Food

One of the vital ingredients in life and something I could talk about all day! However, since arriving in Tokyo our feelings have been somewhat mixed in terms of the quality of food we have sampled. This could have something to do with the fact that there are over 80,000 restaurants in Tokyo alone and simply not knowing which to choose from, it has often been a case of lucky dip! Coupled with this, a lot of restaurants only have Japanese menus so unless you’re feeling brave enough and will happily just point to what you want, food can be quite difficult to order if you don’t speak the language. Having said this, we have had a few tasty treats...

Despite the plastic food displays you see in restaurant windows when passing, generally the food is presented beautifully. Rice is a food staple and although meat is served almost everywhere, the marked preference for fish prevails which is great if you’re a sushi fan like me!

In the supermarket it’s nice to see that even ready meals as we know them in the UK are simply no comparison, the food here is so fresh. However, it still manages to amaze me how the Japanese cope without full scale ovens…it’s another world.

But I’m sure the remainder of this trip will involve plenty more that will wet the palate, so until then….

Ps….from Adele Xx

Bunka News!

Inspired by Bunka fashion students......

The Fashion students at Bunka Gakuen University are studying a two year Fashion Design postgraduate degree. Like the Applied Art courses at Nottingham Trent, you are required to create a collection of outfits/garments/accessories; however at Bunka there is a requirement that you produce ten garments in the first year and fifteen in the second. This condition of the course is unlike at Nottingham where the collection outcome is completely self-directed.

The discussion between the Dean of the Fashion College, Prof Sanae Kosugi, and the students in the first year feedback session indicated how much of an influence the tutors have on the students. It also highlighted high tutor involvement and how this is important for growth for them as designers.

First year student, Yuya Nakata`s knitwear creations were made using the whole garment technology on the Shima Seiki knitting machines. His work has been picked by the judges of the 
 So-en magazine design competition as one of four students to appear in the next issue. The students picked are usually at second year postgraduate level so this is a brilliant recognition for him as a designer.

Second year MA Fashion Design student Tatsuya Tamado, works with fabrics of leather and polyester/cotton mix. He has made slashes in the fabric in certain directions creating shapes that mimic his inspiration – muscles in the human body. His precise work enables you too see the detail behind the leather, backing it with a polyester/cotton mix fabric.

Takayuki Toki has created the beginning of his collection based on the idea of Greek fantasies and the computer game Final Fantasy. The detail in the outfits such as fur trims, metal bag chains and oversized wooden accessories indicate the importance of combining different materials to his work. The collection had led the student to create his own fur by collaborating with a manufacturer for production. This element of his design showed the dedication to following the specific look he wanted to make.

Ryota Danno is also a second year MA student and his collection so far was inspired by his first piece, a cream slashed jacket. The innovative shape of the garment was interesting to see zipped up and opened as it transformed the overall look, highlighting the unconventional shape of the hem and the oversized collar. The surface design included precise cuts which revealed a knitted lining creating a flexible fabric.

The work produced showed innovative ideas and interesting fabrics and can’t help but inspire any creative individual’s passion for fashion.

PS...from Jonie

Culture Shock

Although I had read a lot about the Japanese way prior to this trip, I still experienced a fairly prominent culture shock when we ventured out into the lights and sights in our jet-lagged haze. It felt almost like everything in the vicinity was moving in fast forward; if you paused to look up or take a photograph you were in someone’s path holding up the race. Tokyo can quickly overwhelm your senses. 

Noise makes a big initial impact and sometimes strangely the lack of it. Music reminiscent of an ice-cream van that plays when the tube doors open, arcades and game-centres blasting out sounds from the various machines, and walking into a smoky and deafening Pachinnko parlour was an experience in itself. In contrast, there are times when you can’t believe where you are because everything appears oddly muted. Rivers of people will be passing each other at crossings but everyone is silently focused on their journeys drifting quickly past you.

Time is definitely precious here. In just a few days I have witnessed people standing up to eat in noodle bars, reading whilst walking briskly to work and cramming onto a tube that is already beyond full. They even use the few minutes between stops to read and often sleep. The ability to multitask is impressive to say the least...

We visited Asakusa today which was just beautifully traditional and so far away from the chaos of somewhere like Shibuya. There is a really chameleon-like feel between the districts in Tokyo.

On first impressions it would appear that the city has become greatly westernised, but spending even a small amount of time observing the people, sights and customs convinces you that traditional values and behaviour are still deeply embedded here.

Ps.. From Sarah xx

Time goes faster in Tokyo....

We've just completed a whirlwind of a week and it has convinced us that time definitely goes faster in Tokyo! Fashion shows, exhibitions, Tenjikai's and store celebrations - it's amazing what you can do in a week!

Summer was relived whilst mooching around Paul Smith's SS12 Tenjikai (Japanese pre-season exhibition) and browsing through his light and airy collections while the sun continued to shine outside. Both collections demonstrated his signature attention to detail and hidden features within the clothing, which was confirmed in the success of his first catwalk show in Japan, opening Tokyo Fashion Week.

Despite his hectic schedule, Paul made a lot of time to speak to us at the various events, and had a constant presence when promoting the brand throughout the week.

We've really thrown ourselves into the Japanese way of living; slurping noodles, sleeping on futons, running for tubes and generally getting 'Lost in Tokyo'.

It's great to be pulled out of our comfort zone thrown into a world of manga, fashion and
electronics. Our trip is already inspiring some great new ideas and directions for us all and we are eager to begin our tutorials and workshops at Bunka University.