There’s no better time to escape Tokyo than the summer. While beaches and mountain retreats offer temporary relief, there’s another way to flee the capital: follow the art. From giant robotic insects in rural Aomori to a celebration of one of Japan’s most beloved manga artists in Tottori, these five exhibitions offer compelling reasons to venture beyond the usual museum circuit.
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the set of hanashi no izumi, Japan’s very first quiz show
Today, Japan is famous for its quiz culture. Television quiz shows attract millions of viewers, quiz clubs thrive at schools and universities, and trivia competitions remain a popular form of entertainment. But Japan’s fascination with quizzes actually has roots in one of the most transformative periods in the nation’s history: the Allied Occupation after World War II.
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In a surprising announcement, the Hands Shibuya flagship store has informed the public that it will permanently close this November. The official last day has yet to be announced but the sad news comes just 3 years after the store changed ownership and was rebranded from Tokyu Hands to just Hands.
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Tokyo’s Haneda Airport has just released a new line of exclusive penguin merchandise illustrated by Chiharu Sakazaki, the beloved artist behind the iconic Suica Penguin character. Given the news, just 6 months ago, that the Suica penguin would be retired after 25 years of service, observers were quick to wonder: has Suiza Penguin already found a new job?
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Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake has opened a striking new flagship store in Manhattan, marking a major new chapter for the brand in New York City. Located at 45 Madison Avenue inside the historic New York Life Building overlooking Madison Square Park, the two-level, 13,000-square-foot space was designed by New York architecture studio SO-IL.
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Shizuoka has long been Japan’s most iconic tea-producing region. But in today’s global market, heritage alone doesn’t guarantee recognition. Several years ago, Shizuoka was overtaken for the first time by Kagoshima in terms of the value of tea production. The global boom in matcha-powdered green tea has spurred increased competition not just in Japan, but internationally. The situation has led to impurity and even fraud, with some dubbing our times “The Wild West” of tea. The JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA branding project is a focused effort to translate Shizuoka’s legacy into a clear, modern identity that resonates worldwide.
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Penguins, the way they waddle around and protect their eggs, are often thought of as cute, cuddly and romantic. But those who observe them for extended periods know they have a dark side. Two aquariums in Japan, Kyoto Aquarium and Sumida Aquarium, have been keeping obsessive tabs on their penguins, maintaining an updating annual flowcharts that visualizes all their penguin drama. They recently dropped their 2026 versions, and this year there are English versions!
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The Kokuyo Design Awards, (previously) arguably Japan’s most-prestigious stationery design award, has been held for almost a quarter of a century now. Hosted by 120-year old stationery firm KOKUYO, the award receives close to 1500 entries each year for new products that have yet to be commercialized, with winning concepts given the opportunity to become real-life products.
For this year’s theme—hamon: design that resonates—designers were asked to submit concepts based on their own unique, lived experience, which in turn has the potential to resonate with society. One winner and three merit awards were announced last month.
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a clay pot by the artist Nara Yoshitomo
What happens when some of Japan’s most celebrated creatives step outside their usual disciplines and into the world of clay? That’s the question at the heart of “The Other Ceramics,” an exhibition currently on view at the BANKO Archive Design Museum in Yokaichi, Mie prefecture.
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In the heart of Shibuya—a district known for youth culture and constant reinvention—a refreshingly different kind of café has just opened its doors. G-CHA & Ba-CHA is not just another trendy tea stand; it’s a celebration of energy, community, and a reimagining of what it means to grow older.
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Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Architect Tsuyoshi Tane Transforms 100-Year Old Brick Brewery into the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art
In Post-War Japan, the United States Used Quiz Culture to Help Democratize the Country
Designed by Kengo Kuma, Kiki’s Museum of Literature to Open in Tokyo
Metabolism Poster by Kisho Kurokawa
