2013.11.22-23 @Edo Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum As the 3rd children`s workshop to be held at the Edo Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum in Tokyo, the children crafted lanterns in the shapes of buildings and trees to create a miniature city of light after a parade through the park. Build town of light As a part of Autumn event “Light up Autumn Foliage at Edo Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum, we were invited to do children workshop. Theme of this time was to experience the dark and candle light, to make house shape lantern and to create a town. Lantern with shape of tree and house In two days, about 50 children and 63 parents joined this workshop. College student volunteers were responsible for preparing for the workshop and explanation on the day. Children chose from three shapes of tracing paper for lanterns. The most popular shape was tree lantern！！A lot of branches extending from a round base transformed into a fantastic forest。 A lots of founding during lantern making Children who participated were wide in age, even if template of lanterns were the same, each one of the completed works was different. The base of lantern was colored paper and tracing paper. Drawing a picture as they like on the base, using six color cellophane, using scissors to drill a hole, or changing to an entirely new form, children were able to think freely to create their original lantern.　With the limited materials,…

The Lighting Environment of a Cultural Hub 2022.11.25 ＆ 26　　Naoko Oguchi, Shinichi Sakaguchi, Ryuji Hatta, Tomoya Furukawa, Azumi Okubo, Mutsuo Honma For the first time in three years since 2019, we held a night walk survey where everyone gathered in one location.Under the theme of “Lighting Environments in Cultural Hubs,” we explored two cities: Shimokitazawa in the Kanto region, where a series of exciting new developments have recently been completed, and Kobe in the Kansai region, known for its stylish urban atmosphere. Before the arrival of full-fledged winter, we conducted our first large-group night walk survey in about three years. The theme was “Lighting Environments in Cultural Hubs,” held in two locations: Shimokitazawa in eastern Japan and Kobe in the west.In Shimokitazawa, participants were divided into four groups. Two started from Odakyu Line’s Setagaya-Daita Station and the other two from Higashi-Kitazawa Station, each heading toward Shimokitazawa Station on foot.In Kobe, the walk began after taking in the nightscape from the summit of Mt. Rokko. ■Shimokitazawa – Group 1 Group 1 walked the route from Setagaya-Daita Station to Shimokitazawa Station. The path from Daita Station to the onsen ryokan “Yuen Bettei” was composed of modest stand lights and uplights on the trees, creating a lighting environment that felt calm and atmospheric. While the pole lights were somewhat glaring, their low color temperature provided a unified tone that made the glare less bothersome. Considering safety, the overall brightness felt appropriate, and the…

Looking over the Nagoya nightscape from the symbolic Television Broadcasting Tower, Hisaya Boulevard stands out in the center and orange sodium lamps dominate the park below. The new trendy spot in Nagoya, Oasis 21, along Hisaya Boulevard. We climbed up the Television Broadcasting Tower before dusk so we could sit back and watch nature’s light show over the city with Oasis 21 in the foreground. Various mechanisms of light are incorporated into the design of Oasis 21, a former LPA project and winner of IESNA 2003 Award of Merit. One characteristic of Hisaya Boulevard nightscape is that the scenery always includes the Television Broadcasting Tower. Whether from the illuminated water fountain, Central Bridge, Central Park, or Oasis 21 all are framed just like a picture postcard with the Tower in the background.

Interviewer:　Takafumi Kubo Mende :  I heard that you practice Ikebana, or Japanese flower arrangement.  What style are you learning?  It’s amazing that you find time when work is so busy. Kubo : I am learning the Sogetsu style of Ikebana.   We work with not only classical flower  types, but also pursue innovative and unique expressions with flowers.  It is very interesting.  I also had a piece displayed at an exhibit. Mende :   I don’t think I got an invitation. Kubo :  Sorry about that.  Working with flowers is very invigorating.  I feel like a student again. Mende :  What do you learn at your lessons? Kubo :  Generally, a  basic flower arrangement is  arranged with three branches and flowers.  The three branches are labeled, Shin, Soe, and Hikae.  Depending on the length of a branch, angle of insertion, how one displays the water, how branches are hung, and other factors, each arrangement looks different.  So even if we all used the same flowers, there would never be two arrangements that are the same.    So even if one is not very good, if they fill the requirements, it is a flower arrangement.   It is very interesting. What do you do at your Shinnai lessons (Japanese  theatrical music  lessons)? Mende : The teacher for our Shinnai lessons is an older gentleman and we basically just mimic what he sing-says.  So we basically try to come as close as we can to what and…

Interviewer: Satomi Yamaguchi Mende：So, today’s topic of conversation is “What is your favorite season of the year?” So… What is your favorite season of the year? Yamaguchi：Spring.  Especially early spring.  Plants are shooting up, budding cherry blossoms, trees covered in pastel pink flowers.  It makes me feel so excited.  Mende：You could almost say late winter.  Where did you grow up?  Did you wait out long, dark winters for springtime? Yamaguchi：I am from Tokyo.  Since I take care of many plants, I have really become more conscious of the seasons.  What is your favorite season of the year? Mende：When I was growing up it was probably summer.   During the last few years of elementary school I took up playing music, after that I really began to enjoy the fall.  The turning of colors and preparations for the long and lonely winter ahead is very moving.  I think I’m a romanticist.  The fish tail rows of light, fluffy clouds are very different from the aggressive thunder clouds of the summer season.  These clouds reveal the first glimpses of autumn.  Although, I really don’t dislike any season of the year, which is my real answer, but I do love the cultural atmosphere of the fall season.  I think it is the real season of love.  Yamaguchi：I think the saying goes that people fall in love and the spring and break up in the autumn.   Mende：When I was younger I never liked the confused…