Hello, my name is Mori Nahoko, I'm the editor-in-chief of a culture magazine called "+81". I was asked to do this "diary" for REALTOKYO, so you will find a few lines from me here more or less regularly. As I'm used to using a rather stiff kind of language in the magazine, this page will be a place where I'll probably just let it flow and write down all kinds of things off the top of my head. Things that I liked or disliked; things that shocked, puzzled or enlightened me; big things and small things…

 

 

October 18

I attend a preview screening of the movie "Nothing but the Truth", primarily because it was made/written/directed by 16 members of the NIKE Skateboarding team. Yep, it’s definitely about freedom. It’s difficult to explain, but skateboarding to me is simply the coolest, freest, most exciting and stimulating thing I can think of. It’s an art that’s permanently "in progress", and we're in fact planning a special skating culture issue of "+81" for sometime in 2008. That’s where my own roots are, and I'm getting pretty excited when thinking about how to communicate that in he form of articles in our mag. I guess the first thing I'll do is practice more…

 

October 19

With every step in life comes a new experience, and a new slice of knowledge. That’s basically helpful, but sometimes it can also dull one’s sensations and instincts. I for one am quite often stepping in my own traps. It’s straight sensitivity and naked curiosity that helps one find that tiny little spark in well familiar sceneries or music, or in conversations with good friends. As a matter of course, it also happens that I get totally cynical, or bewildered. In such situations it helps when I take a deep breath, fill my body with clear and fresh air, and spit out all that muddy gruel. Today’s another deep-breath-day. I'm seeing that gruel thing clearly in front of me, while beginning to work on the next issue. I should have started two days ago. I realize that there are far too many articles that aren't done yet. The more things you find that you feel you have to throw in, and the more you think about how to make it all fit, the closer to impossible it gets to get a good article together.

 

October 22

Discoveries, assimilation, and learning - that’s what we do over and over again while growing up. But what I found out is that sometimes rediscovering things is better than coming across things for the first time.

 

October 31

We decide on the cover for the next issue (Vol. 38) of "+81" that comes out on November 10. Takahashi-san from Under Cover made three patterns for us to choose from, and it wasn't easy to pick one. But now that it’s decided, it appears to me as if it’s been the one from the first moment I saw it. The cover’s a hot one, about the contents I'm going to write later.

 

November 1

Our editorial team is a real team. We're all in the same boat and travel together to all kinds of places. There’s one who takes the helm and one who sets the sails; there are those who row, those in charge of food, and those in charge of communication. There are a variety of different characters playing different roles. There are times when we all enjoy the glittering surface of the beautiful sea, and times when we battle against thunderstorms and rough sea. No matter how good or bad the conditions, we keep sailing the vast seas toward the great unknown land. This is my third issue as an editor-in-chief, and as I used to travel by myself before assuming the editor’s job, I'm still having a hard time at the wheel. However, I have a pretty clear picture of the treasure island we're heading for in my mind, and I'm sure we're going to get there if we stand together. As there are things one can only do by oneself, and others one can only do together, there are places one can only reach in a team. Not all that glitters is gold in real life, but it definitely is on our own treasure island.

 

November 6

We've been doing release parties for every new issue since I was appointed editor-in-chief for Vol. 36 of "+81". The idea behind these parties is to show people how the magazine is being made, and by what a funny bunch of people. And of course a thought along the lines of, "we work together, so let’s party together!" The first party (somewhere in Nakameguro) was an absolutely underground kind of thing, for which we rented a mirror ball, laser and smoke equipment and all that kind of frippery. I'm sure I was the wildest chick on the dancefloor when DJ Hikaru was spinning. That was FUN! For the second party we hooked with The North Face a pretty strong partner, who let us do our party at their Harajuku shop on Meiji-Dori. That party marked at once the start of the "Think Global, Act Local." collaboration project of "+81" with The North Face and three guest artists. The party itself was for invited guests only, after which the exhibition embarked on a tour to North Face shops across Japan. This time’s guest artist is Anekawa Taku. What he does with yarn and embroidery comes across with a strange 3-D kind of shade effect that’s only really overwhelming when seeing the real thing, so if you have the chance, go and check out his works.

 

November 9

Meeting (and drinking) with Yamashita-san, our creative director and former editor-in-chief. Considering that the two of us were the only people making the magazine when I joined this company, things worked our quite well I'd say. Later at night we meet "Dazed Japan" an "Nylon Japan" editor Togawa-san, and in front of someone who knew me since I was a young girl, I seized he opportunity and talked about all that sense and nonsense that’s been occupying my brain these days. Different magazines are built upon different plans and philosophies. For myself, there are things I CAN do, things I SHOULD do, and things I WANT to do. Surely I'm still rather clumsy, but I'll keep going step by step. Sooner or later that'll get me to the future.