MYCITY | JAPAN EDITION
"Made with love" – an installation by Fukuoka-based rug artist ryokato.
This year marks 15 years of MYKITA in Tokyo — a milestone that reflects our longstanding connection with Japan and the creative exchange that has grown from it. What began with a single store in the capital has expanded to Fukuoka and Osaka, three cities whose contrasting energies have continually inspired our work and perspective.
To celebrate this anniversary, we invited three local creatives to share how their hometowns shape their thinking, their process and their approach to craft.
In Tokyo, ska and jazz saxophonist Atsushi Yanaka speaks about the inspiration he draws from the people around him and the desire to make music that energises a city living at high speed. In Osaka, Chef Yusuke Takada of La Cime describes a culinary philosophy rooted in the region’s warmth, humour and openness — an environment in which nostalgia and innovation naturally coexist. And in Fukuoka, rug artist ryokato reflects on the balance between Tokyo’s constant movement and Fukuoka’s intimate community, a duality that fuels his hand-crafted practice and the human connections at its centre.
MYCITY: TOKYO WITH ATSUSHI YANAKA
Yanaka-san performing at MYKITA's 15-year anniversary event in Tokyo.
Atsushi Yanaka is a Tokyo-based ska and jazz saxophonist known for his warm, rhythmic sound and charismatic stage presence. A longstanding friend of MYKITA, he brings a shared sense of precision and individuality to his music. His work spans solo projects and genre-crossing performances across Japan and beyond.
In which way does the city you live in influence your work?
Atsushi Yanaka: I've always felt that Tokyo is a city where everything is within reach. Even before the internet era, I sensed this quality about the city. This city allows you to meet a wide variety of fascinating people – I've built relationships with many inspiring friends whom I deeply respect, and that continues to this day. The inspiration I draw from these people is essential to my music. At the same time, I'm keenly aware of those around me living under the constant pressure of modern life. I want to create music that can revitalize and energize these people.
What do you love most about the creative process?
AY: Whether I'm creating two-way communication with the audience. My own satisfaction is important, of course, but that satisfaction is meaningful only when it is sustained by the response from others.
What does “innovation” mean to you in your work?
AY: Ideas are everything. When an idea moves my heart, working toward it becomes joyful, and eventually it takes shape. After that, people who find it interesting start to engage with it—and together with them, we create even greater happiness. That's my image of innovation.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
AY: Whether it's interesting. Even the most serious, profound music means nothing if it doesn't engage me. And if it possesses elegance and beauty on top of that, along with a touch of humor, then I consider it complete.
MYCITY: OSAKA WITH YUSUKE TAKADA
Yusuke Takada of La Cime in Osaka, listed as one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants
Yusuke Takada is the chef of La Cime in Osaka. He blends Japanese sensibility with classical and contemporary techniques, creating dishes that feel at once nostalgic and completely new. His cooking reflects the warmth, humor, and depth of his home city.
In which way does the city you live in influence your work?
Yusuke Takada: Osaka shapes my cooking through both its seriousness and playfulness. People in Kansai are sensitive to humor and never forget laughter and sincerity. Growing up in this environment, I value temperature and space in my cooking. La Cime welcomes guests from all over the world, yet the Osaka atmosphere softens everyone a little. This city combines warmth with sophistication, naturally embracing any culture. My cooking, too, transcends genres and borders through free, human expression.
What do you love most about the creative process?
YT: I love the process itself more than the finished dish. Thinking, tasting, adjusting, sensing – that is where the passion lies. Before cooking, I gather information about the guests and the weather. Their context blends into each dish. Seeing guests delighted is joyful, but the true joy is the journey leading up to that smile. Experimenting, making mistakes, refining—that is what brings me to life.
A selection of culinary creations at La Cime.
What does “innovation” mean to you in your work?
YT: Innovation isn’t about novelty or visual gimmicks. True innovation reveals the essence already present in ingredients, memories, and traditions. My role as a chef is to rediscover this meaning and translate it into emotion. When Japanese sensibility meets technique, classical or contemporary, a moment emerges that feels both nostalgic and entirely new. Innovation lives quietly in taste, scent, and texture.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
YT: I have never felt a dish is fully complete. Every dish is like a sentence waiting for someone else to write the next part. I pause in the kitchen when I feel a quiet balance, but a dish truly comes alive the moment it meets the guest. Cooking is a dialogue, not a monologue.
MYCITY: FUKUOKA WITH RYOKATO
Rug designer ryokato at work in his studio.
ryokato is a rug artist and designer based in Tokyo and Fukuoka. He crafts each rug by hand using techniques honed at a traditional mat factory in Tokushima Prefecture and engages in genre-defying collaborations with artists and brands. His motto is “made with love.”
In which way does the city you live in influence your work?
ryokato: Currently based in both Tokyo and Fukuoka, I maintain an environment that allows me to work flexibly, both domestically and internationally. Tokyo is a place of constant change and renewal, full of diverse people, information, and cultures. It is stimulating and expands my sensibilities. Fukuoka, in contrast, is a compact city with its own unique culture and close-knit communities. It offers warmth and intimacy that allow for deeper sharing within relationships.
Living in Fukuoka through a new perspective has enriched my approach. Working between these two cities gives me both speed in accessing information and depth in connecting with people. I feel this balance profoundly influences my work. Not being tied to one location allows me to encounter new people and experiences, bringing new values and emotions into my creative process.
What do you love most about the creative process?
RK: I love the moments of inspiration that come from casual conversations with people. My creative process rarely happens in isolation; it stems from emotions and ideas sparked by interaction. The seeds sown in casual conversation often blossom into work or experience. Since becoming a solo artist, I feel completely immersed in this cycle, where emotions are passed from creation to recipient and spark new feelings.
"A work's meaning is amplified when it conveys human warmth," says the artist about his approach.
What does “innovation” mean to you in your work?
RK: I don’t feel the need to create something revolutionary. Innovation, to me, is more human and fundamental. In an era of overwhelming information and speed, there is value in crafting experiences that stir the heart through genuine human connection. Technical skill is essential, but a work’s meaning is amplified when it conveys human warmth. Balancing craftsmanship with emotional resonance is my approach to innovation.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
RK: I don’t declare a work finished myself. Completion is decided by whoever receives it. A work gains value when it passes into someone’s hands, is nurtured in their life, and becomes linked to their memories and emotions. As the object circulates, new stories emerge. When this cycle begins, the work is truly complete.
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Thank you to everyone, who has shaped our journey in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Osaka — we look forward to welcoming you in our stores across Japan.