Dear friends, colleagues and those who have expressed an interest in the FOOD & CULTURE of Japan: Kogomi (fiddlehead ferns) and other sansai (mountain vegetables) are foraged from woodland areas in Japan just as snow begins to melt and the promise of spring is in the air. Bitter foods such as sansai play an important role in Japanese cookery. For…

Kengo Kuma and associates (KKAA), the firm led by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, has designed a temporary pavilion for events and performances in Harumi, Tokyo.  The semi-outdoor space was built using a steel frame infilled with panels made from cross-laminated timber.  T These CLT panels measure 160 x 350 centimeters (63 x 138 inches) and…