At one of the events I attended last Friday — the Soe store opening in Nakameguro — I met a web designer by the name of Arata Sasaki. Looking at his work, there’s definitely a lot to like, from the website for his company, KOTENHITS (which includes the NO JAPAN JAPAN webzine pictured above), as well as the HITSPAPER design blog to which he’s a contributing editor. He also blogs by himself here.

I’m just stunned. Go here, and move your cursor around. And this is CG/flash? According to Boing Boing, where I got the link, it was created by a Brazilian design firm.

Update
There’s a reason for the face to be Japanese. Following a few links leads to the fact that a Japanese company is behind the technology, called Motion Portrait.

Here’s a reminder that Yuki Nakano‘s photo exhibition is now on at Cafe Pause, running until April 6. Following that, it will be the Speakerdog show.

I made it to four openings/parties last night, but not to the one for the “New Tokyo Contemporaries” show at the Shin-Marunouchi Building (because I didn’t get an invitation). Ashley Rawlings did, and he posts a few photos on TABlog.

Anthem posts a rare interview in English with Masashi Naka, founder of indie label Escalator Records. Via META no TAME.

In his latest post for Clast, Marxy examines what it means for Emporio Armani to use model/actress Aoi Miyazaki in its latest ad campaign.

The Feb/Mar 2008 issue of THEME (13) has a piece on Groovisions, courtesy of Marxy.

Marxy reviews fashion writer and editor Tiffany Godoy’s STYLE DEFICIT DISORDER, a tome on the development of Harajuku’s youth culture. It’s interesting to note that Godoy actually worked as an editor on Japanese art and style magazines.

My weekly Tokyo post for MoCo Loco is up, this time covering Fumie Shibata’s Flower magazine holder, Gwenael Nicolas‘ “TOKYO WONDER” exhibition for the Milano Salone, the latest from Plusminuszero, and Kunio Owasa’s “Fine Design” exhibition.

The ultimate in LOHAS! Nobuhiko Aikawa of Rice-Design creates edible tableware for a cafe. Via Dezeen.

I had a chance to go to last night’s TAB Talks (#3) at the Gotanda Sonic event space. It featured three French creators (Gwenael Nicolas, Audrey Fondecave, and Jerome Senaillat) talking about their work and life in Tokyo.

I know, I know, it’s such a cliché to put up photos of the cherry blossoms in full bloom at this time of the year, but I finally made it out for a quick bike run today on my regular route alongside Kanda river, and it really was an amazing sight. You can see more (all 20) in this Flickr photoset.

This month’s edition of my “On Design” column was in yesterday’s THE JAPAN TIMES, and can be read online here. In it, I cover Conof‘s Digital Cordless Telephone, Mitsuhiro Kanada’s Strapped Orthogonality, Ideaco‘s Ashtub Trico, Nendo‘s Cabbage Chair, and a peek at next month’s Milano Salone.

Because I feel my site needs to add to the internet’s discussion of Paris Hilton and her endeavors, here then is a new Paris Hilton line of watches for Japanese company Ueni, maker of teen jewelry and accessories. Via Marxy.

The Sokenbicha line of tea recently had a promotion where they presented a series of tote bags (click on the orange button to see them) from various Japanese creators. The one above is by Kiiiiiii‘s Reiko!