japan
Page 46
Isle be back
Japan's Okinawa prefecture is experiencing a renaissance. Companies large and small are capitalising on its relaxed, affordable lifestyle, great beaches and warm climate, with the city of Naha leading the way.
Skill set
Our design talents to watch for 2008 and beyond run the gamut from creators of a new regional jet to the designer of great office-cum-daywear, united by a passion for simple, pared-down looks.
Shaking it up
Are you familiar with all of these leaders? Monocle profiles three whose influence will continue to grow and grooms two necessary leaders of its own.
Natural by design
Yoshifumi Nakamura's weekend haven in the hills of Japan’s Nagano region is a perfect example of the growing global trend for simple, ecologically sound living.
Time is everything
In Honshu's forested mountains, Seiko's craftsmen hand-build the Grand Seiko with monastic precision, proving Japan's mechanical watchmaking rivals Switzerland's finest — one meticulous, unhurried component at a time.
In the first lane
In July, Japan’s Fast Retailing Co bid for Barneys, revealing its wealth. Now the group is set on making its Uniqlo brand a powerful – and very Japanese – global brand.
Mode in Japan
Next to the vast Tokyo International Gift Show, a smaller, edited craft and design show called For Stockists has become the hot ticket, thanks to its charismatic founder.
Making it together
There’s a growing awareness that proximity to production can help to keep standards high. We visit three firms to see how HQs with in-built factories are keeping staff engaged and improving products.
Business
After a decade-long struggle and a recent court victory over its trademark, Starbucks has opened its first café in Russia. The company remains tight-lipped about future expansion plans beyond its initial Moscow outpost.
Buried treasure
Tadao Ando is one of the world’s most respected architects. Working against Japan’s ‘rip down and rebuild’ policy, he is now burying structures and wondering if architects should stop creating new buildings.
