This is the third episode of the adventure of Oleñka and Cédric. They spent the New Year´s Eve with the Okimori family. It´s one of the most traditional and magical moment of Japan during the year.

This is the second part of Arigato forever Okimori Family, the journey of Oleñka and Cédric. The Okimori family´s big love stays deep inside of them.

Oleñka and Cédric set for a long journey around Asia. Japan was one of the most important destiny for them. But how could they imagine this Japan trip would be so memorable? Oleñka and Cédric´s Gaijin meet Japan.

One of the favourite places to be is bookshops. I can´t move to digital tablet to read books. Whenever I´m in Tokyo, I go to Jinbo-cho to feel old books. But Book-Off is the best place to buy second hand books.

Summer festivals are everywhere in Japan. They all look similar yet somehow original. This is the one in a village near Narita airport.

This week is Obon in Japan. It´s a week when Japanese people spend the time with their ancestors´ spirits. Scary? Not really.

Chisai Fujita´s art review is back. Department stores in Osaka is changing. They are now into art scene and try to make art projects inside the departments. Will it work? Can they make art more accessible?

The 11th of March was a year after the Tsunami. This year was the year Japan learnt the importance of “tsunagari” (connection between people). These are the stories of how Japanese people spent this whole year.

I´ve found that there is a sugoi (very impressive) fountain in Hakata (博多), Fukuoka prefecture (福岡県) in Kyushuu (九州) island.

This fountain is in a shopping centre, Canalcity and the falling water makes patterns, messeges and drawings. This is an invention of a Japanese fountain company, Koei, using a new technology called space printer and the fountain in Canalcity Fukuoka is the model, Mizu no Kaaten 2009 (水のカーテン2009 / water curtain 2009).

I don´t know much about system and technologies but this company does sugoi and interesting jobs.

 

 

But first, enjoy the falling water magic.

 

 

Canalcity Fukushima is also famous for its unique design which won the "Good Design Award" in 1996. Yup, it looks quite spacy that reminds me somehow Gundam.

The arquitecture is beautiful, especially in the evening. They have another fountain that does some spectacle water shows but actually, I´m more interested in this water curtain, I think "space printer" is a quite unique technology to do.

I´m not a big fan of those huge shopping centres, they give me a headache. But I like to visit there, it´s been a while since I visited Fukuoka last, and it was rather sad trip.

Oh, I love the raamen in Hakata, too. This is something you mustn´t miss when you have a chance to go to Hakata. Hmm, now I feel like going there for a bowl of raamen, I mean for the water curtain.

 

 

 

 

 

More Japanese designs

Paper eyelashes

Plastic umbrellas

Japanese tattoos

Designer Akiko McQuerrey

Japanese matchboxes designs

“Toufu restaurant, Ukai (とうふ屋うかい)” is located right next to the symbol of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower and is a restaurant which wraps you with full of “WA (和/Japanese)” atmosphere especially with the traditional Japanese garden.