Until the 19th century, lunar rhythms dictated daily comings and goings in Japan. The phases of the moon were named after what people were doing as they waited for the moon to rise.
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The role of the artist is often a lonely one, full of rejection, self-doubt and alienation. Sometimes, however, you find a collaborator that inspires you in ways you never even dreamed of.
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We talk to Francheska Snyder, Head Gardener at Shofuso Japanese House about the ways in which gardening has changed her life, the challenges and responsibilities of maintaining a historical landmark, and the importance of taking breaks.
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Though it once was the dominant form of literary expression, poetry has since been eclipsed by prose for most of the world. Not so in Japan, where the influence of one particular 13th century collection has inspired works of art and even games.
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Vincent Feldman, an urban architecture photographer and university lecturer, shares his creative journey with us.
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Work, life, and writing lessons from Japan’s most important contemporary writer.
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Jun Kaneko is a prolific Japanese ceramicist who has made large-scale sculptures and even opera costumes. In his latest exhibition at Locks Gallery, “New Work" expresses the complex nature of individuality: celebratory yet also potentially isolating.
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What’s the difference? It’s all in the terroir.
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Sake is Japan’s national drink, with rituals, traditions, and rules of its own. Here’s how to drink it correctly.
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Expat. Intellectual. Writer. As one of the first writers to venture outside of Japan, Natsume Soseki documented the struggle of finding your place in a modern world without losing your identity.
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The making of a Karmi tea canister can take up to a year to complete. Here’s a look inside the mind of its creator.
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Printmaker and poet William Morris is best remembered for writing “The Earthly Paradise”. He had no idea that his artistry and writings would eventually inspire Yanagi Soetsu to begin the Japanese folk art movement.
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Though fall and spring are popular subjects in Japanese art and literature, there is a tendency to avoid lingering for too long on the bitterly cold nights of winter. This means that, for over 700 years, winter was painted in idealized tones almost as gentle as our own holiday memories.
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When it comes to creating a legacy, perhaps no artist has a bigger impact in the art they leave behind than the architect. After all, what other job requires your projects to outlive you?
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On endings and beginnings.
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Every month we share one story with you that has been shared many times before. In this season of gratitude, we honor the legacy of Japanese stone cutters and other craftsmen who persevere in humble circumstances.
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We took a field trip to Longwood Gardens, where over 16,000 chrysanthemum blooms fill up the conservatory in celebration of the Japanese Chrysanthemum Festival.
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Discover the fascinating ritual of the Japanese tea ceremony.
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