I Visited Japan's Most Mysterious Places...
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
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00:00 In Search For Shadows
00:59 Sayama-ike Pond
狭山池
1:31 Osaka Prefectural Sayamaike Museum
大阪府立狭山池博物館 Tadao Ando
安藤 忠雄
04:41 St. Mary's Cathedral
東京カテドラル聖マリア大聖堂 Kenzō Tange
丹下 健三
07:29 Zenbo Seinei
禅坊 靖寧 Shigeru Ban
坂 茂
09:36 Light feet
11:12 Teshima Art Museum
豊島美術館 Ryue Nishizawa
西沢 立衛
13:27 Cultures
Synopsys
I Visited Japan’s Most Mysterious Buildings.
In this emotive journey through Japan, the video explores the intricate interplay of light and shadows in Japanese architecture. From the nuances of traditional shoji screens to the stark contrasts of Tadao Ando's brutalist designs, it delves into the soul of Japanese spaces, seeking what's often unseen or unappreciated.
この感動的な日本旅行では、日本の建築における光と影の複雑な相互作用を探求しています。伝統的な障子の微妙な違いから、安藤忠雄のブルータリストデザインの鮮やかな対比まで、日本の空間の魂を探り、多くの人に見過ごされがちな美しさを求めています。
#architecture #japan #tadaoando #kenzotange #teshima
#pr Thanks to Pasona Group for sponsoring our visit!
Zenbo Seinei
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![ПОЛНАЯ ИСТОРИЯ ЭКЗОРЦИЗМА [Топ Сикрет]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qBySr6Bt0B8/mqdefault.jpg)
Gotta especially applaud the cinematographer for masterfully framing shots that really both compliments the narration and also showcasing the architecture in a way any regular visitor would not experience. It feels almost hyper realistic.
Can't say any regular visitor would NOT experience it though. You experienced it the way THEIR editor wanted you to. This video could be interpreted in a million different ways.
@@5ringspromotions197 Hi, I agree that editing and filming can change the nature of things sometimes. In this case, while filming I was there experiencing these places, and the way I edited the footage and pictures was an attempt to represent the emotions we felt while visiting these incredible places. There is a bit of creative license of course, but I did my best to closely represent the feeling of being there in a way that was at least authentic to us.
@@5ringspromotions197 there are differences of how our eyes and brain see things compared to a camera and although I agree that editing is a big part of audiovisual media, it is not what I am talking about at this instance. There's a saying: "Films are made 3 times. In the writing room, in the set, and in the editing room". But regardless, you cannot edit shots that were not made. That's why during production of most movies, there are usually 4+ hours worth of usable footage.
Most people experience world from the height of their head while walking, standing or sitting. We cannon switch our biological lenses to adjust focal lengths to see in wide-angle or telephoto nor do we have discrete borders around our vision to frame our view. Our muscles have not evolved to make perfectly smooth linear movements, our eyes can't even pan smoothly unless focused on a moving object. Of course you can recreate the experience personally if you follow the shots made in this video, but that means you have to intentionally use your eyes like a camera lense. That's simply not how an average person (non photography/cinematography person) experiences the world.
I'm considering the camera placement in space and its movement, focal lengths of the lenses used, the composition of the shots that thoughtfully use shapes of the building, lighting, and shadows, etc... You cannot manipulate those in post-production, and your average human visitor won't be able to recreate the same experience.
That's where the shots are curated and stiched together, pacing is created, colours are adjusted, and overall storytelling is finalised. While that is also important, it is not the focus of my praise.
The purpose of filmmaking is capturing and curating the experience to evoke specific emotions and convey specific messages. If a video can be interpreted million different ways, that's just poor filmmaking. Sure, 3 or 5 people may experience nuances of a movie differently but the general storytelling should stay the same. If something is interpreted more than 100 different ways, that's just called being vague or confused.
Yes, the production value of these videos is amazing. Even if I wasn't already interested in the subject matter, they would draw me in.
I had a similar experience. Almost fell into the zen zone when she was explaining the Teshima Museum. WEll done!
The cinematography in this video is insane, amazing work and major kudos to everyone involved!
Thank you 🙏
I was going to comment something along those lines. It feels like someone sat down and thought "how can we revolutionize the video presentation of Japan for the 'intellectual tourist'". It's kind of an art piece in many places.
Edit: It helps that you look im-freakin'-peccable in every shot. Either you jad one hell of a stylist pick out the wardrobe, or you are just dripping style. Sorry if I gush, but I feel that a lot of modern visual media forgets to really push the "visual" part, and this was refreshing. As your work typically is.
you are fooled. its the spaces, not the cinematography
One of the most profound experiences of my life happened during a study abroad trip to Turkey when I was in college. We were touring the country during Ramadan, and by an accident of our itinerary, we were scheduled to visit the Green Mosque in Bursa just before the midday prayers on a Friday. We were running a bit late, so we had to wait outside until the formal prayer service had ended, and then we were allowed inside. The building, for all its heavy chandeliers and gilded mosaics and bright tiles, was nevertheless dimmed, as though filled with some unseeable presense that was dampening the light. There were still a handful of worshipers praying, so rather than a formal tour, we simply walked through the building, slowly and silently., so as not to disturb anyone. After a minute or two, I began to feel lightened, like there was a cushion of air between my feet and the carpeted floor, and the building itself-the domed ceilings, the thick columns-seemed to hug me in a gentle embrace as I quietly moved through the space. Yet I also felt charged, as though the air were filled with static electricity. And, at times, I forgot to breathe. It was one of the first times I'd experienced a true sense of awe, and beyond that, it's difficult to describe the emotions I experienced as I drifted from room to room in the building. After several minutes, I crossed paths with my English professor; she was agape, gazing slowly around the space, often with her eyes directed upward at the curving ceilings. When her gaze fell on me, she broke into something like a surprised, confused smile, and she said, "Do you feel that?" I said, "You, too?" And she said, simply, "Wow." And that's all either of us needed to say.
Thank you for sharing
Whenever a new video from Dami shows up on my feed, I get so happy. It's like sitting down for coffee with a good friend who proceeds to share with you all the amazing impressions they've gotten while being in the world. They are always so fun, informative, and aesthetically gorgeous. Keep em coming!
Exactly have the same feeling whenever she releases new video.
I am also an architect, and I have visited the architectural landmarks mentioned in the video. I share the same sentiments and emotions. Thank you for capturing it all.
Artists like Edward Hopper do a great job showing how beautiful shadows can be. I love his painting "Sun in an Empty Room" because it takes something as boring as a literal empty room and makes art out of just some lines and shading. Seeing a room and being inspired like that is what the best architecture is about.
I might write more about it when the time is right.
I visited Teshima Art Museum in June.
It was the first time that a human made structure, somewhat devoid of a special relation to a specific event, made me tear up.
Its beauty is true BEAUTY that speaks truth.
It just pierces your soul in way that are not easy to describe.
You feel a love, a peace, a sadness, a sense of oneness with everyone and everything but still feel the isolation.
Its time without time.
It was almost like you became the building or were enveloped by it with anyone else in it.
The most touching built structure I ever stepped shoeless foot in.
I've always thought architecture was cool, but your videos have gotten me really excited about it. Your videos are always so fascinating and educational. Crafted with such love and detail. So thankful for these videos. You, and your team, are so pro.
Thanks to you and your team for such a well put-together video.
Thank you so much!
💀
A place that stuck in my mind was a abandonment industrial gas storage place at our city. We call those structures gasometer's in Germany. They are gigantic structures 100m high with several sliding rings and a dome on top of it. Depending on the amount of stored gas the top part rise or falls and everything is held in place with steal beams and struts around it. The top part was dissembled at our city so all rings are on the ground surrounded by those 100m high steal beam and struts construction. It is now used as a theatre or for art installations. Standing in the middle of the rings is breathtaking the shadows in summer are beautiful. It is so quiet in there you can hear your footsteps and birds echoing although it is located directly to a busy road.
The Gasometer in Pforzheim hosts changing exhibitions by Artist Yadegar Asisi, who creates monumental 360° panoramic images especially for this site (and others for other similar sites) which allow the visitor to immerse into a whole different place. Inside the Gasometer in the middle of the image is a three level platform which allows you to see it from different perspectives and though its the same image, it looks different and reveals new details at every level. Currently the exhibition features the antique city of Pergamon in ancient Greece (today Turkey) and it was an architectoral marvel in itself. There were images of Rome and a coral reef and the Himalaya before.
Yep, experiences aside big machinery felt somehow like that but work also once brought me to an old hotel in the mountains with wooden floor and big windows. The cracking sound of each step was memorable and every window panel or door had weight. It was not hard to move them, but you needed effort. It felt like I was, with 6 ft height, too small for the building, as the kid visiting the bears house.
I visited in 2001 the Gasometer in Oberhausen, agreed... The sensations and feelings were quite an experience 😊
Many years ago there was one of those here in my hometown. It held manmade
gas made by coking coal. It was how gas was used long before "natural" gas.
I met two women from that city! Near Stuttgart, right?
I love your content so much. Very clean and easy to focus! Kudos to the editors
Maybe it’s because this video is set in Japan that it’s primed my brain for my experiences there… But also I feel like Japan is where I first truly appreciated the effect environment can have on our mind and emotions. Maybe because there is so much intention put into design, the legacy of animism, or the stark contrasts one can experience within a short amount of time.
On my last few days in Tokyo I was tired of it and was planning on making that my last Trip to Japan. Tokyo specifically was so grey, so loud, so busy. I never wanted to go back, just wanted to be done with the country.
I ended up spending my last hours there at the Aoyama Flower Market. A cafe/teahouse/flower shop tucked away in the big city. The moment I entered I felt like I wasn’t in Tokyo anymore. It was warm and colorful and somehow comfortably quiet without being a space that demanded the use of whispering. It wasn’t cottage core, it had plenty of modern elements, but focused heavily on emphasizing the elegant beauty of nature. It was the first place in Tokyo I felt comfortable, and allowed me time to reflect on the other times during that trip that evoked a similar sense of tranquility. That it was Tokyo that left me feeling exhausted and alone. But in Kyoto, Osaka, and Bunny Island I had felt connected to the spaces and my companions.
It was the first place I ever was able to bookmark in my head as a designated “happy place”
I plan on going back to Japan with my family in 2025, and will def be checking out some of the places on your list. ❤ thank you
the last building was by far the best... to feel hear and see the little things... that's what makes us alive...
I think this is your best video to date! A couple of places that come to mind for experiencing senses other than sight. The first is an orchestral hall. There are obvious acoustic characteristics of spaces like this like short reverb time and sound attenuation, but what I always recall is more personal comfort in the way of temperature and airflow than sound. I remember talking with the project PA when we were designing it about how for a concert hall you want high-volume, low-velocity air. Since that day I always consciously perceive the very subtle airflow when the HVAC kicks on. The other place - loosely using that word here - is being in a hot air balloon. The most dramatic thing I recall about that experience is the quietness of being in the air. You don't hear cars or people or animals or really even the wind. It's just silent, and peaceful. Keep up the amazing work!
super interesting. really makes me want to go on a hot air balloon!
This was extremely moving and inspiring for me. I think having been raised in NYC created an affinity for the Japanese design and culture as a relief from the chaotic baseline experience I had growing up. Your work is very appreciated.
For me above all other places I visited are the great pyramids of giza.
I was fascinated by them since I was a little child and when I finally had the opportunity to visit them my expectations where as high as they get.
But the real experience was topping even my wildest hopes. You really have to see them for yourself to understand.
These structures are so mind shattering perfect that I just could not comprehend them.
The longer I looked at them the more beautiful they get and I actually had to look away from time to time, because I could not handle the beauty anymore. My positive emotions where just overwhelming me.
These structures are beyond perfection and before I experienced them myself I did not think that something like this was possible on our planet.
I think about the Frank Loyd Wright, Allen Lamb house a lot. (probably because it's the only one I've actually been too. It's simultaneously super cozy and super open. It's crazy old but they could open an entire wall to the back garden. There's just something charming about it that I could never put my finger on and despite being so old, it still feels like a modern home.
yep that's a beautiful house. FLW took a lot of inspiration from Japan, you can see a big difference from his pre-japan and post-japan architecture
My first experience with appreciating the subtle expressions of the lights and shadows through the walls and corners are from the Brunei and Taiwan airports. I was really, really young back then that loves to roam around and at one point, I honestly don't know what I'm experiencing but I am suddenly mesmerized by how the lights and shadows plays around the place like it's giving this sense of character for the whole airport, as if I'm discovering something that I do not fully understand yet. To this day I am honestly thankful for these experiences as I am more appreciative of the architectures and buildings that intentionally includes the fundamentals of lights / shadows as part of the overall design experience.
Your passion and thoughtfulness regarding your experiences and architectural influence is awesome!!! Thank you for sharing and educating. Positive thoughts for you and those close to you.
It was mid-December 2019, I visited Yellowestone National Park for the first time. It was cold, covered with snow, and partly cloudy skies. I remember the view of the mountain and forest, nearly untouched by human development and a serene silence. Our tour group drove up the mountain to look at wildlife at this time. The mountain was steaming from the volcanic activity happening below the earth. Our tour guide stopped and asked us to be silent for a moment to listen to the mountain and you could hear a low roar coming from it. It was an experience that made me feel small, it was a humbling feeling.
I’ve been in Japan some years ago and within all the places I visited, my memories meet together in the moment I was at Odaiba beach.
I don’t know why, but that place hit me in a different way than all the energetic and calming ones in Japan.
The light of the sunset, the sea, the light noise from the people walking around and on the horizon all the huge buildings and bridges.
Thinking about the millions of people were there and what they were doing and me just there on a beach, like a viewer from far away watching what seemed like a painting in constant movement.
It’s funny, I was just on Awaji Island for a family vacation in the summer, and I also did the Ado Tadao architecture tour. But I wish I’d seen this video BEFORE my trip - I might have appreciated it even more! I personally really wanted to visit Zenbo Seinei as well, but it’s not really a traveling-with-kids kind of place. Spectacular, though. Anyway, great video! And for any potential Japan travellers out there, I do really recommend Awaji Shima as a destination. (As I’ve discussed in a recent video of my own.)
Thanks for the enlightening content!
I also had the pleasure of recently visiting Japan in November. By far the most ethereal experience for me was taking a cycle ride around Lake Kawaguchiko. This was on the last day of our 12 days in Japan. It was a cloudy day and we had just wrapped up the famous Chureita Pagoda at Shimoyoshida and we headed into the town. This was a day drip from Tokyo, so we only had a couple of hours. And to our luck, we spotted a bicycle renting shop and rented them immediately.
What followed was 3 hours of absolute Autumn magic. You're absolutely right about the perfect amalgamation of the old and the new in Japan. It is so evident in Kyoto and even in smaller towns like Arashiyama or Kawaguchiko. The rustling of Momiji trees filling the air with autumn leaves with the mighty Fuji-san 🗻 in the backdrop is an experience I will never forget. Going further, we rode around the lake into small paths that felt untouched. Winds creating patterns on the lake, the sight of the mighty mountain all along, the multitude of red/orange/brown/yellow autumn foliage, the breath of the cleanest air. And to top it all-off, the clouds cleared and we got the most magnificent, undisturbed view of Mount Fuji for a good hour.
The Autumn dreamscape, the gargantuan grandeur, the perfect end to our Japan trip. I just took a moment to take it all in. Japan will surprise you beyond your wildest imagination! I can't wait to be back. 🇯🇵
Another very well done video, thank you Dami and team. The place that sticks in my mind was when I was working in Hong Kong. At night time just between Admiralty and Central on the Pedestrian foot bridges, this place that's booming in activities and people in the morning became eerily calm and quiet at night, as if time just stood still. The contrasts between daytime and nighttime exist in most downtowns of big cities, but in there there's a sensation that you felt the city can't wait to come back to life, but the darkness just suppressed it down. It's quiet remarkable and soothing, especially for those who's been through a stressful day of work.
I appreciate your articulate and immersive video narration. The editing is well done. Kudos to you and your team!
I live in Eastern Europe and we visited abandoned apartment blocks, huge concrete structures full of rusting metal, broken glass, garbage, and among them plants growing everywhere, literally a 5-story meadow, everything was covered with moss, grass and small trees, in the empty apartments we could hear the echo of dripping water and in the basement there was a meter of water in the basement. Water Frog Vein is a truly wonderful place in the middle of the forest
I'm in love with this channel. I love the generosity of the creators (not only do we get the amazing episode, but also additional information, such as the PDF mentioned at the end) - I really feel that the channel is born out of true passion for architecture and desire to share the knowledge and make it accessible to us, non specialists - a truly social projet, which I applaud. The quality of the material and story telling is outstanding (interesting also to note the growth over the past few years). I cannot imagine the amount of resources invested into this and I, as a spectator, really feel appreciated and loved, because of how thoughtful you guys are in every detail. Thank you so much for your amazing work ❤
I always look forward to your videos. I always learn something new! In the past few years I've gained an appreciation for Brutalist architecture and I especially like how light and shadow contrast in these spaces-so I really enjoyed the bit on the Sayamaike museum and the work of Tadao Ando.
Dami and team, you described and showed the last building BEAUTIFULLY! I got chills and felt very emotional.
Thank you for the pdf!
One place that got stuck in my mind is the shadow under a small chestnut tree that grew in the garden of my grandparents’ house in the countryside, in Brazil. The branches and leaves of the tree grew like a dome, reaching to the ground beneath the trunk and touching it gently all around it. I remember having such chaotic feelings at that moment, and for some minutes I decided to settle down and sit under that dome. I felt the dry leaves and the remains of the open chestnuts that the squirrels ate under my skin, reminding me of the presence of the ground. It was itchy, rough, unsettling, but also extremely kind. It felt like that place and that tree were trying to make sure that I wouldn’t forget that I was there, sitting, feeling all those sensations. In the end, I was calmer, not completely still or connected, but certainly lighter at heart, like a blessing.
Girl, your videos are incredible. I just found your channel from a suggested video on my feed. Now I am obsessed with watching your videos! You're awesome
I can feel what you’re describing. This is as much a mind set as the immersion itself. I experience this when I go to nature or when I’m in a city. Honestly though the only cities where I enjoy it, are the ones who are in decline. There’s a certain natural beauty when nature starts to reclaim the sterile structures. When you pause in silence and use all your senses, the world vibrates with waves that remind you that you are a part of the universal song. 🥰
Such a big fan of you and your team Dami. You put out such amazing content and it's always such a delight to find you've posted a new video.
Your delivery always carries a palpable sense of mindfulness, and the combination of that with your infectious intrigue, these brilliant topics, and the awe-inspiring cinematography and photography never fails to amaze.
Keep up the absolutely excellent work all of you :)
the production is amazing, really like ur video. I don't know why but I feel moved by watching cinematography and Japanese architectural works on this video. I hope u make another video about japanese architecture
Hi Dami, you most certainly did a brilliant job of relaying to us the essence of what the place you visited feels like. For some of us, this video would be the closest we would ever get to be at such places. Thank you for taking us to such amazing places, and teaching us how to fully appreciate it.
It's kinda rare to cross videos which reach the same level of craft as the content they show. This and all your videos are keeping my attention fully glued to them for how gorgeously filmed, describe, picked analyzed they are. Please keep doing them!
This was beautiful. I learned about Tadao Ando in Art class but never thought about visiting his building or finding videos of them. But your video made his art come alive and now I really get what he created. Can't wait to see it for myself
Used to live in Bunkyo-ku and would often visit St. Mary's beautiful space.
Clicked the video casue I thought I recognised the thumbnail!
Here's another captivating video from DamiLee, which draws me into the profound sensations evoked by architectural design, particularly those from Eastern and Japanese styles. The scene featuring the 'monolithic concrete dome' delivered a transcendental experience, echoing the feelings one might have when actually present in such a setting.
I live in Singapore, so I have an idea of Asian architecture. Here, it's quite boring but lively, the architecture is for the people and doesn't make you think about it much, I guess. When I was in Hong Kong though, architecture was the only thing I could think about lol.
HK is depressing, with giant concrete buildings as far as the eye can see. I didn't go out of my way looking for interesting architecture though. I overwhelmed by the number of people and noise and density.
Awesome video Dami! Very beautiful. The different buildings viewed shows a range of design and to me incorporate the themes you described perfectly.
One place that stays with me and calls to me when I’m far away and calls even louder when I’m nearby is Tadao Ando’s The Modern in Fort Worth. A place where rough concrete has been polished so smooth you can see your reflection in it. A place with seemingly not a right angle to be seen yet full of familiar shapes. A other world type place that still steps aside for you to experience and feel the art contained within its walls and its grounds.
Beautiful description and appreciation. Love listening to you describe the feel of the grass and wood and sounds slowly happening. I remember the curve of the landscape outside the Pablo Picasso museum near Hakone Japan. It was a very blue sky day. Green grass. Carefully placed trees made me walk not run.The play space there was cosy with curved walls but felt elevated and inviting for all ages. I was 17 when I visited.
Thank You for taking Me back to Japan & Architecture .
In 2006 I was lucky to meet Tadao Ando while touring in his Church of Light, and to sit with Shin Takamatsu at his table to talk and draw with his purple pencils.
Both Men and their architecture had inspired me to study design and architecture.
I was also impressed with the Miho Museum in Shigaraki by I.M.Pei. Following a path, discovering a viewpoint, control of light, volume, sound, temp, air flow, detail, pattern, repetition (much like Frank Lloyd Wright)…
Similar as your experiences and analysis, these places awaken your senses.❤
Thank you for sharing these observations and insights. The cinematography was lovely too!
Btw. As a graphic designer, i can really appreciate how clean your PDF layouts are at end. *chefs kiss*
I love this so much. I mean all of your videos are like that but the focus here on Japanese attitude towards noticing, attention, shadow, precision makes we well up with so much excitement and motivation. It just feels like things you do and things you highlight are done thoroughly. They are crafted not with a goal of gain, through shortcuts, but with the goal of the thing itself and thus creating a whole galaxy of little details that can enrich.
Thank you! & thank you to your team!
love the way you present your videos, diving into deep research on unique concepts and going over feasibility. the algorithm brought me to you today and i found myself binge watching your vids and subscribing, keep up the great content!
I felt very similarly, but due to different reasons, of some late 1800s/early1900s buildings in Buenos Aires; particularly the Palacio Barolo. On the outside, it has progressions of balconies, cornices, and stonework that echo the billowing of clouds, but with a Romanesque revival aesthetic. However, what really got to me, was that the building was designed to emulate the path a soul takes to heaven via purgatory, in that one cannot go directly to heaven (observation deck) but must first, by design, scale the building using a series of different elevators and landings, which was to signify the purification of the soul as it rises to heaven. Then you add the western ( particularly Italian) tendency to decorate with allegories and metaphors, and it soon became a transcendental experience. It’s magical when architecture goes from merely the consequence of the hand of man, to the materialized spirit of what guided that man’s hand.
I love that you take us to places that have feeling and give us, the viewers, time and space to have those feelings.
Thank you!
This was stunning. Thank you for sharing this exciting experience with us and I hope you can showcase more architecture from around the world in this fashion. I was captivated from beginning to end!
Few videos exist not just to educate or entertain. They exist for the peace of mind and soul.
This is one of them.
Wonderful and inspiring video!
You managed to tell a story while explaining a thought process and some complex architectural concepts very clearly but also being mindful of cultural differences.
I travelled to Japan more than 10 years ago but your video helped me to immerse in the feelings and perceptions I had just like it were yesterday, all the while making them even more meaningful. Thank you!!
I enjoy the pause, the space, the gap, your videos fill my days with.
Thoughtful, gently paced, and explorative; allowing your audience, at least me, to more deeply connect with, and appreciate, the ideas you delve into.
In a world filled with clamour and strife, your posts provide a moment free of it.
I was at the Teshima Art Museum this September and the experience was certainly unique, otherworldly, calming and inspiring. It's a curious museum but the concept works and it does give you a whole new perspective on the topic of art vs. nature; we felt it almost an ode to the natural world all around us.
Fantastic video, thanks for creating this top-notch content
one of the most magical experiences I've had that resonates greatly with the feelings of tranquility explored through this video would be my time in Arashiyama. I've never felt so close to nature and taking a traditional boat ride down the river slowed down time for me. It gave me the time to appreciate the surrounding greenery, the people of that area, but most importantly this experience left in me a strong feeling of collected satisfaction. (also there was a monkey park and they were funny hehe)
This is so interesting! And beautiful. I'll definitely watch this video a few more times for inspiration. Thank you, Dami and all the team ❤
I really love your videos! They're aesthetically the most pleasing I've ever seen and you also made me really more into architecture and design! Thank you!!
While I haven't been to Japan, this video made me think of places I've been to which made me feel similar things to the ones you're describing. And while my experiences might not have been as profound as yours, having this video will most definitely help people find places they have been to which gave them similar feelings (with or without realizing it at the time) and/or places where they can go to in order to get similar feelings, even outside Japan, even in the most normal random places. And as the saying goes, "good enough is good-enough". If we can't get to our destination, at least we can get even one step closer to our destination.
This is my first comment after watching many of your channel's videos for some time. I have told members of my extended family about your channel and just the things I have learned from it. Thank you. Having said that....Walking using the ball of your feet first!?...if NYC residents knew this technique Lmao, guaranteed it would become a nicer place to live!!. Thanks again!.
Oh my ! I didn't want the video to end. The concepts so tantalizingly and so briefly described by you were intoxicating. Thank you @DamiLee .
We live in Sapporo and twenty-eight years ago we got married in Tadao Ando's Chapel on the Water at Tomomu ski resort. It is a concrete bunker with wooden pews and the wall behind the altar opens onto a pond in the forest. It is sublime and was a special experience to be married there.
Wow that must have been something! That’s on my list for my next trip in Japan.
15 Years ago my wife and I were also married at the Church on the Water. I first noticed the building in a book when it was first built while I was an art director living in Miami and it moved me to the point of almost quitting my job to study architecture. After meeting my wife who is Japanese, I suggested we have our wedding at Ando's church. We had no idea where it was located but we finally ended up in Hokkaido and had a wonderful ceremony. Now we live in Tokyo and enjoy our Japanese life.
I was lucky to experience japan and Teshima/Naoshima islands a few years ago, I hope every art and architecture enthusiast will have the chance to visit these places; the experience is truly worth the entire trip..
This video excelled on all fronts - from storytelling and cinematography to sound design. Congratulations on the exceptional work!
What a lovely trip, and thanks for sharing the highlights. I loved discovering the finer details of Japanese life, when I was lucky enough to enjoy an immersive stay on Honshu island. Notably, I gained beneficial perspective from the advice that there will be an unique emphasis on what is _not_ said within the Japanese language. Thereafter, my experiences improved, as I focused upon purposeful investigation of Japanese creations, and especially those subtle nuances of designs that were easily lost or unfamiliar as an outsider.
Zenbo Seinei really stood out to me! Im currently a first year architecture student and this gave me ideas for my project! The building shape, roofdeck, and window design was inspiring… and those meditation chairs look so comfy, especially for the heels 😫
Also, the storytelling 👌🏽
I watched the video about an hour ago and it's taken me some time to parse it all. First off, as usual, you and your team have created an excellent film. The Cinematography told the story almost on its own, with your story there to bring depths and revelations to what we saw. You, yourself are amazing to watch. I could feel the wonder, the experience and even the stillness from you as you visited each place. Especially when you were at the meditation retreat. But what really struck me. What really gave location and gravity to a feeling that I've had for years was the Teshima Art Museum. I've long struggled with depression. On the harder days, I just wish that I could vanish from the noise of the world. That I could appear in a place that would just let me be. The whole segment in Teshima had me in tears because there it was. It existed. I could go there one day. I could now focus on that imagery and breathe and recenter.
Thank you, Dami. Thank you to everyone at Nolli.
This is a BEAUTIFUL video ^_^
The Japanese people definitely have a thing for attuning with nature nowadays in ways that many others don't. Just marvelous stuff.
Thanks for this. I’m off to Japan with my (now retired) architect parents in March and it’s going to be like a mini guided tour. Brilliant work.
Man this video was beautiful. Your attention to detail is impressive but I suppose that is essential and the nature of an architect. Your appreciation of the subtle nuances of the experience almost made me emotional. These kind of experiences and appreciation of the beauty of nature and design are, in my opinion, what make life worth living.
You managed to have consider changing my favourite video of yours. I have to join the others who had said it, the cinemaphotography is beautiful and it is a perfect companion to your descriptions and how you pace your narrative. Thanks again for inspiring me.
i love how unique & kind of relaxin' the architecture of Japan is honestly.
Man, I absolutely love Japan and really would like to move back again and now that you have shown us these amazing places I have some new places to check out that will feel very profound. I never heard of these places in the 2 years that I spent there. Thanks!
As per usual great topic, and great production value! Thank you for you and your team's work :)
This really got me thinking how did the architects and artists were able to confidently say that their designs will be able to create such an atmospheric effect by precisely manipulating nature. It probably makes me appreciate and admire some of these Japanese architects in their vision and precision in creating a visually simplistic yet rich designs.
Such an amazing narrated look at some defining Japanese architecture with incredible cinematography.
It felt like being teleported on a journey to glimpse some precious moments in space and time.
Seeing public works/spaces being highlighted with defining architecture which integrate cultural significance is always pleasing. It creates a physical and emotional vibe that the space serves a greater purpose. Sayama-ike pond is a nice example.
wow. i could listen to you for hours straight talking about space, light, mass and your perception of those. that's rare for me. thank you. amazing bit.
This video came out half way through my own Japan trip. I've been to a couple of these places already, but I don't have any more time to fit any of the others into my schedule
It’s interesting that on the whole… your videos create my little (time out of mind) Zen moments even as you strive to describe your Zen moments.
The enthusiasm you bring to your videos is priceless, you could talk about the design of a plastic cup and I'd want to visit it.
I love when something really aged and from outdoors and out of place has been put inside and incorporated in a way that works. like on display or functional.
I was awestruck when I visited Saint Peters Basilica in the Vatican City. The scale of the building was inspiring. It really encapsulates the feeling of a monument to a higher power. The amount of gems and gold made the building seem otherworldly. The vastness of the dome is only truly evident from the inside. I felt as though I had been shrunk down. The sound of hundreds of people praying and admiring the architecture also added to the immense feeling of reverance.
Super cool, Dami! Thanks for sharing.
How fun were those little brown chairs at the meditation retreat?
As a kid some friends and I used to go to these abandoned mill buildings. as old , overgrown and decapitated as these buildings were they had an insane hidden feeling amongst the city of Lowell. When you go to the highest point in these mills , affectionately called "pidgin palace" top floor before the roof is a room missing an entire corner of the walls. You can see one of the most busy parts of the city. It feels so connected and disconnected at the same time. Really peaceful
This was absolutely enthralling. Japan was already a place I am dying to visit, but your video adds many must see places.
Beautifully shot and presented.
I love your content so much . I really love this video a lot because the original background used in your first videos. this is such a beautiful video I love how the Japanese Architechure incorporates all the senses
Wolf Trap concert hall in Virginia has left a lasting impression on me. I only saw it at night. It feels like being indoors and outdoors at the same time as you are dwarfed by massive columns like giant trees. There is wood everywhere and amphitheater like seating. Just entering the space and sitting within it took my breath away.
Wow! Amazing buildings! That place where the raindrops come together seemed magical! I could spend all day there!
Amazing video and it actually gives me a whole new level of perspective about appreciating space, time and light/shadow.
Great video! Great shots, narration, editing; really fascinating.
I absolutely love Japan's architecture, specially these that sorta 'integrate' nature in interesting ways. Thank you for the video!
As a Japan obsessive and modern architecture lover, this vlog was one of my top 2-3 favourites in a long while, maybe all year. Thank you very much, Dami.
I very much like Ando-sensei, but I hadn't heard that anecdote about his visit to the Pantheon, I guess it makes a lot of sense and explains some of the spaces he designed, in the Chichu Museum and the Benesse Art House in Naoshima for example (I haven't seen Teshima yet). Just spectacular. I also was quite struck by Kenzo Tange's St Mary's cathedral in Tokyo (from memory it wasn't allowed to take photos inside, so this was nice to refresh the 💽)
As for a space that's stuck in my mind, I'm going to choose two: the Grande Arche de la Defense and Prada Aoyama. It's just about the geometry for me, just feasting the eyes on those lines and those surfaces, the other senses take a back seat for a minute. Visual kind of guy...
I visited the Teshima art museum in 2019 and again for my second time just a few weeks ago. I was worried that my second visit would dilute the experience of the art museum but even stepping into this open concrete shell for a second time amazed me as it did the first. The tranquility and combination of the architecture, nature and its sounds and warm autumnal light, and the water feature was absolutely beautiful. It's something I rave on about with friends to this day, and would highly recommend anyone to make the trip to Teshima
Visually fulfilling and every word used was so flawless and beautifully delivered. Creating ruminating understandings and thoughts.
I always look forward to your videos. I live in an area where Sayama Pond is located. I am very interested in earthquake-proof architecture. I think this earthquake is one of the factors behind the development of wooden architecture in Japan. Even the creaking sound of walking on the floor gives me peace of mind knowing that the building can withstand earthquakes. I'm looking forward to the next videos.
I love that such care and thought is put into the architecture there, I know we have some great creations here in Canada, but our lack of reverence and attention spans pale in comparison to what you seem to have experienced there. The patience, attention, and nuance are sorely missed elsewhere - or in my case here in Canada.
I don't know why it has taken me this long to come back and watch another of your videos. Brain not firing right, I guess. I love your videos. They are beautifully conceived, very well-written, stunning, tasteful visuals and graphics and they are superbly narrated. Watching them is a special treat. Thanks, Dami.
Dami and her crew knocked it out of the park with this video. She should pitch this as a travel show. Like a food travel show but for design and architecture. Thank you for the travel guide!
Please show us some of the great man made architectural designs that we can go and experience in real time and forget time. I always admire the way you percieve designs. Thank you for helping us understand the power of architecture.
That's so interesting that you mention the Japanese walking softly ball-to-heel. I do that too and never really thought about why I do that. Well, I spent many years as a kid growing up in Japan (my dad was stationed at Yokota Air Base) and must have picked up the habit there. So cool! Thanks for sharing your trip and experiences at such beautiful destinations. There is something fundamentally deeply beautiful about a lot of Japanese architecture. Even as a kid, I couldn't explain why but I felt the impact of some of the beautiful places we visited. Of course, I was still a kid, and I distinctly remember touring a 1000+ year old temple and complaining about missing the Ninja Turtles. Definitely a place I'd love to see again with adult eyes. Thanks again!
One funny thing about the light in Japan was that it actually made me feel really sick each day when the sun started to set because I was from Australia and growing up 'down under' gave me the worst jet lag when the sun started setting because all the shadows were wrong! Luckly it disappeared soon after the sun set and meant that I ended up spending hours wandering around the streets near my hotel and getting lost in the beauty and peace in the middle of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. The highlights were staying in a teahouse in the middle of Geon, Kyoto and visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park under a full moon with nobody around and wandering the paths to discover the memorials to the children and lives lost. There was a profound sense not only of sadness and the most dark deeds done by humanity, but also a tribute to how the people of Hiroshima and Japan had survived in seeing a man taking his dog for a walk past a night cafe. I have so many memories and photos of the beautiful interplay of light, darkness, peace and chaos from that trip to Japan and highly reccomend visiting some of the more popular tourist sights at night next time you visit.