- Enjoying Life One Day at a Time: A Grandma and Her Cat (Photos)Ihara Miyoko (Photographer)
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Ihara Misao lives a peaceful life in the countryside with her beloved cat, Fukumaru. Her granddaughter Miyoko recently published a charming collection of photographs of the two inseparable friends that has struck a chord with people all over Japan.
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- Miyajima: The Wonders of Japan’s Island Shrine (360˚ Panorama)Somese Naoto
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One of the most famous sites in all of Japan, the floating shrine of Itsukushima Jinja juts out into the sea from the small island of Miyajima. The shrine is surrounded by the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea, and in the fall its mountains are ablaze with a mass of reds and yellows. This 360˚ panorama tour gives a taste of one of Japan’s most glorious fusions of nature and culture.
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- World Heritage Site Shirakawa-gō (360°/Gigapixel)Somese Naoto (Photographer)
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The traditional gasshō-zukuri houses of the rural village of Shirakawa-gō, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are at their best in winter, when their steeply curved roofs are covered in snow. Photographer Somese Naoto uses the latest 360° panorama techniques and gigapixel images to bring the charms of Shirakawa-gō vividly to life.
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- Kōenji’s Kitakore Building (360° Panorama)Somese Naoto (Photographer)
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A strangely colored structure originally built before World War II, Kōenji’s Kitakore Building enjoys tremendous support from young fashionistas. We’ve captured it from every angle to show you everything from the remodeled vintage clothing worn by the global trendsetters who frequent it when they come to Tokyo to the quirky shop interiors.
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- Cherry Blossom Landscapes (Photos)Saitō Ryōichi (Photographer)
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Cherry blossoms have a special significance for the Japanese. Since ancient times, people’s hearts have soared as the cherry trees come into bloom, heralding the return of spring. Photographer Saitō Ryōichi has traveled the length and breadth of the archipelago to compile this collection of images encapsulating the joys of the Japanese spring.
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- Takezawa Takeshi: A French-Inspired Musical Message of Hope (Video)
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As concertmaster of the Orchestre National de Lorraine, the violinist Takezawa Takeshi has energetically pursued his professional music career in the concert halls of France and Japan. This special video brings you clips from his December 2011 solo recital.
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- A Peek at Petit Geisai 15 (360º Panorama)Somese Naoto (Photographer)
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Breaking into the art world can be a challenge for young, inexperienced creators. Murakami Takashi’s Geisai event has become a prime springboard to success for emerging artists. Now in its fifteenth incarnation, Geisai was originally founded to promote communication in Japan’s art world. Geisai 15, which restored a more energetic and intimate atmosphere, marks a return to the event’s roots. This 360º panorama showcases Geisai and some of the future leaders of Japan’s art community.
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- Come, Snow: Moments of Respite in the Snow Country (Photos)Saitō Ryōichi (Photographer)
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In Japanese, the snow-heavy regions in the north and west of the country are known as yukiguni, or Snow Country. Even today, heavy snowfall sometimes isolates the Snow Country from the rest of Japan. Traditionally, winter festivals played an important role in helping the local people to get through the darkest months of the year. These heartwarming images introduce the people of the Snow Country, who live alongside the snow in all its abundance and beauty in their everyday lives. Click on the bottom of the photos to hear a recording of “Yuki” (Snow), a traditional children’s song.
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- Twenty-First-Century Tokyo Architecture (Photos)Satō Shin’ichi (Photographer)
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For many years, Tokyo was famous as a testing ground for modern architecture. How will the city evolve in the twenty-first century? We take a tour of the architectural wonders of contemporary Tokyo.
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- The Deep Beauty of Lacquer Ware (Photos)Ōhashi Hiroshi (Photographer)
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Ōnishi Isao has been designated a living national treasure for his work in lacquer ware. The painstaking process of applying lacquer and polishing the surface over and over again results in objects of profound, quiet beauty.
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- Behind-the-Scenes Look at a “Popteen” Cover Shoot (Video)
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Popteen is one of the leading magazines for young women who are into the vibrant style of Japan’s gyaru subculture. We visited the studio where the cover for the New Year’s issue was being shot for a behind-the scenes look at Kumikkī, Mizukiti, and Pikarin—the trio of kimono-clad amateur models featured on the cover.
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- The Elegance of the New Year Table (Photos)Uzawa Akihiko (Photographer)
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Osechi ryōri cuisine is one of the highlights of traditional Japanese New Year celebrations. Every December, Kondō Fumio, proprietor of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo, spends 20 days preparing an elaborate osechi banquet. On New Year’s Eve, he brings it to the home of his late mentor, the novelist and gourmet Ikenami Shōtarō.
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