Look for the October issue of Tokyo Weekender magazine on the shelves around Tokyo—we hope you can pick your copy up soon, or at least look forward to reading our features as we post them online over the next week or so.
You can also get the full magazine through the Apple Newsstand, which will bring a native reading experience to the iPad, or through Magzster.
October 2013 Editor’s Letter
Although autumn in Japan may not really begin until the vending machines start serving hot coffee instead of cold, we have to put some faith in our calendars too. So, as the mercury drops and the autumn leaves start to fall, we’d like to share some of the gifts that autumn brings to Japan.
October’s cover: artist Daniel Kelly in his studio
The reflective mood that this season often inspires is a natural fit for art and design. We begin our tour of aesthetics around Tokyo by sitting down with both Norman Tolman, the world’s leading publisher of contemporary Japanese prints, and Kyoto-based artist Daniel Kelly, as they prepare for Kelly’s month-long retrospective show. Then we have a look around Sumida, a shitamachi city that has been revitalized by the SKYTREE project, and is breathing new life into traditional crafts with Sumida Modern, and examine a local interior design destination.
Then, as we venture outside of Tokyo, we head out on the sake trail. Sake brewing season begins this month, and we follow along with a Sami Kawahara, a young writer, as she delves into the art, culture, and science of the world of sake, a journey that takes her from rice fields of Niigata to a vast brewery in Hyogo.
Next is a trip up north to Akita, where we have a look at the reds of this northern prefecture, in things as various as a Shinkansen with the soul of a sports car and masks worn by participants in seasonal festivals. After dropping in at one of Hakone’s most exquisite hotels, we finish up with a visit to Okayama, the home of one of Japan’s most beloved folkloric figures, and we take in some of the sights—and tastes—of this often overlooked city.
And finally, I’d like to take up the baton. I’m honored to be a part of the Weekender team as we move into the future, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you, our readers, both online and in print. Thank you.
Alec Jordan—TW Editor
Top Image: Summer Nights by Daniel Kelly
