The real world looks unreal seen from the rooftop.

The real world looks unreal seen from the rooftop.

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Thank you for so many comments on my previous post for my blog anniversary! I can't believe it's been one year since I started jollygoo but I'm so glad that I did!

It was when I came back from my trip to Melbourne last year that I realised the need of using English more regularly somehow. The only occasions I used to have communicating in English were when I speak to my friends over international calls and when I get asked for directions by foreigners (which happens maybe once or twice a year), and when I go travelling outside Japan once (if very lucky twice) a year. That was about it, for many years since being back from having lived in Australia.

Blogging in English was something I had never thought of doing before, I had a blog I was doing in Japanese for many years but I was getting kind of bored of it and had left it for a long time. The blogging world in Japan is totally different from the rest of the world as is everything else. It was pretty much the same things what I was blogging about, but comments were rarely left and it was almost just a one-way thing. But this jollygoo (i know it's a funny name) has certainly not been one-way, reactions come directly and they always make me smile and make me want to keep it up. (yes that's another thing about Japanese, people don't normally say what they think or show their emotions which is what I often get frustrated that I don't know if my clients are happy with my work or not.)

I know my English is nowhere near perfect and I haven't been able to post more often as I want to, but I really always appreciate your visits and sweet words left for me. So THANK YOU! again, and again! I am planning the 1st blog birthday giveaway but it may take a little while before I can announce it but I promise I will do it so please bear with me! Arigato ;)

Comments: 26

minä perhonen x torafu @ CLASKA

minä perhonen x torafu @ CLASKA

Monday, 18 January 2010

All images are from CLASKA.

Over the weekend, I went to the exhibition of a collaborative furniture project by mina perhonen and wonderful torafu architects at my very favourite shop/gallery in Tokyo -DO in Claska. Some very interesting new furniture pieces were exhibited including prototypes, and also there were some really lovely cushions and tablewares for sale. I could not resist that hasami-yaki ceramic (from Nagasaki) grey coffee cup & saucer seen in the top picture! (I'm seriously considering for going back for more.) It came in a pretty grey box too :) This exhibition will be going till the end of January, so if you will be in Tokyo check it out. You can also buy these wonderful items at CLASKA's online shop (Japanese).

Also, now the mina perhonen exhibition "The future from the past" is held at the Kanazawa 21st Century Museum until the end of May, so hopefully I will get the chance to go see it!

And for all mina lovers, do check out this and this (wonderful magazines full of mina perhonen!).

New posts here too ;)

Comments: 14

Makoto Kagoshima Exhibition @ biotope

Makoto Kagoshima Exhibition @ biotope

Friday, 6 November 2009

All images are from biotope.

I went to an exhibition of a Japanese ceramic artist Makoto Kagoshima held at a lovely little shop called biotope in Gakugeidaigaku. I first saw his plates at aaA of yu (she has a great collection!) and later at ii-ne-kore. I instantly fell in love with his works and I did get to go to a little exhibition at the spiral but there weren't so many left there though I got a little plate for myself :)

At biotope today, I was literally surrounded by all his works from beautiful plates, bowls-big and small, coffee cups, vases, cute little objects and paintings! (you can see what it was like here) It was marvelous and I got really excited!!!! I liked many of them and didn't know which one I should get so I ended up not getting anything at all. The ones I really liked were too expensive for me anyway (30,000yen+). But I might go back soon as the exhibition will be going till Sunday, hmmmm.
You can buy them online here too, though am not sure they'd ship internationally.

Well, hope you will have a great weekend!!

biotope
5-14-1 Shimouma Setagaya-ku Tokyo 154-0002
Open: 14:00-19:00 Weekdays / 12:00-19:00 Sat&Sun&holidays / Closed on Wednesdays.
*biotope has moved to aoyama
　

Comments: 14

Hotel CLASKA

Hotel CLASKA

Sunday, 16 August 2009

All images are from CLASKA.

CLASKA is one of not-so-many luxury boutique hotels in Tokyo which has renovated an old business hotel started in the 60s in Meguro-dori (street). There are only 9 guest rooms and 26 residential rooms for long term stay. As a resident in Tokyo I haven't stayed at CLASKA but it looks very nice! The gallery shop "DO" on the third floor is one of my favourite shops in Tokyo, and the ground-floor cafe/restaurant/bar "kiokuh" is good too (I didn't think so much of their lunch special though). Why in Meguro-dori? is a common question many people would have as is a little bit out of the major areas of Tokyo, plus it's a good 10 minuite walk from the closest station "Gakugeidaigaku" and can't really say it's convenient. However, from Gakugeidaigaku it's only 5 minutes to get to Shibuya and there is a bus that goes to Meguro JR station in 7 munites from right infront of the hotel.

The name "CLASKA" was taken from a Japanese phrase "dou kurasuka" どう暮らすか (how best to live?) so if you want to stay in Tokyo like living in Tokyo it could be a cool place to stay! It is one of the popular areas to live in Tokyo, and also Meguro-dori is famous for having many interior shops so that is another thing. Otsu Furniture (Japanese antique), boiserie (French antique) and a new shop inspiration (open only on Fri/Sat/Sun) are my favourites, you can find so many more interior shops along Meguro-dori and this is a great website (only Japanese).

CLASKA
1-3-18 Chuo-cho, Meguro-ku (access map)

Comments: 12

Gallery & Shop "DO"

Gallery & Shop "DO"

Friday, 14 August 2009

Another of my favourite shops in Tokyo is Gallery & Shop "DO". ("DO" apparently is pronounced like "dough".) In a large open space, all the beautiful homeware/interior/stationery items of Japanese contemporary designs are presented really nicely. It's a shop and a gallery and I just looooooved looking at each item, wishing I could buy the whole shop to take home!

Their online shop is also great! Unfortunately it's only in Japanese though.

The 2 images below are from their website.

"DO" is actually in a design hotel called CLASKA, it looks really nice - I will post about it later!

The WONDERFUL Baden Baden I also visited last week is in the same area of Gakugeidaigaku though it's not really that easy to find the way between the two shops. (It's about 15 minute walk in the residential area, if you are good at reading maps you'll be fine.)

Gallery & Shop "DO" at CLASKA (3rd Floor)
1-3-18 Chuo-cho Meguro-ku Tokyo
See access information here.

Comments: 9

Baden Baden

Baden Baden

Monday, 10 August 2009

Baden Baden is a WONDERFUL shop that features Japanese artists' products from futniture, interior accesories, stationery to fashion items including bags and jewelries. "To express aesthetics of Japanese traditon in the modern day" is Baden Baden's philosophy and is full of beautiful unique items of contemporary designs created in Japan by designers many of whom are yet to be known.
I first heard about Baden Baden at yasu's aaA, and I was reminded of it at Bree's ii-ne-kore. I've been so familiar with the area where Baden Baden is but had never heard of it before these two lovely bloggers mentioned about it! (Thank you so much ladies!!) And I finally visited the shop last week and I just fell in love with it. It's now my very favourite shop/space in Tokyo, number one!!

The above 4 images are from Baden Baden.

I don't know how it could happen, but the top photo ended the roll of film I had in my camera and so that is the only photo I could take of the place :( Above images are from their website, their online shop is also very nice.

I also found a bag of my dream there, (actually had to go back there again to get it!) It's made of plywood and lovely fabric designed originally for Baden Baden by Akin Drum. I'm so pleased with it! ;)Baden Baden
2-31-7 Chuo-cho Meguro-ku Tokyo (google map)
About 5 minuite walk from Gakugeidaigaku Station on Toyoko Line. (It's in a residential area and is a bit hard to find.)
Openin hours: 12：00~20：00 / Closed on Wednesdays

Comments: 12