As the big media store chains disappear, Japan’s most successful book, music and magazine seller has opened a project that challenges everyone. We visit the floors of a refreshed retail landscape.
Shopping for electronics can be a harrowing experience, punctuated by flashing screens, garish plastics and strip lights. Not so at Tsutaya Electrics in Tokyo, where products are tastefully presented on wooden desks and…
Tokyo-based company Culture Convenience Club brings together quality of life and technology in Tsutaya Electrics. The well-designed shop displays hi-tech products alongside books, plants and plenty of comfy seats.
As urbanists around the world devise new approaches to better everyday living, we highlight three projects in Japan, Sweden and Singapore taking a fresh perspective.
The fashion designer who oversees Uniqlo’s collaborations and makes outfits for Japan’s Empress Michiko, reveals how food – and a herbal remedy – has informed his work.
Finding the best new retailers in town can be a challenge even if you’re a local. So we’ve scoured the backstreets and boulevards for the best shops in which to enjoy a summer spree. Here’s our edit of 10 fashion-forward…
Monocle’s man at the helm Tyler Brûlé celebrates the charm of Japan – and our first travel guide on the country – looking at the little touches that make it such a joy to visit. As if we needed an excuse...
While last year’s economic turbulence forced many retailers to up their game, there are too many who seem to have given up even trying. Fortunately, there are still shops out there who know what a huge difference decent…
Japan is a nation moving beyond an unthinkable disaster to re-establish itself as a regional leader in culture and innovative lifestyles. This issue we meet the people spearheading the unusual evolution of Japanese society…
The recipe for creating the perfect community is a complex one, but one thing people everywhere are realising is that the likes of Starbucks are no longer welcome, says our editor in chief Tyler Brûlé.
The Japanese are going bonkers over their canines. But with the market for doggie products reaching saturation point, what’s next for the lucrative industry? Funerals and hotels apparently.
Quality of life isn’t just about cycle lanes and roof gardens; our cities need inspirational thinking and ideas from the cultural sphere, too. Here, we profile five players – from a South African rock band to a Tokyo web…