Coilhouse Kindred Spirt: Yaso Magazine
Some more Serious Journalism from my time in Japan (see also: cat cafes). I previously mentioned Yaso Magazine in a post about Neon O’Clockworks – as promised in that post, here are some snapshots of Yaso for you to see! It’s a beautiful, hefty magazine with themed issues, published and distributed almost exclusively in Japan. I took some photos of three issues with the following themes: Vampire: Painful Eternity / Heartrendingness, Victorian: Influences & Metamorphoses of Victorian Culture in Today’s Japanese Sub-Cultures, and Sense of Beauty: Japanese Aesthetic. Other themed issues I didn’t get my hands on: Svankmajer (yes, an entire Svankmajer-themed issue), Gothic, Monster & Freaks [sic]. I also had a fourth issue called Doll, but gave it away to Ross because he is a doll fancier before I got a chance to snap some photos.
It’s a stunning magazine. Paging through it feels like like falling into a paper-fetish world that’s at once completely alien and intimately familiar.
The small pictures don’t do it justice, so click on through to the Coilhouse Flickr Set to see the full, annotated collection of images. This magazine cost around $15 in Japan, but I’m only finding it priced at $35 for those of us living in the US or in Europe. I’ve even seen copies appear and disappear for about $45 on Ebay. The magazine is almost entirely in Japanese, as is their site.
We are so inspired to see others publishing the kinds of things that we love, all over the word. We don’t know the people who do Yaso, but we are so, so grateful for them.
March 15th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
You can find this magazine at http://www.amazon.co.jp. They have alot of Japanese products and can ship internationally depending on what your buying. Good luck!
March 15th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Ruby, that’s awesome! I’d love to get more copies of this mag. Except, I can’t find the English option on the Amazon link you sent. :(
March 15th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I love this magazine.
I purchased Sense of Beauty at Kinokuniya Books near Bryant Park. It was pricey, I paid about 25 to 30 dollars for it. But it was worth it.
March 15th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
@Nadya…The English option is in the upper right corner not far from the cart.
I’ve ordered through the site before with little hassle. However I would consider pooling together with others wanting to order copies to cut down on shipping. Though to be fair it’s not as bad as it use to be. It’s a shame this magazine does not pop up on other Japanese centric sites catering to western audiences.
It looks like quite the magazine. Well worth the price of admission by the looks of it.
March 15th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
@Tequila OH! Right where it says… “In English.” Durrrrr. It’s been a long day.
March 16th, 2010 at 2:23 am
God, I NEED this magazine! Bracing myself for shipping costs to the UK…
March 16th, 2010 at 6:13 am
I feel so irresponsible now. They were all just too beautiful…it’s -brain- food! Six months from now I feel I’ll be staring at these very hard. Hahaha. Ha. :)
Thanks for sharing.
March 16th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
@Tequila Great idea on pooling together!
Anyone in the US feeling up to it?
March 16th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
@ Tyler @ Tequila – I want in!
March 16th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Droooool. Nadyers, I can’t wait to borrow these off you (I’ll wear surgical gloves and a mask, promise) next month!
March 16th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
@Mer – Whee! I’ve got one waiting for you with your name on it.
March 17th, 2010 at 7:04 am
I have already orded two copies off amazon (the Victorian life and the one that comes buddled with it), as I live in Japan I probably will get them either tomorrow or on Friday. *Sobbs at the thought of actually going home* There are amazing magazines here, my favourites are Shoxx (which is a visual kei magazine) and Kera (which serves me well as a lolita internet shopping guide)
March 26th, 2011 at 11:46 am
Price is down to $33 a piece now: http://www.akatako.net/catalog/japanese-art/art-magazines :)