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Japan

Culture

Inside the soaring Pokémon trade fuelled by lockdown

Gotta Catch Em’ All — With the pandemic triggering widespread nostalgia, many have found themselves returning to childhood favourites like Pokémon, which turned 25 this year. And now, card traders are raking in hundreds of thousands by capitalising on the growing demand.

Written by: Gunseli Yalcinkaya

Culture

The dystopian megacities of anime architecture

Brave new world — A new book celebrating the creative process behind Japan's animated cityscapes offers both architectural escapism and bold imaginings of a near future.

Written by: Gunseli Yalcinkaya

Photography

Kai Fusayoshi reflects on a life shooting the streets of Kyoto

In his own words — After a fire destroyed his life's work, Japanese photographer Kai Fusayoshi was ready to give up. Now a new exhibition of his remaining work has him reflecting on the happier times and his incredible career.

Written by: Kai Fusayoshi (as told to Marigold Warner)

Culture

Gritty images of everyday life on the streets of Tokyo

Unexpected beauty — Photographer Tatsuo Suzuki discusses his compelling portraits of contemporary Tokyo, and finding fascination and tensions in the mundane.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Magazine

A humorous look at Japanese family life, in photos

No place like home — For over a decade, photographer Motoyuki Daifu has been documenting the lives of his loved ones, seeking out quiet moments of magic among the mundane.

Written by: Motoyuki Daifu

Photography

An outsider’s take on 21st century Japan

Independent Mysteries — Since first visiting as a tourist, photographer Michael Magers has been enchanted by Japan. His new book collates work from the past eight years, in which he‘s captured a country bursting with ‘endless possibility’.

Written by: Huck

Culture

The extraordinary rise of Japan's unlikely tattoo hero

The art of intimacy — Horiren 1st is one of the world’s most sought-after tattoo artists, celebrated for keeping the ancient Japanese method of Tebori alive. But in a country where body art is considered taboo, her journey to the top hasn’t been easy.

Written by: Michael Magers

Photography

Up close and personal with the women of the Yakuza

Partners in crime — For her series I give you my life (命預けます), photographer Chloé Jafé infiltrated the infamous Japanese crime syndicate, capturing the often overlooked lives of Yakuza wives.

Written by: Eva Clifford

Magazine

Huck: The Hedonism Issue

Out now! — This issue is a celebration of pleasure-seeking at its purest: the lessons learned when ‘excess’ and ‘extreme’ become a way of life.

Written by: Huck

Travel

Inside London’s secret ’love hotels’

Under the covers — Already a big hit in Japan, daytime and by-the-hour hotel bookings are becoming more popular in Western cities – it’s just that not that many people know about them yet.

Written by: Jessica Furseth

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