niponica is a web magazine that introduces modern Japan to people all over the world.
2016 No.19
Japan: Loving the Four Seasons
Unique Window on the Seasons
Store windows are mirrors reflecting present-day Japan. Unexpected modernity peeks through traditional aesthetics. Tokyo stories and adventures are told via art beyond borders. Manga and anime motifs resemble ancient gods of Japan. The old, the new, the pop, and the contemporary—all are fused as an explosive palette of vivid colors that catch the eye of passersby.
Each store window is unique, unrepeatable—offering a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of the seasons.
Photos: K. Mikimoto & Co., Ltd., Shiseido Company, Limited, WAKO Co., Ltd., ISETAN MITSUKOSHI HOLDINGS, MATSUYA CO., LTD., Takashimaya Co.,Ltd., amanaimages Inc.
Mikimoto (Autumn 2012)
Mt. Fuji, undeniable symbol of Japan, is expressed in crimson paper craft foliage. At the foot of the mountain, a maple leaf cradles a single pearl on a lake of glass. It is a breathtaking presentation seen from a distance; up close, an intricate world of craft unfolds, topped with an iridescent jewel. A fabulous universe of autumn opens before your eyes.
Note: The Mikimoto flagship store is being renovated as of September 2016.
Shiseido Ginza Bldg. (Spring 2016)
An elegant folding screen placed on a Japanese stone garden depicts trees gently swaying in the breeze. The elements are distinctly traditional yet marked by magical modernity.
Ginza Wako (Winter 2014)
Christmastime in Ginza: a sparkling, wondrous vision. An interesting objet inspired by owl eyes—each eye, when peered into, reflects its own holiday-time story.
Isetan Shinjuku Honten (Winter 2016)
Daruma doll (modeled after Bodhidharma seated in meditation) is one of the good-luck items indispensable to Japanese New Year’s celebrations.
Nihombashi Takashimaya (Summer 2016)