2 Live Crew is an American hip hop group from Miami, Florida, which had its greatest commercial success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The group’s most well-known line up was composed of Luke Campbell, Fresh Kid Ice, Mr. Mixx, and Brother Marquis. They were considerably controversial in the U.S. due to the …
The Tokyo Imperial Palace (皇居, Kōkyo, literally ‘Imperial Residence’) is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the main palace (宮殿, Kyūden), some residences of the Imperial Family, an archive, museums and …
Welcome to the Sawanoya Ryokan. This traditional Japanese inn, located in Yanaka, near Tokyo’s Ueno district, offers tourists a relaxing stay in a rustically attractive residence. Sawanoya Ryokan, which has been in the service sector for more than 70 years, offers pleasant living in a warm, welcoming environment. Sawanoya’s interior is just as welcoming as …
It’s a little boutique, but they’ve packed every square inch with merchandise from largely Japanese artists and brands. In Japanese, the name Aquvii sounds like “akubi” or “yawn.” They think that good things should be passed on to those around you in the same way that a yawn can be shared from one person …
Yamamoto was born in Tokyo and received his law degree from Keio University in 1966. He dropped out of law school to help his mother with her dressmaking business, where he developed his tailoring abilities. He went on to Bunka Fashion College to study fashion design and graduated in 1969. Yamamoto made his stage debut …
The HARCOZA store (between Daikanyama and Ebisu) has a modest art gallery-like decor that matches the apparel. The space is filled with bright and colorful hues and exudes a joyful, upbeat vibe. There is an eclectic range of accessories, including rings, watches, and necklaces, in addition to clothing. Because many of the brands in Harcoza …
This little mall, located in the most improbable of locations on the outskirts of metropolitan Tokyo, has become a hotspot for DIY fashionistas. The Kitakore Building, a run-down structure, has been restored in the image of several designers. Secret Dog, Garter, Ilil, Hayatochiri, and Southpole are all owned by creative designers who experiment with one-of-a-kind …
Nojiri Kazutoshi (1590-1680), a rônin who served two different daimyo but found himself masterless at the time of Banzan’s birth, three years after the passing of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was the father of Banzan when he was born in Kyoto (1543–1616). The daimyos Sakuma Jinkurô and Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) were served by Banzan’s grandfather (1556–1631). His …
During the Tenpô era (1830–1843), a period of famine and political upheaval that many historians believe to represent the start of the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate, Kido Kôin, a samurai from Chôshû, was born. He was a staunch supporter of the imperial dynasty who made a significant contribution to overthrowing the Tokugawa regime. He …
The Kakizaki family, a Matsumae collateral family that functioned as house councilors (karô), adopted Kakizaki Hirotoshi, the fifth son of the Matsumae daimyo (better known by his studio name, Hakyô). At the age of nine, the Ka-kizaki house head brought him to Edo, where he spent the next ten years living in the Matsumae domain …