japanese art, design and culture

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Japanese Designer New Year’s Cards of 2026
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
Jimoto Made: A Starbucks Japan Initiative to Collaborate with Local Artisans

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The Latest Posts

JR East to Retire Iconic Suica Penguin After 25 Years of Service
November 11, 2025
Family Mart Designed Teary-Eyed Stickers to Combat Food Loss. They Worked So Well Now They’re Giving Them Out for Free
October 23, 2025
This Housing Project for Noto Earthquake Refugees, Constructed Without Any Nails or Adhesives, Just Won Japan’s Most-Prestigious Design Award
October 18, 2025
Meet the Artist Creating Humorous, Nihonga-Style Images of Daily Life with Their Rescue Cat
October 6, 2025
Is the Human Washing Machine of our Dreams Finally Becoming a Reality?
October 5, 2025
Student Artists Awaken Mythical Beasts of the Echigo Region Using Straw
September 28, 2025
Five Art Exhibitions Worth Travelling Japan For this Fall 2025
September 20, 2025
Japanese Art to See in New York: Fall 2025
September 14, 2025
GAKUponi: A Self-Sustaining Loop of Fish and Plants that Hangs on the Wall
September 13, 2025
Exploring the Toilet Culture Museum: Celebrating Craftsmanship, Innovation,and Humanity’s Essential Rituals
September 9, 2025

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TRENDING RIGHT NOW

Japanese Designer New Year’s Cards of 2026
Kirie Artist Carves Playful Narratives Into Tree Leaves
Jimoto Made: A Starbucks Japan Initiative to Collaborate with Local Artisans
The New Hiroshima Jimoto Collection is a Celebration of the Electric Railway
RIP Ken-chan: The Cat Whose Epic Battle with Museum Security Guard Captured Hearts Across Japan

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We’re ringing in 2026 with a look at 6 new art and

We’re ringing in 2026 with a look at 6 new art and architecture projects that we’re looking forward to seeing this year. From Hakata and Kyoto to Nara and Tokyo, these hotels, museums and parks are set to transform their respective neighborhoods all across Japan.
1. The Gateway Park “HAKATA MEIJI” (Spring 2026)
2. Imperial Hotel Kyoto (March 5, 2026)
3. MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives (March 28, 2026)
4. Starbucks Cafe & Art Gallery Yanaka Gotenzaka (March 28, 2026)
5. Nara Prison Hotel (April 27, 2026)
6. Yurakucho Park (2nd half of 2026)
More on S&T today: https://spoon-tamago.com/

Starbucks hits different in Japan. They have a “Ji

Starbucks hits different in Japan. They have a “Jimoto Made” series in which stores across the country collaborate with local artisans to create coffee mugs and tumblers, which are then sold only at those local outlets.
Jimoto is a japanese word meaning “local area” and the initiative aims at highlighting and preserving local craft and materials.
Read more about the initiative on S&T: https://spoon-tamago.com/starbucks-japan-jimoto-made-series/
*not a sponsored post. We just really love this concept*

At a ceremony yesterday January 7, a calico cat na

At a ceremony yesterday January 7, a calico cat named Yontama was appointed the fourth feline stationmaster of a local Japanese railway Wakayama Electric Railway.
Yontama’s predecessor Santama passed away late last year, leaving the prestigious role vacant. In assuming the position, Yontama continues an almost two-decade tradition that has boosted tourism and helped rescue the line from financial difficulties.
You can read more about the tradition here: https://spoon-tamago.com/tama-the-station-master-cat/

On the morning of January 5, 2026, Kawasaki police

On the morning of January 5, 2026, Kawasaki police received a call that a horse was roaming the neighborhood. It turns out that one of the horses at nearby Meiji University’s equestrian club had escaped.
The horse caused quite a bit of commotion in the neighborhood but, within 30 minutes, had returned home. Nobody was hurt, including the horse.
Happy New Year of the horse!
(video by X user usa_pom)

Happy New Year of the horse! We have an annual t

Happy New Year of the horse!
We have an annual tradition (started in 2010!) of rounding up new years cards created by some of our favorite artists and designers.
Because the horse represents strength, speed and energy, 2026 can be a time for bold moves, adventure, and breaking free from old patterns.
We hope these designs will inspire everyone to have a dynamic and transformative year!
See the full collection on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

Happy New Year of the Horse! “Amerika” by Hirosh

Happy New Year of the Horse!
“Amerika” by Hiroshige Utagawa
In the mid-1850s, prolific woodblock print artist Hiroshige created this image of what he thought symbolized America: an elaborately garbed white aristocrat on horseback. The image reflected Japan’s curiosity and apprehension about the outside world after isolation.
P.S. 2026 is America’s 250th birthday!

Along a narrow residential street in Kanawa, the h

Along a narrow residential street in Kanawa, the historic heart of Beppu City known for their geothermal hot springs, is an inconspicuous 2-story home that has been transformed into a surreal site-specific installation by Japanese art collective Mé.
Two gigantic holes have been carved into the sides of the building as if it were made of clay. The gaping holes reveal a cavernous interior reminiscent of the underground caves where hot springs bubble up from.
Visitors will be able to enter the installation beginning next month in January.
Read more on S&T: https://spoon-tamago.com

Japanese art duo ZUGAKOUSAKU & KURIEITO meticulous

Japanese art duo ZUGAKOUSAKU & KURIEITO meticulously recreate ordinary environments entirely from cardboard. At an exhibition at Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, the pair turn their childlike creativity to the grimy streets of Roppongi. Everything from manhole covers and tactile pavement to signage and litter have been hand-crafted from cardboard, revealing slightly off kilter worlds.
Read more on S&T: spoon-tamago.com

As we near the end of 2025, we like to reflect on

As we near the end of 2025, we like to reflect on the stories that most captivated our readers’ attention, and as always, certain themes tend to emerge.
2025 was a year of loss, but also new beginnings. Artists continued to push old traditions and techniques into the future. From travel destinations and language-learning to reviving craftsmanship and discouraging food loss, these were the stories that mattered most to our readers.
⑤ RIP Kimiko Nishimoto
2025 was a year of loss: we had to say goodbye to Japan’s most-creative obachan.
④ Urushi Snowboarding
Artist @morinosumire senior thesis made quite a statement: dressed in a kimono, Mirono slid down a mountain on a urushi lacquered snowboard she had crafted herself. More than a personal statement, it was meant to shine light on the existential crisis of Japan’s craft industry.
③ Nihonga Hamsters
Coming in third is the Japanese artist @otamashimai and her Nihonga-style images almost exclusively of hamsters. We spoke to the artist early in the year about her artwork and her hamsters.
② The Arimaston Building
For the past 15 years architect Keisuke Oka has been constructing a tower of concrete entirely by hand. And after years of doing everything from gathering materials to mixing concrete, the scaffolding came down over the fall, revealing the face of the intricate, organic structure. The Arimaston Building (蟻鱒鳶ル) is set to be completed in early 2026.
① Bread Wrapping Paper
Our most-popular post of 2025, just in time for Christmas, was this wrapping paper that turns all your presents into bread. Conceived by Japanese graphic designer @tsujio_ippei.
Check out the full list on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

Shuetsu Sato began working as a security guard at

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 typography as Shuetsu-tai (Shuetsu font).
This year, the Japan Sign Design Association (SDA) recognized Sato’s and his ‘Shuetsu Font’ with a 2025 platinum honorable mention!
Congratulations Sato-san!

Sadly, Japan has bid farewell to another famous ca

Sadly, Japan has bid farewell to another famous cat. This time Ken-chan, the local feline whose epic battle with a security guard at the Onomichi Museum of Art in Hiroshima, which won over hearts across Japan, passed away in September.
Just last month we also said goodbye to Nitama, the stationmaster cat.
But both will be remembered 🐈❤️

Our 2025 gift guide is a curated collection of hom

Our 2025 gift guide is a curated collection of homeware and accessories with an emphasis on handmade craftsmanship.

Yokohama City University, in collaboration with Da

Yokohama City University, in collaboration with Dai Nippon Printing, announced that they will begin clinical trials to treat depression using anime characters.
Dai Nippon Printing developed original anime characters whom psychiatrists will pose as in an attempt to improve depression among young people.
Japanese anime characters can depict and empathize with inner struggles and suffering, making them an effective tool to treat mental health, explains Francesco Panto, an Italian psychiatrist working in Japan who spearheaded the initiative.
The team is looking for test subjects age 18-29 to participate in the study, which will look into the safety and feasibility of “anime counseling.” The study will run from October 2025 - June 2026.

After years of delays, Nara Prison Hotel is finall

After years of delays, Nara Prison Hotel is finally set to open next year in 2026.
Nara Prison was built in 1908 and was designed by architect Keijiro Yamashita, the grandfather of prison architecture and the architect behind what are known as The Five Great Prisons of Meiji.
Japan incarcerates its citizens at a far lower rate than most developed countries: 37 per 100,000 people compared with 132 in Britain and 629 in America. And the inmate population in Japan has seen a steady decline over the past decade, which helps explain why Nara Prison was shut down in 2017.
But with beautiful gardens and eye-catching architectural details, it’s only natural to wonder why so much care and attention went into the design of a prison.
When the prison was built in Meiji-era Japan, the country had recently been forced out of isolation by the West. Japan was scrambling to develop “civilized” laws and institutions that they could show off to the West, who had seen Japan’s legal system as barbaric.
A museum dedicated to the preservation of historical artifacts related to Nara Prison will open on April 27, 2026, followed by the actual hotel which will open later that year.
More: https://spoon-tamago.com/nara-japan-prison-hotel/

Japan takes Christmas very seriously, but in a com

Japan takes Christmas very seriously, but in a commercial sense rather than a religious sense. Which is perhaps why, each year, we find some very interesting, unorthodox Christmas trees.
So each year we make a point of cataloguing our favorite trees. This year we expanded our scope to include not just Tokyo but Osaka as well. From hand-knitted trees and hinoki wooden trees to trees made from 1000 prisms, here are the ones the wowed us the most.
① Hand-knitted tree by @knitchihiro (Osaka)
② Kabuki-inspired hinoki tree (Osaka)
③ White KITTE (Tokyo)
④ 1000 Prisms Tree by @lucent_by_takahiromatsuo (Tokyo)
⑤ Dreamlight Hotel tree by @yuni_yoshida and @130_magnarecta (Tokyo)
Read more about each tree on S&T: https://spoon-tamago.com/japan-designer-christmas-trees-2025/

Over a decade ago, high school art teacher @hamacr

Over a decade ago, high school art teacher @hamacream asked himself the question, what are some free activities that would inspire students to take an interest in art?
The answer lay at his feet: the vibrant colors of the fall foliage that had fallen to the ground. So he picked up a broomstick and got to work.
For over 10 years, every autumn, the art teacher has been creating popular anime or game characters using a broomstick and the tree leaves that have fallen into the school’s courtyard. At first his creations were ignored but over time they grew in popularity and now he chooses his subjects based on popular demand from his students. His creations are popular not only with the students but with the school janitors too!
More on S&T today: https://spoon-tamago.com/hamacream-fall-foliage-art/

Given the news of the passing of Nitama, we’re sha

Japan is in mourning today after Wakayama Railway

Japan is in mourning today after Wakayama Railway announced that Nitama, the stationmaster cat, passed away on Nov. 20, 2025. He was 15 years old.
Nitama was rescued when he was just 2 months old after nearly getting run over by traffic. He was taken in by employees at Wakayama Railway and lived there along with Tama, the original stationmaster cat.
When Tama passed away in 2015, Nitama was the natural successor and continued Tama’s legacy. Together, they were single-handedly (pawedly?) responsible for rescuing the rural train line, which had been experiencing declines in ridership before the feline stationmasters were hired.
For his hard work and dedication, Nitama was promoted to Ultra Stationmaster in 2021 and was given responsibility for all 14 stations.
Nitama will be missed, but not forgotten. He is now in cat heaven with Tama.
A memorial service will be held at Kishi Station on December 13, 2025.

Now that the Osaka Expo has ended, many of the fac

Now that the Osaka Expo has ended, many of the facilities including the iconic Grand Ring designed by Sou Fujimoto are facing demolition. While an original vision called for a small section of the ring to be preserved, the rest would be dismantled.
But real estate startup Not a Hotel has put forth a bold a vibrant vision, proposing to keep the ring in entirety and convert it into a park, hotel and marina.
The plan, while not formal nor even requested, also sees the iconic rooftop walkway preserved “with a heartfelt wish to carry forward Sou Fujimoto’s vision for the Expo’s legacy into the future” wrote Not a Hotel CEO on social media platform X.
The renderings certainly speak for themselves. We can only hope that they reach the right people 🙏🏻

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