Designed by Nara-based design studio A4, tumi-isi (積み石; ‘stacking stones’ in Japanese) are a set of 5 blocks individually hand bevelled into asymmetrical shapes by local artisans. No two sets are identical. These tactile objects are meant to nourish your sense of balance and creativity, while also transporting you back to that river where you stacked stones as high as you could.
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The quaint village of Fujimi is located near the border of Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures. Time tends to pass a bit more slowly here where rice paddies overlook the Southern Alps, Mt. Yatsugatake, and Mt. Fuji. It’s here that architect-extraordinaire Terunobu Fujimori decided to build his first-ever guest lodge.
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Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms of daily life. And while their existence can be taken for granted, their many forms and colors add to the uniqueness of each neighborhood they traverse. Capturing the scenery of the city and the warmth of trains lines that envelop them throughout the seasons is street-walking illustrator Shinjiro Ogawa.
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All images ©Daisuke Shima courtesy of G Architects Studio
Suetomi, the well-established Japanese wagashi shop in Kyoto, has started a new brand of café called AoQ. The design for their take-out only café, which stands along Karasuma-dori, a busy street that leads from Kyoto Station, was undertaken by architect Ryohei Tanaka of G Architects Studio.
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Kei Endo is an accomplished architect and draughtswoman. And she also enjoys staying at hotels, which was the beginning of a wonderful side-hustle that brought together the best of both her worlds, and resulted in a new book deal. Endo reports on the hotels she stays in through detailed, accurate and colorful survey drawings that capture everything from room measurements and layouts to color palettes and amenities. We featured her work last year and, since then, her sketches have become so popular she’s decided to turn them into a book.
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all photos by Eiichi Yoshioka courtesy Kei Atsumi
Japanese wood joinery dates back to the seventh century and is a craftsmanship technique that involves complicated, interlocking wooden joints that form bonds without the use of nails, screws or adhesives. Practical use of these woodworking techniques, known as tsugite, has been dwindling over the years due to their complexity but a team of designers, after 3 years of research, have unveiled a building technique that combines 3D printing with wood joinery.
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MUJI’s new rentable townhouse in Kamogawa
MUJI, everyone’s favorite Japanese lifestyle retailer, has been in the homebuilding business for over 15 years. But in a new initiative they’re calling MUJI Base, the company has begun restorring, renovating and renting countryside ‘kominka‘ townhouses, all stocked with minimalist MUJI merchandise. Their first home is located in Kamogawa, a coastal city in Chiba just an hour and a half drive from central Tokyo.
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photos by Daici Ano courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects
We have a serious case of real estate envy here. House in Saiko is a holiday home that overlooks Mount Fuji on the shore of Lake Saiko, one of the five Fuji Lakes. Designed by architect Keiji Ashizawa, and completed in 2017, the house integrates landscape and living room through stepping stones that lead from the outside into the inside where a large camphor-wood tabletop evokes the majestic cliffs and beautiful forests that surround the home.
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Takane Elementary School and Takane No.2 Dam | images courtesy Hida Takayama
A key strategy to reducing our environmental impact involves integrating principles of a circular economy that prioritizes reuse, recovery, and refurbishment of existing infrastructure and resources. The Hida Takayama Distillery is doing just that with a new initiative to transform an abandoned school into a whiskey distillery.
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All images © Nacasa & Partners courtesy Klein Dytham Architecture
“We want people to come in here, and we want them to fall in love with the idea of playing music,” said Edward Cole, Fender President Asia-Pacific.
Fender, the iconic guitar brand, has opened its first-ever flagship store in Harajuku, Tokyo, riding on the wave of soaring demand of Guitars during the COVID-19 pandemic. The store’s mission is to attract both seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers and nurture the love for playing guitar.
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OrySnack: The Bar Where Bartenders Work From Home
Tokyo is Gearing Up for an Art-Filled Fall. And the Entire City is Here for It
Winners of Japan’s 2027 Packaging Design Awards
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
