The domestic crowdfunding service Makuake has opened preorders for a unique new product: ‘tea crayons,’ made from tea leaves that would otherwise be thrown away. These will be available for purchase from January 31 until March 21, 2022, and a set of teas specially blended by tea masters will also be available to buy on the site.
Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea): These leaves have a light brown color reminiscent of the color of a roasting fire.
Sencha (Green Leaf Tea): Asamiya, known as one of Japan’s five most famous tea-producing areas, produces sencha exclusively. This yellow color is to be expected of the variety.
Kabusecha (Covered Tea): The pride of Tsuchiyama, these tea leaves are cultivated by covering the fields to produce a sweeter taste. Kabusecha is characterized by its vivid green color.
Gyokuro (High-Quality Green Tea): To produce this fine tea, the land is covered for more than 20 days in a very time-consuming process. Gyokuro has a strong, sweet flavor, and can be recognized by its darker green color.
Matcha (Powdered Green Tea): Matcha from Shiga Prefecture is not very well known throughout Japan, but it is extremely tasty and is popular in tea ceremonies. It also has a beautiful dark green color.
Yasuharu Maeno, a tea master, includes the names of each region and species of tea leaves used.
The Tokyo-based girl artists and creators' collective bala has finally launched for real! The group will release its first single barla on March 8.
bala consists of MANON, SUNNY ONLY 1, DAN, and KANO, each with their own global background. The project aims to resonate with Gen Z youth culture and to be a collective of artists that connects hybrid Japanese pop culture with audiences around the world.
The debut song barla was produced by Shinichi Osawa, who has numerous hits under the name Mondo Grosso. It was co-written by Kenmochi Hidefumi from Wednesday Campanella. With Y2K culture making a comeback around the world, the track features the house sound popular in the late 90s which is showing signs of becoming the next musical trend yet again. The groovy dance tune is a perfect theme song for these girls who will lead the next generation of pop culture.
<Comment from Shinichi Osawa>
“I’m honored to be involved in bala’s debut. The members are super unique, and collaborating with Kenmochi-san for the first time was a dream come true.”
<Comment from Kenmochi Hidefumi>
“I’m happy to be able to work with the members of bala and Shinichi Osawa. Everyone is so uniquely talented, and this song is filled with everyone's energy and excitement inspired by their long-awaited debut!”
Art collective TeamLab has redesigned two exhibitions at Marina Bay Sands Singapore. The world’s first permanent exhibition from the creators, Future World: Where Art Meets Science, was opened in 2016 at the Museum of Art and Science. Guests can now enjoy three new works along with the Digital Light Canvas, a huge, interactive space inviting guests to share their own pieces of art.Drawing FlightVisitors can immerse themselves in these impressive new works while experiencing a complex, three-dimensional world. They can also create new worlds with others!
Future World
The Drawing Flight, part of the Amusement Park of the Future series, is based on the concept of co-creation, allowing visitors to not only draw an airplane that will fly but also allowing them to operate it from a pilot's point of view using a tablet. Whether visitors draw a butterfly or a hawk, they’ll see the world from the perspective of each creature and enter a world constructed by the creature's unique perceptions.
Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds
In Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds, guests are asked to perceive the world with their entire bodies. Visitors cross a space with sticks floating three-dimensionally in the air.
Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self
Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self offers a new and abstract concept. As people touch the dots, the rhythm of the dots flickers and their hue changes and disintegrates. The picture will then change dramatically, and despite these changes, the beauty remains.
Digital Light Canvas
Graffiti Nature - Red List Digital Light Canvas
Digital Light Canvas is a space consisting of a 15-meter-diameter circular link of light and a 20-meter-high cylinder of light made up of a collection of light dots. Team Lab's interactive artwork, which changes depending on how many people are around, is on permanent display.
Yoshitaka Amano, known by international fans as the artist behind the legendary Final Fantasy video game series, is celebrating his 70th birthday with a unique art project from November 23 until December 8 at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto. On the first day of the event, the venue, decorated with autumn leaves, was crowded with visitors including foreign tourists, who marveled at the fantastic space filled harmoniously with gold and blue. The exhibition will be held at Myoshin-ji, the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. This collection of works was designed to question visitors’ sensibilities and provide a new kind of art exhibition for fans to enjoy.After the exhibition, the main art piece by Yoshitaka himself will be converted to 3DCG, and a Virtual Golden World will be developed in collaboration with the Yoshitaka Amano VR Museum. By integrating traditional and modern art methods, guests will be able to engage more deeply in the art by enjoying digital works, the metaverse, and NFTs.Don't miss this curious exhibition!
Doraemon’s Mirai Department Store, Doraemon’s official shop, has announced a limited edition black tea flavored with the character’s favorite food: dorayaki! The tea and four special themed plates will be available starting November 11, 2022. The tea itself is provided by the tea specialty shop LUPICIA.
Doraemon’s Mirai Department Store Black Tea (Dorayaki Flavor)
Doraemon’s Mirai Department Store is now offering this special tea in an adorable themed tin.The flavor of the tea is inspired by Doraemon’s favorite food, dorayaki, a sweet Japanese pastry filled with red bean paste. The gorgeous blue and red toppings blended into the tea leaves were inspired by Doraemon himself, and fans will want to enjoy a cup as they lose themselves in the classic manga or anime series.
Doraemon's Mirai Department Store Tasty Plate (4 varieties)
The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours.Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things.Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at NightNagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night.
First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den
The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.
See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room
During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.
[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing]
~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord's Garden through a Spacial Presentation~Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.
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