Gay gassmann
Home / gay topics / Gay gassmann
GG: Even though you can find this in other places, I never go to Tokyo without stocking up on all things Hello Kitty and friends. I am just as excited to be eating shaved ice with matcha as I am to be going to the Mori Museum, where we will be lucky enough to be there for the STARS: Six Contemporary Artists from Japan to the World show, featuring Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
I never go anywhere without a lightweight spring coat and a big cashmere scarf that serves as an evening wrap if necessary.
GG: This place is not so secret, but definitely a gem—I always go to the Sōgetsu headquarters, which was designed by Kenzō Tange and contains a beautiful stone garden by Isamu Noguchi.
The Insider Guide to Tokyo: AD Editor Gay Gassmann Shares Secrets for Exploring the Japanese Capital
Insiders
By Elizabeth Harvey
As a decorative arts historian and an international contributing editor for Architectural Digest, Gay Gassmann is a professional expatriate who splits her time between Paris, New York, Tokyo and beyond.
The AD x Indagare family is growing, and I can’t wait to meet everyone who will be joining us in Tokyo.Related: The Language of Style with Architectural Digest’s Mitchell Owens and Gay GassmannWhat makes Tokyo unique in terms of design, art and architecture? It offers a resource for architects, stylists, and collectors who share his fascination with spaces that feel deliberate yet accommodating.
Everything is exciting, for all the senses. GG: Every neighborhood in that city has its own unique charm. Paper products—not the toaster!Related: 14 Insider Journeys to Book NowWho are some of your favorite Japanese designers, artists or artisans? GG: Anything with tofu…fried, cold, hot, with skin, syrupy.Any places that you always make time for in Tokyo?
Tokyo is a bustling urban city, so I will sadly have to leave all of my fun holiday caftans at home—but I will definitely bring something pink! GG: My list is endless…but my current favorites are the young architect Junya Ishigami and, of course, anything by Tadao Ando and Kengo Kuma. I am always working on a few art-driven features, all to be revealed in the pages of AD soon—so stay tuned!
Here, the design insider shares her favorite spots in the Japanese capital, how to tap into the hidden side of Japanese culture and style tips learned while on the road. I’m just as happy walking around Omotesando to see all the architectural luxury stores as I am ducking into a tiny alleyway and discovering a hidden garden.Do you have any secret spots or hidden gems that you love to visit in Tokyo?
GG: Tokyo presents a constant juxtaposition of tradition with the future. A passion for contemporary art and an approach combining modern glamour with effortless charm also define Torrey’s signature.
This volume features photographs by Manolo Yllera, Douglas Friedman, and Tim Lenz, among others.
Andrew Torrey launched his eponymous firm TORREY in 2013 in New York City, focusing on private residential commissions.
Explore all podcast episodes, including our prior partnership with Sirius and our Global Conversation Series.
View allPublished onFebruary 18, 2020
More Inspiration
Plan Your Trip With Us
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand.
She has hosted many of Indagare’s most popular Insider Journeys—to Marrakech, Lisbon, Istanbul and Beirut—and this spring, she is leading another journey in partnership with Architectural Digest to Tokyo, where she will open doors to leading galleries and creative studios. GG: I always find it fun to take a peek into the train stations, just to get a glimpse of real Tokyo life.
It is pure poetry made real by stone, water and a single tree.Related: Niseko, Japan: The Ultimate Travel GuideWhat are your must-pack items for a springtime trip to Tokyo? Hosting these journeys has given me the great pleasure of sharing some of my favorite places, and people, with the adventurous and wonderful guests who join us.