The resurgence of the Moleskine notebook — said to have been used by the likes of Matisse, Van Gogh and Hemingway — has not only seen it evolve, but take on unexpected shapes and formats. The latest incarnation sees it turn into a city guide, offering up maps and tabbed sections — to keep track of all the spots you encounter during your travels — for a selection of cities. The latest two additions to the Moleskine City Notebook line are Tokyo and Kyoto, arriving to the series with the same amount of care and detail seen with previous editions. The two Moleskine guides retail for ¥2,940 each, and you can currently catch examples of them as used by a host of Tokyo-based creators in the "My Oasis in Tokyo" exhibition, being held in various shops — see the Japanese Moleskine Web site for more details.

moleskine.co.jp

The Shishishikki collection of dishes may look like the latest in a long line of traditional Japanese lacquerware, but to the surprise of many, it's actually made up of paper plates in disguise. The secret to the product — produced for the small EXS brand by designer Tomohiro Yamaguchi — is that each paper piece is covered with a coating of lacquer, which not only contributes to the deceitful appearance, but manages to build on the advantages offered by each material. The paper base gives it flexibility and a foldable quality, while the lacquer coating adds strength, allows for the vivid colors on display, and make the plates resistant to water. There's no better way to class up the weekend picnic.