This luxury doghouse was created in 2007 for a sales event at a department store in Tokyo and designed in collaboration with a maker of high-end pet goods. It’s worth3.9 million yen (32,000 dollars).

The most expensive doghouse in the world, large enough for a Chihuahua or terrier, is decorated with 7,600 crystal beads and has a pillow in the shape of Hello Kitty’s face.

“There’s been a boom in luxury couches for larger dogs, so we thought there might be room for something new,” said a Sanrio (the company behind Hello Kitty) spokesman.

Mercer has just released its top 50 most expensive cities in the world based on cost of living.

Mercer’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2008 is used to help multinational companies and governments determine living costs for their expatriate employees, who usually demand a relatively high quality of life.

Mercer’s survey covers 253 cities across six continents and measured the relative cost of over 200 items in each place, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

Takei-Nabeshima-Architects (TNA) designed a country retreat in the town of Karuizawa outside Tokyo, Japan, wrapped in rings of glass and wood and has an uninterrupted 360 degree view of the forest.

TNA designed rings around the facade so that areas of private spaces and utilities could be met. The height of each ring was decided by the function concealed behind it.
The glass between the rings allow you to look straight into the forest, so the whole house appears to dissolve into the forest.

Built on Owners’ Hill, a resort in the Karuizawa forest near Tokyo, Ring House occupies one of the hundred or so plots set aside for city dwellers to build weekend retreats.

Via worldarchitecturenews

This diamond studded platinum handbag was on display recently in Tokyo by jewelry maker Ginza Tanaka.

Valued at $1.63 million dollars, this bag is shaped out of pure platinum and boasts 2,182 diamonds totaling 208 carats – Via lifeontop

Highly visible, more than a thousand Swarovski boutiques and concessions are located in all major fashion capitals around the world. Now, Swarovski opened a new flagship store in Tokyo’s renowned Ginza district on Saturday, March 29, 2008.

It will showcase the entire Daniel Swarovski Couture Line and the jewellery and accessories from the Swarovski fashion collection.

Three exclusive Ginza limited edition pieces will be available at this particular flagship store: the Black Elvis Pendant, the Signature Necklace and the Signature Power Evening Bag.

Modelled on the flagship store, all of the other Swarovski boutiques will be refurbished from 2008 according to the new architectural concept. These new design concepts have resulted from the collaboration between Swarovski and the famous Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka.

Inside the Ginza boutique the “Crystal Forest” comes to life. All of the walls are textured with reflective white relief prisms of various lengths. These faceted, multi-layered elements create visual depth and exude an internal rhythm. For this one-of-a-kind boutique, named Swarovski Ginza, the conventions of design are challenged by bringing the “inside to the outside”. An experience to embrace when in Tokyo!

Kittymania has been raging over this globe since more then three decades, but to bear out her supremacy, folks at Sanrio have created the world’s biggest statue of Hello Kitty.

Unveiled in Tokyo, this Hello Kitty stands tall at 2.5 meter and is 1.7 meter wide. Covered with tiles, she certainly looks much larger then her usual petite structure.