Category: Fashion

CategoriesDecorations Essay Fashion Photography Tokyo

Village Vanguard

Posted on

“If men liked shopping, they’d call it research.” ― Cynthia Nelms In the previous article, I posted photographs of Shimokitazawa during the night stroll in the city. Photos posted here were taken in a store in the city, called Village Vanguard Shimokitazawa, on the same day. Village Vanguard is a book chain running a business across Japan, especially in urban areas. What makes the chain stands out of the crowd is that not only does it sell books, but also sells anything that might be perceived as “cool” by youngsters. The keywords of the franchise are “subculture”, “acoustic”, “unplugged”, “analog”, “nature”, “American pop culture”, and “nostalgia”. When I was looking … Continue ReadingVillage Vanguard

CategoriesArchitecture Art Decorations Essay Fashion Light Night Photography Tokyo

Off the Beat

Posted on

“Who are you? Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies? Have you created a life for yourself where you can experience them? I have. I am fucking crazy. But I am free.” ― Lana Del Rey This was my second time photographing Shimokitazawa, a.k.a Tokyo’s hipster heaven. Simply called “Shimokita” or “Shimo” to the locals, the city’s trendy hipster atmosphere created by vintage stores, local designer shops, and art galleries is golden. I was there only for a few hours for a night stroll after having attended an international event held in the city, but you need to take half a day to wander around to explore … Continue ReadingOff the Beat

CategoriesArchitecture Art Decorations Fashion Osaka Photography

Amerikamura

Posted on

“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions.” ― Lillian Hellman Americamura, meaning American Village, is known as the creative fashion and entertainment mecca for youngsters in the Kansai region. Usually, it is referred to by locals as just simply Ame-mura. Some would say this district is Osaka’s answer to Shibuya, Tokyo. The district was originally named American Village due to the area’s focus on importing Western merchandise. Despite its name, there isn’t much that represents the US, expect that iconic Statue of Liberty replica, which I forgot to photograph this time (sorry guys lol). With punk, goth, lolita altogether, the district creates something of … Continue ReadingAmerikamura