Chin Music Press has made a major update to the promotional site for ART SPACE TOKYO, now including a section that will offer the art maps found in the book as downloadable PDFs (a new one every two weeks or so). The maps are absolutely beautiful, and it’s great that they’re offering them for download like this — very useful, even if you own a copy of the book. The new site also features a blog.

Japan Today has a piece (from Kyodo News) that looks at the challenges MUJI faces in trying to expand in the US (”the company […] is committed to opening 30 to 40 stores across the United States in the next five years”).

The latest episode of Boing Boing TV covers TOKYOLOGY, a documentary that explores a few aspects of contemporary Japanese pop culture. The full documentary can be purchases on online here.

Move over BOSS, Golgo’s taking over the canned coffee racket! I don’t much care for the world of canned coffee anymore (it’s gotten to a point where I just can’t drink it — too sweet), but I absolutely love these cans featuring Golgo 13 art on them. The Mainichi has a gallery of all the cans available. Via Japan Probe.

Last week I was at the Shin-Marunouchi Building to have lunch at Rigoletto with my wife, and checked out Nagi Noda, Shinji Konishi, and Asami Nemoto’s “Animal Behavior” hair hat exhibition (it’s on the Marunouchi House floor). It runs until May 6.

Pictured above, a tote bag being sold featuring Nagi Noda’s Hanpanda.

• The end of May brings the Thai Film Festival (May 31 - July 11) to Tokyo at Cinemart Roppongi. Two of the films will be shown with English subtitles: MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON and TOTAL BANGKOK. Tickets for the screenings are already on sale at the theater, and through PIA.
• Gelman’s “Minimal Tokyo” series returns May 10 (from 23:55) at Liquid Room. This 9th edition, “Collision,” will include live visuals by UK and German artists Max Hattler and Robert Seidel.

It’s been very late in coming, and I apologize for that, but here’s the list of participants from the April edition of PauseTalk (Vol. 20). I’m missing a few names from some new people, so if you don’t see your name there, please let me know. It was probably the biggest PauseTalk to date (not counting the Swedish Style edition we did last year) with around 22-23 participants (not bad for a cafe that has 24 seats). You can see a few photos from the event taken by Rafael de Lima here. Also, please note that because of the Golden Week holiday, the next PauseTalk (Vol. 21) will take place on the second Monday of next month, so May 12.

Andrew Lee (Art Director)
Anna Antoniades (Fashion Designer)
Cameron Eeles (Writer)
Craig Mod (Designer)
Gen Higashikawa (Writer)
James Bowskill (Web Designer)
Jean Snow (Writer)
Joe Keenan (Graphic Designer)
Jose Luis Olivares (Illustrator)
Josh McKible (Illustrator)
Kristina Dryza (Strategic Insight)
Masao Tamaoki (Online Retail)
Max Hodges (Publisher)
Rafael de Lima (Photographer)
Ronnie Kattan (Online Retail)
Samson Adjei (Architect)
Shantell Martin (Illustrator)
Shige (Online Retail)

PingMag takes us on a tour of Shinjuku’s retrogaming themed bars (8-bit Cafe and 16 Shots).

Digiki posts a 101TOKYO round-up, including links to coverage, and quite a few photos.

Earlier this week I went to the opening for the “Light Construction” exhibition at Center for Cosmic Wonder in Aoyama.

The show brings together Mike Mills, Elein Fleiss, Yoshimio, and Yukinori Maeda, and runs until June 30.

Hanging out inside this installation was quite nice.

I wanted to go and chat with Mike Mills — I quite like his work — but was too shy. I ended up having a good time with Liliyo though, OK Fredders Ay2 and Yoshi’s daughter.

Congrats to the Chin Music Press crew for the crowded book launch of ART SPACE TOKYO this past Tuesday. If you haven’t ordered a copy yet, then it’s off to the AST site you go. I predict this will become their best-selling book. Yeah, it’s that good.

NEW YORK - TOKYO posts more about UNIQLO’s latest manga t-shirt collection, including a look at the display they have up at the Soho Store.

Starting today (April 21) and running until May 6, Laforet in Harajuku is hosting the “KIKS TYO x YONE x AKI HOSHINO Sneaker Lover Pop-up Shop.” The shop will have exclusive collaborations with Champion, New Balance, and G-SHOCK, and will also be selling the limited edition tee (Hoshino photographed by Yone) seen below. Also, the first 300 people to buy over 10 000 yen merchandise (probably too late now) will get a KIKS TYO x MEDICOM TOY X AKI HOSHINO Kubrick.

Want to know what Nigo’s home looks like? The following is a report from BBC’s JAPANORAMA program. Via Imprint Talk.

First, the good news is that following his big spill, Alin is out of the hospital, and if a bit battered (see below), still looking forward to his next ride.

Now, for some Tokyo bike news. Tim sent me a link to the following post from Japan Probe, about a new parking system for bikes at Kasai station:

Here’s a video report on the new parking system: