Hello friends! Spoon & Tamago here with your periodic dose of bewilderment from Japan. We've been hearing encouraging signs of Japan finally easing their border restrictions. And one of our highlights this week is for adventurous explorers looking for something not in your typical guidebook: the Goemon House. We're also bidding farewell to the Nakagin Capsule Towers, which after much back-and-forth, is being demolished as we speak. Lastly, a series of fun little toys that turn stacks of books into a Tokyo city block. | | the spoon & tamago dispatch | | Miniature Neon Signs Tokyo's vibrant skin can be overstimulating and chaotic to some. But the neon shop signs vertically stacked on one another is what gives the city its unique, almost nostalgic feel. Now, you can recreate that vibe in the comfort of your own room as long as you have stacks of, preferably unread, books. Read on... | | | Goemon House If you're looking for an excursion off the beaten path, we have just the spot for you. The new Goemon House is located on Momojima Island, which is just off the coast of Onomichi in Hiroshima. Don't come for convenience. Come for the chance to immerse yourself in island life, art and a piece of Japan's grizzly past. Read on... | | | So Long, Nakagin After years of back-and-forth over the fate of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo's iconic structure and symbol of the Japanese Metabolism movement is being demolished as we write this. We're remembering the tower through a lovely rendered video. Read on... | | | | Starting tomorrow is Japan's Microseason 21: Bamboo Shoots Sprout. To learn all about this special time–poems, events, recipes–and to receive all future microseasons in your inbox, become a Spoon & Tamago member. Learn More! | | tidbits from all corners of Japan | | | San Jose will be getting a Kengo Kuma-designed office complex that's expected to open in 2025! | | The 1300-year old tradition of Ukai kicked off this week. The fishing master uses cormorants and flaming torchlights to catch sweetfish. Ukai is performed every evening along the Nagara River through October 15. | | Tsumiki Any architect will tell you that, structurally, a triangle is the strongest geometric shape. Architect Kengo Kuma has taken this wisdom and rendered it into a playful and interactive building set: Tsumiki (which means "toy blocks" in Japanese). | | | | |