Fiona Wilson
Prime mover
Mitsubishi built Tokyo’s first office block in Marunouchi 114 years ago and is now behind the area’s redevelopment into a major financial centre. Overleaf, we dissect a building site.
Going for old
Though the Japanese love vintage, second-hand furniture auctions are new. Now, three entrepreneurs are bringing design classics to market in the country’s first modern and contemporary furniture auction.
Film stars
The global camera market has rapidly switched to digital. Last year, Japan produced 94 million digital cameras versus 800,000 film cameras. Yet an army of die-hard fans is keeping the film format alive.
Expo 11: Olympic gold rush
As the world focuses on Beijing for the Olympics, a massive building boom transforms the city. Monocle visits the Olympic Park to see if it’s nation-branding folly or the start of the Chinese century.
Yubari: Ghost town
Featuring the haunting photographs of Shinichi Ito, our Asia bureau chief, Fiona Wilson, reports from Yubari, the Japanese coal city that lost 90 per cent of its residents after its mines closed and the…
Isle be back
Japan's Okinawa prefecture is experiencing a renaissance. Companies large and small are capitalising on its relaxed, affordable lifestyle, great beaches and warm climate, with the city of Naha leading the way.
Roots finder
Provenance is key as we turn our backs on mass-produced products. Consumers want authenticity and, as many companies have found, they’re happy to pay for it.
Techno tradition
Kyoto is the traditional home of Japanese artisans who make highly detailed ceramics and perfectly woven silks. That same set of skills has also helped it become the country’s hi-tech heartland.
Natural by design
Yoshifumi Nakamura's weekend haven in the hills of Japan’s Nagano region is a perfect example of the growing global trend for simple, ecologically sound living.
Up for adoption
From Germany's power-generating homeowners to Genoa's congestion-cutting van-share scheme and Estonia's booming flat tax economy, here are 10 public policy initiatives that ministers and mayors should study with care.
