For centuries, dreams have been used to predict the future, and everyone has their own way of interpreting the signs. However, there’s one dream in particular sets the tone for your luck in the new year.
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A New Year’s message from us.
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Like a sale, but more fun.
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More than perhaps any other culture, Japan has turned gift giving into an art form. When it comes to the holidays, the ritual of gift giving is as important, if not more, than the gift itself.
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Every Halloween we share a scary folktale that's been keeping Japanese children up at night for centuries. This year's tale is adapted from Lafcadio Hearn's Kwaidan, a classic book of Japanese ghost stories.
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Zombies, giant skeletons, inkspots that come alive in the night… the bizarre world of Japanese demons is always one step ahead of our imagination.
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Every so often we’ll share a few thoughts on the books we’re reading outside the office. For the first time in the history of Rikumo Book Club, we bring you one story in two forms: a cult video game and its novelization by one of the most important contemporary Japanese writers.
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Anyone who’s ever sat through a bad comedy sketch knows how hard it can be to find someone who is truly funny. In the hands of a gifted storyteller, though, even the dullest story can make us laugh. And no comedian is more studied, intuitive, or gifted than the one who performs rakugo.
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Our concept store recently had the honor of hosting Setsuhi Shiraishi, a Japanese master calligraphist and performance artist. Accompanied by jazz music, Setsushi created two large-scale works of calligraphy on paper before a live audience.
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From its humble beginnings in the fire pits of Wakayama to its modern use as a water purifier and skin cleanser, binchotan charcoal is an ancient resource that continues to fascinate.
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Tokyo is a sprawling, metropolitan city that contains over 30 major neighborhoods, each with its own unique residents and personality. Connecting many of them is the Yamanote Line, a cyclical elevated train line built in 1925. It is considered Tokyo’s most important train line and is arguably, the best way to see the city.
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Long ago, when we were wanderers of a wild Earth, our lives came to be ruled by the cosmic spectacle of the moon. Nowhere was this more true than in Japan, where the moon takes a leading role in poetry, art, and folklore.
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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 holiday celebrates the star-crossed lovers Vega and Altair, who can only meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month.
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Time imposes limitations on everyone, but aging doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down.
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Known as the "princess tree," paulownia wood is a high-quality material closely connected to female identity in Japan. Learn why it remains a deeply symbolic natural material to this day.
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Chopstick etiquette can be difficult. Here are a few tips to make sure you're using yours well.
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If you grew up in Japan, it's likely your growth was marked by the books, board games, toys and TV shows of your youth. Here are three picture book series that Japanese kids have enjoyed for years.
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