A fixture of Japanese New Year’s celebrations, datemaki is a sweet omelette with a visually striking design. Learn how to make this traditional dish at home with our latest recipe.
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Learn a bit about sakura zensen, the “cherry blossom front” published by Japan’s meteorologists predicting the flower’s peak blooming periods each spring.
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Read a brief accounting of the history behind kirié, the practice of turning sheets of paper into works of art.
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See fireworks illustrated almost 150 years ago by Jinta Hirayama, a forefather of modern Japanese pyrotechnics.
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A quick look at the azumabukuro, an age-old style of lightweight market bag created in Edo Tokyo.
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Learn 12 of the great many uses for tenugui, the slim Japanese towel with countless designs and infinite applications.
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Forge a quiet connection to spring with a centuries-old haiku from poet Kawai Chigetsu, and learn a bit about how Japan celebrates cherry blossom season.
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As throwback looks find new popularity across Japan, dyeing company Takeno Senko Ltd. leverages a one-of-a-kind manufacturing process to create eye-catching textiles that pay homage to retro styles in entirely modern ways. Find out what sets the company’s distinctive Hirali towels, scarves, and tenugui (a type of all-purpose cloth popular in Japan) apart from all the rest.
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To make the most of the season, we knew we needed to fill our stomachs with something warm, soothing, healthy, and hearty. This recipe checks all the boxes. Try our recipe today!
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On June 15th, 2019 an intimate group of art lovers gathered at the Rikumo Concept Store for a special demonstration of Gyotaku fish printing by the artist Michael Reimer. See photos from the workshop and learn more about this unique artform.
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We recently paid a visit to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California to see their current exhibition entitled “The Roots of Monozukuri: The Creative Spirit in Japanese Automaking”. The exhibition examines 60 years of automotive ingenuity and features rarely seen car designs from some of Japan’s greatest car manufacturers.
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For designers and creative minds alike, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows" inspired a new way of looking at the brutal and hopeful world that surrounds us. Here we explore the life-changing essay that inspired so many of our favorite designers.
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Though it swims in a current beyond its control, the carp is born with the ability to fight through streams and cascades. It’s fitting, then, that carps have become a symbol for the energy and resilience of young people.
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A landmark destination once known for its extravagant shrines, the village of Nikko has since retreated into a nature and architecture lover's paradise. Venture inside the little-known village that was once known as a foreign diplomat’s summer paradise.
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Sommeliers are thoughtful, analytical types with the ability to discern the exceptional from the ordinary. In the seaside mills of Imabari, a towel sommelier can make the difference between a good towel and a Japanese towel.
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Cycling is a year-long activity in Japan, even and especially when the weather gets chilly. From gear to ideal routes, we asked our friends at Tokyobike for their best tips.
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On the weeks leading up to the New Year, postmen all over Japan prepare to deliver an onslaught of nengajo, New Year’s cards traditionally shared amongst families and friends. Here’s five things to know about this holiday tradition.
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Phaidon’s latest offering, “The Japanese Garden” is an in-depth exploration of the art, beauty, and cultural significance of the Japanese garden through the ages. In this exclusive excerpt, author Sophie Walker explores reflection as elemental in the design of a Japanese garden.
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