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Kirishima Brewery’s New Facility and Cafe is Powered Entirely by Sweet Potato and Coffee Beans
January 25, 2026
Flora and Fauna Unfold in the Multi-Layered Paintings of Nana Funo
January 18, 2026
New Architecture Opening in Japan in 2026
January 11, 2026
Japanese Designer New Year’s Cards of 2026
January 4, 2026
Art Collective Mé Carves Holes Into Home, Revealing Cavernous Interior
December 28, 2025
Art Duo Recreates Street Scenes of Tokyo Entirely from Cardboard
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Spoon & Tamago’s Most-Popular Posts of 2025
December 21, 2025
Duct-Tape Typographer Shuetsu Sato Honored With Design Award
December 21, 2025
RIP Ken-chan: The Cat Whose Epic Battle with Museum Security Guard Captured Hearts Across Japan
December 14, 2025
You’ll Soon Be Able to Stay in One of Japan’s Most Beautifully Designed Prisons
November 29, 2025

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Shizuoka has long been Japan’s most iconic tea-pro

Penguins, the way they waddle around and protect t

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!
More: spoon-tamago.com

Duct tape typographer Shuetsu Sato created these a

Duct tape typographer Shuetsu Sato created these awesome ads for a new Nike store that’s opening in Shinjuku this week.
Shuetsu Sato began working as a security guard at Shinjuku Station in 2002. With constant construction and infrastructure upgrades, it was Sato’s job to redirect crowds using a megaphone. However, he found it to be an ineffective tool that was ignored by most. So with a few rolls of duct tape and a craft knife he took it upon himself to create some eye-catching signage.
Over the years, a cultish appreciation has grown for Shuetsu Sato’s work with fans dubbing his clean-line, rounded edge typography as Shuetsu-tai (Shuetsu font).

The Kokuyo Design Awards, arguably Japan’s most-pr

The Kokuyo Design Awards, 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.
Read more on S&T: spoon-tamago.com

In the heart of Shibuya—a district known for youth

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_and_b_shibuya is not just another trendy tea stand; it’s a celebration of energy, community, and a reimagining of what it means to grow older.
What makes this takeout tea shop truly unique is its staff: with an average age in the 70s, the café is run by cheerful and active seniors who serve not only drinks, but also a sense of warmth and connection.
Read more on S&T: spoon-tamago.com

Often referred to as the soul food of Japan, gyudo

Often referred to as the soul food of Japan, gyudon, which literally translates to beef bowl, dates back to the 1800s. Its origin can be traced to an izakaya in Yokohama but by the early 20th century, gyudon had become a staple of urban working-class life, especially with the rise of fast, inexpensive eateries such as Yoshinoya, which helped standardize and popularize the dish nationwide. Now, Kikiya (㐂㐂屋), a new eatery, is reimagining one of Japan’s most-familiar dishes.
Opening on March 28, 2026 within the NEWoMan TAKANAWA shopping mall, Kikiya seeks to elevate the humble beef bowl, transforming it into a more expressive, sensory experience rooted in Japanese food culture. The elevation begins with ingredients. Kikiya uses carefully sourced wagyu such as Hitachi, Yamagata, and Kobe beef, paired with rich tamari-based sauce designed to amplify the meat’s natural flavors. Even the rice is treated with intention, cooked in a traditional hagama pot and served as part of a composed set meal.
@gyudon_kikiya is located on the 3rd floor of NEWoMan TAKANAWA. The gyudon set begins at 3,200 yen

Kenya Hara, the internationally acclaimed Japanese

Kenya Hara, the internationally acclaimed Japanese designer, has long been associated with clarity, restraint, and the quiet power of minimalism: traits that are evident in his work as creative director for MUJI. But an upcoming exhibition promises to reveal something more intimate: the restless, searching lines that come before any finished idea.
Opening next week on April 4, “DRAW—Kenya Hara draws: An exhibition of originals” offers a rare look at the designer’s raw creative process. Rather than polished outcomes, the exhibition centers on original sketches—the first physical traces of ideas that would later become posters, identities, exhibitions, and entire design systems.
On view at Kyoto ddd Gallery from April 4 – June 3, 2026.

Born in 1929 in Osaka, Nagai came of age during a

Born in 1929 in Osaka, Nagai came of age during a period of profound transformation in Japan. He emerged in the 1950s as part of a new generation of designers who reimagined graphic communication for a modern, global era.
In 1960, he became a founding member of the Nippon Design Center, an influential collective that played a central role in shaping Japan’s corporate and cultural identity through design.
Nagai’s work was distinguished by its clarity, wit, and striking use of color and form. He embraced abstraction and symbolism, often distilling complex ideas into simple, powerful images. Over the decades, he produced an extraordinary range of posters, logos, and visual identities that blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with international modernism. His designs were not only commercially effective but also deeply expressive, reflecting his belief that graphic design could carry moral and philosophical weight.
With his passing, the design world loses a visionary whose images helped define an era and whose influence continues to shape contemporary graphic practice. Kazumasa Nagai’s legacy endures in the clarity of his forms, the vibrancy of his colors, and the quiet conviction that design can illuminate the human experience.

In part II of our Tohoku adventure, we explore Aom

In part II of our Tohoku adventure, we explore Aomori and its rich heritage of food culture and lush nature.
Locations:
- Kofunato
- Michinoku Coastal Trail
- Miroku Yokocho
- Oirase Gorge
- Lake Towada
- Aomori Gyosai Center
- Nebuta Museum WA RASSE
- Sannai Maruyama Site
#Aomori #Tohoku
@tokyotokyooldmeetsnew

Straphangers on Japan’s Odakyu Line are being trea

Straphangers on Japan’s Odakyu Line are being treated to a magical, surreal commute. At certain stations along the line, which connects central Tokyo to popular suburban destinations like Odawara and Enoshima, riders who look out the window may think the train has traveled underwater.
The magic is the result of a brilliant ad from Enoshima Aquarium: perfectly placed, oversized posters at certain train stations create the illusion of an underwater wonderland. It’s an ad that relies both on optical illusion and the precision of Japanese trains, which ensures that they stop at the exact location each time.
📍 these particular photos were taken at Fujisawa Station, which connects the Odakyu Line and Enoshima Line.
If you’re heading to the aquarium you’ll want to get off here and take the Enoshima Line to Katase Enoshima Station. From there it’s a 5 min walk.
Whoever created these ads deserves a raise!

We’ve been travelling through Tohoku, a journey of

We’ve been travelling through Tohoku, a journey of sights, sounds, culture, food and booze (spoiler: we completed the beer, wine, whiskey trifecta — don’t judge).
Here’s part I of our adventure. Stay tuned for part II, and maybe even some bonus edits!
Locations:
1. Rinnoji
2. TOYOKAN SENDAI
3. Zuihoden(Date busyoutai Guided Tour)
4. GREAT DANE BREWING
5. NIKKAWHISKY　SENDAI MIYAGIKYO DISTILLERY
6. Akiu Winery
7. Akiu Great Falls
#tohoku #sendai

Tag along for a one-day itinerary through Tokyo fe

Tag along for a one-day itinerary through Tokyo featuring some well known tourist spots, some lesser known but all worth it!
Locations:
1. Asakusa
2. ⁠TAITO STATION Asakusa
3. ⁠Asakusa Sumo Club
4. ⁠Mandarake
5. ⁠Daily Chiko
6. ⁠THE Akachochin
#japan #tokyo
@tokyotokyooldmeetsnew

Just days after birth, baby macaque ‘Punch’ was ab

Just days after birth, baby macaque ‘Punch’ was abandoned by his mother and rescued by zookeepers at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture.
When he was about 1 week old he was given an oversized orangutan stuffed animal so he wouldn’t be lonely. Punch quickly became attached to the stuffed animal, treating it like the mother he never had and sleeping with it, eating with it and playing with it.
Earlier this month, when he was about 6 months old, zookeepers began the journey of integrating Punch with other monkeys at the zoo. It hasn’t been easy for little Punch, but his plush “mom” has proven to be a vital tool of support. He carries it with him everywhere and retreats to when he feels scared or anxious.
Punch’s attachment to the stuffed animal not only surprised staff at the zoo but has captured the hearts of people across Japan. Unprecedented lines are forming at the zoo as people swarm to cheer on Punch-kun, as he is affectionately called.
The hashtag “ganbare punch” (がんばれパンチ), or “you can do it, Punch” has garnered thousands of likes and posts.

Walking through the 100th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition

Walking through the 100th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition in Tokyo, you quickly realize you are not simply looking at trees. You are standing in the presence of time.
Some of the bonsai on display are older than anyone in the room. Older than the hands that currently tend them. They have survived earthquakes, wars, economic booms and quiet decades. They have outlived empires of fashion and ideology. And if cared for well, they will outlive us too.
The Kokufu Exhibition, first held in 1934, marks a century of honoring this quiet endurance. But the true centennial figure is not the institution but the trees. A white pine refined over generations. A juniper whose deadwood tells a story of imagined alpine winds. A flowering plum that has bloomed for more springs than any single owner could witness.
Bonsai asks something radical of us: stewardship without possession. No one truly “owns” these bonsai. Each caretaker is a temporary guardian in a lineage that stretches backward and forward in time.
📅 Dates:
Part I: February 8–11, 2026
Part II: February 14–18, 2026
📍 Location: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

Spring in Japan isn’t just about cherry blossoms.

Spring in Japan isn’t just about cherry blossoms. Ok, fine it’s mostly about cherry blossoms. But if you’re looking to combine some gallery hopping in between the ohanami, we’ve got you covered. From futuristic anime retrospectives to centuries-old woodblock prints brought together in major museums, here are five art exhibitions not to miss in Japan this spring.
1. Ghost in The Shell: The Exhibition — Tokyo (Jan 30–Apr 5, 2026)
Dive deep into one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of the last 30 years in this massive retrospective in Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills at @tokyonode
2. Kyoto Nippon Festival 2026 — Kyoto (Feb 1–May 24, 2026)
More than a single exhibition, the @kyotonipponfes transforms the historic Kitano Tenmangu Shrine grounds into a living art and cultural showcase.
3. From Kiyochika to Hasui: Ukiyo-e and Shin-Hanga Woodblock Prints — Tokyo (Feb 19–May 24, 2026)
The Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Tokyo, which is an art of work itself, will host this beautifully curated exhibition tracing the evolution of Japanese print art, from late-Edo period master Yoshitoshi Kiyochika to early 20th-century shin-hanga artists like Hiroshi Hasui.
4. Yokai Immersive Experience Exhibition — Tokyo (Mar 27–Jun 28, 2026)
Step into the mythical world of yokai, brought to life with cutting-edge digital technology. After a successful showing in Nagoya, this touring immersive exhibition lands at @warehouse_terrada in Tokyo this March.
5. Kyosai’s World: The Israel Goldman Collection — Tokyo (Apr 22–Jun 21, 2026)
At the @suntory_museum_of_art, discover the witty, inventive, and often playful creations of Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–89), one of the most celebrated artists of the late Edo and early Meiji periods.

It’s the last season of Japan’s ancient calendar o

It’s the last season of Japan’s ancient calendar of 72 microseasons. That means this week kicks off microseason 1, which signifies the start of spring. Become a subscriber and follow along!
——鶏始乳 (niwatori hajimete toya ni tsuku)——
This is the time of year when, sensing the arrival of spring, and triggered by the lengthening daylight, hens begin laying eggs. For the modern-day grocery store shopper this may seem odd but eggs are seasonal too. Before we had year-round factory production, eggs were a precious commodity because they could only be obtained from February to around the end of March.
——seasonal haiku——
水枕ガバリと寒い海がある
mizumakura gabari to samui umi ga aru
A water pillow
sloshing, becomes
a frozen sea
The poet, Sanki Saito (1900 - 1962), likely had a high fever and was trying to cool it sleeping on a water pillow, perhaps filled with ice. As he drifted in and out of conciousness he probably pictured himself drifting on a frozen sea
——seasonal activity——
Setsubun (節分) literally means ‘seasonal division’ and refers to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar. This year it falls on February 2, which is unusual as it typically falls on Feb. 3.
The main ritual during setsubun is mamemaki in which roasted soybeans are either thrown out of the front door or, if you have kids, at a member of the family wearing a demon mask while shouting “Devils out! Fortune in!” This time of year was felt to be a time when the spirit world became close to the physical world, thus the need to perform mamemaki to drive away any wandering spirits.
Another ritual that has regained popularity in recent years is the ehomaki (‘lucky direction roll’). It’s meant to be eaten at once, continuously, without removing it from your mouth, completely in silence, while holding it facing the auspicious direction of the year. The correct direction for 2026 is: “south-southeast”

Hayasuhime Shrine in Oita prefecture is a rarity i

Hayasuhime Shrine in Oita prefecture is a rarity in Japan because it is dedicated to the octopus. When local sculptor Kousei Hashimoto (@kousei_ha) was tasked with creating a new deity to be enshrined, he expected for it to be completed by the end of the year. But the neighborhood cats had different plans.
Hashimoto explained that, because the sculpture was made from cardboard, cats kept coming around and using it as a scratching post so he had to constantly make repairs. What’s more, he would find cats sleeping with it in order to keep warm during the cold winter months.
Although the deity was recently enshrined, Hashimoto may find himself with a never-ending job.
According to legend, a giant octopus once guarded a sacred sword at the bottom of the nearby Hayasui Strait. The shrine, which is dedicated to this deity, is popular for praying for good fortune and safety at sea.
A popular ceremony involves donating a drawing of an octopus and praying for safety. During the period, worshippers must abstain from eating octopus in order for the prayer to work. For this reason, the main hall is also decorated with drawings of octopuses from past ceremonies, creating a surreal sight.

The Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art (“TARO

The Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art (“TARO Award”), named after one of postwar Japan’s most celebrated artists, was announced yesterday.
The top prize went to Tetsuo Takata, who has spent the last 8 years drawing over 5000 portraits of the people of Fukushima who were affected by the 2011 tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster.
2026 is the 15-year anniversary of the tragedy, and Takata’s work titled “FUKUSHIMA5000” is made up 5440 portraits, one for each day of the past 15 years.
In a statement, Takata explained that he was a survivor of the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. His family’s home sustained damage but was not at the center of the disaster and so their voices were largely ignored. This experience motivated him to give everyone he could, a voice. Takata’s portraits include the heroes who worked to cool the reactor and decontaminate the land but also everyday residents who experienced their own hardships.
You can see Takata’s work, and other recipients, at the @taro_okamoto_memorial_museum in Kawasaki now through March 29, 2026.

Each year, 5 zoos from across Japan come together

Each year, 5 zoos from across Japan come together to compete to see which of their capybara will take the longest bath.
And while 1st place went to Nagasaki Bio Park’s “Prune” with a dip lasting 1 hour, 45 minutes and 18 seconds, we would like to honor the true queen: “Sheeta” from Ishikawa Zoo who went “I’m good” after only 17 seconds.
Despite coming in last place, Sheeta appeared unfazed, and received a certificate and a stalk of broccoli for her effort. You do you, queen!
It’s a little known fact that Capybaras hot baths originated in Japan back in 1982 when a zookeeper discovered that these large yet gentle rodents loved hot baths.
The capybara long bath contest is now in its 12th iteration, having been started back in 2014, and takes place every January.
Participating zoos are:
Saitama Children’s Zoo Park in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture
Izu Shaboten Zoo in Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture
Nasu Animal Kingdom in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture
Nagasaki Bio Park in Saikai, Nagasaki Prefecture
Ishikawa Zoo in Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Kirishima Shuzo, the iconic Japanese shochu maker,

Kirishima Shuzo, the iconic Japanese shochu maker, has teamed up with Starbucks Japan to create a one-of-a-kind collaborative facility where coffee, craftsmanship and sustainability come together under a single bamboo roof.
Here’s a look inside KIRISHIMA GREENSHIP icoia, which opens this week on Jan. 27 in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture.
Designed by Kengo Kuma as a welcoming space for relaxation (or “ikoi” in Japanese), icoia houses two main retail spaces: a store offering sake, goods, and lifestyle items, and a coffee shop. Complementing these two shops are a glass-walled botanical garden, a rooftop garden, an indoor koi aquarium and an open lawn area, all set against the backdrop of Mount Kirishima and the Okimizu River.
But what truly differentiates the facility is its commitment to sustainability and willingness to experiment with alternative sources of energy. The botanical garden utilizes thermal energy from distilled wastewater generated during shochu production to grow subtropical coffee and sweet potato plants. And the facility’s electricity is entirely powered by renewable energy that converts biogas generated from sweet potato waste and coffee grounds into electricity.
Read more on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

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