Consume Tokyo

Tokyo - Consumer heaven, but also a big artist residence. I, your guide Reona, am a artist. Now I am working on a project called ' Global Identity', in which I stimulate people to communicate through art. I will tell you all about my personal favourites.

My favourite, reasonably-priced sushi restaurant, Momotaro Sushi. You can eat here until 5 am. After dinner, go to Newport, a café/bar run by the design company Bluemark. If it’s a Saturday there will be a sticky & sweet DJ playing.
Architecture in Tokyo. - Idabasi subway station. Oedo line - C3 exit.
Image by Reona Ueda

Do-It-Yourself Global Identity
Contribute to my 'Global Identity' project. This art project is a growing body of work created by a continuously growing number of diverse people. Today you can help me by connecting to one of the artworks and communicating with the person who produced it. By joining my project, you will get connected to the other contributors! This project gives many people a unique opportunity to have a challenging dialogue.
Tokyo Skyline. - Image by Reona Ueda

Dadaist perspective on Tokyo
Contact me and I will introduce you to CommandN, which strives to be the most exciting and innovative artist collective in Tokyo. It’s all about working together with local art communities. The two artists will take you to see Kandada, an art project space run by CommandN and located in the Kanda area. The name refers to their aim to install Dadaist perspectives into the area of Kanda. They want to inspire creative energies residing in the city through their collective, communal and social art projects. You can give some fresh input to CommandN based on your own experiences.

Art ceramics
I can also set up a meeting between you and Masaru Ishikawa, a visual designer who just moved back to Tokyo after a considerable stay in Italy. His work ranges from graphic symbols and visual identities for companies to abstract paintings. His latest project is the design of the ceramic tableware ‘Masaru Castle’, which was showcased in Milano Salone and featured in many magazines. Grab a coffee, you will have plenty to talk about.
Shibuya crossing - Image by Reona Ueda

Relate to creativity
If you're interested in web design, I can make an appointment with you and Arata Sasaki, head of the design company and think-tank 'Hitsme'. This organization investigates the connection between humans and their creativity. They specialize in graphic (web) design and art direction. Mr. Sasaki will introduce you to their web magazine HITSPAPER.

Balkanizing Japan
If you’re into music, I will set you up with Stevhen Koji Iancu. This Romanian-Japanese musician is currently a member of the 'Dolomites', a band that is mixing up the various sounds of the world and Balkanizing old Japanese songs re-creating a very unique mix. There’s a good chance Stevhen will be performing and if so I will make sure you’ll be on the front row!
Anime girls on a poster in Akihabara, Tokyo - Image by Reona Ueda

Shopping for Art
The Maruhachi warehouse in the Kiyosumi-shirakawa area is not your ordinary shopping mall, with no less then eight contemporary art galleries gathered under one roof! The Shugo Arts gallery continuously shows the work of its members, as does the Tomio Komiya Gallery. The last gallery on your list should be Magic Room, which is also a café and a bar and hosts very hip events during the weekend. The whole interior was designed by different artists, so this is where you will consume art!
Streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo - Imagey by Reona Ueda

At last
Did you know that Japan has almost twice as many shops as the United States? If you fancy music you could visit Tower Records’ Shibuya branch. This might well be the largest record shop on earth, with each floor dedicated to a particular genre. But there are also many music stores specialised in vintage music, like Baby-Pop, Disk Union en Discland Jaro. So make sure you will leave Tokyo with a swing!
Shop for records in Tokyo - Image by Reona Ueda

To ignore
The National Diet Building (jp: Kokkai-gijido)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (jp: Tokyo-tocho)
Tokyo Disneyland

Sleep
Capsule Land Shibuya - very cheap
Claska - One of so-called "designer's hotels".
Park Hyatt Tokyo - high end. It appeared in the film Lost In Translation.
Or one of the love hotels!

Arty hang-outs
D&DEPARTMENT DINING (restaurant)
Le Baron de Paris (club/bar)
Superdeluxe (club)
Velours (club)

Prices
railways/subways : from 130 yen
taxi : from 710 yen
bus : 200 yen+++