{"product_id":"living-wisdom-from-the-borderlands-japan","title":"Living Wisdom from the Borderlands — The Japan Issue","description":"\u003ch1 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLiving Wisdom from the Borderlands — The Japan Issue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverlooked Stories: Folklore, Vernacular Cultures and Ways of Living with the Land\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat can the overlooked stories and everyday practices of Japan teach us about how we live today?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLiving Wisdom from the Borderlands — The Japan Issue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is an independent publication by studio polaris, exploring alternative perspectives on contemporary life through the vernacular cultures, creative practices and personal narratives found across Japan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMoving beyond familiar representations of Japanese culture, this bilingual English–Japanese publication brings together five stories from Tono, Hida-Takayama, Taimagura, Ueno and Fukushima.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrough photography, conversations, essays and personal reflections, the book explores relationships between people and nature, folklore and memory, artistic expression and community.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRather than presenting a singular image of Japan, it invites readers to encounter the different ways of knowing, making and living that continue to emerge from its borderlands.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInside the Issue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e01 — Tono: Living with the Unseen\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGaku Tomikawa\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the mountains of Iwate, ancient folktales and traditional deer dances offer new ways of understanding life, death and our relationships with the unseen world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e02 — Hida-Takayama: Searching for the REAL Form\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 FOOT\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn exploration of primitive sculptures, wolf worship and the creative possibilities of uncertainty, through the work and field research of Japanese artist 2 FOOT.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e03 — Taimagura: Remembering the Forest\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSho Yamashiro\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA photographic and poetic journey through a remote mountain settlement, reflecting on memory, time, belonging and our relationship with the natural world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e04 — Ueno: Shotengai as a Social Stage\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMashuu Ohashi\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrough the story of a fishmonger in Tokyo's Ameyoko Market, we discover how an ordinary shopping street becomes a social stage shaped by informal relationships, diversity and everyday encounters.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e05 — Fukushima: No Art, Make Friends\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTakashi Kuribayashi\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn encounter with artist Takashi Kuribayashi and Cinema Caravan, exploring how art can create friendships, shared experiences and new ways of connecting people beyond conventional institutions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul data-spread=\"false\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTitle:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Living Wisdom from the Borderlands — The Japan Issue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubtitle:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Overlooked Stories: Folklore, Vernacular Cultures and Ways of Living with the Land\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e English \/ Japanese\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e September 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e POT LLC \/ studio polaris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEditor-in-Chief:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Takuro Nuruki\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArt Director \/ Designer:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Koyo Takeuchi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrinted in:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Japan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 978-4-9912793-3-1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout studio polaris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003estudio polaris is a research and design studio founded in Japan and based between Tokyo and London. We explore overlooked stories, forms of knowledge and creative practices from the borderlands, seeking alternative perspectives on how we might see and live in the world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"polaris","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55017923215693,"sku":null,"price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/2676\/6413\/files\/Living_Wisdom_Japan_Issue_Shopify_square.jpg?v=1791709988","url":"https:\/\/polaris-9794.myshopify.com\/products\/living-wisdom-from-the-borderlands-japan","provider":"polaris","version":"1.0","type":"link"}