Tokyo-based online broadcaster brings DJs into fish shops and classic cafés
As redevelopment, rising rents and fundamental changes in the city's social fabric put an ever tightening squeeze on traditional shops and eateries across Tokyo, many old-school businesses like neighbourhood greengrocers and fishmongers, worker's caffs and candy stores are becoming endangered species in the urban jungle.
But all's far from lost for the capital's mom-and-pop shops, especially with a new generation of techno and house heads now spotlighting their community value. Yup, you read that right: Online music broadcaster Login.jp's new YouTube session series The Shoten has sparked buzz on social media by inviting up-and-coming local DJs to play sets in surroundings such as an antique furniture store in Shimokitazawa and an Akabane fish shop run by the same family for four generations.
The Login.jp crew came up with the idea of channelling the power of tight tunes to champion at-risk sites of urban culture after growing disillusioned with the lack of communication between the Japanese club scene and the wider community. They wanted to bring music and music fans closer to their neighbourhoods and vice versa, encouraging interaction and mutual understanding.
These efforts appear to have struck a chord: the first 'Shoten' video, in which Kanta Ando 's chill techno and house tunes soundtrack a morning's comings and goings at the Uoyou fish shop on Akabane's Suzuran-dori shopping street, has racked up over 12,000 views since February.
Even more popular is the clip from April featuring Kiyoko spinning deep techno at Yotsuya kissaten Coffee Lawn, a local staple that's been serving up a largely unchanged menu of coffee and snacks for seven decades. In the video, the DJ's beats add an intoxicating touch to the venue's timeless atmosphere.
Login.jp has been releasing new The Shoten videos at a steady pace over the past few months, with six episodes available at the time of writing. In the two newest clips they've taken their show on the road, setting up the decks in a traditional rice storehouse in the city of Takayama, Gifu.
With the Login.jp team hoping to release interviews and documentaries as well as organise live events in the future, we'll be sure to keep a close eye on The Shoten from here on – and very much look forward to stumbling into the middle of a DJ set at our local lunch spot or neighbourhood bathhouse one day.
Ghibli Park to stay open after dark for the first time this August
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Fans convinced UFC have CONFIRMED Jon Jones' retirement with shock Tom Aspinall social media post
JON HIS WAY OUT JON HIS WAY OUT Fans convinced UFC have CONFIRMED Jon Jones' retirement with shock Tom Aspinall social media post MMA fans are convinced the UFC have confirmed Jon Jones' retirement from the sport. The former pound-for-pound king and current heavyweight champ has left fight fans on tenterhooks over the last few weeks with conflicting statements over his future. 6 Jon Jones' fighting future is up in the air Credit: GETTY 6 The UFC legend has toed and froed with the prospect of retirement Credit: GETTY 6 Brit bruiser and rival Tom Aspinall recently came out and claimed Jone has 'retired' Credit: GETTY 6 The UFC have added fuel to the fire by sharing the interview in which Aspinall made the bombshell claim to its official YouTube channel Credit: UFC@YOUTUBE Jones, 37, has left interim counterpart Tom Aspinall in limbo with his constant tooing and froing from the prospect of retirement. Wigan warrior Aspinall came out this week and claimed the MMA great is "RETIRED" during an appearance on Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen. And the UFC made the unprecedented decision to post the ESPN interview, which had a simple thumbnail including a picture of Aspinall and "he's retired" emblazoned across it, on their official YouTube channel for their 21 million subscribers to watch. Their sharing of the video, which isn't a huge surprise given ESPN are the current owner of the promotion's North American broadcast rights, set fight fans' chins wagging. READ MORE ON JONES VS ASPINALL JON THE RIGHT PATH? Jones reveals Aspinall AGREEMENT after UFC fans' barraging of White And several of them interpreted the post as the promotion admitting Jones' fighting days are over. One commented on the video: "The fact that the UFC is posting this is encouraging." Another said: "You know Jones is ducking when the UFC allows this on their socials." And another said: "The fact that the UFC uploaded this interview to their channel with this title says A LOT." JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 6 "There is definite movement of this situation coming." One remarked: "Is this Jon's retirement announcement?" Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant Another chimed in: "To put this interview on the official channel is huge, UFC is getting tired of Jones." The UFC's sharing of the interview is by no means an admission that Jones has opted to walk away from the sport. It coud very well be a negotiation tactic to entice the Hall-of-Famer to take the fight, which he demanded "F**K YOU MONEY" for. A historic unification bout between Jones and Aspinall has been on the cards since last November. Jones' maiden defence of the heavyweight strap against Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden set the table for a mammoth melee with Aspinall. But frustratingly, it's yet to come to fruition and Aspinall, who hasn't fought since last July, has been left twiddling his thumbs on the sidelines.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
I bought an abandoned house with no electric for 75p – I've funded renovations by sharing my DIY online
A YOUNG woman has revealed how she transformed an abandoned house and got paid for it in the process. Tia Weston bought the abandoned property for just 75p and quickly got to work with her dad to turn it into her dream home. 3 3 Taking to YouTube, Tia said: "I'm taking you through the full start to finish process of turning this abandoned house into my dream home. "It had no heat, no water, no electricity and it was used for storage for over 30 years. "It was in such bad shape that at one point it was going to be given to the fire department to be burnt down." She said that in total it cost her £29,000 to renovate the property. While some of the money came from selling her previous home, some of the cash came from sharing the renovation journey online. Through posting the transformation on YouTube she was able to get revenue from advertisements to help fund the cost. Tia and her dad had their work cut out for them, some of the wood on the roof had gone rotten and the flooring was also affected. She also had to pay to get the entire house to have electricity running through it as well as new windows because the house was so old. New plumbing also had to be fitted into the house so that Tia could renovate the bathroom. After the basics were done, Tia moved on to clearing the house out and redecorating the space. 3 Mrs Hinch raves about £2 Home Bargains buy that 'adds charm to your garden' & a £10 product that's 'cheaper than Amazon' The house had been left in disarray and used to store wood and old furniture. But she managed to transform it into a colourful modern space for herself. Inside the house, she used a light, pine wood for the floors, doors and finishes to add some much needed light into the home. She used pastel colours throughout to make it more homely as well. Home upgrades that add the most value to a house The best renovation to add value totally depends on your property, the local market and your potential buyers. Zoopla shared a list of upgrades that will instantly add value to your home. Loft conversion - increase of 15% Off-street parking - adds £50,000 to property price New kitchen - increase of 15% Garage conversion - increase of 15% Cellar or basement conversion - increase of 10-15% Open plan living space - increase of 3-5% New bathroom - increase of 3-5% The transformation had left people stunned and they were quick to praise Tia and her dad for their hard work. One person wrote: "The coolest part is that you did this all with your dad. You will always hold this memory in your heart." Another commented: 'I am a 61-year-old lifetime remodeler. You did a GREAT job young lady!" "Well done. You've done an amazing job," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "I wish more people would renovate instead of tearing down older houses. You all did such a great job!" Someone else added: 'The contrast between where you started and where you ended up is insane! Your hard work has really paid off."
Time Out
6 hours ago
- Time Out
You can now feast among the Frick's masterpieces at the museum's new restaurant
Starting June 6, New Yorkers can officially a add 'Have a berry tart with elderflower crème at the Frick ' to their summer bucket lists—the iconic Upper East Side institution is opening its first new restaurant in nine decades. Named Westmoreland, this sleek new spot lives on the museum's newly renovated second floor and is part of a broader effort to modernize the Frick experience without sacrificing an ounce of its old-world charm. Named after the Frick family's private Pullman railcar (yes, really), Westmoreland is steeped in Gilded Age elegance. The 50-seat café offers ticket-holding museumgoers and members a refined table-service menu by Union Square Events, served in a transportive space designed by Bryan O'Sullivan Studio. Think green mohair details, floral-motif paneling and dreamy murals inspired by Japanese screens and Renaissance landscapes, all with views of the Frick's tranquil 70th Street Garden. 'As we continue to celebrate the Frick's grand reopening, we are thrilled to debut the museum's first-ever café,' said Axel Rüger, the museum's director. 'It will provide our visitors and members with a respite to enjoy conversation about the collection over refined food and beverages.' The menu, led by Executive Chef Skyllar Hughes, fuses seasonal, regional fare with nods to the Frick family's original menus. For breakfast-y bites, there's a caramelized onion and thyme scone or kale-ricotta quiche. For lunch, you can go high-brow (poached trout with spring onion sabayon) or comforting (a club sandwich with herbed aioli and potato chips). Vegetarians will find gems like the mushroom and feta toast and a perfectly zippy Caesar with add-ons like grilled chicken or fish. But the real showstoppers are the desserts and drinks. A strawberry tart with elderflower crème pâtissière makes for a floral finish, while the chocolate mousse duo (dark and white) leans lush and decadent. Beverage-wise, you can toast like a Gilded Age aristocrat with European wines and curated cocktails inspired by the museum's Cocktails with a Curator series. The 'Widow's Kiss'—made with calvados, benedictine, yellow chartreuse and bitters—is bound to become an instant favorite, and it sounds just as dramatic as the Bellini across the hall. Reservations are same-day and only available onsite, so plan accordingly. Whether you're museum-hopping or just craving a quiet meal surrounded by good art and even better design, Westmoreland is your new UES secret weapon. Just don't spill the soup near the Vermeer.
