From A to B: Auckland to Trounson Kauri Park
Sea-faring peoples of the South Pacific were the first to navigate by the stars, and their ancient skill is still passed down from generation to generation in places like Micronesia to this day. It is my life’s work to study the voyages undertaken by those who set out to sea in canoes, without maps or compasses, unable to even see the distant islands they were aiming for.
Without large and sturdy trees, the canoes that transported people across oceans could never have been made. Such trees were the products of dynamic and healthy forest systems, fed by rainwater that was absorbed in the Earth and flowed back to the sea in rivers. The sea, in turn, served as a bridge to other lands, and the canoes carried their navigators to new forests, from which new vessels were made. … »
Survival Japanese Cooking with Shie Kasai
“When I moved to Montreal in 1998, I was surprised to see how many sushi takeouts there were around the Plateau area, most of them run by non-Japanese; it was a bit of culture-shock for me within the same city. Then in 2008 I documented twenty-seven sushi shops all within a thirty-minute walking distance from my apartment. This was sort of the core inspiration of this Montreal-specific project,” so tells us Shie Kasai as she takes a break to talk more about her Survival Cooking Project. “My background is in sculpture and I always like to deal with materials. I also like cooking and eating so with this project, instead of going to a hardware store or junk yard, I decided to go to the local supermarkets and to make food that was comforting to me. It’s important especially being in a foreign country where you could … »
First Trip 005: Akita, Japan
With over seventy percent of its land covered by forests, Akita Prefecture in Japan’s northern Tohoku region is blessed with an abundance of nature. The Shirakami mountain range, home to the country’s largest virgin beech forest, sprawls across the north of the prefecture, and Mount Chokai, the second highest peak in Tohoku, looms to the south. Akita is home to numerous festivals, including the Namahage Demon Mask Festival, and it is the birthplace of woodworking of exceptional beauty. For gourmet enthusiasts, the local specialty is kiritanpo (a pipe-shaped food made of rice), and you should be sure to taste Akita’s famous jizake, a sake produced from spring to winter. This season or any, head north and discover a place of ancient traditions and extraordinary natural beauty. The following slideshow is from our First Trip Series. … »
Hosono’s journeys on the musical saucer 3
Volume 3 of our Journey’s on the Musical Saucer series with Haruomi Hosono which featured writings on Hosono’s returns to places once encountered during his rich musical career and travels.
A Journey to India: Hosono and Yokoo, “Cochin Moon.”
1978 was an important year for Haruomi Hosono. The evolution of his exotic sound, already evident on the 1975 release “Tropical Dandy” and “Bon Voyage Co.” of the following year, reached its peak with the release of Harry Hosono and Yellow Magic Band’s hit album “Paraiso” in April, 1978. In February of that year, the idea of Yellow Magic Orchestra was conceived by Hosono and fellow musicians Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto, and the group’s debut album came out in November. The catalyst for the metamorphosis from “band” to “orchestra” was an almost accidental trip to India with writer Tadanori Yokoo. … »
Hosono’s journeys on the musical saucer 2
Volume 2 of our Journey’s on the Musical Saucer series with Haruomi Hosono which featured writings on Hosono’s returns to places once encountered during his rich musical career and travels.
In 1979, Dr. John told Haruomi Hosono, “Watch out for the music business!”
Still excited about first hearing Van Dyke Parks’ “Discover America” (1972), a few months later Haruomi Hosono listened to Dr. John’s “Gumbo” (1972) for the first time. “Eiichi Otaki told me that a great record had been released and that it was all I needed to hear in order to understand what the New Orleans sound was all about. Well, he was right! (laughs)” Not only Ohtaki and Hosono, members of the the 70’s Japanese rock band Happy End, but for music fans worldwide, “Gumbo” became a showcase album of the New Orleans sound- a sound not easily heard by non-locals at the time. Hosono’s connection to New Orleans goes way back. … »
樹上からの眺め ツリークライミング
登りはじめてどれくらい経っただろうか。ようやく、頂上より２～３mほど下に設置されたハンモックまでたどり着いた。それまでずっと木のほうを向いて登ってきた後で、ふとまわりを見渡すと、その高さが一気に感じられて恐怖がこみあげてくる。恐る恐る太い枝の上に立ちあがって、ガイドにザイルをつけ替えてもらい、いよいよ地上数十メートルのハンモックに横たわることに…。静かな風にユラユラと揺れる小さな布の上に思いきって身体を預ける。まるで空中に浮かんでいるような、不思議な感覚だ。サムが「ほら、見てごらん」と遠くを指さす。上半身を起こすのは怖かったが、なんとか顔を外側へ向けてみると、はるか遠くまで続く広大な森の姿が一望できた。これまでに体験したことのない視点からの圧倒的な光景 … »
Skateboard File V: Daisuke Tanaka
Skateboarding needs art as much as it needs skaters. One of the pros and artists operating at the intersection of the two forms is Daisuke Tanaka. Although more affectionately known as “DEE,” Tanaka goes by a few other best-not-published nicknames you will just have to ask him about; another one of them, “Diskah” was given by West coast pro Matt Rodriguez. Daisuke “DEE” Tanaka grew up in West Tokyo and his continued balance of painting, photography and skateboarding through exhibitions and appearances in skateboard films has made him one of the most recognized faces in the skate community.
“Since I was a kid, I had been painting with my mother, who had done a lot of ceramic painting and my dad actually worked for a paint company so I had endless supplies. I actually wanted to be a comic artist but I ended up getting so involved in skateboarding that I somehow forgot about that dream. … »
