Top 10 to-do-list for Tokyo Design Week

31 Oct 2006 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Japan

Top 10 to-do-list for Tokyo Design Week

Officially from today, the Tokyo Design Week (TDW) has started. Although we like to refer to it shortly as TDW, it is actually a mixed bag of all sorts of design-happenings with three major sources: Design Tide, Tokyo Designers Week and 100% Design. This year - finally - these 3 parties seem to like each other and play well together (thanks to the head of Cibone - Masaki “Mac” Yokokawa). Since schedules tend to get messy and people loose overview completely during these 6 days, we thought we give you a little PingStyle tips of what you really should be doing.

Written by Verena and Uleshka

Stick to these 10 golden rules and you should be fine!

1. Grab a program

There are plenty of programs lying out and about: at SuperDeluxe, at any stylish furniture shop from Shibuya to Aoyama and at many restaurants around the same area, too. Do make sure you grab one of these handy paper-schedules, because Design Week is all about running around and experiencing things (and not checking things online)!

gather as much programs as you can possibly get hold of!

2. Never ever forget your red pen

Well - you might be ok with a blue pen, too! But there is simply too much to mark or cross out, so just make sure you are well equipped - just in case!

stick to old-school tagging!

3. Get the “Genki-Drinks” out

No - this is not too much preparation introduced here! Design Week is tough! So make sure you pack your bag well and have some extra Ucon- Tea with you at all times. (If you don’t know what that is, I recommend you check those neat bottles presented inside Shinjuku station.) An energy drink might be just the right thing to wake you up again the next morning or prevent you from dying out in the cold night after a fantastic summer-weather-pretending afternoon.

keep drinking genki drinks!

4. Check out ALL the opening events on Tuesday night

I told you - here is where the tough bit starts! Better get a clone or send out friends with well equipped mobile phones to share what is happening on the other end, because you should somehow try to cover all of these:

  • Cibone party @ Cibone Aoyama
  • 100% Design Opening Party @ Aoyama
  • Design Tide party @ Design Tide main stage, Meiji Dori
  • D&AD Global Tour @ SDLX
  • following: Snack Nagako @ SDLX (keep on drinking with motion graphics / film / music video makers from and in Japan)

5. A full day in Aoyama

Dedicate a whole day to wonder through the dense playground of countless designers at Jingu-Gaien: Container Ground exhibitions, 100% Design Tokyo and Design Boom. You can experience everything from graphics to architecture, sculpture, furniture, product, fashion, crafts and of course lots of art talk. 100% Design Tokyo is the UK’s most influential design event taking place in Tokyo for the second time. Same as last year, it will be housed in an impressive temporary structure built specially for the exhibition. Wonder if they have stylish give-away bags again this year… (last year their pink round bags could be spotted all over Tokyo for days accompanied by a knowingly grin). Alongside 100% Design are the container exhibitions showcasing design ideas from international companies to students, from artists to upcoming designers… Make sure you dedicate enough time to this area (also good to bump into your favorite designers!)

gathering between containers and 100% Design

6. Thursday: British Youngsters at SPACE

Visual overflow already? To keep you fresh it is time for some crispy stuff from Great Britannia as part of the vastly Design Tide calender. Renowned designers Tom Dixon and Thorsten Van Elten present you the winners of the annual UK student design competition called “Talented” at Paul Smith SPACE.

Nexus productions bunnies at the Love & Hate - UK Design exhibition

A good reference for some more venues and symposiums around is this link on the Design Tide page. If you still have trouble finding the places, here is a general map for printing.

7. Waste all your energy on Thursday night

Thank god dress-code-setters in Tokyo are more forgiving than anywhere else on this planet! So just come as you are and get yourself decently wasted at several venues that are absolutely obligatory:

17:00 Corbis The LOVE Show
At Style near Shibuya station. Corbis shows some famous photographers and their visual thoughts about “love” (and yes, there will be free drinks and food…).

18:00 Blickfang
Afterwards go to Omotesando Hills Multipurpose Space[Oː] for some delicate European designers at Blickfang. This fair from Zurich, Vienna and Stuttgart brings you the classy stuff, such as jewelry and fashion.

20:00 ICON mag party at Super Deluxe
Super Deluxe turns 4! And - needless to say - this will be THE memorable event! ICON magazine is up for something special: live painting by the prominent likes of eruemu, MARUWAKA-and shanteru, amazing music and on top of that: Miss Apollo who promises to stirr up the crowds with amazing decoration and - well - last year they had… really… incredible… pole… dancers…

8. Friday: Hangover Day

Now first get rid of your headache. After your beauty mask you will feel rejuvenated so be prepared for a lengthy shopping session at he Design Tide Market. 20 designers or so run their own market. Make sure you don’t leave without one of those flickering NOOKA watches.


NOOKA wrist watches

NOOKA wrist watches

9. Check your list

By this time of the week, you probably find that you have 152.399.982 flyers in your bag, 177 new business cards and about 52 other events you still want to cover! We recommend some zen-meditation here: take a deep breath, go through your biz-cards quietly to then call your important new contacts right away! Also: empty your bag and check the list below. Did you already:

Blickfang visuals - looking forward to that one!

10. Staturday: One last time

You knew it - there is still so much to see and you are already exhausted but there is one thing left to do: GO BACK TO SUPER DELUXE!

Never-ending-Story: SuperDeluxe - again and again!!!

Remember: it is their birthday party and we have the feeling they might be up for something special this Saturday…..

4 Comments

  1. Makes me want to head down now.

    Posted by: Cyberpukish on November 1st, 2006 at 8:48 am

  2. I wish I can be there,but I can’t. so please upload some pretty pictures for us.

    Posted by: keanu zhang on November 1st, 2006 at 1:52 pm

  3. design tide market is a bad copy of the designboom mart

    Posted by: francois on November 3rd, 2006 at 7:47 pm

  4. these watch designs are nice specially left one.

    Posted by: Wedding Blog on June 26th, 2007 at 2:06 am

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