Adjacent to both Shibuya and Ebisu stations, the area surrounding Daikanyama Station boasts a laid-back and sophisticated atmosphere. The name Daikanyama is believed to have originated in the Edo Period, when it was a mountain-forest area and also the residence of the Daikan (prefectural governor), who oversaw the military in wartime. Today the area hosts Hillside Terrace, a complex designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, as well as a high street lined with a rich variety of colorful shops. Neighboring Nakameguro is also packed with unusual boutiques, in which many of Tokyo’s everyday trends originate. Each year in spring, the cherry blossoms that line the Meguro River draw appreciative crowds as they reach glorious full bloom. Today, we join Asami Kiyokawa, an artist who enhances photographic art works with ingenious and original embroidery, on a tour of the area that is “an appealing place for artists and designers to live”.
渋谷・恵比寿の両駅に隣接する代官山駅周辺は、落ち着いて洗練された街並が魅力です。地名の由来は、江戸時代、武家政権期の役人＝代官たち所有の屋敷や林があったからとの説も。今では建築家・槇文彦設計の複合施設であるヒルサイドテラスや、高感度なショップが目抜き通りを彩ります。お隣の中目黒は、個性派ショップ群が等身大の東京トレンドを発信する街。毎春、目黒川に咲き誇る桜並木も人気です。今回は、写真に刺繍を施すなど独創的な作品を制作するアーティストの清川あさみさんが「クリエイターが暮らすのにも魅力的」と語るこの一帯を散策します。
DAIKANYAMA T-SITE
代官山 蔦屋書店
Since its birth in 2011, Daikanyama Tsutaya Books has become the new face of Daikanyama. Selling not only books but also DVDs, CDs and even stationery, the store is curated by a bevy of professional specialist staff known as “concierges”. It is designed as a place where customers of all ages can find “a deeper joy of culture, and items to make life more fun”.
2011年の誕生以来、代官山の新たな顔となったのがここ、代官山 蔦屋書店。本だけでなく、映画DVD、音楽CD、文具まで、「コンシェルジュ」と呼ばれる専門スタッフによる品揃えの豊富さと精選ぶりは日本髄一です。世代を問わず「人生を深く愉しむ文化と、生活をもっと楽しむアイテム」に出会える場を目指しているそう。
Asami: This store became a talking point among artists and designers throughout Tokyo from the moment it opened. I’m a regular here, especially since I lived nearby until recently. Rather than hurrying down here, I like to wander in at leisure to feel refreshed and to experience serendipity. A lot of people enjoy simply browsing books in the comfortable chairs, too.
清川：ここはオープン直後から、東京のクリエイターの間でも一斉に話題になりました。私も最近まで代官山近くに住んでいたこともあって、利用しています。「さあ行くぞ！」というより、気軽にふらっと来て、まっさらな気持ちで何かに巡り会えるのが好き。椅子でゆったり本を選ぶ人も多いですね。
As we browse the shelves of photography books, along comes Asami’s musician friend Keiichiro Shibuya! Together they flip through the pages of Wolfgang Tillmans’ latest photo book, as well as looking at some of Asami’s own works, and their conversation becomes increasingly animated.
写真集の棚を眺めていると、友人の音楽家、渋谷慶一郎さんの姿が！ 清川さんの好きなW・ティルマンスの最新作品集を渋谷さんと一緒に眺めたり、清川さん自身の作品集を開いたり、話が弾みます。
After they make parting promises to meet again soon, we take a break in the second-floor lounge, Anjin. Surrounded by some 30,000 publications that include back issues of classic Japanese magazines, magazines imported from around the world and valuable books covering subjects such as art and design, visitors can relax and enjoy food, green tea and alcoholic drinks.
再会を約束して別れた後、2Fのラウンジ「Anjin」（アンジン）でひと休み。日本の名雑誌のバックナンバーや各国誌、アート、デザインなどにまつわる貴重な蔵書3万冊を気軽に広げながら、美味しいお茶やお酒、食事を楽しめます。
Asami：Being surrounded by books from all ages makes me feel comfortable here. There is also art on display, and sometimes live music is performed in the store. I love to spend time sitting on a sofa with friends, deep in conversation. I like this store because whether it’s books or music or movies or art, it is a place where you can relax while feeling in the present. I guess that makes it a very Daikanyama kind of place.
清川：古今東西の本に囲まれた、居心地いい空間。アートの展示もあり、店内でミュージシャンのライブが開かれることもあります。友だち数人とソファ席で話し込むのが私の好きな過ごし方。この書店全体が、本も音楽も映画もアートも、くつろぎながら「今を感じられる場所」なのでお気に入りです。その点でも代官山らしい場所と言えそうですね。
DAIKANYAMA T-SITE
代官山 蔦屋書店
- Address
- 17-5, Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (View on Google maps)
- Phone
- 03-3770-2525
- Nearest Station
- Daikanyama
- Opening Hours
- 7:00-26:00 (2F 9:00-26:00)
- URL
- http://tsite.jp/daikanyama/store-service/tsite-en.html
farver
Next we move on to the neighboring district of Nakameguro. Always the epicenter of the latest in life-size Tokyo culture, the area is littered with shops that are small but packed with personality. First up, Kiyokawa leads us to the door of a flower shop that is known only to those who know it, called farver.
続いてお隣の街、中目黒へ。こちらは等身大の最新東京カルチャーの発信地で、街のあちこちに、小さいながらも個性の溢れるショップや飲食店が並びます。清川さんはまず、知る人ぞ知るフラワーショップ「farver」の扉をくぐりました。
Asami：Since there is no sign outside this shop, you might hesitate to enter. But once you open the door, you are greeted with a wonderful aroma plucked straight from the pages of “The Secret Garden”. Because I often use flowers in my work, I visit a lot of florists, but the assortment here and the atmosphere make it totally unique.
清川：ここは表に看板もないので、最初は入るのに少しためらうかも。でもドアを開けると、まさに秘密の花園のような世界が、豊かな香りと共に出迎えてくれます。私は自分の作品で花を使うことも多く、東京のいろいろな花屋さんに行きますが、ここは品揃えも雰囲気も本当にユニークですね。
With a small antique-like room filled with all kinds of flowers from across the world, it is a truly wondrous space. Beautiful spherical purple alliums, smoke trees with wispy foliage that you might think was cotton-candy, abstract sculpture-like succulents... Kiyokawa stops to stare intently at each. Three times a week, the owner pays a predawn visit to Ota flower market, the largest in Japan, to purchase fresh flowers, while the store also dedicates a corner to dried flowers. Bouquets can be made to order, based on whatever image you have in mind.
アンティーク調の小部屋を各国産の花々が埋め尽くす様は、幻想的とさえ言えそう。美しい紫の鞠のようなアリウム、綿菓子を思わせるスモークツリー（花言葉は「煙に巻く」！）、抽象彫刻風の多肉植物……清川さんはそれぞれと対話するように見つめます。毎週3回、オーナーが日本最大の大田花市場で夜明け前に仕入れる生花に加え、店の一角でつくるドライフラワーも魅力的。希望のイメージを伝えれば、オリジナルブーケも作ってくれます。
Asami：If I could, I’d take all of these flowers home with me! (Laughs.) Seeing the colors of flowers every day is such a nice thing, and sometimes I give flowers to the people close to me even when it’s not a special occasion. I often choose the florist based on the recipient. With flowers that appear beautiful on first glance, ones that are simply pretty, others that are rare, and also those whose cuteness hides a more mysterious kind of beauty, this place is perfect for people who are especially individual, I think!
清川：できるなら、ここにある全ての花を連れて帰りたいくらい（笑）。日常を花で彩るのは素敵なことで、私も大切な人たちへ、特に祝うことがない日にもあげることがあります。贈る相手で花屋さんを選ぶことも多い。ここは一見して綺麗なものから、可憐なもの、珍しいもの、また可愛さの中に妖しい美が漂うものまで見つかるので、個性的な人たちにぴったりですね！
farver
- Address
- U-Tomer 1F, 3-13-3, Nakameguro, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (View on Google maps)
- Phone
- 03-6451-0056
- Nearest Station
- Nakameguro
- Opening Hours
-
12:00-19:00 (Saturday, Sunday, Public Holiday)
12:00-20:00 (Other day) - URL
- http://www.farver.jp/
Sato Sakura Museum Tokyo
郷さくら美術館 東京
Among the cutting-edge Tokyo culture to be found in Nakameguro, there are also places to enjoy a very Japanese sense of beauty. Founded in 2012 and specializing in modern “Nihonga” (Japanese-style painting), the Sato Sakura Museum Tokyo is a branch of the gallery of the same name in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. Nakameguro is also a bustling spot for “hanami” flower-viewing every spring, with beautiful “sakura” (cherry blossom) trees lining the river.
エッジの効いた東京カルチャーを体験できる中目黒にあって、日本的な美を堪能できる場所もあります。「郷さくら美術館 東京」は、現代日本画の専門美術館として2012年に設立し、福島・郡山市にある同施設の東京館となります。なお中目黒も毎春、川沿いの桜並木が都内有数のお花見スポットとして賑わう地として知られています。
photo by pakutaso.com
Asami：The cherry blossoms only bloom in spring, but this gallery was opened with the concept of “a place where you can view paintings of sakura in full bloom throughout the year”. I’m attracted to Japan’s historical Rimpa School of painting (a style from the late Azuchi–Momoyama Period, or the 17th century, in which nature and literature inspired bold decorative works), and here I feel a similar impression of modern progressive Nihonga.
清川：中目黒の桜は春だけですが、この美術館のコンセプトはその中目黒で、「1年を通じて満開の桜を日本画で楽しめる」というコンセプトなんですね。私は日本の歴史的な美術では琳派（安土桃山時代後期＝17世紀初頭前後に興った美術動向。自然や文学に想を得た装飾美が特徴）の絵画などに惹かれますが、ここにあるのは現在進行形の日本画という印象です。
Including a permanent exhibition of grand canvasses adorned with sakura, enchanting Nihonga come to life in galleries on three floors. One of the exhibitions we see today, “Estranger: People of a Foreign Country”, gathers works that inherit styles and methods from beyond the centuries, painted through the eyes of the modern day. Kiyokawa’s interest seems drawn to that sensitive touch, and in “kindei”, a type of gold paint used in Nihonga that is made by blending gold dust into glue. And finally on to the permanent exhibition, “Cherry Blossom Feast”.
桜を描いた大作が並ぶ常設展など、3フロアに日本画の魅力が息づく館内。この日観た企画展『エトランゼ —異国の人々—』も、世紀を超えて様式・手法を受け継ぎつつ、今の目線で描かれた日本画が並びます。清川さんもその繊細なタッチや、金粉をニカワで溶いた絵具「金泥」の手法などに興味を引かれたようです。そして、いよいよ常設展示『桜の響宴』の間へ。
Asami：From large-scale depictions of sakura-petal “snowstorms” to works set against a backdrop of Mount Fuji or a temple, there are so many paintings of sakura here. Rather than sitting down for hanami, I prefer to experience the beauty of the sakura trees as I pass them, and that’s the kind of feeling I get here, too.
清川：桜吹雪の大作から、富士山や寺社が背景のものまで、それぞれの桜の美がありますね。私は腰を据えてのお花見より、通りすがりに木々の美しさにふれるような体験が好きで、ここでもそんな気分になれます。
Asami herself is an artist who uses the age-old craft of embroidery to create a new and unique form of expression. Although this is a different world, there is surely a part of it that resonates with her.
清川さん自身、古くからある刺繍という手法から斬新な表現を生み出すアーティスト。世界は違えど、共鳴する部分もあったのかもしれませんね。
Sato Sakura Museum Tokyo
郷さくら美術館 東京
- Address
- 1-7-13 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (View on Google maps)
- Phone
- 03-3496-1771
- Nearest Station
- Nakameguro
- Opening Hours
- 10:00-18:00（Last admission at 17:30）
- Holidays
- Monday (except public holiday), Tuesday, end and beginning of the year holidays and during exhibition preparation
- URL
- http://satosakura.jp/english/index.html
With her quirky taste in sightseeing destinations, Asami has enjoyed introducing this leading district of Tokyo culture. As someone who likes to move from place to place and who has lived in 10 different parts of the city already, she describes this area as “a fascinating district for artists and designers”.
観光地とはひと味違う、東京カルチャーの今が日々鼓動する街を楽しんだ清川さん。実は大の引っ越し好きで、すでに都内10か所近くで暮らした東京通として、この都市を「クリエイターにとって魅力的な街」と表現します。
Asami： Recently, I’ve been receiving an increasing number of offers to work overseas, and I often tell them, “Why don’t you come to Tokyo instead?” As the number of opportunities for me to go abroad has grown, I have come to notice Tokyo’s charms even more, and I would love others from overseas to come and experience it for themselves. Tokyo is a city that absorbs many different types of culture that cause it to transform, which means you can experience exciting encounters often. It’s also a safe place, and the food is delicious! (Laughs.) I value the creativity born from the everyday, and in that respect, it is a wonderful place for creative people. Many Japanese artists aspire to hop overseas, but I think that if more creative people also moved here from around the world, new intersections of culture would be born, and that would make it all the more interesting. I think this city has the charm to enable that to happen.
清川：最近、海外から仕事のお誘いがくると「逆に、東京に来ませんか？」と誘うことが多いんです。自分が外国に行く機会も増え、改めて東京の素敵さに気付いてきたから、ご縁のあった人々にもその魅力を体感してほしい。東京はあらゆる文化を吸収しながら変化していて、刺激的な出会いも多い街です。治安も良いし、料理も美味しい（笑）。私は日常から生まれる創造力を大切にしますが、その点で、クリエイターにも魅力的な場だと感じます。海外で飛躍を目指す日本のアーティストも多いけれど、外国から東京に移り住む表現者も増えれば、文化の交差が生まれてさらに面白くなるんじゃないかな。それを可能にする魅力が、この都市にはあると思います。
