Kenji Hall
Label mates
Fashion can be cruel, but Japanese brand Beams is forging a different model with a warmly designed retreat in Karuizawa that welcomes all of its employees as family.
Quiet types
The things they make are so familiar we barely notice their presence. We introduce the masters of ubiquity whose products are always exactly where you need them.
Refit for purpose
Masataka Baba started his business because no one offered what he needed. Now, his firm turns Tokyo’s disused buildings into rentable properties and is looking further afield for its next project.
Sprinting press
Most running magazines focus on gear and tips. In Japan, runner Yuito Ueda set out to change that with ‘Hashiruhito’, a periodical paced for the thoughtful pavement pounder, focusing on long-form journalism.
Asia
Seoul's new performing-arts centre, sustainable architecture in Shanghai and Japan's efforts to fill empty houses.
Sure shots
Nothing beats the warm embrace of a bar or café and whether it’s a speakeasy in Singapore or a cosy Torinese institution, we have found the most welcoming ones across the globe.
Out of the past
Historically isolated, Kanazawa’s economy is expanding thanks to a new rail link to Tokyo. But its inhabitants are determined to preserve the city’s unique traditions and distinctive architecture.
Flying fish
Characterised by its tiny fleet and dolphin-adorned livery, Japan’s Amakusa Airline takes a quirky line in attracting new customers.
