Japanese illustrator Ryo Takemasa (previously) has created a series of symmetrical fruit illustrations in collaboration with Hermes, which adorn a new collection of tableware called Kaorumi, meaning the fragrance of fruits in Japanese. Working with a compass and ruler, Takemasa composed perfectly symmetrical shapes that are complimented by delicate shades and textures.
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Commonly associated with the new year, Daruma dolls are a type of wishing doll considered an ornament but also a symbol of good fortune and the ultimate lucky charm. With its austere, rounded form, intense expression, and distinctive eyebrows, the Daruma doll was originally modeled after the 5th-century founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma.
Japanese leather bagmaker Tsuchiya Kaban has created a hand-crafted leather bag whose sole purpose is to carry a Daruma doll.
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Yakitori lovers take note. Grilling yakitori at home just got a lot easier thanks to the new Yakitorill: a combination of the words yakitori and grill. This beautiful kitchen appliance, developed by Fukuoka-based firm Guardner, promises less smoke and an overall cleaner experience, making makes at-home yakitori parties less messier and more stylish.
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Happy New Year of the snake! In Japanese art and mythology, the snake is a complex figure that represents both auspiciousness and malevolence. Snakes are revered as sacred beings, embodying themes of renewal, fertility, and the duality of nature as both protector and destroyer. And as tradition goes, we’ve put together our favorite nengajo, or New Years cards, from Japanese artists and designers featuring this year’s zodiac animal in all its colorful forms. We present to you, in no particular order, some inspiring artwork in hopes that 2025 will be full of surprises.
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If you’re doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in Tokyo, try and swing by some of these locations where you’ll find the best seasonal yet unorthodox designer Christmas trees. Happy Holidays!
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As we wind down our 17th (!) year of blogging, we embark on our annual exercise of ranking our most popular posts based on viewership. It’s always fun and interesting to see what captivated readers the most. Japan began 2024 on a rough note as a large earthquake wreaked havoc on the Noto region. But spirits improved as Shohei Otani and numerous Japanese athletes in the Olympics displayed sportsmanship and athletic excellence, encouraging the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society to proclaim 金 (gold) as the kanji of the year.
Japan is also undergoing an unprecedented surge in global interest and tourism, which is bringing a new set of challenges. But as Japan plans to host the World Expo in Osaka next year, we’re confident the country will emerge stronger and and healthier than before. And now, on to our top 10!
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all photos courtesy yourhighschool_kimitsu
There’s a large swath of Japanese manga and anime that takes place in high school. There’s also a large and growing fan base of Japanese manga outside Japan. Plus, Japan just happens to have a lot of abandoned schools owing to their shrinking population. All those forces have converged, resulting in Kimino High School (君ノ高校), a full-day immersive experience that lets you live the life of a showa-era Japanese high schooler.
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Wow, it’s actually back. DesignTide Tokyo, the annual design event held each fall from 2005 to 2012, is returning to Tokyo this week to reclaim it’s rightful title of “A Place to Trade Ideas.” The last time we wrote about DesignTide, London had just hosted the Summer Olympics and Obama had been reelected as U.S. President. Japan, though, was still reeling from the 2011 tsunami and nuclear fallout, which crippled tourism and travel. And a slew of unfortunate events, from a tragic fire to a pandemic, cast doubt on the future of design festivals in Tokyo. But with DesignArt Tokyo filling the vacuum and now DesignTide being restarted, we are so back.
Starting on November 27th and running through December 1, 2024, the event will host 30+ exhibitors who will present their most recent projects, along with various panel discussions and even a selection of student artwork, all on display at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall. Here are just a few things we’re excited to see.
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Wasara, our favorite brand of sustainable and compostable tableware, is launching a new brand called Casanet. A riff on the Japanese word for stacking (kasaneru), the new brand features the same elegance, minimalism and eco-friendliness, but applied to transportable food containers with lids.
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What happens when a specialty paper company opens a specialty coffee shop? Well, you get the utterly delightful PAP Coffee, located on a small, quiet backstreet and removed from the bustle of Harajuku. The unlikely owner is Sanyo Shigyo, a 55-year old Tokyo-based paper company whose bread and butter is specialty paper and printing.
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Artist Hiro Sugiyama Recreates Hokusai’s ‘Great Wave’ With 750,000 Dahlias
Sou Fujimoto’s Meiji Park Brings a Three-Dimensional Landscape to Hakata Station
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
Socially-minded Coyaa bench designed by Pivoto
He-Gassen: Revisiting Japan’s Edo Period Fart Scrolls
