Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
@gchicco.com
Creative producer, storyteller & conference director working at the intersection of design, technology and craft. Curious. Japanophile. Writer of The Craftsman Newsletter.
https://gchicco.com
https://thecraftsman.email
https://gchicco.com
https://thecraftsman.email
Hope these work (coming out in about a year) and eventually become affordable: ‘Autofocus’ glasses can change their lenses in real time
edition.cnn.com/science/auto...
edition.cnn.com/science/auto...
‘Autofocus’ glasses can change their lenses in real time | CNN
Finnish eyewear company IXI is gearing up to launch smart glasses that look just like ordinary spectacles, but are able to “autofocus” based on the perceived needs of the wearer.
edition.cnn.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Hope these work (coming out in about a year) and eventually become affordable: ‘Autofocus’ glasses can change their lenses in real time
edition.cnn.com/science/auto...
edition.cnn.com/science/auto...
Meet 'Mountain Eel', a chashaku I carved under the guidance of master Kyokko Kaida.
www.gchicco.com/mountain-eel...
www.gchicco.com/mountain-eel...
Mountain Eel: Making Chashaku with Kaida Sensei
When I confirmed my return to Kyoto, I took it as an opportunity to progress in my chashaku-making. My friend Toshiyuki Matsubayashi from the Asahiyaki kiln recommended we visit Mai Miyake's studio in...
www.gchicco.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Meet 'Mountain Eel', a chashaku I carved under the guidance of master Kyokko Kaida.
www.gchicco.com/mountain-eel...
www.gchicco.com/mountain-eel...
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
An interview with William Gibson on men's wear fashion in Japan of all things.
- Buzz Rickson collaborated with him because he included their brand in Pattern Recognition.
- He's apparently a fan of Acronym & Self Edge.
-A conversation on simulacra & authenticity
www.heddels.com/2015/03/will...
- Buzz Rickson collaborated with him because he included their brand in Pattern Recognition.
- He's apparently a fan of Acronym & Self Edge.
-A conversation on simulacra & authenticity
www.heddels.com/2015/03/will...
William Gibson Interview: His Buzz Rickson's Line, Tech Wear, and the Limits of Authenticity
We interview sci-fi author William Gibson about his line with Buzz Rickson's, vintage, and how the internet has changed men's fashion.
www.heddels.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:11 PM
An interview with William Gibson on men's wear fashion in Japan of all things.
- Buzz Rickson collaborated with him because he included their brand in Pattern Recognition.
- He's apparently a fan of Acronym & Self Edge.
-A conversation on simulacra & authenticity
www.heddels.com/2015/03/will...
- Buzz Rickson collaborated with him because he included their brand in Pattern Recognition.
- He's apparently a fan of Acronym & Self Edge.
-A conversation on simulacra & authenticity
www.heddels.com/2015/03/will...
Senke Jusshoku: The Ten Craft Families of Tea Ceremony -> www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
Senke Jusshoku: The Ten Craft Families of Tea Ceremony - NEO-JAPONISM | NHK WORLD-JAPAN
The Senke Jusshoku are ten legendary craft families that have been making tea ceremony utensils for centuries. We were given unprecedented access to their closely guarded practices for over a year.
www3.nhk.or.jp
December 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Senke Jusshoku: The Ten Craft Families of Tea Ceremony -> www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...
I wrote about the SUI COLLECTION, presented in Kyoto last month. It'ss the Cabinet Office of Japan’s strategic pitch to global markets that the country has much more to offer by leveraging its craftsmanship and culinary excellence.
www.gchicco.com/the-structur...
www.gchicco.com/the-structur...
The Structure of Sui: Exporting Japan's Quiet Luxury
In November I made an unexpected return to Japan* after a 2-year hiatus to attend the presentation of the JAPAN SUI COLLECTION at the Kyōto Geihinkan (Kyoto State Guest House) within the Imperial Park...
www.gchicco.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I wrote about the SUI COLLECTION, presented in Kyoto last month. It'ss the Cabinet Office of Japan’s strategic pitch to global markets that the country has much more to offer by leveraging its craftsmanship and culinary excellence.
www.gchicco.com/the-structur...
www.gchicco.com/the-structur...
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
“Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”
This is the posthumous message left by Gil Gerard. The actor who played Buck Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) has just passed away at the age of 82.
This is the posthumous message left by Gil Gerard. The actor who played Buck Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) has just passed away at the age of 82.
Gil Gerard Dies At 82: Star Of ‘Buck Rogers’ Leaves Posthumous Message For Fans
Gil Gerard, the star of 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century' who battled cancer, advised, "Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love"
deadline.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:41 AM
“Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”
This is the posthumous message left by Gil Gerard. The actor who played Buck Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) has just passed away at the age of 82.
This is the posthumous message left by Gil Gerard. The actor who played Buck Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) has just passed away at the age of 82.
I don't blog enough but definitely enjoy it more than instagramming. Latest post is on an unexpected trip to Kyoto www.gchicco.com/salt-and-pep...
Salt and Pepper at Kennin-ji
If you asked me barely a month ago, I would have told you that I was feeling down because I hadn’t been able to return to Japan in two years. And then, thanks to a tip by Eric during a press tour in D...
www.gchicco.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I don't blog enough but definitely enjoy it more than instagramming. Latest post is on an unexpected trip to Kyoto www.gchicco.com/salt-and-pep...
I put together a list of (mostly) UK related/based books and ceramics you can use as inspiration for your Christmas gifts: www.gchicco.com/winter-speci...
Winter Special 2025: Books and Ceramics
There are two things I’m partial to and will often indulge in without too much thinking: books and ceramics. From my point of view, you can never have too much of any of them :)
I'm returning moment...
www.gchicco.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I put together a list of (mostly) UK related/based books and ceramics you can use as inspiration for your Christmas gifts: www.gchicco.com/winter-speci...
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
A tiny Japan moment made it into the FT’s Working It: a robot tour guide showing me around, operated remotely by a disabled worker elsewhere in the country. A reminder that the real future of work is human (and also kawaai)
December 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM
A tiny Japan moment made it into the FT’s Working It: a robot tour guide showing me around, operated remotely by a disabled worker elsewhere in the country. A reminder that the real future of work is human (and also kawaai)
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
November 13, 2025 at 5:52 AM
As a knowledge worker perennially in front of a screen, learning traditional hand skills, even briefly, offers something irreplaceable.
October 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
As a knowledge worker perennially in front of a screen, learning traditional hand skills, even briefly, offers something irreplaceable.
Difficult to disagree with any of it: Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
on.ft.com/46M9mXI Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world. Free to Read.
Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
Design was once seen as a tool to improve lives — but as modernism has become marketing, that sense of social purpose has drifted away
on.ft.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Difficult to disagree with any of it: Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
My sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship during London Design Festival a couple of weeks ago. Featuring lots of sake, roses and chopstick-making -> www.gchicco.com/sketches-of-...
Sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship in London, September 2025
Sketches are my half-baked ideas, projects and notes for articles. I scribble them on napkins, random notebook pages or in my phone’s notes app.
Today's missive is from several activities I took par...
www.gchicco.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
My sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship during London Design Festival a couple of weeks ago. Featuring lots of sake, roses and chopstick-making -> www.gchicco.com/sketches-of-...
@olereissmann.de hello! I came across your ramen.haus via Kristoffer Tjalve (and rotatingsandwiches.com). Inspired my to work on a personal project re: crafts. Have you written a tutorial on how to make images/videos of rotating objects?
RamenHaus
ramen.haus
September 27, 2025 at 8:29 AM
@olereissmann.de hello! I came across your ramen.haus via Kristoffer Tjalve (and rotatingsandwiches.com). Inspired my to work on a personal project re: crafts. Have you written a tutorial on how to make images/videos of rotating objects?
I have a handful of invites for Comet, the AI broswer from Perplexity. Ping me with your email if you want one: www.perplexity.ai/comet
Comet Browser: A personal AI assistant
Comet Browser by Perplexity is the AI browser that acts as a personal assistant. Automate tasks, research the web, organize your email, and more with Comet.
www.perplexity.ai
September 11, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I have a handful of invites for Comet, the AI broswer from Perplexity. Ping me with your email if you want one: www.perplexity.ai/comet
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
I'm giving away the last few copies of my book, from the early print runs in 2021/22. Email me if you'd like one! Details here: gilest.org/notes/free-b...
gilest.org: Free copies of my book for charities
gilest.org
August 27, 2025 at 8:09 AM
I'm giving away the last few copies of my book, from the early print runs in 2021/22. Email me if you'd like one! Details here: gilest.org/notes/free-b...
August 26, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Equally looking forward and afraid about this doc on Jeff Buckley. Trailer: youtu.be/DRrcgLRX8Qc?...
August 6, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Equally looking forward and afraid about this doc on Jeff Buckley. Trailer: youtu.be/DRrcgLRX8Qc?...
Decline is inevitable, and it occurs earlier than almost any of us wants to believe. But misery is not inevitable.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think
Here’s how to make the most of it.
www.theatlantic.com
August 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Decline is inevitable, and it occurs earlier than almost any of us wants to believe. But misery is not inevitable.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
Looking for a Substack alternative? What about @ghost.org?
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
Ghost 6.0 is here — meet our biggest upgrade yet
🫶 Reach millions of users across the social web
🔎 Understand what works with native analytics
➕ Powerful new creator tools
📈 $100M earned for indie publishers
ghost.org/6/
🫶 Reach millions of users across the social web
🔎 Understand what works with native analytics
➕ Powerful new creator tools
📈 $100M earned for indie publishers
ghost.org/6/
Ghost 6.0 - Grow faster.
Connect to the world's largest open publishing network, understand your audience with native analytics, and build a sustainable publishing business.
ghost.org
August 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Looking for a Substack alternative? What about @ghost.org?
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"I don't want to survive, I want to live!"
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
Aliveness (what machines can't make)
Have you ever held an object and felt the maker's presence in your hands?
In art they call it 'aura'. It's what distinguishes an original painting from its reproduction, what you hear in Miles Davis ...
www.gchicco.com
August 3, 2025 at 12:45 PM
"I don't want to survive, I want to live!"
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
Aonishiki didn't win the last Sumo championship on Sunday but he'll get there much sooner than later: youtu.be/EoVbRevoQfU?...
Blue Whirlwind - A Ukrainian sumo wrestler
YouTube video by Wegwezen
youtu.be
July 28, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Aonishiki didn't win the last Sumo championship on Sunday but he'll get there much sooner than later: youtu.be/EoVbRevoQfU?...
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
I wrote a post about visiting the last stamp store in Chicago and living a life that’s fun, but worthless. I really like this one, hope you do too. dansinker.com/posts/202…
July 18, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I wrote a post about visiting the last stamp store in Chicago and living a life that’s fun, but worthless. I really like this one, hope you do too. dansinker.com/posts/202…
Join us! Starting in 50 minutes, online conversation with potter Tarragon Smith
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
Off the Hump: Poetry of Clay with Tarragon Smith
This webinar is part of The Summer Sessions: Craft & Design, a series of online conversations with craftspeople, designers, academics and storytellers. The previous one was on miracle fibres from Pata...
www.gchicco.com
July 10, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Join us! Starting in 50 minutes, online conversation with potter Tarragon Smith
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...