PDN’s 30 is an annual special issue organized by PDN, an American photographic magazine. Each year more than 300 photographers nominated by photo industry professionals submit portfolios of their work, which are then evaluated over the course of several weeks by the creative director and editors of PDN. For this exhibition, works of the 30 selected photographers are exhibited for the general public.

It is the first opportunity to see the PDN’s 30 exhibited outside the U.S.

When: Sept 21 – Oct 9

Scheduled exhibitors: Adam Dean / Bartholomew Cooke / Daro Sulakauri / David Black / Dima Gavrysh / Dyad Photography / Erik Madigan Heck / Giulio di Sturco / Ivor Prickett / Jody Rogac / Joel Micah Miller / Judith Stenneken / Justin Fantl / Justine Reyes / Katrina d’Autremont / Liz Hingley / Matthew Kristall / Nicholas Alan Cope / Nick Hall / Nicolo Degiorgis / Pari Dukovic / Philip Cheung / Rachel Barrett / Rebecca Drobis / Ryan Heffernan / Silja Magg / Spencer Lowell / Susan Worsham / Therese + Joel / Will Steacy

Place: RICOH Photo Gallery RING CUBE Gallery Zone

View San-Ai Dream Center in a larger map

San-Ai Dream Center in a larger mapSan-Ai Dream Center 8F/9F, 5-7-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Reception 9F)

Kabuki-za theater

The Kabuki-za theater, the mainstay host for the Japanese traditional performing art of Kabuki for over a century, held its last performances before closing to undergo renovation.

A series of farewell performances, entitled Kabukiza Sayonara Koen（歌舞伎座さよなら公演） has been held  from January through April 2010.

The Kabuki-za theater opened in 1889 but its original building was destroyed during World War II. The current structure, where a 16-month run of farewell performances had been staged since the start of January 2009, was opened in 1951.

The theatre’s owner Shochiku plans to take down the building in May and build a 150-meter-high, 29-story building with four sub-basement floors on the site by March 2013 at a cost of 43 billion yen (467 million dollars).

kuri

Read more :www.cnngo.com

Kuri　（庫裏）: Tony Bldg 2F, 6-4-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, tel. 03 3573 8033

View Kuri (Ginza) in a larger map

Ginza

Chanel, Louis Vitton, Gucci, Coach, Harry Winston — and many more — as far as the eye can see, each a dedicated storefront encased in a building of impeccable modern architectural design.

Ginza is where to go to see and be seen and to spend more money than most salarymen ever dream of on fashion, handbags, and jewelry. Ginza used to be pithily described as Tokyo’s 5th Avenue, but nowadays it’s more accurate to call 5th Avenue New York’s Ginza.

Read more :www.cnngo.com

Ginza:Map

View Ginza in a larger map

W. David Marx, a Contributing Editor of The Business of Fashion critics about Abercrombie & Fitch Ginza staff as follows:

But the big question is, will Abercrombie be able to win over new fans in Japan and replicate the unbelievably successful Japanese market entries of other mass fashion brands?

So far, the signs do not look good.

For instance, most foreign retailers in Tokyo employ an exclusively Japanese staff, who behave according to the expectations of Japanese consumers, but Abercrombie & Fitch decided to make the brand experience so “American” that they have almost nobody working the shop floor who would be perceived by customers to be authentically Japanese.

Remarkably, the staff greets shoppers in English, rather than Japanese. Indeed, the best a Japanese consumer can hope for is a kikoku shijo – a returnee from overseas – who can at least speak the local language. While most Tokyo shoppers may like imported, international goods, they do not want to be forced to surface their rusty English during a commercial transaction.

The staff also fails to follow widely recognized principles of Japanese politeness. They are boisterous and many sing and dance along with the songs piped through the Ginza store, making the relatively cramped sales space feel even more claustrophobic for consumers.

To make matters worse, many of the male staff members have their chests exposed. Sex appeal may be a big part of the brand’s charm in the United States, but this particular masculine ideal of a “ripped chest” is completely out of sync with current Japanese fashion culture and the constant presence of half-naked men is off-putting to the Japanese customer — especially when crammed into tight spaces like elevators.

Successful brands in Japan use their shop floor staff as brand leaders and styling mannequins to show consumers how the clothes look on real Japanese people. At this, A&F also fails.

www.businessoffashion.com

….Do you agree with him?

Miel in Ginza

Miel is one of our favorite doughnut shops in Japan.
Not fried but baked doughnut is very soft and tastes like homemade. So literally, each one is made by hand.

Generally, we tend to have an idea that females like sweets in Japan, but here, in miel, there are a lot of male’s doughnut lovers.

Miel in Ginza

Ginza is famous as both tourist spot and business district. So a lot of foreign visitors and workers come to miel and have some sweet time.

Miel in Ginza

Other than this shop, there are several branch shops around Tokyo, such as PRINTEMPS GINZA, Yokohama, and Haneda international airport.

In addition to several regular doughnuts, they offer seasonal flavor one irregularly. For example, in this season, they have special chocolate flavored doughnut for St. Valentine’s Day.

Doughnuts sold at the shop are only for taking out though, there is also café here in Ginza and you can enjoy sweets there.

Miel in Ginza Ｃａｆｅ

Here’s a message from the manager of miel, Ginza.
“We are pleased to offer you our homemade doughnuts. Even if you are supposed to buy one doughnut, please feel free to visit us! Enjoy shopping or walking through the street in Ginza with sweet doughnut. Or if you would like to take a break, drop at our café.”

Isn’t it nice? Sweet doughnut and smile will welcome you!

Miel in Ginza

6-12-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
03-6218-0112
11:00 -20:00

View Miel in Ginza in a larger map

Heart Bread ANTIQUE in Ginza

Heart Bread ANTIQUE in Ginza district is now popular bakery. It opened last October and has already attracted so many people.

Heart Bread ANTIQUE in Ginza

We can see a lot of people lining up in front of the bakery to buy the delicious bread.There are various kinds of bread though, especially, the baker’s recommendation is “Angel’s chocolate ring”.

Angel’s chocolate ring

It is big donut-shaped bread with chocolate and walnut. The soft dough and sweet chocolate make us really happy. Angel’s chocolate ring could be a symbol of the bakery and you can see a lot of ornaments in the shape of the cute round.

To make it tastier, every ingredient is homemade and no preservative is used.

café on the 2nd floor

Also, the shop’s atmosphere is very chic and there is a café on the 2nd floor. In the café if you order one drink, you can eat the bread which you purchase on the 1st floor. So you can take a break in the stylish café while you see how many women in Ginza enjoy their time in the fashionable shop.

This bakery is very popular both among female office workers in Ginza and foreign tourists.

Besides this shop, they have a small booth in PRINTEMPS GINZA, on the second basement floor during in this season. There’s no café, but they offer “Angel’s chocolate ring”, too.

Heart Bread ANTIQUE Ginza

3-4-17, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo   OPTICAI 1F.2F
03-6228 -6806
10:00 -21:00
cafe :30 seats , non-smoking
http://www.heart-bread.com/
Open   Oct. 16, 2009

Map:



View Heart Bread ANTIQUE in Ginza in a larger map

As I mentioned in the last story, I’ll show you some of the popular chocolate shops in PRINTTEMPS GINZA. This year’s 3 fascinating elements of chocolate are delight, sweetness, and surprise!

1^st floor’s concept : “Chocolat Marche”— chocolate arousing our curiosity

There are limited and original shops to PRINTEMPS GINZA. For example, they offer rose or fruit flavored chocolate and a bar of chocolate decorated with colorful flowers.

◎  GINZA Chocolate Hearts

Their tiny pieces of chocolate have various flavors. The small bottled chocolate would be a nice gift. “KIRA chibi bag & basic mini chocolate”—It’s sold only at PRINTEMPS GINZA. The spangled small bag attracts more females who buy chocolate for themselves. We can attach it to cell phone as a strap or to a bag. So we can enjoy both chocolate and fashion!

7^th floor’s concept :“Boutique Du Chocolate” —There are 34 shops from inside and outside of  Japan

◎  Patisserie Grand Four

Their concept is cute, happy, and tasty chocolate. Each one looks very cute, like the shape of a macaroon, baby pig, and small heart.

◎  Tsuki no Katsura (月の桂）

Japanese style chocolate! There are various kinds of taste, such as tangerine, sesame seeds, and green tea.　This style chocolate is sold only in this season.

◎  Fouche Olympus

They offer chocolate in the shape of a planet. The original shape and color will surely give people strong impact. This type of chocolate is popular as a gift for males. The special shape one is so popular that it is always sold out early in this Valentine’s season.

There are so many types of chocolate shops other than those.Even if you are not supposed to give chocolate to anyone, it’s fun to look around those various cute shops.

Or if you visit there, you may find your favorite one and you would see one of the aspects of unique Japanese culture.

Map:PRINTTEMPS GINZA

View Printemps Ginza in a larger map

We love sweets!  We enjoy this sweet chocolate season! In Japan, males get chocolate from females on St. Valentine’s Day, Feb.14^th.

PRINTEMPS GINZA holds special Valentine’s fair from Jan 19^th to Feb 14^th. The largest number of chocolate shops ever, 68 shops, set up 5 special sites and each site has its own concept.

We used to see St. Valentine’s Day as the day for females who show their love to males by giving chocolate. Also they give chocolate to someone who usually support or help them, like co-workers, boss, and family. To find better gifts, they buy chocolate for “preparation”. That could be a good excuse though, they enjoy this Valentine’s season.

Basically, Japanese like the idea of giving someone a gift to show their gratitude.　However, the situation has been changing year by year.

Kumi Iizuka, who is in charge of the Public Relations Department,says “Recently, females enjoy this event for themselves. They exchange chocolate each other.”

It’s called “jyoshi-choco (女子チョコ）”, which means “Girl’s chocolate”. Or they buy chocolate for themselves. It’s called “To Me chocolate”.

Females who are sensitive to the latest trends look for something unique and fabulous for joy. So, even though the prices are little bit higher than the usual chocolate, they choose the special one to have sweet time once in a year .

Anyway, to attract more these new style Valentine’s gift lovers, a lot of shops offer really cute, colorful, and awesome chocolate.

In the next story, I’ll show you some of the popular shops in PRINTEMPS GINZA.
Chocolate for Sweet St. Valentine’s Day at PRINTTEMPS GINZA 2

Map:PRINTEMPS GINZA

View Printemps Ginza in a larger map

Abercrombie & Fitch Ginza store models

The first customers in line at the new Abercrombie & Fitch Ginza  were given giant Abercrombie posters featuring a shirtless guy on both sides along with the words “Ginza” and “FIERCE”.

The TV news is covering the event as a spectacle of consumerism in hopes that a single store can end the looming economic times and somehow boost the economy into life again.

Retail and fashion experts in Japan have been arguing for a while about whether Abercrombie & Fitch will sell as well with Japanese consumers. They point out that the prices of A&F in Japan are 30 percent higher than those in the U.S.

Abercrombie & Fitch Ginza Models

The 12-story building is located in Ginza, once the heartland of top luxury brands but now dominated by fast-fashion brands like Sweden’s H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Zara of Spain’s Inditex Group, and Japan’s Uniqlo chain operated by Fast Retailing Co.

Abercrombie headquarter is appropriately called “Home Office” located in New Albany, Ohio. Home Office is designed as an A&F Campus of sorts, and is referred to as “the Campus.”

Abercrombie promises to deliver the same “all-American” experience—including the buff, shirtless store models—found at its four other flagship stores in New York, Los Angeles, London and Milan.

Long lines of over 800 people snaked around the Ginza store as the doors were opened by international store models, clad in their signature red and blue-checkered shirts, with their greetings in English.


While Abercrombie already enjoys a strong following in Japan, the company also hopes to lure fans from the wider Asian region by opening its store in Ginza, a district popular with tourists. It is also considering opening its second Japanese store in Fukuoka in 2010.

more>>

Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano (北野武)  unveiled a design his drew of a novelty dish to go on sale for the Christmas season in Tokyo’s Ginza Namiki-dori (並木通り).

Kitano (born January 18, 1947) is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, and actor who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work.

According to Kyodo News, Kitano did not seem too confident about the quality of his creation, saying, ”I accepted the offer to draw one without hesitation, but later I found out that plenty of more qualified artists who represent Japan have been involved” in the annual event in the past.

”But I can dodge any complaints, saying, ‘Sorry, I’m a comedian,”’ said Kitano who has painted many pictures for his own films.

In Kitano’s picture, a man drinks beer by himself at Christmas watching neighbors through a window who appear to be having a good time with their family.

Takeshi Kitano's Christmas-themed dish

Ginza Namiki-dori (Namiki Street) is a street which runs parallel to the main Ginza-dori.

Merely strolling around window shopping is fun – and free.

Map:Ginza Namiki-dori

View Ginza Namiki-dori in a larger map

Hoshino, SHIHO× ZAZIE , enracine

Aki Hoshino (ほしの あき) has teamed up with SHIHO to design and promote two outer wear fashion brands for ZAZIE and enracine.

Aki Hoshino( born March 14, 1977) is a Japanese Tarento and SHIHO (born Jun6, 1976) is a Japanese fashion model. They were classmate at Tamagawa high school.

Hoshino and SHIHO appeared at a recent event of the brands with Hoshino wearing a coat designed by SHIHO, which she said was the perfect item for a date on Christmas or a dinner in Ginza.

ZAZIE

ZAZIE and enracine are brands of Fast Retailing, which is the holding company of UNIQLO.