Ginza is a fascinating town, frequently linked with special moments and fond memories. Visits to department stores while holding tightly to a parent’s hand, afternoons in old-fashioned cafés run by one-of-a-kind characters, first dates in special restaurants . . . Ginza is a place like no other.

Hanatsubaki’s “Ginza Memoir” series, hosted by Yoshiyuki Morioka of the iconic Morioka Shoten bookstore, explores the multifaceted nature and universal appeal of Ginza through interviews with guests from a wide variety of fields. With Morioka as guide to Ginza’s hidden charms and diverse narratives, new discoveries await around every corner.

For the final chapter in this series, we feature architect Bijoy Jain. As the founder of Studio Mumbai, Jain’s work explores the relationship between people and nature. He’s designed numerous buildings that harmonize with their surroundings, like the LOG complex in Onomichi. Recently, he’s been gaining attention for installations in art spaces, such as those at the Cartier Foundation in Paris. This visit to Japan coincided with the release exhibition of his book Recollections at Morioka Shoten.

Although Jain has visited Tokyo many times, he’s never strolled leisurely through Ginza. So Morioka stepped in as his guide, leading him on a mini-tour of Ginza’s modern landmarks, starting with the historic Taimei Elementary School. Along the way, they stopped at Ichibankan, where Jain, on a whim, decided to have a suit tailored on the spot. Experiencing his spontaneous spirit firsthand, the group then continued on to Morioka’s office in the Okuno Building, where their conversation began, reflecting on their Ginza walk.

The Gentle, Noh-like Rhythm of Ginza’s Old Shops

Jain: Morioka-san, you have a good eye for things. How did you meet Mr. Shin Watanabe, the owner of Ichibankan?

Morioka: I suppose it’s a Ginza thing. We’re practically neighbors. Shin-san is also a shamisen musician.

Jain: Spending these last few days with you, I get the sense that you’re a true “enthusiast.” How did you come to see the world as you do?

Morioka: I believe the world is made up of two sides—good and bad, beauty and ugliness, yin and yang. When I was younger, I focused mostly on social issues like war, poverty, and famine. Reflecting on these issues is important, of course, but at some point, I decided to shift my focus to appreciate the good things in the world.

Jain: I sense a certain “movement” in you, Morioka-san. You seem to find balance between elements that are often considered opposites.

Morioka: “Movement,” you say?

Jain: Like breathing or blinking—things we do instinctively, but not unconsciously. In a way, they’re responsibilities we impose on ourselves. Humans are always in motion, yet you have this ability to find equilibrium within that movement. Morioka Shoten is a prime example. You create a boundless space within limits.

Morioka: Ah, I see.

Jain: In thinking about “movement,” what matters is being “precise enough.” Absolute “precision” can feel overly complete, but with “precise enough,” there’s space to allow for openness.

Morioka: That’s interesting. I think Ginza itself has a similar openness—like the places we saw today, Taimei Elementary School and Ichibankan. New buildings constantly spring up, yet these pockets of history remain as points that define Ginza’s character.

Jain: Let me explain “movement” another way. If you wanted to stop a high-speed train, like a shinkansen, one way is to throw a massive rock in its path. To truly slow it down, you’d need an enormous rock. But I don’t see Taimei Elementary or Ichibankan as obstacles; rather, they’re central to Ginza. When I return in the future, I imagine they’ll still be there, while everything else remains in constant motion—a kind of controlled chaos. The places we saw today move slowly, almost like a Noh play.

Morioka: Fascinating!

Jain: I think I’ll come to understand Ginza more deeply through places like Taimei Elementary and Ichibankan.

The Role of Humor in Architecture

Morioka: Could you share a bit more about being “precise enough”?

Jain: The key to “enough” isn’t about excess but about leaving room for humor.

Morioka: What does humor mean in architecture? At the Fondation Cartier exhibition, you used cow dung in one of your installations. Would you call that humor?

Jain: Yes, though humor can also be political, and it can carry gravitas. Architecture with gravitas invites people to linger. Humor can play a role in that. To answer your question, architecture can embody gravitas. Taimei Elementary, Ichibankan, and Morioka Shoten could all, from a strictly rational view, cease to exist, but they’ve chosen to remain. That kind of movement is unique within Ginza.

Morioka: Over the past few days, you’ve often mentioned “non-purpose as purpose,” and I sense you value chance encounters. Perhaps it’s what people call “serendipity”?

Jain: Not quite. Take Morioka Shoten—it’s driven by the concept of “selling just one book,” which doesn’t entirely align with economic principles. It’s tied to the economy to some degree, but that’s not its driving force. The buildings we saw today wouldn’t exist if economics were the only consideration. My idea of “non-purpose” is just that. When “non-purpose” becomes the purpose, you define movement.

Morioka: I see.

Jain: Imagine holding a book event where not a single book is sold. “Non-purpose” means there’s no outcome—or if there is, it’s unimportant. This is where humor comes in, as aimless movement is absurd and irrational. Absurdity and humor are like siblings.

Morioka: That makes sense. In a way, Onomichi’s LOG project could be seen as “non-purpose,” considering its location and economics.

Jain: Japan is a country of precision. That’s why, at LOG, I wanted to explore what it means to be “not precise enough.”

Bijoy Jain
Bijoy Jain, born in 1965 in Mumbai, studied at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He worked in Los Angeles and London before returning to India in 1995 and founding Studio Mumbai. The studio operates as an interdisciplinary group of architects, engineers, master builders, artisans, technicians and artists across continents.
Bijoy Jain teaches at the Accademia di architettura, Università della Svizzera Italiana in Mendrisio, Switzerland. He also taught as a visiting professor at Yale University in the United States and at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University, Belgium, for his contribution to the architectural profession. In 2017, he received the RIBA International Fellowship in London.

Yoshiyuki Morioka
Born 1974 in Yamagata. Head of the Morioka Shoten bookstore. Writer. Published books include Around Ginza in 800 Days (Bunshun Bunko) and Forgiving the Shortcake (Raichosha). Also active as an art curator, with recent shows including Children and Radiation, the second stage of an exhibition held jointly with the University of the Sacred Heart (October 30, 2003–April 22, 2024).
https://www.instagram.com/moriokashoten/?hl=ja

Sogo Hiraiwa
Editor/writer
Born 1990 in Takayama, Gifu. Freelance editor and writer contributing regularly to literary, cultural, and fashion magazines. Also involved in planning and editing books, including the Japanese edition of Octavia E. Butler’s Bloodchild and Other Stories (trans. Hikaru Fujii). Translator of Virgil Abloh’s Dialogues (Adachi Press).
https://www.instagram.com/sogohiraiwa/

Nathalie Cantacuzino
Photographer
Born in Stockholm, Sweden. Studied Japanese culture and photographic technique in Tokyo. Shoots in genres ranging from fashion to documentary and lifestyle.
https://www.instagram.com/nanorie/