Approaching Whiteness by Rinko Kawauchi | Tokyo (JAP) | By Emma Harrison

Japanese born photographer Rinko Kawauchi shot to worldwide acclaim in 2002 after the release of three photographic books, Utatane, Hanabi and Hanako. Her work explores the minutiae of everyday life and brings the mundane into sharp focus through pastel-hued and light-infused images. Kawauchi’s keen eye for detail and desire to ‘draw senses’ is perfectly encapsulated in Approaching Whiteness, a visually arresting photobook published by Tokyo based photography press, Goliga, on traditional Japanese scrolls.

Each scroll is presented as a sequence of frames and the images appear from right to left in order to reenact the passage of time and the interconnectedness of still life. Kawauchi’s images unnerve and delight; they feel so familiar in subject yet are forcibly obscured by their ambitious intimacy. In this series the known becomes the unknown and the observer is forced to reassess and look again.

Printed on Japanese paper by Awagami, each scroll wraps around a Katsura pole and is encased in a Paulownia wood box with laser-cut lettering. Approaching Whiteness is presented under nine themes that centre around a single word: Candle, Deer, Boasts, Eclipse, Stairs, Goldfish, Sakura, Diamond Dust and Lotus with each scroll stamped by the artist herself.

To order Approaching Whiteness, visit Goliga’s website.

Book of BORO by Yukiko Koide and Hyoichi Tsuzuki | Aomori (JAP) | By Lee Fleming

‘Boro: Rags and Tatters from the Far North of Japan' by Yukiko Koide and Hyoichi Tsuzuki, documents the Japanese ‘boro’ textiles and rag patchworks that grew out of the Aomori Prefecture. Located on the northernmost tip of Honshu, poverty stricken Tohoku (snow country) in Aomori was home to poor farmers who grew and wore hemp clothes out of necessity when the landscape was too cold to grow cotton. This book presents the boro collection of Chuzaburo Tanaka, who roamed the farming and fishing villages of Aomori during the mid 1960s in search of boro.

Available from Tortoise General Store online.

Siwa Series by ONAO Co. | Yamanashi (JAP)

Japanese paper (washi) manufacture ONAO Co. sits in the town of Ichikawamisato in Japan's Yamanashi prefecture, a place that boasts a century-old history of paper making. The Siwa Series (pictured) is the product of a collaboration between industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa and ONAO Co., born out of Fukasawa's admiration for Naoron, a strong and tear-resistant paper developed by the company.

The name SIWA is the reverse of characters in the word washi (wasi) as well as a word that means 'crinkle' in Japanese. The collection uses ONAO Co.'s sturdy Naoron as the primary material to create their well designed, everyday goods. Similarly to their leather goods, the washi products are individually crafted and above is a sample of our favourite everyday essentials including a money wallet, shopper bag, wine bag and string bound envelopes.

Available at ONAO Co.

Hobo x TRUCK Furniture Backpack Series | Osaka (JAP)

Perhaps not the most obvious pairing but captivating nevertheless, accessories brand Hobo and Osaka-based furniture maker TRUCK have teamed up to create a special backpack collection for Spring/Summer 2014. The limited edition collection features four models crafted from cell-spun nylon, a water-resistant construction complete with leather details and plenty of straps. Waterproof, lightweight and durable, the backpacks have been designed with functionality and convenient storage in mind.

The Hobo x TRUCK Furniture collection is available from Coverchord.

Making Truck | Osaka (JAP)

Founded in Osaka by designers Tokuhiko Kise and Hiromi Karatsu in 1997, TRUCK has continued to develop products in line with a commitment to 'design the kind of furniture we want ourselves, regardless of fashion'.

Alongside the creation of TRUCK furniture, Tokuhiko and Hiromi have also curated a series of publications and catalogs that document their work as well as the culture and lifestyle that surrounds their brand. Making TRUCK is one such publication; featuring beautiful photography it is an interesting peek behind the scenes of the TRUCK brand and offers insight into the playful personalities behind the products. 

Available from Alder & Co.