Dancing November 

Even a serene monk would run with duties in December, as the Japanese traditional month name "Shiwasu (*see the bottom)" suggests... but before leaving 2024 in haste, why not dance first and spread the heat of a flame?

Though there seems to be a shear line between responsibility and joy, this month taught us to intermingle these principles with passion. So much zest was exchanged through the final presentation by the architecture students from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, as well as in the Circular Lab. workshop with our old friend W Spring Pool Project from Taiwan. Furthermore, some exciting programs are happening from our network: a meet-up event with Offshore Island Publishing from Penghu Island in Taiwan, and a magical QR-code-based project "Tokyo Dance AR" by Land Fes. Last but not least, our beloved Shibaura banana tree grew two cells of bananas and they are now in the ripening stage. Without a doubt, we are now ready for the season to be merrier and merrier.

SHIBAURA BANANAS

Date: Nov. 25th
Location: SHIBAURA HOUSE 

Having been cherished with so much gaze on the street for months, Shibaura Bananas have yielded a rich harvest this year. These two bunches of bananas especially brought great joy to our staff as we had no crop last year.

For the next few weeks, you will find them resting on a tree inside the cafe for after-ripening. And yes, we are up to something... a tiny party!

INTENSIVE ARCHITECTURAL STUDY IN JAPAN
(University of Tennessee, Knoxville)

Date: Aug. 27th - Nov. 21st
Location: SHIBAURA HOUSE and beyond

Setting a sail for an adventure, the world is the classroom! A group of students from the UTK College of Architecture + Design completed a three-month research trip in Japan, exploring public spaces starting from Tokyo, then to Echigo, Kyoto and Setouchi. This marked the second year of our relation, using SHIBAURA HOUSE  as their base during the stay.

Transformation is inevitable once you decide to immerse yourself in a completely different culture, miles and miles away from your home. Seeing the faces of students brightening up with growth, we cannot help but realize how enriching it is to go beyond our comfort zone. We are grateful to be part of such a crucial moment of their learning.

WATERFRONT CIRCULAR LAB. WORKSHOP
(Spring Pool Glass from Taiwan)

Date: Nov. 27th
Location: 5F @SHIBAURA HOUSE 

To promote discussions on circular resources between Taiwan and Japan, we invited Mr. Wu Ting-an, the funder of the W GLASS PROJECT by Spring Pool Glass in Taiwan, staff from the Minato City Office, professionals and students in the design industry, and SHIBAURA HOUSE’s Head director Mr. Masaru Ito, to engage in a dialogue through live workshop.

Mr. Wu shared how discarded glass waste was recycled and transformed into aesthetically pleasing glass water cups, which SHIBAURA HOUSE now uses daily. We explored the concept of "transparency," which not only refers to the transparency of glass but also symbolizes how resource circulation can break down the barriers between industries, fostering cross-sector collaboration and communication.

Regarding waste recycling processes in both Japan and Taiwan, including the treatment of glass waste and the differences between manual and automated waste processing, the Minato City Office’s staff also shared insights on the differences between the two cities.

In the end, all the guests at the event organized information based on our perspectives and combined the group’s discussion context of waste and the circular economy, offering lifestyle suggestions for a more sustainable future.

TRIP TO AN OFFSHORE ISLAND

Date: Nov. 14
Location: Penghu Island, Taiwan

During the three-weeks visit to Taiwan, the owner of Shibaura House Ito visited an island in the Taiwan Strait called Penghu Island, which is the smallest county in the country.

With the special guide by Offshore Island Publishing, so much encountering happened. With the local fishery and tourism industries, socio-economic contexts including military camp, the upcoming craft beer business, and so forth.

From this trip, a new exciting plan emerged for the next month: a meet-up event with the head of Offshore Island in Shibaura House, Tokyo. Needless to say, there will be the beer from Penghu!

A VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
(TOKYO DANCE AR by Land Fes)

Date: Nov. 30 - Dec. 15
Location: Shibaura area (multiple locations)

Scan a QR code with a special APP, and the unique performers will start dancing in front of you! LAND FES is a performing arts organization specializing in the intersection of local communities, performing arts, and diversity.

As the second attempt of one of their projects TOKYO DANCE AR, LAND FES comes to the Shibarua area. By placing special QR coasters at local venues such as restaurants, the city will be filled with AR dance performances.

Bottom Line:

Getting older and older, we cannot ignore the fact that so many responsibilities come up when a year is about to end. Simultaneously, our friends and guests reminded us how we may be able to make the most of the opportunity to have fun together. Becoming a place to cuddle such a warm and fuzzy feeling may be one of the motivations for a community space.

*Shiwasu / 師走: December in the Japanese old calendar, with the Kanji characters simply translated as "monk" and "run"