. This time, the looks depicted the scenes in which each character appeared, making it a must-have look for any fanatic.   These sneakers are available until December 19, 2021. The collaboration tee shirt is available only at atmos online. The sneakers are limited to the first 100 pairs of each type, so don't miss out on these products which are sure to be a hit with Kamen Rider fanatics and sneakerheads alike!  

Initially announced in July of this year, Blue Bottle Coffee Japan will open their newest shop on the premises of the SHIROIYA HOTEL in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture on September 17, 2021. The new shop is part of a recent initiative to revitalize the city, and make Maebashi an inspiring art and culture destination.   Shiroiya Cafe Limited Menu

Blue Bottle Coffee x Nakamata Fuwafuwa Wanuki Coffee Cream & Anko

  Shiroiya Cafe Limited Item

Blue Bottle Coffee x Nakamata Maebashi City Tote Bag (Limited quantities available)

  SHIROIYA the PÂTISSERIE×BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE　

Grapefruit and Coffee Tart

  Maebashi was once a large manufacturer of silk, and was crucial to Japan’s modernization. In 2016, a number of creative minds from both Japan and abroad gathered in the city with the goal of revitalizing the town center. With that in mind, they first renovated the 300-year-old Shiroiya Ryokan, opening the SHIROIYA HOTEL in December 2020. Blue Bottle Coffee was a perfect fit for the project, with a continued goal of fostering community and using their proceeds to help develop towns and cities.   Blue Bottle Coffee Shiroiya Cafe as designed by Keiji Ashizawa Design, also responsible for designing cafes in Minatomirai and Shibuya. Keeping with a comfortable theme, the cafe is designed to let in ample amounts of light. Historic bricks from Maebashi were a key material used in the flooring. Both the SHIROIYA HOTEL and the new Blue Bottle Cafe feature art pieces by Yoshio Shirakawa, an artist from the area.   The Blue Bottle Coffee x Nakamata Fluffy Wanuki Coffee Cream & Anko is only available at the Shiroiya Cafe, and is a collaboration with Wamukashi Nakamata, a confectionary shop in town. A special Maebashi-themed tote bag will also be on sale in limited quantities.   To commemorate the opening of the Shiroiya Cafe, the PÂTISSERIE, located inside the hotel, will serve a limited-time Grapefruit and Coffee Tart.   Would you like to visit Maebashi on your next trip to Japan?