japanese art, design and culture

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Japan’s First Shrine Dedicated to Plushies Opens for Stuffed Animal Devotees
Tatsuo Horiuchi | the 73-year old Excel spreadsheet artist
Kiyo Takeda: The Architect Making Tokyo Green Again

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The Latest Posts

Haneda Airport Unveils Collaboration with Beloved Penguin Illustrator Chiharu Sakazaki
May 23, 2026
Issey Miyake’s New NYC Flagship Blends Fashion and Architecture
May 9, 2026
Shizuoka Aims to Reclaim Top Tea Status With New Branding Project
April 19, 2026
Japanese Aquarium Drops 2026 Version of Flowchart Illustrating Their Penguin Relationships. This Year There’s an English Version.
April 14, 2026
Winners of the 2026 Kokuyo Design Awards
April 5, 2026
The Other Ceramics: An Exhibition of Non-Ceramicist Pottery
April 5, 2026
Shibuya’s New ‘G-CHA & Ba-CHA’ Cafe Is Run by Senior Citizens
April 3, 2026
The Humble Beef Bowl, Elevated to Fine Cuisine at New Gyudon Specialty Restaurant Kikiya
March 28, 2026
In Rare Exhibition, Kenya Hara Offers a Look Into His Design Process
March 27, 2026
A Spoon & Tamago Guide to Tohoku
February 22, 2026

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Japan’s First Shrine Dedicated to Plushies Opens for Stuffed Animal Devotees
Tatsuo Horiuchi | the 73-year old Excel spreadsheet artist
Kiyo Takeda: The Architect Making Tokyo Green Again
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The Stunning Yasutake Sweets Shop in Dazaifu Dedicates Themselves to Local Specialty Umegae Mochi

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For more than a century, Kokuyo has been quietly r

For more than a century, Kokuyo has been quietly refining the humble tools of the desk. Beyond a pursuit of quality and utilitarianism, the Osaka-based maker of stationery tools has always tried to “pique the curiosity of those who hold it.” Their newest “Transparent Mechanism” collection doesn’t introduce new functions so much as reveal the engineering that has been there all along.
Rather than hiding the mechanics, the collection celebrates them, transforming everyday office supplies into miniature kinetic sculptures.
More on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

You can get coffee, a sandwich and also a denim ja

You can get coffee, a sandwich and also a denim jacket at the new FAMIMA
For decades, Japan’s convenience stores have been admired for, well, their convenience. By being sweetly attuned to utilitarian consumer needs, the ubiquitous 24/7 conbini has spread across Japan, achieving an unparalleled density that is perhaps second only to vending machines. This week, FamilyMart, one of the largest operators of conbini, launched their new FAMIMA concept store aimed at reimagining the conbini experience.
Read more on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

Minimal lifestyle brand MUJI has been in the homeb

Most of us erase mistakes without a second thought

Most of us erase mistakes without a second thought. The curled ribbons that gather beneath an eraser are little more than evidence of revisions before they’re brushed into the trash. But @iriesaya sees them differently. For Irie , they’re the beginning of something entirely new. The Japanese artist erases images and then uses those eraser shavings to recompose the images into three-dimensional form, transforming the byproduct of erasure into delicate works of art.
Read more on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

Just in time for summer travels! The Pokemon Compa

Just in time for summer travels! The Pokemon Company has released a series of suitcases designed specifically so you can travel with your favorite plushies.
The suitcase is available in grass type, fire type and water type. Each is customized to its element and equipped with a see-through window so you can check in on your friends at all times.
The luggage is available at from the official website (https://www.pokemoncenter-online.com) and retails for 26,400 yen (about $163 usd).
Happy travels 🧳 🌎

Earlier this week, on a rainy morning, over 200 pe

Earlier this week, on a rainy morning, over 200 people carrying their beloved stuffed animals passed through a torii gate with ears and made their way to the opening ceremony of this new shrine that had opened in northern Kyoto.
In Japan, it’s not unusual to see people treating cherished objects with a surprising degree of reverence. Dolls receive memorial services, broken sewing needles are honored in annual ceremonies, and even discarded electronics are occasionally given ritual farewells. Now, the country’s long tradition of animistic belief has found perhaps its most adorable expression yet: Japan’s first shrine dedicated entirely to plush toys.
Known as the @nuigurumi_jinja (Plushie Shrine), the unusual sanctuary was established by a company that specializes in repairing stuffed animals, a business that regularly encounters the deep emotional bonds people form with their plush companions. But even the most skilled repairs have their limits. As some toys become too fragile to restore, the company began thinking about what happens after their practical life comes to an end.
“We wanted to create a place where owners could express their gratitude to the stuffed animals that had taken care of them,” the company explains.
That sentiment lies at the heart of the shrine. Rather than focusing solely on preserving plush toys physically, the shrine offers a place to honor the memories attached to them. It acknowledges that for many people, a beloved stuffed animal is more than fabric and stuffing—it is a companion that has provided comfort through childhood, adulthood, and life’s many transitions.
Read more on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

Japanese artist @tiendao06 has built a career draw

Japanese artist @tiendao06 has built a career drawing cities that seem to exist somewhere between science fiction and reality. His sprawling black-and-white landscapes are packed with towering structures, tangled infrastructure and dizzying perspectives that appear to expand endlessly beyond the edges of the paper. In his latest solo exhibition, Infinite Emptiness (Mugen Kyomu), Tajima turns that visual intensity toward a timely question: what happens when endless growth begins to feel hollow?
Daisuke Tajima: Infinite Emptiness is on view from June 20 through July 21, 2026 at @tokyo8min gallery.
Read more on S&T today: spoon-tamago.com

There’s no better time to escape Tokyo than the su

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.
Read more: spoon-tamago.com

Today, Japan is famous for its quiz culture. Telev

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.
Read more at spoon-tamago.com

In a surprising announcement, the Hands Shibuya fl

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.
For decades, the Tokyu Hands store was more than just a shop — it represented a lifestyle for designers, tinkerers and the DIY community. It was a destination for curious shoppers searching for everything from stationery and tools to obscure gadgets and craft supplies.
In recent years, Shibuya has undergone rapid redevelopment, with sleek new complexes and luxury retail reshaping the neighborhood’s identity. Against that backdrop, the aging Hands building increasingly felt like a relic from another Tokyo: charming, chaotic, and deeply human.
Although the Shibuya location is gone, the spirit of Hands lives on through other stores across Japan. Still, for many Tokyo residents and longtime visitors, the closure feels personal: the disappearance of a place tied to memories of late-night shopping trips, school projects, and unexpected discoveries.

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport has just released a new lin

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?
While it’s amusing to think that Suica penguin, which has been a part of train life for over 2 decades, has now taken flight, the truth is that they are simply 2 different penguins. To tell them apart, observers need simply pay attention to the beak. Suica Penguin’s beak is oval-shaped while Haneda Penguin’s beak is shaped more like disk or a flying saucer. Their eyes are also slightly different as well.
The new collection of merch, launched on May 22, is designed around themes of sky, travel, and Japan. The designs feature charming scenes like the “Sky Penguin,” wrapped in a scarf inspired by Japan’s flag as it takes flight, and “Penguin JAPAN,” which pairs penguins with regional folk crafts and lucky charms from across the country. The lineup includes rope-handle tote bags, acrylic keychains, hand towels, and mugs — all rendered in Sakazaki’s soft, whimsical style.

Whenever they feel threatened, Red Pandas instinct

Whenever they feel threatened, Red Pandas instinctively stand up on their hind legs and extend their claws to try and appear bigger and more dangerous. And yet it only makes them cuter and more huggable.
Inspired by this adorable behavior, Japanese designer Kazuya Ishikawa has created a “No Entry” sign in the likeness of the animal.
Unfortunately it’s still a concept and not commercially available but would definitely be a welcome replacement to generic no entry signs.
“Beware of my cuteness, or else….”

Noto airport in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan

Noto airport in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, will be rebranded as “Noto Satoyama Pokemon With You Airport,” becoming the world’s first airport to bear the Pokemon name.
As part of efforts to revitalize the Noto Peninsula area, which was struck by a devastating earthquake on New Year’s Day in 2024 and heavy rains later that year, the airport will reopen on July 7, fully decked out in over 100 Pokemon.
One of the main attractions will be a huge second-floor atrium centerpiece featuring a giant floating Pikachu and airplane balloon. The Pokemon theme also carries on through the arrivals and observation deck. There will be exclusive merchandise and even Pokemon-themed meals.
The collaboration is scheduled to run until September 2029.

Shoppers in Japan will be plunged into a monochrom

Shoppers in Japan will be plunged into a monochromatic world as some popular snack food packaging changes to black and white.
Snack food manufacturer Calbee Inc. plans to switch to black-and-white packaging for some mainstay products, including potato chips, due to unstable ink supplies stemming from the Middle East crisis.
Calbee notified the retailers it supplies of the design change, explaining that a total of fourteen items will be affected due to a shortage of printing ink made from naphtha, which is typically produced through crude oil refining.
Industry experts believe the decision to decolorize could be followed by other food manufacturers as well.
Some consumers have noted that the monochromatic packaging has the look and feel of a funeral, which is certainly an apt comparison for the sad state of affairs in the Middle East.

Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake has opened a s

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

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