international man in travel

Cover

issue 01. volume 01

INTERNATIONAL MAN IN TRAVEL

Tomoko Azumi - 10, Jacob Hashimoto - 14, Pointer x Porter - 17, Dover Street Market - 18, Tadao Ando - 20, CMCA Kanazawa - 30, Naoshima - 32, National Art Center - 34, Sou Fujimoto - 37, Tama Library - 40, Back To Folks - 42, Tokyo Style - 50, Visvim - 53,

Japanese Marine - 54, Dream Match - 56, Haneda - 59, Shinkansen - 60, Kendo - 62, Tsukiji Market - 69, 9H - 74, Hoto Fudo - 75, Creative Destruction - 76,

Art

Food

Architecture

Fashion

Design

Travel

Culture

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Founder, Editor-in-Chief & Art Director - Marcin Liwarski. Contributing Editors - Kuniharu Wakabayashi, Dan Sayle, James Surowiecki. Advertising Enquiries -

+44 79 0202 0598. Special thanks - Iwan Baan, Radha Pancham, Kuniharu Wakabayashi, Dan Sayle, Miko Urbanski, Akihiro Oda, David San Miguel, Simon Das.

Printed and bound by ScanPlus Print Group in the United Kingdom at 133 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 1PP. For non-commercial use only. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior permission from the publishers including all logos, titles and graphic elements. All rights reserved. Copyright 2011 by International Man in Travel.

Masthead

issue 01. volume 01

INTERNATIONAL MAN IN TRAVEL

Art

Food

Architecture

Fashion

Design

Travel

Culture

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

The idea of International Man in Travel was born from the lack of travel magazines focused entirely on male reader. This bi-monthly journal guides you to a new way of travel full of unique experience. For a first time reader is able to find all the must see and the must do in one place, whether it is art, culture, design, architecture, fashion, music, publishing, transport or food. With its focus on male readership International Man in Travel offers something entirely new to its readers, something the men’s market has long been striving for.

Editors Letter

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Shibuya Station by David San Miguel

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Content

Tomoko Azumi - 10, Jacob Hashimoto - 14, Pointer x Porter - 17, Dover Street Market - 18, Tadao Ando - 20, CMCA Kanazawa - 30, Naoshima - 32, National Art Center - 34, Sou Fujimoto - 37, Tama Library - 40, Back To Folks - 42, Tokyo Style - 50, Visvim - 53,

Japanese Marine - 54, Dream Match - 56, Haneda - 59, Shinkansen - 60, Kendo - 62, Tsukiji Market - 69, 9H - 74, Hoto Fudo - 75, Creative Destruction - 76,

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

TOMOKO AZUMI, DESIGNER

Design must have been in Tomoko Azumi’s blood. From the age of eight she was saving pages from newspaper property supplements, collating the floor plans they contained, and using them to build her dream house. A dream house fashioned from cardboard, but a meticulously built one all the same. What filled Azumi’s childish playtime hours took root, though, and after a BA in Architecture and Space Design in her native Japan and three years in an architect’s office in Tokyo, she had a creeping realisation that she “wanted to do things on a human scale”.

Design

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

This is how she found herself in London, taking an MA in Furniture Design at the Royal College of Art, and then on graduating in 1995 setting up a design business with her husband. Yet after 10 years of honing their skills as a team, the partnership came to an end, each branching out on their own, professionally and personally. TNA Design Studio, Tomoko’s own company, was created from this split, bringing with it a new way of working. “It wasn’t an easy time for me,” says the 41-year-old Tomoko,.“So I was thinking about what I really wanted to do.”After working on the Craft Council’s 2005-06 exhibition Table Manners, building unique flat-pack exhibition stands and playing with the notion of space and light, Tomoko came back to furniture and product design with an altered perspective. The paper of her youth became important again last year when Habitat stocked her Square Moon design, a light made from layers of Yuki, a type of Japanese paper. Next month, her miniature flat-packed lights with crystals that are hidden until the beam causes reflections and refractions across the lampshade, will be at the launch of the Swarovski Wedding range in Paris. And prepare to see her Twiggy lamp as soon as the Japanese manufacturers are able in the UK: a bulb triple-wrapped with twig shapes cut from a very thin sheet of non-flammable artificial paper. It is a beautifully simple design, one she describes as “a translation of feeling of walking in winter when I see low light through the twigs of trees, all overlapping shadows and lines. I wanted to recreate that atmosphere at home.” Somewhat less whimsically, she was in the process of submitting design ideas for the UK Supreme Court when it opened in 2009 “the furniture wasn’t made of paper there,” she laughs. “I had to make something more permanent.”

DesignAvailable at www.furnish.co.uk/brands/mark-product

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Reiko Kaneko established her design studio in London’s East End in 2007, having studied Arts and Design at Central St. Martin’s College.She was born in Britain but spent her childhood in Japan, influencing her products in an inimitable blend of English and Japanese style throughout the product ranges.Her love of ceramics has led Reiko to specialise in ceramic design and supplies bone china designs based around her typically British fine bone china tableware and home accessories with a Japanese twist.

www.www.reikokaneko.co.uk

REIKO KANEKO, london

At Tokyo Bar, the walls and ceiling are decorated with Japanese comics, and chef Kensuke Kuri, late of Lan, has fashioned an eclectic menu that he calls “new Japanese comfort food.” To drink, there’s sake and shochu as well as roasted-chestnut coffee and cocktails both alcoholic and non- (Safe Sex on the Beach, for one). And to eat, there’s Berkshire-pork-sausage soup and smoked-duck-breast salad with garam masala dressing. Of particular note are the assimilated versions of Italian specialties that have become as mainstream in Tokyo as they have here: the Tokyo “Napolitan” spaghetti, for instance, served with a ketchup-based approximation of tomato sauce.

277 Church St., New York, NY 10013

TOKYO BAR, NEW YORK

Briefing

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Tokyo FIxed Gear opened in November 2009 in London’s Soho - it’s a paradise for commuter who like a speedy fixed gear bike, which has no freewheel and offers the ability to brake by pedalling backwards. The shop sells Japanese imports and mechanics can build you a bike in the basement workshop. “More people are getting on bikes and choosing to buy fixed”, says Max Lewis, co-owner with his partner Megumi Takeyama. “It’s only going to snowball”.

www.tokyofixedgear.com

tokyo fixed gear, london

Briefing

Opened in February 2010 by Colin and Manami Sloley, the founders of London’s Tokio clothing boutique, Tombo is a homely Japanese restaurant and deli in South Kensington. Offering food “that Japanese people would take home from the amazing delis that fill the basements of Japanese departments stores”, the Tombo experience is thankfully not quite as dizzying as Isetan’s food hall at 18.00. With a large communal table and art by Natsko Seki on the walls, the restaurant is welcome respite from the busy streets.

TOMBO, london

29 Thurloe Place,London SW7 2HQ

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

jacob hashimoto, artist

Jacob Hashimoto uses the traditional kite-making techniques and forms to construct his three dimensional wall works.His works are existing as neither sculpture nor painting, Hashimoto’s compositions delicately float before the eye, mounted on an intricate network of interlaced nylon thread suspended from the wall by a line of pegs at both top and bottom. Tied to this support are hundreds of swatches of rice paper and bamboo slivers - some collaged or painted with complex designs - dangling in abstracted motifs. Through this unique process Hashimoto’s works convey an ephemeral wonder, entrancing the viewer with their continuously shifting illusion of light, space, motion, and sense of flight.Jacob hashimoto is one of the most interesting young activists in the contemporary art scene.

What he does with paper creates real magic - a ravishing cascade of cloud white paper shapes flowing from ceiling to floor like a waterfall frozen by winters icy breath. Viewing the piece fills you with a deep and profound stillness. Jacob hashimoto is perhaps best-known for his installations in which he creates large-scale sculptural forms out of thousands of ‘kites’. Drawing on the tradition of kite making, he creates each of the kites by hand, using bamboo rods, string, and offset prints. For all of their exquisite lightness and ethereality, the sculptures are expression of air, light, and space.Hashimoto’s craftsman-like activity of making the elements by hand is central in his works. The pieces embody the meditative rhythm of

Art

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

repetitive esecution (the tying and knotting involved in their making).The use of japanese paper gives his work a very strong connection to the natural world. For indeed the paper is born from the bark of a living plant, cleansed in the swiftly rinning waters of a winter river, and finally, in sheet form, dried by wind and sun on boards hewn from forest wood...Hashimoto is now involved in works with a greater complexity at the planning stage. he uses new technologies, such as computerised three-dimensional drawing. we’ll stay tuned to the results.

ArtMore info at www. jacobhashimoto.com

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Established in 2004, Pointer was created with the aim of making simple, well-designed casual shoes in response to a market then saturated with increasingly technical trainers and hyped-up limited edition sneakers. Pointer employs people it likes, from artists to interns; based in London, the company is backed by a creative stable of friends and co-conspirators, inspired and informed by everything from art and music to skateboarding and breakfast.Since launch Pointer have executed tonnes of great collaborations - Comme des Garcons, Christopher Shannon, Baracuta to name the few. International Man in Travel is particularly excited about the newest one with Japanese language brand Porter. Backpack, shoe bag and a wallet which came out from collaboration beautifully coordinate what brand are all about - wearability, simplicity and comfort. Orange lining so well know for Porter with camel used heavily in last Pointer collection combined with old classic navy create products same fashionable as well as classical which definitely can be wear for many seasons.

www.pointerfootwear.com

Pointer x porterUK meats japan

Fashion

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Fashion

“I want to create a kind of market where various creators from various fields gather together and encounter each other in an ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos: the mixing up and coming together of different kindred souls who all share a strong personal vision.” - Rei KAWAKUBO

DOVER STREET MARKET, london

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Fashion

Most stores, eager to increase retail profits, end up selling both the sales clothes and new collections at the same time at one point. And why not? If you have the Spring Summer 2011 fashion in, why not whack it on the floor and show off the colourful and summery clothes? In a time when the commercial side to fashion is one of the most prominent ones, it’s not only refreshing but also crucial to have such a princaipally steadfast store as Dover Street Market.

During its biannula Tachiagari which means Beginning/Start, the Comme des Garçons-run store closes down DSM and re-open the space after a few days with brand new collections, new designer spaces, and especially curated shops-in-shops. Under the strict supervision of Comme’s husband and wife head honchos, Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffe, the store is not only in- bloom in charteristic CdG gear but also provides other brands and designers with a peaceful retail heaven to flourish in.

Dover Street Market, 17-18 Dover Street, London, W1S 4LT

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Architecture

TADAO ANDO, arCHITECTInterview : Design Boom

Tadao Ando was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1941. From ages 10 to 17 Ando spent his time mostly making wood models of ships, airplanes, and moulds, learning the craft from a carpenter whose shop was across the street from his home. By his early twenties, Ando had decided on a self-directed course of architectural study that took him throughout Japan to visit temples, shrines, and tea houses, to Europe, Africa and to the United States. He was studying architecture by going to see actual buildings, and reading books about works of architects such as Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Louis Kahn before returning to Osaka at the age of 28 to open his own studio.

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Ando rejects the rampant consumerism visible within much of today’s architecture. He responds both sensitively and critically to the chaotic Japanese urban environment, but maintains a connection to the landscape. Although Ando rejects cultural fads, he uses materials and forms to incorporate the materialism of modern society into his architecture. Accordingly, his concrete and glass buildings reflect, the modern progress underway in both Japan and the world.In opposition to traditional Japanese architecture, Ando creates spaces of enclosure rather than openness. He uses walls to establish a human zone and to counter the monotony of commercial architecture. On the exterior, the wall deflects the surrounding urban chaos, while on the interior it encloses a private space.Ando developed a radically new architecture characterized by the use of unfinished reinforced concrete structures. Using a geometric simplicity which reveals a subtlety and richness in spatial articulation, Ando has generated an architecture that shares the serenity and clarity that characterize traditional Japanese architecture.

Architecture

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Where do you work on your designs and projects?Once I traveled a lot, to see the nature, the countryside and the cities, with a sketchbook... a practice I continue today. But plans actually I draw in my office.

Who would you like to design something for?I believe that the way people live can be directed a little by architecture. I would like my architecture to inspire people to use their own resources, to move into the future. Although now we are more and more governed by the american way of thinking, money, the economy...I hope that now people will shift to a more european way (of thinking), culture, individuality, and that people move towards new goals. So for me to be able to contribute to this would be great.

Describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.Walls are the most basic elements of architecture, and in all my works, light is an important factor. The primary reason is to create a place for the individual, a zone for oneself within society. Its very difficult to explain or describe my style, I hope the answer will come out of the interview.

What project has given you the most satisfaction?As an architect you have to do your best work for any project, but for me the most satisfying thing is when architecture can do something to make people’s lives better, to inspire them.

Architecture

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Do you try to find meeting points between asian and european cultures?I don’t see them as opposites, the west and the east, but for example western society seems to be centered on American culture. But I think it is important to understand that apart from that main culture, there are so many other cultures, and it is necessary to respect them all and their differences.

Is there any architect from the past you admire?Of course I learned from history, from the renaissance, from Mies Van Der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Terragni… many architects.

What current architects do you appreciate?Like with the work of the past, as an architect you have to look around and see what your contemporaries are creating, for my contemporaries I have respect and interest.

Architecture

Buildings as follow:4x4 House, Tarumi-ku, Kobe, JapanLangen Foundation Neuss, JapanChichu Art Museum, Naoshima, JapanAwaji Yumebutai Conference Centre, Awaji Island, Japan.

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Food

page 24is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

POCKY is a biscuit stick coated with chocolate. It was named after the Japanese onomatopoetic word for the sound Pocky makes when bitten, pokkin. The original was followed by “Almond Pocky” in 1971, with an almond coating, and “Strawberry Pocky” in 1977. Today, the product line includes such variations as milk, mousse, green tea, honey, banana and coconut flavored coatings, and themed products such as “Decorer Pocky,” with colorful decorative stripes in the coating, and “Men’s Pocky,” a dark (bittersweet) chocolate and “mature” version.

NOT THAT JUNK

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

page 25

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Food

POCARI SWEAT is a mild-tasting, relatively light, non-carbonated sweet beverage and is advertised as an “ion supply drink.” It has a mild grapefruit flavor with little aftertaste. Ingredients listed are water, sugar, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium lactate, magnesium carbonate and flavoring. It is sold in aluminium cans and plastic bottles and as a powder for mixing with water.

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Food

page 26is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

CALPICO is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink, manufactured by Calpis Co., Ltd. The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and

slightly acidic flavor, similar to plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt or Yakult. Its ingredients

include water, nonfat dry milk and lactic acid, and is produced by lactic acid fermentation.

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Food

page 27

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

CARAMEL CORN are basically cheese puffs that aren’t cheese flavored. These corn snacks come in a variety of flavors with the original being Caramel Corn. If you get your hands on a fresh bag, then the corn puffs are always light, airy, and crispy. The outside is coated with a crunchy caramelized coating of sugar which provides a nice contrasting crunch to the softer corn grit insides. Afterwards, the snack quickly disintegrates and melts in your mouth. A perfect light afternoon snack.

All products available at:Japan Centre, 14-16 Regent Street, London, SW1Y 4PH

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Japan Section

This poster visually communicates the density of Japans 7 highest populated cities according to 2009. The cities are in order of position in Japan from left to right and are then colour coded. Below the country outline the density of each city is shown by concentric circles within an outer coloured circle that is scale representation of the overall

area of the city in square kilometers. Each circle represents around 150,000 people and the more densely populated cities are clearly shown by a small area and many circles squeezed within. Obviously Tokyo with its population of aroun 14 million is extremely dense but Osaka is also very dense due to the fact it is one of Japans smaller cities.

City Densities: Japan by Dan Sayle

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

XXI Century Museum of Contemporary Art

Kanazawa

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, JapanShinkansen from Tokyo: Time: 246 Minutes. Transfer: 1 Distance: 460.6 km Ticket:¥ 12,710

Art

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Art

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is situated in the center of Kanazawa city. Anybody can drop in whenever they want. The Museum is designed as a park where people can gather and meet with one another. The glass-made circle results in an ambigu-ous spatial definition. a kind of reversible membrane, through which visitors can sense each other’s presence. The museum pays careful attention to its openness and brightness from the courtyards with sky-lights. The Museum, in order to meet various needs of visitors, has also a shop and restaurant open to the night. The aim of the Museum is “casualness”, “enjoyment”, and “accessibility”.

The most visible characterisic of this Museum is its unusual form. The site, surrounded by three streets, is accessible from multiple directions, which led to the actual plan of circularity. Anyone can enter the Museum through any entrance which helps to facilitate easy access and a sense of closeness between the building and the city.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa has been established with the mission of generating new culture and revitalizing its community. Innovative city planning has be-come intensely important to our society, which faces a historical turning point in the 21st cen-tury. Through a spirit of cooperation, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa will seek to awaken Kanazawa’s creative energy and become a compelling regional cultural attraction.

Site area: 26,000 square metersBuilding area: 9,500 m2Total Floor area: 17,300 square metersCompleted: 2004

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

NAOSHIMA, SETO ISLAND SEA

Art

Naoshima, Kagawa Prefecture, JapanShinkansen from Tokyo to Uno: Time: 252 Minutes. Transfer: 1 Distance: 765.4 km Ticket:¥ 10,500Boat from Uno to Naoshima: Time 20 Minutes. Ticket: ¥ 280

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Naoshima is an island located in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. It is renowned for its collection of contemporary art galleries and exhibits.

Naoshima is best known for the Benesse House complex. There has been extensive domestic attention to the recently completed radical Chichu Art Museum. The island itself has been settled as long as there have been Japanese. The original settlement is the now-diminuitive fishing port of Tsumuura. The most prominent settlement on the island is Honmura which was established as a coastal castle town (warring states) period (1467-1568). A number of houses in this town have been radically reformed in the Art House Project. Miyanoura - the port at which you will likely alight - is now the passenger and transport hub for the island, yet remains a sleepy coastal town.

The island can be quite hilly but pleasant enough along the coasts for biking and walking, except for the road from Miyanoura to Chichu Art Museum. It is entirely feasible for all sights on this island to be seen in one day but take a note from the locals and enjoy the island as a whole, in your own pace. There are beaches and mountains here, so pack swimming trunks, sunscreen and some good walking shoes if you are so inclined.

Art

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

the national art center, Tokyo

7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-8858

Art

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

With its eye-catching, giant wave like glass façade, which flows with the greenery that surrounds it, is the fifth national art institution in Japan. Making great use of its vast gallery space, it holds many exhibitions mostly focusing on modern contemporary art. Complete with an art library, museum shop, restaurant and café, it is an inner-city relax spot where you can enjoy art in a relaxed manner.

The National Art Center, Tokyo is a unique and innovative art exhibition facility: Instead of maintaining a permanent collection, it makes the most of a total of 14,000 square meters of exhibition space, one of the largest in Japan, and focuses on serving as a venue for various art exhibitions. The Center also promotes outreach activities through its educational programs, and the Art Library serves to collect and disseminate information related to art.

Photo: Marcin Liwarski

Art

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Art

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

sou fujimotowas born in hokkaido, japan, on august 4th, 1971.in 1994 he graduated from the department of architecturein the faculty of engineering at the university of tokyo.he established his own architectural practice in tokyo in 2000. Sou is one of the most fresh architects around at the moment.Interview : Design Boom. Photo: Iwan Baan

When you were a child, did you want to become a architect?I grew up in Hokkaido, in the northern part of Japan, surrounded by nature and I enjoyed just playing in the forest. I didn’t think about any future of mine. My hero was Albert Einstein, so originally I wanted to be a physicist like him, I was interested in the physical aspects of our world. Now I find many similarities in the research and practice in both fields, architecture and physics. My first experience with architecture was with Antonio Gaudi (through reading a book about him).

Where do you work on your designs and projects?Mainly in the office because my work is not only done by me. I collaborate with my staff through discussions and models, but when I want to focus on something I prefer to be alone. In that case I work at home or in a Starbucks Cafe.

Describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.I call it ‘primitive future’. A sort of primitive situation that relates to the human ‘cave’

habitation but at the same time I like to create something new for the future. I recently gave a lecture ‘Cave or Nest’, the two embryonic states of architecture. a ‘Nest’ Is a place for people that is very well prepared, everything is assembled and very functional, meanwhile the ‘Cave’ is just a raw space, which people need to explore and find their own comfort within. This is a situation where people can use space creatively. I prefer something like the cave-like-unintentional space. something that is in between nature and artifact - formless form.

Formless form?Space is relationships and architecture generates various senses of distances. I’m very optimistic and see architecture as something between living together and independently. There are many degrees of interaction amongst people. To construct a wall is to bisect a space into 0 and 1, however a space must have intrinsically many graduations between 0 and 1. I like to create an in-between-space, therefore my works are very basic (I’ve designed architecture that isvery simple but looks complex due to its

Architecture

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

geometric form).Please describe an evolution in your work, from your first projects to the present day. The projects are becoming bigger because I get the chance to do more prestigious work, but I don’t want to limit myself just to expensive things. Sometimes with private projects that are low-budget I have more possibilities.

What project has given you the most satisfaction?There are two low-budget projects that I have just recently finished.One is named house N which is a very simple box house. An outdoor space that feels like the indoors and an indoor space that feels like the outdoors. I think we were successful in creating a space between the house and city. My ideal is architecture too be roofless and garden-like. the other project is called ‘Final wooden house’. We stacked wooden blocks together to create a very small house, in which there are no categorization of floors, walls, and ceilings.Because floor levels are relative people reinterpret the spatiality according to where they are. It was a big challenge for us, as we needed to consider if there was enough space for people (laughs).

Did you modify your buildings a lot during development, because the client wanted something different? I like to answer to the clients request as much as possible, but I do not see it as compromises. I react with a more creative development. Of course clients always have an idea of what they want and some site specific concerns but at the same time they like to have something unexpected or something beyond their imagination. Many clients want a new lifestyle through a new style of

Architecture

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

house. I propose something beyond their request and if they like the idea, the project will start. If they don’t like the project at all it will stop. Fortunately our idea, our scheme is a flexible one. The basic scheme is very strong but it can adapt while still remaining strong.

Who would you like to design something for?An art museum or some kind of museum would be very interesting for me, or an art gallery and a photo studio. I like to design medical facilities. In 2006 I have worked for a mental hospital, developing the children’s center for psychic rehabilitation. Right now we are designing a library.

Is there any architect from the past, you appreciate a lot?Louis Kahn, Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe... and of course Michelangelo. I also like the architecture designed by nobody, for example gothic cathedrals.

What are you afraid of regarding the future?I think I we have to be very serious about the change in climate and the situation of nature. I think that it is a great opportunity for us to rethink about the modern age culture of controlling everything. We have to change that kind of whole super controlling situation. For example air conditioning - when we use it we close and shut out nature and we are limited in the space we have. The artificial machine of the air conditioning is controlling our space and separating each other. Instead we might be able to live together and use a kind of natural power to create a more comfortable space. Humansshould adapt a bit more, rather than control.

Architecture

Buildings as follow:

House N, Oita, Japan . Tokyo Apartments,Tokyo. House H, Tokyo

Tama art university library, Tokyo

3-15-34 Kaminoge,Setagaya-ku,Tokyo 158-8558

Architecture

page 40is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

This library for an art university located in the suburbs of Tokyo was designed by the Japanese architect Toyo Ito. It was completed in 2007. Passing through the main entrance gate, the site lies behind a front garden with small and large trees, and stretches up a gentle slope. The two-story building’s exterior glass walls and large arches allow the contours of the natural environment surrounding the campus to extend into the interior creating an exhilaratingly open space.The intersections of the rows of arches help to articulate softly separated zones within this one space. Shelves and study desks of various shapes, glass partitions that function as bulletin boards, etc., give these zones a sense of both individual character and visual as well as spatial continuity.

Photo: Iwan Baan

Architecture

page 41

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

-back to the folks-photo: Kuniharu Wakabayashi

model: Pawel BednarekSTYLIST: Komatsu Hiroshi

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Fashion

Opposite page: Engineer Jacket 20.790¥ (159£) by GB, Shirt 9.975¥ (75£) by PENGUIN FOR MUNSINGWEAR, Pants 15.750¥ (120£) by MONKEY TIME.

Stole 22.050¥ (169£) by BRUN VAN DYCK, Shirt 16.800¥ (128£) by PS-PAUL SMITH, Pants 16.800¥ (128£) by MOTEL, Hat 10.500¥(80£) by FACTOTUM, Belt 12.600¥ (96£) by BEAUTY&YOUTH

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Jacket 66.150¥ (500£) by COSMIC WONDER Light Source,T-shirt 7.975¥ (60£) by YOUTH MAGAZINE, Pants 14.490¥ (110£) by BEAMS PLUS, Hat 15.750¥ (120£) by FACTOTUM, Necklace 18.900¥ (145£) by GB.

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Coat 69.000¥ (526£) by LOZINZA, Cut&Saw 8.925¥ (69£) by BROWN BUNNY, Knit Pants 24.150¥ (185£) by TROVE, Hat 6.090¥ (46£) by SORBATTI, Shoes 33.600¥ (256£) by SELECTED UPPERS CUT for GC.

Fashion

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Jacket 39.900¥ (305£) by BEN DAVIS, Pants 19.950¥ (150£) by BEN DAVIS, T-shirt 6.090¥ (46£) by GOOD OL’, Hat 14.490¥ (110£) by ROTTWEILER.

Fashion

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Hoodie Jacket 25.200¥ (192£) by The DUFFER of St.GEORGE, Shirt 17.640¥ (134£) by ONE TRUE SAXSON, Denim Pants 14.700¥ (112£) by BEAUTY&YOUTH, Hat 16.800¥ (129£) by JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN,

Cardigan (price unknown) by FRED PERRY X BEAMS, Shirt 22.050¥ (169£) by LITHIUM HOMME, Pants 18.900¥ (144£) by FACTOTUM,

Fashion

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Cardigan 18.900¥ (144£) by LACOSTE, T-shrts 7.875¥ (60£) by HIGH LIGHT CAVALET, Denim Pants 18.900¥ (144£) by BEN DAVIS.

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Fashion

Shirt (price unknown) by MOUNTAIN RESEARCH, Jacket (price unknown) by WHITE MOUNTAINEERING, Denim Pants (price unknown) by MODERN WORKS, Backpack (price unknown) by HOBO x ARAI TENT(SHERPA).

tokyo styleby Kuniharu Wakabayashi

Fashion

Pants (price unknown) by BEN DAVIS, Hat 19.950¥ (152£) by LAGOMARSINO, Scarf 3.990¥ (30£) by CAROLINA, Sweatshirt 15.540¥ (119£) by DULCAMARA, Boots 50.400¥ (385£) by MATADEROS for EL RESERO ,

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Fashion

Pants 8.400¥ (64£) by CHEAP MONDAY, Hat 5.040¥ (64£) by NEW YORK HAT COMPANY, Shoes (price unknown) by NIKE, Wrap Around Skirt (price unknown) by MOUNTAIN ENGINEERING RESEARCH, Vest (price unknown) by PATAGONIA.

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Visvim’s spring collection picks up where fall left of. That’s saying a lot as it was arguably their best collection to date. With an extensive selection of more formal pieces along with several new footwear models, the development of a glueless sneakers and the constant drive to work with the best fabrics possible, it was deeper and more rich in all of the right ways. This spring we will see a beautiful selection of completely original patterns and fabrics. With one of the rare Japanese licenses to use Sea Island Cotton – the collection utilizes the world’s best cotton through their shirting and cut and sew to perfection. The lightweight technical outwear is now complimented by great fitting madras and seersucker sport coats and matching pants – building on their great offering of standard and high water chinos.

The collection was first shown in Paris this past summer where they had found an incredible space in the heart of the city. As we stepped inside the raw and beauitfully unfinished wharehouse, the Visvim scents and atmosphere quickly took us to another place.

Photo: Ryan Willms

Visvim

F.I.L Tokyo,

5-9-17-B1 Jingumae Shibuya-KuTokyo 150-0001 Japan

Fashion

japan’s most innovative clothing brand

japanese marinenew dress code of marine style

When you think about marine style you think about sailor sweatshirts and sailor pants, but this season this classic style has a bit different taste. This time marine style has been mixed with Caribbean and West-Indian feel. Knits, loafers, chino pants, deck shoes, uniforms - all quite masculine in marine colours.

JOHN SMEDLEY stripy t-shirts. 29.400¥ (219£) by BEAMS F

NAFI DE LUCA hat. 19.950¥ (149£) by International gallery BEAMS

JOHN SMEDLEY

Derbyshire established (1784) english

brand has its special way of making

knitwear and source its cotton from

Caribbean and West India.

NAFI DE LUCA

This Italian brand is known for their

hats which are based on linen dyed

to give them denim look. Characters

are outlined by hand on a coloured

background.

Riders Jacket. 19.950¥ (149£) by BEAMS

Trousers. 14.490¥ (109£) by BEAMS PLUS

BEAMS

Riders jacket detailed with white

zippers and inside stripy linen is

very simple but its attention to detail

makes it suits the marine style and

looks light.

BEAMS PLUS

Chinos are must buys for this season.

Straight style with hand painted

detail inside. When roll them up detail

appears. w

Accessories

page 54is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

left: slip-ons 12.600¥ (95£) by BEAMS PLUSright: deck shoes 9.450¥ (70£) by BEAMS

BEAMS PLUS/BEAMS

On the left: canvas slip-ons with

anti-slip sole. On the right: authentic

deck shoes in selvage denim in a

classic style.

Tote bag [W35xH43xD15] 46.200¥ (349£) by BEAMS

BEDWIN

Hand made tote bag. Body is made

by british military company which

produce waxed jackets. Handle

made by swiss company using bridle

leather dyed with vegatable dyes.

left top: selvage chambray shirt 11.550¥ (86£) by CAT’S PAWleft bottom: chambray scarf 12.940¥ (22£) by BEAMS PLUSright: selvage chambray cropped pants 9.345¥(70£) by BEAMS

BEAMS PLUS/CAT’S PAW

This items are a symbol fo decky worker style, must have for this season.

Original indigo selvage chambray denim used here creates vintage look. All

hems are tripple stitched.

Stretched 5 pockets trousers 12.600¥ (95£) by BEAMS PLUS

BEAMS PLUS

For those trousers white selvage

denim has been used. Available in

navy blue or white they create a

nobel marine style. Fifth coin pocket.

Stripe belts 13.650¥ (100£) by Brilla per il gusto

BELTMANIA

Hand made in Florence leather belts

with painted stripy motive. Available

in navy, red and turquoise.

All products available at BEAMS shops around Japan. www.beams.co.jp

Accessories

page 55

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Accessories

dream matchspecial collection of b yoshida

B Yoshida opened his store in Daikanyama in 2003 and since then become a bag institution in Japan with people coming from around the world to visit his shop. All bags sold here ares specially made for the shop and they are mainly collaborations with media brands,

newspapers, artist, clothing brands or photographers. Yoshida as native Tokyoite is proud where his from and by his products he wants to show how proud he is of being born in Tokyo. Each bag from the idea to the real product takes one to two years which might be

consider as waste of time but he want his products to be perfect and perfectly wearable. By collaborations he keeps his products fresh and bespoke for different professions. Right now he is working with Saturday Surf shop in New York, cycle shop Charlie & Co. and ACE Hotels.

White Mountaineering x PORTERWaist bag with seperate pockets for iPod, mobile and

others. [W49xH20xD6cm] 56.700¥ (425£)

MARGARET HOWELL x PORTERBackpack with shoulder strips made out of anti-slip

material that they won’t fall. [W30xH48xD14cm] 24.150¥

(180£)

Oumori x PORTERCover designed by famous japanese

actor which he uses for the scripts.

[W19xH26.5cm] 21.000¥ (155£)

ROCK STEADY x PORTERBook cover made with quality leather

in black with shade of brown.More is

used better it looks [W12xH16.5cm]

6.300¥ (47£)

2-tacs x PORTERBag collaborated with Honma, yellow

with white stripes [W46xH34xD21cm]

16.500¥ (125£)

page 56is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Accessories

M line by Toshio Matsuura x PORTERTrolley record bag designed by

famous 1990’s DJ Toshio matsura

[W39xH37xD27cm] 81.900¥ (615£)

Monocle x PORTERTravel wallet which has pocket for

passport, iPod and phone,and a

mesh compartment for currency.

[W25xH14xD4cm] 15.750¥ (120£)

Ichikawa x PORTERLeather bussiness card

holder designed by artist

Ichikawa[W7xH10cm] 7.750¥ (58£)

HOBONIKEI x PORTERCordura nylon case for digital

camera and pens designed by

japanese newspaper Hobonikei

[W11.5xH18.5xD3.5cm] 12.000¥ (90£)

WACKO MARIA x PORTERNatural and easy to carry every

day tote bag in a vintage style

[W35xH35xD11cm] 15.750¥ (120£)

KANNO x PORTERCollaboration with photographer

Kanno first camera bag in a form of

tote bag.[W47xH35xD20cm] 22.050¥

(165£)

Waste Twice x PORTERWater proof casual bag with shoulder

stripe designed in collaboration with

Tokyo clothing shop Waste Twice

[W44xH30xD14cm] 52.500¥ (395£)

B Yoshida19-6 Sarugaku-choShibuya-ku. Tokyowww.bjirushi.com

page 57

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

The new terminal of Haneda Airport replaces the shabby old one that saw destinations dwindle to a handful in China and South Korea. The expansion means that Haneda – Tokyo’s thriving domestic airport – is about to make its international comeback. With a new runway built on reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay, an extra 60,000 flights and seven million passengers every year will arrive from and depart to Europe, the US and other parts of Asia.

The group behind the new terminal comprises 13 companies including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ana). Early on, they decided the best way to distinguish Tokyo International Air Terminal (tiat) from rival regional airports such as Incheon and Shanghai was to highlight something Haneda has that they don’t – its location. Their plan from the outset was to emphasise that this airport is “Made in Japan”.

The retail centrepiece of the departure building is the Edo Koji, an extraordinary recreation of a historic Tokyo street. This is no piece of ersatz Disneyfication – it’s the work of Yoshiaki Nakamura, a master craftsman from Kyoto who usually works on temples and teahouses. He and a team of 30 carpenters have replicated the Edo’s (the ancient name for Tokyo) streets using traditional materials and techniques.

Jun Mitsui, whose architectural studio was one of three involved in the project, says that Japan was referenced everywhere from the Mount Fuji-esque roof to the seasonal-coloured floor tiles that greet travellers on landing. “We want passengers to know they are in Japan as soon as they arrive,” he says. Mission accomplished.

HAnEDA AIRPORT, TOKYO

Transport

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

velpage 60

issu

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Transport

Max TOKI E4

maximum speed 240km/h

HAYATE E2


is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

NOZOMI N700


page 61

issu

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Transport

The Shinkansen (new main line), also known as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tokaido Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of 2,387.7 km (1,483.6 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 240–300 km/h.

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Kendo competition in Ogikubo Suginami ward

People

Kendo - meaning “Way of The Sword”, is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Samurai swordsmanship, or Kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.

Photo: Dan Sayle

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Purpose of Kendo:To mold the mind and body. To cultivate a vigorous spirit.To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo.To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.To associate with others with sincerity.And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.

Thus will one be able:To love ones country and society;To contribute to the development of culture;And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Tsukiji fish marketTraders

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

People

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

EconomicsThe market handles more than 400 different types of seafood from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar, and from tiny sardines to 300kg tuna and controversial whale species. Overall, more than 700,000 metric tons of seafood are handled every year at the three seafood markets in Tokyo, with a total value in excess of 600 billion yen (approximately 5.5 billion US dollars). Tsukiji alone handles over 2000 metric tons of seafood per day. The number of registered employees as of 25 January 2010 varies from 60,000 to 65,000, including wholesalers, accountants, auctioneers, company officials, and distributors.

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

People

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

LocationTsukiji Fish Market is located near the Tsukijishij Station on the Toei Oedo Line and Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. There are two distinct sections of the market as a whole. The “inner market” (jonai shijo) is the licensed wholesale market, where the auctions and most of the processing of the fish take place, and where licensed wholesale dealers (approximately 900 of them) operate small stalls. The “outer market” (jogai shijo) is a mixture of wholesale and retail shops that sell Japanese kitchen tools, restaurant supplies, groceries, and seafood, and many restaurants, especially sushi restaurants. Most of the shops in the outer market close by the early afternoon, and in the inner market even earlier.

People

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

9 h (nainawasu) is a new capsule hotel that offers luxury in a minimum living space. The 9h capsule hotel and all amenities were designed by Fumie Shibata of Design Studio S, which she founded in 1994. With her team, she defined the elements necessary for a ‘minimal transit space’ in big cities in Japan. The product designer has been pursuing the 9h project as a creative director for 3 years.

The first hotel opened in December 2009, located in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, located on Teramachi Street between department store Fujii Daimaru and convenience store AMPM, two minutes walk from Kawaramachi Station. the building itself is 9 stories tall, and it hostsc125 capsules, locker rooms, showers, and a lounge.

9H, kyoto

Hotel588 Teianmaneo-cho, Shijyo, Teramachi-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, 600-8031

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

Yamanashi prefecture in Japan’s central Honshu is famous for its Hoto Noodles. Resembling thick udon, the dish was cooked only at home until 25 years ago when Noboru Furuya decided to invite visitors to the area a give them a chance to experience the taste by opening a small chain of restaurants. For this fourth branch, Furuya decided to go for a radically different look from the traditional architecture in his other establishments and consulted architect Takeshi Hosaka. The result is a white, igloo-like structure at the base of Mount Fuji, serving just one dish, Fudo Hoto - spongy noodles cooked with 10 freshly harvested vegetables including pumpkins and mushrooms and served in a secret-recipe miso broth.

HOTO FUDO, YAMANASHI

2458, Funatu, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamisturu-gun, Yamanashi

Restaurant

Affairs

Even if Japan’s nuclear crisis is contained, its earthquake and tsunami now seem certain to be, economically speaking, among the worst natural disasters in history, with total losses potentially as high as two hundred billion dollars. In response, fearful investors sent the Nikkei down almost twenty per cent on the first day of trading after the tsunami, and it’s still down more than ten per cent. Yet, while the fear is understandable, this may turn out to have been an overreaction: history suggests that, despite the terrifying destruction and the horrific human toll, the long-term impact of the quake on the Japanese economy could be surprisingly small.

That may seem hard to reconcile with the scale and the scope of the devastation. But, as the economists Eduardo Cavallo and Ilan Noy have recently suggested, in developed countries even major disasters “are unlikely to affect economic growth in the long run.” Modern economies, it turns out, are adept at rebuilding and are often startlingly resilient.

The quintessential example comes from Japan itself: in 1995, an earthquake levelled the port city of Kobe, which at the time was

a manufacturing hub and the world’s sixth-largest trading port. The quake killed sixty-four hundred people, left more than three hundred thousand homeless, and did more than a hundred billion dollars in damage (almost all of it uninsured). There were predictions that it would take years, if not decades, for Japan to recover. Yet twelve months after the disaster trade at the port had already returned almost to normal, and within fifteen months manufacturing was at ninety-eight per cent of where it would have been had the quake never happened. On the national level, Japan’s industrial production rose in the months after the quake, and its G.D.P. growth in the following two years was above expectations. Similarly, after the Northridge earthquake, in 1994, the Southern California economy grew faster than it had before the disaster. A recent FEMA study found that after Hurricane Hugo devastated Charleston, in 1989, the city outpaced growth predictions in seven of the following ten quarters. And the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, despite its enormous human toll, may have actually boosted the economy’s growth rate.

Creative Destruction?text james surowiecki

page 76is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Affairs

These were all monumental catastrophes, and yet, a couple of years after the fact, domestic growth rates showed little sign that they had happened. The biggest reason for this, as the economist George Horwich argued, is that even though natural disasters destroy physical capital they don’t diminish the true engines of economic growth: human ingenuity and productivity. With enough resources, a damaged region can reconstruct itself with surprising speed. Although the Northridge quake demolished the Santa Monica Freeway, it reopened after just sixty-six days. Healthy economies are by definition adaptive: in the case of Kobe, other Japanese ports picked up the slack until it was back on line. And, because governments generally flood disaster areas with money, there’s no dearth of cash for new investments.In a study of eighty-nine countries, the economists Mark Skidmore and Hideki Toya, after controlling for every variable they could think of, found that countries that suffered more climatic disasters actually grew faster and were more productive. This seems bizarre: it’s close to the broken-windows fallacy identified by the nineteenth-century economist Frédéric Bastiat—the idea that breaking windows is economically useful, because it makes work for glaziers. But Skidmore and Toya argue that disaster-stricken economies don’t simply replace broken windows, as it were; they upgrade infrastructure and technology, and shift investment away from older, less productive industries. (After the Kobe quake, the city’s plastic-shoe factories never returned.) In Horwich’s somewhat ruthless phrase, disasters can function as a form of “accelerated depreciation.” Something similar often happens on the level of the individual consumer: homeowners rebuilding after a disaster take the opportunity to upgrade, a phenomenon known as “the Jacuzzi effect.” In ordinary times, inertia keeps old technologies in place; it may be easier to make dramatic changes when you have to start from scratch.Still, the impact of any given disaster depends

on a variety of factors. Skidmore and Toya have found that geological disasters don’t seem to have the same effects on growth rates as climatic disasters. And growth rates seem to be resilient only for relatively wealthy, well-run countries, which can raise money easily and administer reconstruction funds efficiently. In poor countries, by contrast, disasters are doubly disastrous: they often do more damage to begin with, since infrastructure is in such woeful shape, and the damage is harder to repair. Haiti’s economy has shrunk more than eight per cent since the earthquake last year, and much of the country remains in rubble.

Furthermore, it’s important to remember that even cities that do successfully rebuild still lose enormous amounts of capital. In that sense, the biggest economic effect of disasters is to redistribute resources rather than create them. Disasters redistribute money from taxpayers to construction workers, from insurance companies to homeowners, and even from those who once lived in the destroyed city to those who replace them. It’s remarkable that this redistribution can happen so smoothly and quickly, with devastated regions reinventing themselves in a matter of months. But that doesn’t make the devastation any less real. Modern economies are good at recovering from disasters, but it’s a tragedy that they’re getting so much practice.

page 77

issu

e 01

. vol

ume

01in

tern

atio

nal

man

in t

rave

l

It took 10 years to rebuild Kobe after the earthquake in 1995, but that timeframe is now looking optimistic for the reconstruction needed along the north-eastern coastline of Japan. Two months ago, the black wave of the tsunami engulfed 16 towns, 95,000 buildings, 23 railway stations, hundreds of miles of road, railway tracks and sea walls. Over 60,000 acres of agricultural land were contaminated. It will take three years just to clear the debris.

In spite of the enormity of the task ahead, there are signs that Japan is moving away from disaster management. It may not be, however, politics as usual. Hauled over the coals, not least by his own party, for the way his government dealt with the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the embattled prime minister, Naoto Kan, has begun to make decisions which are political in nature. He ordered the temporary closure of Hamaoka – the nuclear plant which sits on an active faultline – while a new tsunami wall is built, and he has abandoned plans to build 14 reactors over the next 20 years, opting instead for a 20% increase in renewables.

This contrasts with the recommendation of Britain’s climate change committee this week to increase reliance on nuclear energy. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is also considering a proposal that would cut the subsidy, through feed-in tariffs for generators of solar power. Disaster-stricken Japan is moving in the opposite direction, and it is brutally clear why. Over 80,000 people living within 12 miles of Fukushima have been forced out of their homes and it is far from clear when they will be able to return. Farmers have been forced to abandon their cows, or dump their milk. The compensation bill alone for the 50,000 families forced to leave the exclusion zone could be astronomical. Tepco may apologise deeply and profusely, but Japan’s nuclear industry has lost the stranglehold it once had over the energy debate. There are no votes in trying to defend it now.

Stabilising Fukushima and building 70,000 temporary homes are immediate problems. But long-term answers will be just as significant. These are being sought by an ambitious team of philosophers and architects led by Makoto Iokibe, a former professor at Kobe university and someone determined not to repeat the same mistakes. Seeking higher ground for the new communities of the north-east is the least of their ideas. He talks of creative reconstruction – decentralising power away from Tokyo, a reconstruction tax, decreasing the wealth gap between urban and rural areas, creating a springboard for green energy. A truly radical approach will be resisted, but the debate itself has to be had.

rebuilding Japantext miko urbanski

page 78is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

Affairs

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

is

sue

01. v

olum

e 01

inte

rnat

ion

al m

an in

tra

vel

issue 02. volume 01 - available august 2011

Back Cover

international man in travel

Documents

tsukiji market

dover street market

dream match

dream house

national art center

new way of travel

traveltomoko azumi

lack of travel magazines