2006 SPRING PREVIEW

FEATURES

Intimate Gardens Small splendors that feed the soul The urban garden is a magic space with far more power than its compact size would suggest. It can transport the mind and spirit of the beholder into the realm of nature beyond. To understand how, visit the Japanese gardens on our pages. We share tips from history and from today's experts for creating your own "intimate garden."

photo by Michael Freeman

A Passion for Edo Art We visit the Southern California home of Joe and Etsuko Price, who have long promoted the artistic value of Edo-period art to the Japanese. The first and last exhibition of the Price Collection (the largest of its kind) will take place in both Japan and the U.S. starting in July of this year.

Uncork the Secrets of Asakusa -Our guide to Tokyo's old shitamachi Foreign visitors to Tokyo seldom skip Asakusa, Tokyo's original "downtown." What makes it such a tourist magnet? We will take you way beyond the guidebooks to learn of its roots in Asakusa Kannon temple and discover the best shops for traditional arts and crafts, the neigborhood's hidden culinary gems, a year-round calendar of festivals, and routes to explore on foot and by bike.

Chronicle

Today's Geisha -One Girl's Tale Young Ruriko Nasu, born in Mexico and partly raised in Beijing, was determined to become a geisha. Through her own words and the lens of photographer Naoyuki Ogino, we trace her five-year training and her December debut as Komomo, a full-fledged geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha). Like the others in her okiya (house where geiko live and train), she originally contacted the proprietress by e-mail.

photo by Naoyuki Ogino

FASHION

Issey Miyake's Spring FETE The latest ISSEY MIYAKE FETE collection captures the spirit of spring. Azby Brown interviews its creator Naomi Takizawa about his new direction for spring and summer and his never-ending process of exploring new technology. Living

Furoshiki- It's a Wrap ! The simple squares of fabric (furoshiki) that Japanese have historically used to wrap and carry all manner of things are making a comeback. We show traditional ways to fold and knot furoshiki and some modern ways to use them.

TRAVEL

The Height of Hospitality in Palmy L.A. Atop the lofty pinnacle of luxury accommodations in Los Angeles sits the Park Hyatt Los Angeles. Managers who worked in Japan may be the reason why it is in this spot.

Art

Sogetsu Ikebana- Finding One's Sense of Self The head of this famed ikebana school discusses how the process of creating ikebana enriches the senses and leads to personal discovery.

REGULAR FEATURES

Letters

Editor's Choice
-Tokyo's new Golden Tongue: a branch of New York's sensational Japanese restaurant MEGU -Safflower lipstick? It's time to try this traditional cosmetic that dates back to the 1600s.

Arts & Artists
Three spring interviews: restaurant impresario Stephen Starr / architect Yamashita Yasuhiro / spa designer Ian Carr

Art & Design
The future of humanity at Art Tower Mito / Art of Tokyo and Berlin at Tokyo's Mori Art Museum / 1,200 years of Tendai Buddhism at Tokyo National Museum / The Cartier Foundation Collection at Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art / The fiber arts of Toshiaki Nagakusa at Kyoto's Shibunkaku Gallery

Close Up
Floral artist Ayako Tanaka and her Tableaux en Flours at Aoyama's Gallery ES / "What We Wanted, We Now Have"-unexpected designs at the Ginza Sakura Shop

Product & Retail News

Subscription Information / List of Distributors in Japan and Abroad

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Selections from This Issue in Japanese