JAPAN: Nara – UNESCO Historic Monuments of the Ancient

Many of the temples, shrines and ruins in Nara form the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara”, which is announced as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex includes the Tōdai-ji, the Kōfuku-ji, the Kasuga taisha, the Gangō-ji, the Yakushi-ji, the Tōshōdai-ji, and the Heijō Palace. The nearby Kasugayama Primeval Forest is also identified as part of the world heritage site and worth a visit.

>>> READ MORE

CAMBODIA: JJ’s Playground – Beach Rave in Sihanoukville

Between the cultural treasures in the Cambodian inner country and the heaps of paradiseful islands by the sea there is Sihanoukville located on the Southern Coast of the Thailand Gulf. It´s headquarters for planing and starting a wonderful relaxing time on one island or do a hopping over several ones. Depening on the time you have, but for sure, you don´t want to leave. For the party people there is as well a cool nightlife provided including super nice sea side places with DJs and nightlong dancing on the beach till sunrise. One of those places with good cocktails, fine music and awesome partys is JJ’s Playground. We spoke with manager Jose and team members Justin and Dave in an interview about the place and the party at JJ’s, as well we did a short walkaround video during daylight.

>>> READ MORE

THAILAND: Streetart Bangkok

It is actually not that easy to find graffiti or street paintings in Bangkok. At first you wouldn’t think that and the city is also basically just a single “street art”. A mish-mash of humans strolling around, countless food variations and stalls. Everything is packed with stuff, the buildings and walls are full of trinkets, neon signs, advertisements, cable clutter, hanging laundry or any kind of garbage. But that’s why there is not much room for bigger graffitis there. At least in the center. Of course there are tags everywhere and smaller fast made stuff, but large free wall surfaces are rare and bigger artworks are more found in the outer neighbourhoods or at hidden places.

>>> READ MORE

LAOS: Basile Morin – Ambigrams on the 4000 Islands

During our Laos Trip last year we didn´t only come across the wonderful toilet graffitis, we encountered as well several other mysteries in the jungle and the Mekong scenery. The river island Don Det is only accessable by boat, there are no cars, but therefore bicycles and scooters. And as well there is the Baba Guesthouse. This nice lodge was our accommodation on the idyllic place, a perfect little paradise for relaxing. Above all it turned out that the owner is a French artist who is occupied with poems, pixel photography and ambigrams. And what´s this now again? We didn´t know the word either, but you could describe it as some kind of geometrical writing art.

>>> READ MORE

JAPAN: Gully & Manhole Design in Japan

Japan is just an awesome country, we really had an astonishing trip. The food is fantastic and the culture has a lot to offer. We have been so excited about all this „Japanese-Difference“… we went some kind of crazy… I don´t know how to describe it, it was like a „Japan-Obsession“. All these exotic signs, the loony pictures and the heaps of wacky things, which we saw and experienced there. For them normal, for us completely new, strange and fascinating. After a while we just have been overexcited about actually EVERYTHING. We were enthusiastic about the famous Samurai sites, about the great architecture and the wonderful gardens. But then we went as well mad in photographing soda machines, street signs and even manhole covers. It just all looks so stylish. Probably it would be different, if we could read the letters, but without that knowledge even „Please don´t park here“ looked like an amazing artwork.

>>> READ MORE

JAPAN: Grind Records – Osaka Vinyl Store

Today we have some more insight into the Japanese music scene and here is an article about a cool record store in Osaka. I wrote already about the Drum & Bass events in the land of the rising sun. In that previous article is an interview with the UNSALTED founder and organisator Munetoshi Maruyama or just Maru. For recording that interview we needed a place to meet with Maru and DJ Fetus, they suggested the place G.R. Café Terrace. First I thought I would be just a small café or a bar. Actually it is, but as well much more. The place is the homebase of the labels Grind Records and Undergrind. There is a record store included, a lounge where you can get several cocktails and craft beers and as well delicious food. They have cloths and streetwear, magazines and dj equipment and a room where you can get a bit louder and use this dj equipment, make sounds and dance. And of course there are heaps of vinyls and records.

>>> READ MORE

KYRGYZSTAN: Kloop Radio Kyrgyzstan

We want to present you a new and interessting radio projekt of the Kloop Media Foundation in Kyrgyzstan which you should support. Ilona Pfeffer started with a lot of effort to built up a new online radio which went on air in 2014: Kloop Radio. Meanwhile the radio has about 60.000 listeners monthly and has a 24/7 programm.

>>> READ MORE

JAPAN: Historical Oldtown – Kurashiki

During our tour of Japan we made a stop in the historical-idyllic city of Kurashiki (Japanese 倉 敷 市, -shi). The Edo-era merchant town is located in Okayama prefecture and the former Bitchū province of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Kurashiki means something like „village from warehouses“. There are still dozens of buildings (Kura) preserved, which represent a symbol of the city due to their typical facades. It’s worth a visit. It is best to stay for a few days in the nearby Okayama and make a day trip by train to the cultural site.

>>> READ MORE

JAPAN: Himeji Castle and Shironoshita

Hundreds of castles, fortifications and fortresses are scattered all over Japan, some in very good condition or restored and made accessible to the public. During a trip to Nippon you can not avoid a visit, better you should not miss such an amazing and unique tour. One of the most famous sites is the castle tower complex in Himeji (Japanese 姫 路 城, Himeji-jō) from the 17th century. The Himeji-jō in Hyōgo prefecture is one of Japan’s national treasures and was also recognized by UNESCO in 1993 as a World Heritage Site. On our trip from Osaka to Hiroshima we made a stop in this castle town Himeji (Japanese 姫 路 市, -shi), looked at the Himeji Castle and walked through the Koko-en Garden, which is considered one of the three most beautiful in Japan, especially during the cherry blossom festival Hanami. We wandered through the Engyō-ji Temple, climbed Mount Seppiko and shot a video with Tomohisa Shiroshita about the new Shironoshita Guesthouse.

>>> READ MORE