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Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
A Century in Sound: A Love Letter to Japanese Listening Cafes
Ongaku kissa , also known as listening cafés, are tranquil spaces dedicated to an analog appreciation of music. They tend to have a distinctive atmosphere: Dimly lit and often shrouded in a veil of cigarette smoke, these are places to devote oneself to music, listening closely and speaking in hushed tones, if at all. Many have the feel of living time capsules; online, they're romanticized for their nostalgic charm and undeniable je ne sais quoi. But as Nick Dwyer and Tu Neill unpack in their incandescent six-episode documentary A Century in Sound , ongaku kissa are so much more than beautiful relics of bygone eras. First appearing in the 1920s, ongaku kissa have quietly kept their seat in Japan's dynamic music scene, bearing witness to periods of Western infusion, social upheaval, glittering affluence and beyond. A Century in Sound unearths this history with a light and loving touch, by telling the stories of several ongaku kissa and their owners, many of whom have been helming their businesses for decades. The documentary renders a distinctly Japanese musical phenomenon with immense care and respect, ultimately reaffirming the role music plays in our individual and collective existences. List of Contents: The Art of Listening Mastering the Classics Playing It by Ear It Takes a Village An Aural Renaissance More Information Related Posts The Art of Listening Born and raised in New Zealand, writer-director Nick Dwyer was initially drawn to Japanese aesthetics and music via a Nintendo Game Boy his brother gifted him. 'The artwork, the design, the way kanji characters were anthropomorphized — it blew my mind,' he recounts. 'I bought a Japanese dictionary and taught myself how to read and write, and decided as a teenager that I would move to Japan.' In his 20s, Dwyer traveled to Japan for Making Tracks , a TV show he hosted about world music culture, which was broadcast on the BBC and National Geographic. 'I fell in love with the music culture here — the record stores, the small clubs, the sound systems — and I just started coming here every year since 2004,' he says. In 2014, he made good on his childhood resolution and moved to Tokyo. At the time, he recalls, he was 'a bit jaded personally and professionally.' He continues, 'I had moved to Japan for a number of reasons, but the main one was to fall in love with music again.' After a long period of being deeply immersed in electronic and club music scenes, and extensive globetrotting throughout his 20s for Making Tracks — from Trinidad and Tobago to Argentina, South Africa, India and dozens more countries — Dwyer was more than ready to take a deep breath. In late 2014, he stepped into Meikyoku Kissa Lion, which is generally thought to be the oldest ongaku kissa in Japan, for the first time. It was an encounter that left him indelibly changed. 'Café Lion put me in a situation where I was forced to listen … and I was like, hang on a second — my whole life and career is music, but when was the last time I actually listened to music? Just sat and listened to an album?' Dwyer began filling his days at ongaku kissa, visiting hundreds of locations across the country, from Hokkaido to the southernmost islands of the Japanese archipelago. Ten years and many musical awakenings later, A Century in Sound was realized. Meikyoku Kissa Lion | A Century In Sound Mastering the Classics Meikyoku Kissa Lion is fittingly the focus of A Century in Sound 's first episode. ' Meikyoku ' means 'musical masterpiece,' referring to classical works by composers like Beethoven, Mozart and Debussy. Out of respect for the café's hushed, reverent atmosphere, it took years for Dwyer to approach its owner, Keiko Ishihara, about filming there. Lion maintains a strict 'no photography, no talking' policy, and at the time, it had never been captured on screen. 'I would go every day, sometimes twice a day, until the staff got to know me as a regular,' he tells Tokyo Weekender . Ishihara's late husband was the brother-in-law of Yanosuke Yamadera, who founded Meikyoku Kissa Lion in 1926. The café was rebuilt after the area burned down during an air raid in 1945, and Yamadera developed his collection of records by travelling to the night markets and buying records left behind by the American troops. Ishihara, a child at the time, recalls the influx of Western culture after the horrors of the war, a time when the Japanese public grew fascinated with Western musical genres. This, combined with people's inability to acquire expensive listening equipment, made Yamadera's treasure trove hugely successful. 'People used to line up in front before opening hours,' Ishihara says, 'and they'd all rush to sit in their designated seats.' The baroque, stone-walled facade of Meikyoku Kissa Lion remains unchanged today, imposing and enigmatic, having been witness to decades of history. Venturing inside reveals a high-ceilinged cavern brimming with over 5,000 classical records. Akin to an old movie theater, rows of velveteen chairs face two stately speakers that loom in the place of a screen. Like moviegoers, the café's patrons sit in silence, letting the melodies wash over them while silently sipping coffee. For Ishihara and her patrons, Lion is both academically and spiritually enriching; it's a place to worship, study and appreciate the genre. 'I learned about classical music here, rather than the classical music taught at school,' she says. Playing It by Ear Within the category of ongaku kissa, there's an expansive variety of subcategories — not just meikyoku kissa, but jazz kissa, rock kissa and innumerable others as well. The documentary's second episode delves into the story of Masahiro Yoshida, the founder and owner of the legendary Jazz Kissa Eigakan ('Jazz Café Movie Theater'), which he opened in 1978 near Hakusan Station in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward. Jazz kissa and records existed in Japan during the 1930s, but most of them were confiscated or destroyed during the war. Post-war, bebop — a new kind of jazz characterized by adventurous improvisation, fast tempos and complex harmonies — took center stage, spawning a host of jazz kissa and clubs around Tokyo. 'I think the genre is still popular because it's more complex and layered compared to modern music — the more you listen to it, the more you find,' Yoshida suggests. To craft a tangible, warm soundscape essential to the genre, he spent decades perfecting a built-from-scratch sound system, featuring wooden horns and vacuum tube amplifiers. '[The audio system] is my own masterpiece,' Yoshida tells Dwyer. 'Humans want to do many different things, but I think a life best lived is one that is used to pursue a single thing.' Jazz Kissa Eigakan Owner Masahiro Yoshida With The Cafe's Bespoke Sound system It Takes a Village The resilient foundation of an ongaku kissa relies on its ' jyoren ' — devoted regulars. For these regulars, listening cafés function as a safe haven from the toils of city life. 'All major urban centers need these places, but especially in Tokyo, third spaces are so important,' Dwyer says. Indeed, ongaku kissa foster a sense of belonging for apartment-dwelling Tokyoites living in practiced isolation. The series' third episode showcases the rock-focused Bird Song Cafe , which was modeled after the legendary Black Hawk in Shibuya — a rock 'dojo' from the 1970s known for its intense listening sessions and loyal crowd of 'Black Hawk Children.' 'Black Hawk was a place where you would meditate to the music. The place was more academic than other rock kissa,' proprietor Junichi Umezawa explains. 'It was like a continuation of classes at university.' Interviews with several regulars reveal just how deeply these listening spaces resonate: a former Black Hawk Child, now in her 60s, who lost touch with her passion for rock after marriage and motherhood but rediscovered it at Bird Song; a salaryman and avid record collector who calls Umezawa his 'music teacher'; and a woman who found comfort there after the tragic loss of her son. 'I couldn't listen to any of the music from my past during that time … [Umezawa] helped me heal through music,' she recalls. Umezawa understands that Bird Song Cafe is more than just a place to hang out — for many customers, it serves a vital purpose. 'In the past, Japan was a society of villages … but times have changed,' he notes. 'I think people still need each other. This is the commune now.' An Aural Renaissance As a regular himself at a constellation of ongaku kissa, Dwyer's goal in creating A Century in Sound was to share his love for this unique facet of Japanese audiophile culture with the world. More broadly, he hoped to spark conversations about the fundamental value of music in our lives. 'It's something we all need to think about in the present day, when music has lost a lot of its meaning,' he expresses, characterizing its current commodified form as 'aural wallpaper.' Despite the dominance of streaming culture, Dwyer sincerely sees a bright future for the art of analog listening. When I ask him whether ongaku kissa will be able to stand the test of time, the answer is a resounding yes. 'There are so many people who are starting their own places inspired by ongaku kissa,' he tells me, spotlighting Shimokitazawa's Tonlist and Masako as examples. 'There's a common misconception that this culture is an old people's culture, but it's not. It's more young and vibrant than ever before. 'Music needs to be experienced in an analog way in order for it to form a memory. I'm never going to form a memory to music when I'm sitting at home getting fed something from an algorithm,' Dwyer continues. 'To me, ongaku kissa are schools, churches, hospitals. They're portals to other dimensions. Recorded music has the power to be so transcendent, and these places unlock its full potential — it's something we all need to get back in our lives.' More Information Find out more about A Century in Sound on Instagram . Related Posts A Guide to Japanese Listening Bars Jazz Kissa: A Musical Culture Unique to Japan A Vinyl Lover's Guide to Tokyo's Record Stores
Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Isaac Y. Takeu Is Giving Voice to a Generation
On Instagram and TikTok, short clips of the podcast Goldnrush (stylized as GOLDNRUSH) abound. They're immensely easy to get sucked into, and tend to include some (or all) of the following elements: a famous artist sharing a funny behind-the-scenes story, people who don't necessarily 'look Japanese' speaking in Japanese — their native tongue — and a steady stream of warm, disarming laughter from the Japanese-Cameroonian MC, Isaac Y. Takeu. The video podcast, which takes place mostly in Japanese with bilingual subtitles, serves as a platform for a wide range of fascinating figures in Japan who share one commonality: being multicultural. Past Goldnrush guests include F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda, who lives in Europe for his job; viral comedian Yurié Collins, who performs bilingual standup and often discusses her biracial background; and Ananya Donapati, an Indian-American content creator who taught herself Japanese to complete fluency. Several of its clips have racked up millions of views, and it's amassed a devoted audience of regular listeners, consistently ranking among the top five podcasts on Spotify in Japan. A big part of Goldnrush 's appeal is Takeu's laid-back, conversational interview style — he makes viewers feel like they're hanging out in his living room, casually listening as some of Japan's most talked-about international icons open up about identity, culture and their thoughts on Chicago-style pizza. Takeu usually takes on the role of interviewer, serving as a non-judgmental sounding board for his guests, but this time, the roles were reversed. In a long and thoughtful conversation, he opened up about the creation of Goldnrush , his experience growing up mixed-race and his passion for amplifying the voices of people who've grown up between cultures or identities. List of Contents: Finding His Light The Birth of Goldnrush Redefining 'Japanese' Related Posts Finding His Light Takeu has a Japanese mother and Cameroonian father; his parents met while his mother was in Africa as a missionary. They got married in Senegal, then moved to his mother's childhood home of Hokkaido. Takeu grew up with humble beginnings, raised in a danchi — government-operated public housing — and his parents didn't always have it easy. 'My dad has told me stories about some people tricking him. His Japanese wasn't that good, and people looked down on him because he's African,' Takeu says. From as early as elementary school, Takeu became aware that his appearance drew attention — often accompanied by assumptions. He recalls one incident when classmates tried to distract him during a lesson, but he was the one who got reprimanded. 'I was so frustrated,' he says. 'But when I told my mom, she said, 'You stand out even when you're not doing anything, so you have to be extra careful.' That's when I realized, Okay, yeah, I'm really different.' In high school, Takeu excelled academically and was elected student council president. He also began to notice a shift in how his peers treated him as he got older and Japanese society changed. 'It became a cool thing to be mixed,' Takeu recalls. 'People wanted to act like they were my friend even though we don't really know each other, because they want to be cool with the Black kid. I call it 'positive racism.'' Takeu is joking, but it's clear a lot of thought went into using the phrase. 'They put you on a pedestal just because you look different, right?' After graduating high school, Takeu moved to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking, where he discovered his first love: hip-hop. He was particularly drawn to its social impact, the way it enabled artists to express themselves in a way that resonated and sparked broader revelations. 'Especially for African Americans who grew up going up the social ladder and struggled with poverty, hip-hop changed the whole perspective and is now a mainstream art form, known throughout the whole world.' America's culture of individualism — the way people feel driven to distinguish themselves and stand out — also struck a chord with Takeu. 'Everyone in the States wants to be different. It opened my eyes [and helped me realize] that it's cool to be myself, to do something different from other people, to stand out. That mindset helped me get to where I'm at.' The Birth of Goldnrush After working as a freelance photographer and videographer for a few years, Takeu returned to Japan and began to experiment with the medium of video podcasting, making use of his expertise with video and audio equipment and natural ease in front of the camera. At first, the show focused on film and hip-hop; he invited Japanese recording artists to chat and discussed his own experience of being a film director. Takeu knew early on that he had hit a gold mine: 'The second or third video I posted got, like, 1.5 million views on TikTok. I was like, 'Yo, this is it.'' Over time, though, Takeu began to feel that the aspects of American hip-hop that mattered most to him were less evident in the Japanese scene. 'I realized Japanese hip-hop is not really the hip-hop that I fell in love with,' he explains. 'In the Japanese hip-hop industry, there's not many minorities talking about their experience.' Wanting to do something meaningful with his new platform, Takeu realized the answer was right under his nose — or rather, within him — the entire time. 'When I thought about who's a minority in Japan, it was mixed people. Our channel evolved to more than just hip-hop — to focus on minorities in Japan and their voice, because mass media doesn't really cover it as much.' Redefining 'Japanese' Takeu welcomes a remarkably diverse range of guests to his show, with most interviews conducted primarily in Japanese. For many Japanese viewers, seeing people of all skin tones and hair textures speaking the same language as them offers a level of visibility that's still rare — and deeply impactful. When asked what his favorite interview has been, Takeu's answer is instant: one with the 26-year-old singer-songwriter Umi, who shares a similar background to him. She was raised by a Japanese mother and African American father in Seattle, and never felt quite like she belonged anywhere. 'She felt like she wasn't Black enough or Japanese enough. But she realized that she's Black, but also Japanese. And it's okay to be who she is. She talked about how we could be the bridge between different cultures, and I realized that's the core message of my podcast.' Giving a platform to diverse voices also means spotlighting a wide range of opinions, some of which Takeu may not necessarily agree with — and with which his viewers may take issue. When asked whether he stirs the pot on purpose sometimes, Takeu responds, 'I don't know if I'm intentionally trying to be controversial, but I do want to put controversial topics out there so that people can really think about it.' Take, for example, a recent viral clip from Takeu's interview with Valentine Hosokawa, a Nigerian-Japanese former pro boxer. In it, Hosokawa vents frustration at what he sees as a younger generation of mixed-race Japanese growing up 'spoiled.' He cites as an example young half-Japanese people who speak out about discrimination in the modeling industry. 'The kind of work they do is modeling — the kind of stuff where everyone showers them with attention,' he says. 'Back in our day, there was no way a half-Black kid would be featured in a major magazine.' When asked about the ensuing backlash, Takeu says there was more context to Hosokawa's comments; he had actually been thrilled to find a multicultural community in Tokyo and was amazed by how much had changed. His remarks were meant to be ironic — reflecting on how far things have come — but they came off as tone-deaf. The comment section for the interview clip, which is full of people vehemently disagreeing in Japanese, shows just how significant the podcast is. The very existence of a platform that can spark this kind of debate — where people can share their impressions and opinions about growing up multicultural or mixed-race in Japan, and others can push back with perspectives of their own — is huge. It's something Takeu couldn't have imagined back in middle school in Hokkaido. More than opening up a dialogue, though, Takeu wants to give hope and awareness to the next generation. He wants to share stories of success, of creativity and of self-acceptance.'The reason why I'm doing this podcast is so that 10-year-old me, or kids now, would listen, find these guests — or me — to be inspiring role models who can thrive in society.' To further expand the reach of his quickly growing platform, Takeu is taking on a new project: a podcast tour, where he will travel across Japan to host interviews and talks in front of a live audience. 'I think this podcast is really needed in society right now, and this felt like something I could do to bring it to people in different parts of Japan, especially the countryside, where mixed [kids] might not have a community or people they can look up to.' It's clear that Goldnrush offers more than just stories — it creates a space for people who have felt misunderstood or uncertain about their place in Japanese society. By allowing guests to speak openly, the podcast presents a new vision of what it means to be Japanese, one that embraces complexity, diversity and the many ways identity can be experienced and expressed. More Info Follow the podcast on Instagram at @ goldnrushpodcast , where you can also find more information about the show's upcoming tour. Related Posts The Making of a Japanese: A Moving, Heartfelt Exploration of Japanese Identity A Chat With Hyde, Japan's Biggest Rock Star The Infectious Absurdity of Atsuko Okatsuka
Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Black Bear Causes Chaos at Yamagata Airport
A black bear caused chaos at Yamagata Airport on Thursday, forcing air traffic controllers to cancel more than 10 flights. It was first spotted near the runway at approximately 7 a.m. Officials shut operations down, leading to a delay of up to an hour for flights. The large mammal then reappeared around noon, again halting flights. The runway was closed as airport staff used a high-visibility car to chase the bear away. 'Given the situation, there is no way we can host plane arrivals now,' said Yamagata airport official Akira Nagai. He added, 'We're in a stalemate.' Three box traps were set up. However, at the time of writing, the bear still hasn't been caught. It hasn't been seen since yesterday at around 3 p.m. Currently, operations are continuing as normal at the airport. Bear Injures Two Men in Nagano Prefecture On the same day that the black bear was wreaking havoc at Yamagata Airport, two forestry workers were attacked by a bear in Agematsu, Nagano Prefecture. They were spraying deer repellent in a forest at the time of the attack. According to the Nagano Prefectural Police and the fire department, the bear first bit the face of a 32-year-old man. The second man, aged 64, was bitten on his right leg. Both men were conscious as they were taken to hospital. In April, Japan enacted a revised law allowing municipalities to authorize the 'emergency shootings' of dangerous animals that enter urban areas. Approved by the House of Councilors, it will take effect before the end of the year. A record-high 219 casualties, including six deaths, from bear attacks were reported in Japan in the 12 months to April 2024. Related Posts Bear Captured After Raiding Supermarket in Akita City for Several Days Why Nara's Sacred Deer Are Attacking Tourists A Surprise Christmas Guest: Bear Found Under Kotatsu Blanket in a Japanese Home
Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Iconic City Pop Songs Covered or Sampled by Overseas Artists
With it being Retro Week at Tokyo Weekender, we are focusing on city pop for our latest List of 7 . Considered more of a vibe associated with the 1970s and 1980s in Japan than a strict musical genre, it experienced a revival in the late 2010s. Its popularity also spread overseas, influencing foreign musicians. Here's a look at some of the most iconic city pop hits that have been covered or sampled by overseas artists. List of Contents: Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me) Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders Anri: Last Summer Whisper Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant Mai Yamane: Tasogare More From This Series Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve Covered by the Commodores and Pentatonix The best place to start is with the man known as the 'King of City Pop.' Tatsuro Yamashita, who will make his Fuji Rock debut this July, has released 13 original studio albums, five cover CDs and two live records. His most successful track, 'Christmas Eve' (1983), was Japan's best-selling single of the 1980s. It also holds the record for the most consecutive years — 39 and counting — to appear on the Oricon Chart Top 100. Given its popularity, it's no surprise that several artists have covered the song, including overseas acts. American funk and soul group, the Commodores, included it on the Japanese edition of the band's 1992 album, Commodores Christmas . Cappella group Pentatonix did likewise on their 2014 LP That's Christmas To Me . Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me) Covered by Rainych, Sampled by 1nonly A domestic hit in 1979, Miki Matsubara's debut single, 'Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me),' became an international one four decades later due to platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Written by famed composers Tetsuji Hayashi and Tokuko Miura, it's a sad song about lost love, yet has an upbeat sound and catchy chorus. Matsubara, who was also known for singles such as 'Neat na gogo san-ji' and 'The Winner,' sadly passed away in 2004 at the age of just 44. Sixteen years after Matsubara's death, Indonesian YouTuber Rainych uploaded a cover of her most famous track to her YouTube channel, which garnered millions of views. 'Stay With Me,' the breakout single from Korean-American rapper 1nonly (Nathan Scott Fuller), also sampled the song. Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders Sampled by the Weeknd Embodying the spirit of the 80s, Tomoko Aran — birth name Tomoko Yamaguchi — is known for her distinctive vocals and catchy melodies. Between 1981 and 1990, she released nine albums, including More Relax (1984) and Last Good-bye (1986). Her most celebrated album, though, is the 1983 LP, Fuyu Kukan , meaning 'floating space.' A synth-heavy record, it features two standout tracks: 'I'm in Love' and 'Midnight Pretenders.' The latter, in particular, has garnered a lot of attention in recent years due to the rising popularity of city pop. A laid-back track with a seductive, dream-like quality, 'Midnight Pretenders' was heavily sampled by four-time Grammy Award-winning Canadian artist the Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) for his song 'Out of Time' from the album Dawn FM. Anri: Last Summer Whisper Sampled by Jenevieve Mariya Takeuchi is widely referred to as the 'Queen of City Pop,' though for many, Anri — birth name Eiko Kawashima — is just as deserving of that title. During her career, which has spanned more than four decades, she has released over 40 albums. Her most successful LP, Timely , released in 1983, featured 'Cat's Eye.' Used as the opening track for the anime series of the same name, it topped the charts for four weeks. The previous year, Anri worked with Toshiki Kadomatsu for the first time on her fourth studio album, Heaven Beach . Kadomatsu wrote and composed 'Last Summer Whisper,' a bittersweet song about a fleeting summer fling. The catchy hit was sampled by American R&B artist Jenevieve Johnson — known professionally as Jenevieve — for her song, 'Baby Powder.' Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin Sampled by Engelwood A violinist as a child, Kingo Hamada switched to the guitar as he got older and then joined the folk band Craft in 1974. When the group disbanded, he launched his solo career, releasing his debut album Manhattan in the Rain in 1980. Over the next five years, he recorded another six original LPs. The one that garnered the most attention was Midnight Cruisin' , which is known for its smooth and funky sound. Highlights include the title track, 'Yokogao no Taxi Driver' (A Taxi Driver's Profile) and 'Machi no Dorufin' (City Dolphin), which is his most famous song. Matt Engels, known by his stage name Engelwood, sampled Hamada's track for his popular future-funk song 'Crystal Dolphin.' The electronic music producer also sampled Yamashita's hit 'Sparkle' on another track. Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant Sampled by J. Cole and Chris Brown In 1974, the folk group Akai Tori disbanded due to musical differences. Three of its members — Junko Yamamoto, Toshihiko Yamamoto and Shigeru Okawa — subsequently formed a new group called Hi-Fi Set. The name was suggested by the influential musician Haruomi Hosono. Performing as a trio for two decades, many of the group's biggest hits came in their first 10 years, including 'Sotsugyo Shashin' (Graduation Photo), 'Tsumetai Ame' (Cold Rain) and 'Sunao ni Naritai' (I Want to Be Honest). The group's catchiest tune is arguably 'Sky Restaurant' (1975), written by legendary artist Yuming (birth name Yumi Arai). Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known professionally as J. Cole, sampled the intro for his track 'January 28th' in 2014, as did Chris Brown for his song 'Moonlight' on his 2023 album 11:11 . Mai Yamane: Tasogare Sampled by Playboi Carti and Young Nudy A talented performer with a husky voice, Mai Yamane is most well-known for her collaborations with Yoko Kanno on various soundtracks for the Cowboy Bebop anime series, including the first ending theme, 'The Real Folk Blues,' released in 1998. Yamane launched her music career almost two decades earlier with her debut album, Tasogare (1980), meaning 'twilight.' Produced by Makoto Matsushita, it's considered a city pop masterpiece, especially the title track, which incorporates elements of funk. 'Tasogare' garnered global attention in the late 2010s after Playboi Carti and Young Nudy utilized the intro of the song for the recording of their track 'Pissy Pamper.' Leaked in 2019, it proved very popular online, but as the sample wasn't cleared, it was never officially released. More From This Series Japanese Films That Influenced Quentin Tarantino Legendary Figures From Osaka Recommended Japanese Documentaries
Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
How Mogi Folk Art Sparked Tokyo's Mingei Renaissance
In the heart of Tokyo's bohemian neighborhood of Koenji, Mogi Folk Art has carved out a space where tradition and contemporary design collide. Opened in 2022 by Keiko Kitamura and Terry Ellis, the store is described as an homage to mingei , Japan's folk craft movement that champions the beauty found in everyday handmade objects of use. Since opening, Mogi Folk Art has gained an international following for its unique selection of furniture, homewares and clothing, which are brought together under the discerning eye of its owners. Ellis is a renowned figure in the Japanese design and craft scene, and Kitamura is a seasoned buyer with a honed eye for the overlooked. Together, the couple offers a philosophy that craft should be alive, not archival. The store embodies the pair's decades-long work in this world; to look back at their joint career is essentially to plot the resurgence of mingei, so paramount have they been to its current revitalization. It was a path littered with obstacles at the start. The pair began working as buyers for the lifestyle giant Beams in the 90s, where they first began to introduce Japanese craft pieces into the rotation during the early 2000s. However, as Ellis recalls, the objects at this time were seen as so old-fashioned that the press 'wouldn't even look at them.' List of Contents: From Okinawa to Tokyo: The Mingei Revivalists The International Language of Mingei The Future: Crafting Continuity Related Posts Examples of Okinawan pottery From Okinawa to Tokyo: The Mingei Revivalists Mingei, which translates as 'folk craft' in English, was a movement born in the late 1920s as a response to the rise of mass production. Led by art critic and philosopher Soetsu Yanagi and potters Shoji Hamada and Kanjiro Kawai, the movement sought to elevate the handmade crafts of ordinary people — ceramics, textiles, woodwork — as objects of beauty and cultural value. Though it became a defining aesthetic in mid-century Japan, the movement eventually receded from public attention as consumer tastes shifted. It was Soetsu Yanagi's son — the legendary industrial designer Sori Yanagi — who first taught Ellis and Kitamura the joy of folk crafts. Nearly three decades ago, he suggested they take a trip to Okinawa to pursue this interest. 'At the time, no one was going,' Kitamura recalls. 'It was cheaper to fly to Hawaii.' The couple's first trip in 1997 was a revelation. Okinawan ceramics — known for their earthy palettes, robust nature and bold abstract patterns — were unlike anything they'd seen in Japan, and really spoke to the pair. But when they began introducing pieces at Beams, they received little attention. 'Craft wasn't trendy,' Ellis says, laughing. Okinawa itself still carried postwar baggage: Newspapers mostly reported on American military antics, not artisanship. Yet slowly, through repeat trips (now over 100 and counting) and Beams' cult influence, Okinawan pottery would shed its provincial image. Kitamura and Ellis began by introducing simple plates with no decoration, before carefully moving into bolder colorful pieces, gradually bridging Okinawa's craft traditions with Tokyo's design-conscious audience. By the 2010s, what was once dismissed as 'old-fashioned' had become coveted, and Japanese craft had found a permanent place within Beams through the 2003 launch of its in-house brand Fennica, presided over by Ellis and Kitamura. The International Language of Mingei The history of mingei follows a similar path of bridging cultures. 'The founders of mingei looked westwards,' Ellis notes, 'first from China and Korea, then to Europe and America. Mingei was always internationally minded.' Today, Mogi Folk Art's shelves reflect this: African masks sit beside Mashiko stoneware; Tottori plates share space with indigo-dyed fabrics, altogether creating a space that feels eclectic yet coherent. The commonality? The mark of the hand — a quality Ellis values over mere beauty. Despite this, Ellis notes the early mingei movement was Eurocentric in its influence, beginning to seek inspiration from Africa and South America only in the 1960s. Mogi offers a selection of African art pieces, which Ellis sees as having an affinity with Japanese craft. 'There's a common belief that mingei shares its sensibilities with Scandinavian design, but I'm skeptical of that. Sure, there's a shared emphasis on functionality, but I see more kinship between Japanese and African art.' The parallels, he argues, lie not only in aesthetics but a spiritual utility — objects acting as vessels for ritual, not just decoration. Japan's masks, costumes and religious icons echo West African sculpture and textiles in their embodiment of spirits and unseen forces. 'It's not art for art's sake.' The Future: Crafting Continuity Ellis has always known his role lies in selection rather than creation. 'I tried my hand at ceramics in Okinawa,' he admits, 'but realized I didn't have the talent for it. I know I'm good at selecting — that's where my strength lies.' This clarity of purpose defines Mogi Folk Art and pushes it forward — Ellis' curatorial instinct pairs with Kitamura's nuanced approach to maker relationships. 'My mission is finding the middle ground between our commissions and the specialisms of local makers,' she explains. Their philosophy extends to Mogi's clothing line, which the pair designs entirely in-house. Rejecting the dilution that plagues many small or avant-garde brands (Ellis: 'Designers often start with something great, then have to water it down due to time and cost'), they choose to focus on simple, elemental pieces: smocks, T-shirts, sneakers, and soon, jackets. The palettes — indigo, khaki, beige — mirror the earthy tones of their objects, as if translating folk art's materiality into wearable form. Each garment is produced through longtime Beams connections, using fabrics chosen for their quality and longevity over trend, and the result is clothing that exudes a quiet confidence. Last year, Ellis and Kitamura expanded their vision further with a new dedicated gallery space a few doors down. Open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Mogi & Mogi Gallery Shop serves as a showcase for one-off, standout pieces, and often spotlights overlooked voices: women artists sidelined by Japan's male-dominated craft history, and older makers with overlooked archives. Despite collecting for so many years, Ellis fondly recalls the first masterwork he obtained — a bowl by the renowned mingei potter Shoji Hamada. 'I had encountered mingei objects before, but this was something else. It was the first time I thought, 'If I don't buy this, I won't be able to sleep!'' At its core, Ellis and Kitamura remain driven by their mission to create spaces where others might feel this same spark, proving through the quiet power of selection that when an object speaks for itself, it needs no explanation. More Info Mogi Folk Art is open each week from Thursday to Monday. Mogi & Mogi Gallery Shop is open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday or by appointment. For more information, visit their website or find them on Instagram at @ mogi_folk_art and @ mogi_and_mogi . Related Posts Ontayaki no Sato: Digital Detox in a Folk Pottery Commune in Kyushu Revisiting Traditional Japanese Crafts with Noritaka Tatehana 'Mingei: The Beauty of Everyday Things' Exhibition
