Tag Archives: Japan

Tokyo, Japan: Traditional Music in Mejiro

TOKYO CITY GUIDE : CULTURE / MUSIC

Toyo-Japan-Traditional Music in Mejiro-2-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

Lost in the Mejiro small streets

where live aristocrates, I hear the sound. Through a narrow window, the frame of a distant green kimono surrounded by red, amphitheater. Shyly we get in, I take my shoes off to surf to a bunch, the hall is almost empty.

Few scattered people looking at the stage. We are watching a Hogaku concert rehearsal, the Japanese traditional music, Edo music. The exciting meeting with percussionists musicians and the green kimono actress. Picture below: the Uchiwa-ame plays the rain sound.

Toyo-Japan-Traditional Music in Mejiro-5-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014Toyo-Japan-Traditional Music in Mejiro-4-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

Harumi Mochizuki, the excellent Hayashi player (Japanese traditional drums) cames from an artist family: a percussionist mother and a singer father. She played around the world.

On the picture below, a Kotsuzumi on the Harumi‘s shoulder. Kotsuzumi is a small drum shaped like an hourglass and used in Nô theater

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Katada Kisayo, the gifted percussionist, is gratued of Tokyo University in Music, like all the musicians of Ayairobako (the band presented in this post). No “great sound” without “guitare hero”: on picture 5, two Shamisen players.

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Picture above: a traditional gift for Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival or Girls’ Day (picture above). Mayuko Nakamura is the beautiful actress in the green kimono who declaims on music (picture below).

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Photos : Mademoiselle Le K – copyright 2014, tous droits réservés. 

Domo arigato gosaimasu to the Ayairobako band and my tomodachi N for the great translation! 

Informations

How to go to Mejiro by metroMejiro is a district in Tokyo.

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Tokyo, Japan: A walk and coffee in Omotesando and Aoyama  

DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & LIFESTYLE 

Tokyo Urban Culture: Illustrations, Street Style and Rockers

TOKYO CITY GUIDE : CULTURE / STREET LOOK

Tokyo-Illustrations de Christophe Prébois-1-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

Tokyo Illustrations of Christophe Prebois

Tokyo-Illustrations de Christophe Prébois-2-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

Coffee shop, short break after a traditional fabrics hunting with Christophe Prebois, the fashion designer of Brutals (stylish shirts for men).

A notebook on table : sketches and draws of Christophe’s travel in Japan. Some sketches look like photos. Others remind me the rythm of fabrics prints. I look at them, take pictures. Such beautiful illustrations!

Tokyo-Illustrations de Christophe Prébois-3-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014Tokyo-Illustrations de Christophe Prébois-4-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

Street Style

“Let’s walk in the woods, while the little blue hood … there! ” A week of real street looks: snapshots on the board below.

Between kawaii kawaiiiiiiii pink and holder Stockings in Harajuku, multicolored polka dots and green boots in Omotesando and eighties revival with slippers in Yoyogi Park. Coach, I sign for another week!

Tokyo Street Look-Japan-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

The Rockers of Yoyogi Park Vs The Shibuya Girls Fashion Shows

Right, I’ve often met the most xtreme rockers! Here are the dancers rockers of Yoyogi Park. Impressive mix of unique hairstyle with acrobatic jumps. They are the real “characters” of Yoyogi Park.

It was reckoning without the intrusion of Kawaii Land: why do these fashion teens rush with such frenzy? Fashion shows open to public.

Rockers Vs Shibuya Girls Fashion Show-Tokyo-Japan-3-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

If you want to check out the Shibuya girl style (the fashion tribe not the brand): visit the famous department store 109… in Shibuya of course!

Me, I can’t stand the bad techno musics loudly played in the differents shops there. Plus the chorus of non stop « sumimasen » shouted by salespersons. And I don’t like the outfits too, pretty boring. Harajuku is much more fun! 

DOMO ARIGATO TO ALL OF YOU!

Photos : Mademoiselle Le K – copyright 2014, tous droits réservés.

For more about fashion tribes : Tokyo Fashion 

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DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & LIFESTYLE   

Tokyo, Japan: Shopping and Architecture in Roppongi

TOKYO CITY GUIDE: DISTRICT / ROPPONGI

Tokyo-Midtown-Roppongi-Shopping-1-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

The refined Tokyo Midtown 

Incredible blue sky! I get in one of the six buildings of Tokyo Midtown, hosting the Suntory Museum of Art.

A luxury mall. Tasteful minimalist decoration, with staright light wooden and picture windows with a view to the small park. Zen feeling in the cosy atmosphere. 

Comfortable leather sofas to relax between two shops (exhausting shopping, lol!). Check out the high end multibrands Restir and The Cover Nippon for refined arts and crafts: beautiful fabrics for home, ceramics and traditional bags.

Tokyo-Midtown-Roppongi-Shopping-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

For ceramics, I also recommend Asakusa small shops (a traditional district of Tokyo).

At the food level, stop at Toraya for the incredible look of the Japanese pastries (on the picture above)! I was so happy to find “my” Dean & Deluca too, soulful Soho! Could you believe it?

Then I sat in the small park under the sun. Lazy, lazy. Maybe tomorrow I’ll visit the Issey Miyake and Tadeo Ando‘s 21_21 Design Sight: “The first center in Japan dedicated to Design, where the creation process will be exhibited” (Issey Miyake).

The National Art Center Tokyo

Now I head to this amazing Museum with a glass wave front designed by the famous architect Kisho Kurukawa, located five minutes walk from Tokyo Midtown. 

Relaxing bright inside, thanks to the wooden in this all glass and concrete architecture. And big surprise: the two huge concrete cones in the hall! Finally I’ve more enjoyed these cones than the beautiful front! 

Tokyo-Roppongi-The National Art Center Tokyo-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2014

At the Museum shop, I found an eclectic selection of art books and various items. My fav: some sushi USB keys and traditional bags of a young fashion designer.

After four hours in the big exhibitions halls, I need fresh air, greenery and blue sky (again!), let’s move back to Tokyo Midtown. Yes, the sky is so blue!

Photos : Mademoiselle Le K – copyright 2014, tous droits réservés.

Informations

Metro station: Roppongi 

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DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & LIFESTYLE