Anton Kusters // Odo Yakuza Tokyo

Anton Kusters may be the first, and only, Westerner to ever document the Yakuza. 

The brilliant photographer, who spent over two years of his life gaining the trust of the Yakuza and documenting them, put his efforts in a book earlier this year entitled “Odo Yakuza Tokyo.”

The book, which under any circumstances, is riveting and full of arresting photographs, also contains an essay into the photographer’s journey with the Yakuza. The photographs bear witness to the infamous tattoos, the guarding of the Yakuza bosses, and the essay picks up on cultural customs, such as the cutting off of a finger as an apology.

It’s difficult to summarize the subject matter of the book, or even the author himself, since both author and book are to be admired and acknowledged as witnesses to a culture few know anything about. Nothing about this project should be taken flippantly, or dismissed.

The book has been sold out since July, but many of the photographs can be found on Kusters’ site.

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LUZ Shirokane

As far as Japan goes, communal spaces in apartment buildings are a rarity.

Situated in Tokyo, Japan, Kawabe Naoya Architect and Associates have assembled ‘LUZ Shirokane’ which is a multi-story apartment building. The architecture firm has taken great care with the communal spaces, which are set up at the core of each level of the building.

The building’s exterior is made of clean lines and a tapering roof. The main entrance is hidden away through a private pathway that is set back from the street, to allow for a sense of privacy in the hectic city. The units make good use of interior windows, which look out over the communal spaces, and the stairways are open and beautifully structured.

The idea of a communal space in an apartment building may seem foreign for those of us in the West. We tend to think of our homes as a private getaway from the public lives we lead each day. However, a communal space, such as that in LUZ Shirokane, may make the residents a little more compassionate towards others.

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47% House // Kochi Architect’s Studio

Holistic spacing in private residences has become a popular and interesting development in the world of architecture.

It marries the minimalist, utilitarian design that many enjoy in urban environments to the nature of the environment that the structure resides in.

Kochi Architect’s Studio, a Tokyo-based practiced, takes this to the next level with the creation of 47% House, which derives its name from the fact that the interior space makes up 47% of the interior space.

The unusual floor plan for the dwelling, which is located in Kamakura, Japan, consists of an asymmetrical roof which conceals the interior/exterior floor plan from the street. The roof, which partially wraps the front of the dwelling, provides generous shade for the large outdoor terrace and exterior entrance hallway. The dwelling also features floor to ceiling windows and several outdoor spaces including a garden, two hallways, and a staircase.

47% House is an elegant and regal nod to the connection between manmade and nature.

 

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Plus House |Japan Architecture|

If this is what you thought a modern, forward-thinking urban apartment would look like in Paris…

You’d be wrong.

This beautiful two-level concrete villa is situated in the Shizuoka Prefecture on Japan’s main island Honshu. The two-structure villa is built in such a way that from above, it forms a cross or a plus sign – hence, the name Plus House.

The husband and wife architect team that dreamed up this weekend villa are also the founders of Mount Fuji Architects Studio, and stems from their love of mountaineering. 

The home, which is clad entirely in concrete and marble and features water from nearby hot springs in the kitchen and baths, has a romantic play on light and sits on a mountaintop overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

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Delaware

Above is a photo of the members of Delaware, a design/music group from Japan. (Members include - Masato Samata, Aya Honda, Morihiro Tajiri,  & Ages5&Up)

The super sonic group that designs everything from visual and web design to writing to music to mobile phone art was first organized by Masato Samata in 1993. 

Since their conception, they have had a revolving number of artists come and go, and have been doing exhibitions and live shows (the most recent being the Adidas/Diesel party in 2008). 

I am interested in the ability of its members to find common ground in design and move from music to visual art. Although most of the group’s work is hard to find (seeing as I don’t speak Japanese), I am keeping my eye on them.

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HERE or MYSPACE