A Place Where You Find Something Whenever You Go | GINZA SIX

GINZA SIX EDITORS

Fashion, jewelry & watch, lifestyle, beauty, foods…
Unique editors who are familiar with each genre GINZA SIX aimlessly
We spell way of enjoying that we found on foot.

Motoyuki Yagi

GINZA SIX EDITORS Vol.65

We liked swinging since childhood. Only side trip does not return straight to basics, house at the age of primary schoolchild. We come back through company and perform to hit incidentally, and to drink and stop at public bath and still watch movie and……. As well as it, we get off at one this side station and return to house on foot aimlessly. Besides, we browse without business by convenience store in the meantime. The important thing is we do not change from old days.

Still, GINZA SIX is the best place to swing. Passage where store is displayed at somehow or other seems to image narrow path of back alley of Ginza. Layout which bent daringly random not straight. It is hard to know what there is where a little. But when we turned at corner, wonderful shop appears in front suddenly and can find thing that I want. It is pleasant what it is.

By the way, I have run after teacher of business trip in Italy by coverage by charge of Tadao Ando of architect 8 years ago. Teacher said such a thing then. "Too functional one is prohibited. Because, as for it, that town is like maze how many times many people go to visit Venice why. Because there are new discovery and impression even if go whenever, person repeats; as for the one when is. We think good GINZA SIX to be there I see. We can come across something new even if we go whenever. Therefore we go many times.

"VENINI" (venini) where it is on the first floor this time at first to have come. It is at time when we reported on Tadao Ando in Italy that I knew this venini with brand of well-established venetian glass founded in 1921, teacher announces lighting "VELIERO" (veriero) which did venini and collaboration in miranosarone. To date we deal with four products, and art object "ANDO COSMOS" (Ann dough cosmos) of 4 work meno new item is forming a line in this store now.

Art object that teacher reason "put cube and globe which were the origin of building together" in "ANDO COSMOS." It unfolds with crystal, blue, green, four-colored KOLOR of red. Price crystal 3.08 million yen, other three colors 2.88 million yen (all as follows tax-excluded price). The overwhelming presence is sure that we become the leading role of interior, thing if we display in house. As for the crystal, world limitation 19 points, other three colors were 30 points of sale, and they entered, but three points seem to have been already popular four points in Japan. Even ANDO popularity!

In venini, there are other various products from chandelier to vase. It blows one by one, and maestro of Venice made all up, and coloring is exquisiteness. Anyway, state that it transmits, and light reflects back is beautiful. venini seems to have palette of color 100 kinds or more in anything. We are summoned to house which friend built, but are going to take small vase of venini as celebration this time. As is expected, ANDO COSMOS is impossible, but price is relatively reasonable, too, and series of vase is good to gift.

To successively the fifth-floor floor. Shoes and bag are substantial here. It is store of "TUMI" (TUMI) that got into eyes when we walk aimlessly. We use CALEE case of Bali stick nylon of TUMI personally more than ten years. We entered shop soon as we were thinking that it was with new thing.

In 19 DEGREE ALUMINUM, it is collected CALEE case made of aluminum. Slanted line is given the surface at an angle of 19 degrees according to the name. This is intended not only to be beautiful, but also give strength and is design like TUMI which focused on function. KOLOR is mat black and silver, four colors of amber and gunmetal of season color. It is for travel staying short term (120,000 yen) and, from carry-on business (as for 100,000 yen/gunmetal KOLOR 110,000 yen) in plane, keeps three kinds of (135,000 yen) that it is for travel staying long term. It may be good to trade in for this.

Still, in functionality of TUMI, we are really surprised. 3WAY briefs (69,000 yen) of Japan-limited holiday collection are the representative status. What we can carry on our back is very convenient recently as we always carry PC. As it is revealed that it is business bag of TUMI by glance for designing even if anyone sees, we are glad of what is not seen in jacket and suit like high school student of uniform in total either. Anyway, pocket was fulfilling and liked pocket of waterproofing that we could store folding umbrella and plastic bottle in personally.

And it is folding umbrella of TUMI that thought that this is good. Not only we open by one push, but also can be closed. In addition, not to make any umbrella being overturned by strong wind, vent is established, and, as is expected, TUMI is smart. Black folding umbrella is somewhat item which is the old bird, but umbrella of this TUMI is different. Man of proper adult seemed to have, and I came to really want. It is 10,000 yen and price that seems to become dented if we lose in medium size….

To take a short break next time; to the second-floor foods floor under the ground. Shops which only GINZA SIX including the new business condition and Tokyo first to go out shop has seem to gather here. We enter shop which we thought to be good intuitively incidentally on foot aimlessly. That of "is CAFÉEXPERTO (kafeekusuperuto). Cafe where we were particular about from kind, cultivation, careful selection in country of origin to storage, roast in Japan thoroughly here. It is appearance of shrine Soshi Saki whom there is in counter what it was attracted by. It certainly rises to aura which seems to serve delicious coffee.

Well, in having coffee of katura class produced at BEJA Vista farm of Columbia katura according to recommendation of shrine Saki. Saying "drink, and let's compete how long taste changes by how to serve"; shrine Saki. We had you serve by hand drip and two methods of French press. Still, conduct of shrine Saki being comfortable. We admire just with rapture. Love and passion from figure pouring hot water carefully to coffee come. Shrine Saki seemed to have committed anything in Hawaiian fazenda in order to be full of coffee. It "is transportation, in fact, to be important for coffee beans. Our beans are only the cause of tidy, temperature-controling, things carrying. We can be convinced that we hear the feelings to price of one cup of 1,500 yen.

So that is the taste, but one that served in hand drip thinks whether this is coffee; translucent taste that there is not at all of added flavor in the course of the brewing. After having gone along throat, lingering sound passes through nose and follows for a long time for a while. We can describe anymore if refined. On the other hand, at moment when we classified one that we served with French press into mouth, flavor with punch spreads in mouth. We were surprised by profundity of coffee whether taste became different thing by how to serve so much though it was the same beans.

Finally, in swinging these foods floor to look for Ginza souvenir. It is awkward that there are a lot of desired things. Still, it is really pleasant to swing GINZA SIX. GINZA SIX which stays too long if we notice is such a place.

Text: Motoyuki Yagi Photos: Takao Ota Edit: Yuka Okada

I’ve always liked wandering, ever since I was a kid. In grade school, I’d always swing by here and there. I rarely went straight home. Even now, after work, I go out for drinks on the spur of the moment, step into a public bathhouse, or go and watch a movie. I’ll get off the train a stop early and wander home on foot. Then, on my way home, I’ll duck into a convenience store for no reason and stand there reading a magazine. In all these years, I haven’t changed.

GINZA SIX is a great place to wander. Its store-lined hallways are modeled on the little Ginza alleyways found off the beaten path. The halls are laid out randomly, and they curve. They’re not set along ruler-straight lines. You don’t always know exactly where everything is. But when you turn a corner, a great store suddenly appears before your eyes, and you find something you like. That’s surprisingly fun.

Covering the architect Tadao Ando eight years ago, I happened to follow him on a business trip to Italy to research an article. While we were there, he told me, “Obsessing over the functional can be bad. Why do you think people come to Venice again and again? It’s because the city itself is a labyrinth. You’re thrilled once again and make new discoveries each time you visit. That’s why the city has so many repeat visitors.” I thought that made sense. I think that’s also what makes GINZA SIX special. No matter how many times you go, you find something new. It makes you keep going back.

My first stop today is Venini on the first floor, a venerable Venetian glass brand established in 1921. I first discovered Venini on that trip to Italy with Tadao Ando, who released the Veliero lamp he designed with Venini at Salone del Mobile Milano. The architect has been involved in four collaborations with Venini so far. This store carries his fourth work in the series, Ando Cosmos.

Ando Cosmos is an object that combines cubes and spheres, “the foundational geometric elements of architecture,” as the master put it. It comes in four colors: crystal (clear), blue, green, and red. The crystal Cosmos is priced at 3,080,000 yen. The other three colors are 2,880,000 yen each (all prices listed before tax). The work has an unmistakable presence. Displayed at home, it would undoubtedly become the focal point of your interior. Only 19 of the crystal and 30 of the other colors have been created. Japan had four, but three have already sold, a testament, if any were needed, of Ando’s popularity.

Venini offers various other products, from chandeliers to flower vases, each created as one of a kind by master Venetian glassblowers. The range of colors is exquisite, and the light penetrating and reflecting off the glass is simply lovely. Venini’s color palette features more than 100 colors. I’ve been invited by a friend to see his new house, and I think I’ll bring him a small Venini vase as a housewarming gift. The Cosmos is, of course, out of my range, but the vases are reasonably priced and would make good gifts.

Next, I head up to the fifth floor. Here, everywhere I look, I see shoes and bags. As I’m wandering about, Tumi catches my eye. I’ve had a Tumi ballistic nylon suitcase for over ten years and was just thinking it was time for something new, so I went in.

19 Degree Aluminum is their collection of aluminum suitcases. As the name suggests, the diagonal ridges on the surface are at 19 degree angles. Not only are the lines beautiful, they strengthen the case, a functional design touch that’s also a Tumi trademark. The suitcases come in four colors—matte black, silver, gunmetal, and amber, the last one as a seasonal color—and in three formats—a carry-on (100,000 yen; 110,000 yen for gunmetal), a short-stay suitcase (120,000 yen), and a long-stay suitcase (135,000 yen). There’s no question they’d make good replacements for my current suitcase.

Tumi’s functionality is truly astonishing. A perfect example is the Three-Way Brief (69,000 yen), available only in Japan. I carry a computer around with me all the time these days, so a backpack is very useful. Anyone can tell at a glance it’s a Tumi business bag; the design is perfect for carrying with a jacket or suit without creating the impression of a high school student in uniform. It has plenty of pockets. I especially like the waterproof pocket, perfect for a collapsible umbrella or plastic drink bottle.

Tumi’s collapsible umbrella also catches my eye. It both opens and closes with the press of a button. It features air vents to keep the umbrella from turning inside out in gusting winds, a typical and carefully considered Tumi touch. Black collapsible umbrellas tend to be associated with typical middle-aged men, but this one breaks the mold: It’s more the accoutrement of a refined gentleman. I find myself wanting one. The umbrella in medium size is 10,000 yen, so losing it wouldn’t be trivial, but still…

Thinking to take a break, I next head to the Food Floor, the second belowground floor. Many of the restaurants and stores found here are Tokyo firsts and exclusive to GINZA SIX. Many present new formats. I wander around a bit and enter a place I find immediately appealing. That place is Café Experto, a coffee shop that takes special care with everything from bean varieties, cultivation and selection in the country of origin, to storage and brewing in Japan. I’m particularly drawn to the demeanor of Takeshi Miyazaki behind the counter. He has the aura of someone clearly capable of brewing a delicious cup of coffee.

Following Miyazaki-san’s recommendation, I choose Caturra bean coffee from Colombia’s Bellavista farm. Miyazaki-san suggests I compare two different brewing methods to see how the brewing method affects the coffee’s flavor. I have the cups brewed via hand-drip and French press. I’m entranced by Miyazaki-san’s graceful gestures as he works. The care with which he pours in the hot water vividly communicates a passion for coffee. Miyazaki-san tells me he once worked on a coffee farm in Hawaii to find out as much as he possibly could about coffee. “An important aspect of coffee beans is, in fact, how they’re transported. Almost all our beans are transported under strict temperature controls.” The obvious care that goes into a single cup helps explain the 1,500 yen price.

Now, to the taste: The hand-drip has a limpid flavor free of unpleasant notes—it almost doesn’t seem like coffee. After I take a sip, the aftertaste lingers in my nose for a long time. Highly refined is the most apt description. In contrast, the French press has a punchy flavor that fills my mouth the moment I take a sip. The coffee beans are the same, but the flavors are completely different. The profound complexities of coffee amazed me.

Finally, I wander the Food Floor looking for a Ginza souvenir. It’s hard to choose—there’s so much that I want. Still, wandering GINZA SIX is a sheer joy. Before you know it, you’ve been here for hours. It’s that kind of place.

Text：Motoyuki Yagi　Photos：Takao Ota　Edit：Yuka Okada

Motoyuki Yagi

Born in 1972. Graduated from Sophia University and joined Hinode Publishing. After wandering overseas for a time, he returned and helped create the first issue of Tokyo Calendar. We enter illusion winter building from 2006 and belong to "GOETHE" editorial department. We act as GOETHE chief editor more for Web than 2018.

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