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Jae Lee
For Jae Lee's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Starting next year, all renovations to the new Imperial Hotel are scheduled to finish in 2036.
CULTURE / Art
Sep 16, 2023
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel enters the history books
The curtain is about to close on Frank Lloyd Wright’s contribution to Tokyo’s skyline.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Dec 6, 2021
Japanese artistry brings Napoleon's legacy to life
Situated in the city of Rueil-Malmaison, about 15 kilometers west of Paris’ city center, the picturesque Chateau de Malmaison was once home to one of France’s most famous couples: Josephine de Beauharnais and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 31, 2021
Yoshihiro Makino: 'One early morning I realized that a sunrise is more beautiful than a sunset'
Photographer Yoshihiro Makino began his career by snapping pictures of Tokyo's vibrant youth culture before establishing himself as an in-demand artist in Los Angeles.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Nov 9, 2020
Kenzo Takada: The fashion industry mourns the loss of a dreamer
Takada was the first Japanese designer to gain international success out of Parisu2019s fashion industry, making his designs accessible and affordable.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 1, 2020
Ogata Paris acts as an embassy for Japanese elegance in Europe
Ogata Paris, the brainchild of designer Shinichiro Ogata, offers the very best of Japanese craftsmanship and tradition in his fashionable European outpost.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 23, 2020
Staying real for the sake of art: Museums and festivals proceed with caution
Japanu2019s artistic institutions stress the importance of in-person exhibitions and events after months of closures and COVID-19-related fears.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jun 13, 2020
Emil Pacha Valencia: Building a bridge with Tempura
Emil Pacha Valencia examines the difference between modern and traditional Japanese culture in his magazine.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 21, 2020
Satoshi Sekimoto: Decorated in France
"When I was little, there was a room with a big lock on the door in my house — my mother's studio. The lock came off when I finished elementary school," says embroiderer Satoshi Sekimoto over coffee at a Parisian cafe in the 13th arrondissement. "I understand why she kept the room locked," he adds, "not only were there needles everywhere but some of the garments she worked on were very precious, including obi belts entirely weaved in gold threads."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Feb 29, 2020
Maison: The house that Sota Atsumi built
"Why did I leave Japan? I guess it's because I had nothing to do back home," says Paris-based chef Sota Atsumi as he takes a coffee break from prepping scallops for his dinner guests. "I didn't study much, so enrolling in a university was not an option. I wanted to be a professional snowboarder but I gave up due to an injury."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Dec 28, 2019
Soramaru Takayama: There's much poetry in Vegan Pudding & Co.
After four years of traveling the world, poet Soramaru Takayama finds Vancouver a welcoming place for creativity and veganism.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design
Sep 29, 2019
Kenzo Takada adds to a legacy of operatic style
Since his official retirement from the clothing brand Kenzo in 1999, Kenzo Takada has taken on interiors, accessories and now costume design.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Feb 23, 2019
Corey Mah: Fashioning a new life in Tokyo
From retro video games to avant-garde Comme des Garcons' fashion, moving to Japan became a calling for Corey Mah.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 28, 2018
The Louvre has a new seat of power
Kohei Nawa talks about his 3-ton golden "Throne," which takes a seat of honor at the Louvre as one of the works for Japonismes 2018, Paris' large-scale event celebrating 160 years of France-Japan relations.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Oct 20, 2011
"Chim↑Pom"
The Container Closes Dec. 19
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Sep 2, 2011
"TANADA Koji "springing up boy"
Koji Tanada's work has reached both a domestic and an international audience with appearances in a number of shows, including a solo exhibition at The Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum in Shizuoka Prefecture and a group show at the Riso Museo d'arte contemporanea della sicilia in Italy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 18, 2011
Passing through Kohei Nawa's tactile rooms of the senses
The lecture theatre is brimful of bright-eyed people listening to a lecture by Kohei Nawa — an artist considered by many to be at the forefront of contemporary art in Japan. The public lecture offers insight into the design and production process of the often complex and intricate work on display in his current solo exhibition titled "Synthesis" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Aug 12, 2011
"Inner Voices"
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, has invited a number of female artists from various cultural backgrounds and genres to participate in "Inner Voices," but under one condition — the artist's birth year must be after 1960. The exhibition puts an emphasis on the '60s and the social changes that took place around the world at the time. Many participating artists are expats working in foreign cities away from their home country. These female artists experienced globalization and economic growth, and managed to survive the difficulties and thrive under the possibilities that come with such change. This group of artists — including Yee I-Lann, Kim Sora, Wah Nu and Chiharu Shiota — refuses to confront or define the theme of "feminism" due to the misconceptions that are associated with the word. However, they express the importance of barrier-less freedom in producing art works that ignore gender or social differences.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 22, 2011
"Sun Yat-sen And Umeya Shokichi: China And Japan 100 Years Ago"
In celebration of 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, this exhibition focuses on rare photos and documents of Sun Yat-sen, who played an important role the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty during the Chinese revolution, and his relationship with Shokichi Umeya, a film producer and promoter from Japan who supported Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary beliefs.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 22, 2011
"Tokuda Yasokichi: The Power of Colour, Drawing on the Past"
Tokuda Yasokichi was taught the art of Kutani color overglazed enamel from his grandfather (Tokuda Yasokichi I) and modern ceramics from his father (Tokuda Yasokichi II).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 15, 2011
"SUMO, Wrestlers In nishikie Woodblock Prints From The Otani Kokichi Collection"
Legend has it that a sumo match between gods determined the origin of the Japanese race.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world