14 Comments
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Stewart Dorward's avatar

Saccharine cynicism - I’m rather awestruck

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Chas MacKinnon's avatar

I have long loved the anything goes, no rules inventiveness of Japanese apartment building naming. Almost as much as I loved your take on it here!

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Jack Krown's avatar

Almost anything goes in names…as well as in oddball, impossible to live in architecture.

Very glad you enjoyed.

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neena maiya's avatar

I was saving this for an afternoon when I could take my time and read. I laughed out loud.

Wicked.

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Jack Krown's avatar

Oh wonderful!!! I sometimes wonder if very specific Japan humor can translate across borders. Clearly it can!

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Chris Mehl's avatar

Hilarious! Reminded me of my time in Asagaya Heim. Local AND aspirational! Will the use of “mansion” ever receded do we think?

I do suppose it’s all better than Central Building Three or Dormitory Ikebukuro…

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Jack Krown's avatar

Very true! I was in a Sunheim once. But my favorite has to be Windbell Solo. What a shithole.

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Oleg Kagan's avatar

The only problem was that the acknowledge applause came too late; I was already applauding at the slides and Mr. Miyamoto did not acknowledge my applause.

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Jack Krown's avatar

You are right. Hah! I could have used that more as a running gag from the beginning. Good comment!!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

How true. I must have a few photos somewhere to illustrate this story.

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Jack Krown's avatar

Sometimes a few of these names need to be photo’d! :)

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Exactly. The contrast between the grand name and the actual building can be quite amazing.

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Mark Kennedy's avatar

Do you have any batcaves?

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Apr 29, 2024
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Jack Krown's avatar

I’ve always thought it’s that they don’t care. A Japanese graphic designer once told me that wording, meaning, spelling doesn’t matter. He said, “The English we put in is graphic design. It looks good, quite cool, that’s it. It’s like colors or stripes or pictures.”

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