A mainstay of the Japanese home kitchen, ichiya-boshi, literally “one-night dried” are fresh fish that have been dipped in brine and then air-dried. The generic term is himono, literally “dried thing.” In the old days, mineral-rich sea water was routinely used to wash freshly caught fish after splitting them down the back (seibiraki style) or belly (hara-biraki style) and…

The Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane Prefecture has greatly expanded its holdings of ceramics and other other works by the great 20th-century epicure Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883–1959).  In a dedicated building that opened in April 2020 the museum shares Rosanjin’s dishes and lacquerware, of course, but also his calligraphy, carved seals and even metalwork lanterns….

This textile design company that calls upon the skills of traditional weavers and dyers is now being celebrated in a book of photographs. Published in 2021, the book Nuno, Visionary Japanese Textiles showcases over 300 creations from the company Nuno (‘textiles’ in Japanese). Founded in 1984 by designers Junichi Arai and Reiko Sudo, it built up a…

Soon after arriving in Japan in 1971, JLA’s founder Steve Beimel fell in love with Japanese crafts. Five decades later, deeply concerned about the lack of successors in traditional crafts, Steve founded JapanCraft21, an organization to save and revitalize most endangered master crafts, including Yuzen silk dying, three-dimensional silk weaving, washi papermaking and more. In…

The Fukuda Museum of Art opened in October 2019, but with the pandemic and entry restrictions to Japan, few of us have had a chance to visit. As arts writer Alice Gordenker explains, the museum boasts a beautiful building, a fantastic location on the river in Arashiyama (near the famous bamboo grove) and a really…

Why does a modern car company value the ancient art of calligraphy and use it to communicate key design concepts? “Calligraphy has endured because there is fundamental beauty that dwells within the characters,” says Koji Sakamoto at Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan. “When you write with brush and ink, you express feelings and sensibilities that…

 Share Tweet Email Print Trees provide many benefits, from clean air to carbon absorption. Some benefits are less measurable, however. In Japan, ancient trees and forests have long been valued for their cultural and spiritual significance. Glenn Moore and Cassandra Atherton detail the many ways trees in Japan, and particularly Tokyo, are cared for and respected. For the Japanese,…

“Kimono Style: The John C. Weber Collection,” opening today in the Metropolitan Museum’s Japanese Wing, is an immersive, must-see exhibition that considers the evolution of this foundational garment within Japan and its relation to the West. There are many ways to explain the cross-cultural appeal of the kimono. One of the most persuasive is the…

Generally associated with the image of the little red heart with black eyes, the brand COMME des GARÇONS, shortened to CDG, did not stop at this single success. It was founded in 1969 by the enigmatic Rei Kawakubo, who at the time was dissatisfied with the clothing available in stores. Its name inspired by the yé-yé pop…

Revitalizing crafts for the 21st Century NEWSLETTER, Spring 2022 Journalist Richard Varner interviews Steve Beimel for an update on JapanCraft21 activities. Varner: Well, Beimel-san, before you update us on what’s been happening since the successful conclusion of last year’s JapanCraft21 contest, could you clarify what you mean by the word “crafts?” It’s a broad term…