The Ghetto in Shin-Okubo: A Love For Skate Culture
Monday, January 21st, 2008
PingMag has published my translation of the article ” The Ghetto in Shin-Okubo: A Love For Skate Culture.”
The first time I stumbled upon The Ghetto it was actually not in its physical environment of Shin-Okubo – but in a vivid Flickr group. The thing is, you encounter Love Hotels, Asian restaurants and loads of shops selling star stickers of Korean singers in this diverse neighbourhood. But you wouldn’t fanthom finding a former Love Hotel turned into a graffiti space with several skater shops and a bar – and a skate ramp in the lobby. After a renovation with lots of care for every detail, the space opened finally more than a year ago. Lovely! PingMag had a chat with skater Akihiko “AKO” Ohashi who runs it now since his grandmother handed over the reigns. Read the full story>>