All of his spaces are sublime exercises into the possibilities of light, shadow, and form, all executed with a quiet simplicity and sophistication. While his designs are elegant, using traditional Japanese sensibilities, there is also a subdued tension in his spaces–a feeling that we are experiencing something cutting-edge and vanguard as opposed to staid and…

The Amanojaku Taiko school is set to visit Brazil to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the migration of the Japanese to Brazil, a part of history that has resulted in a rich cross cultural set of Japanese-Brazilian traditions. But this historic trip wasn’t cooked up suddenly, the Amanojaku school has fostered the art of Japanese…

Baseball season is here again and getting into the swing of things is easy as this year promises to be an exciting one on both sides of the Pacific especially with the Nippon Pro Baseball league in Japan set to go. In Japan, defending Japan Series Champions, the Chunichi Dragons of Nagoya are looking to…

“He was obliged to move to Uji where fortunately he still possessed a small estate… after a time he began once more to take an interest in flowers and autumn woods, and would even spend hour after hour simply watching the river flow.” ­ ‑The Tale of the Genji,  Murasaki Shikibu For members of the…

With his endless charm and impeccable fashion sense, Girolamo Panzetta has long been an ambassador of sorts, introducing the best of Italian culture to Japan. Jim Hand-Cukierman catches up with the maestro of moda and gets his views on style, life and love. Interview conducted, transcribed and translated by Kayo Yamawaki. It’s hard to decide…

Top Trees Gyaruzakura Ichinomiya-cho, Gifu Prefecture, located near Takayama, a one-minute walk from Hidaichinomiya station on the Takayama line. Prime Time: Mid to late April. Named for its unique shape, which resembles a dragon lying on the ground, this tree is over 1,100 years old. Jindaizakura Jissou-ji, Yamataka, Mukawa-mura, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi (Jissou-ji Temple: 0551-262-740). Prime…

The Puck Stops Here! For those hockey nuts that are jonesing for an ice fix, there is hope for you in Japan; the Asia Ice Hockey League (AHL). Not to be confused with the American Hockey League, the AHL has been around for years in many different incarnations, the latest, following the expansion of the…

When you stop to consider how many travel accounts have been written about destinations like Spain, India, Africa, Central Asia and Russia, Japan is not a country that springs to mind. Native travel writing in particular, is not something we automatically associate with Japan, but this is often because very few works of travel are…

Most people find it hard to believe considering gloves, scarves and woolly hats are still compulsory attire when venturing outside but February 3 actually marks the last day of winter in Japan. The occasion is celebrated with a nationwide festival known as Setsubun, which is traditionally held to mark New Yearﾕs Eve under the old…

Of the previous generation of Japanese designers, Iwaya has the most respect for Hanae Mori because she was the first to have a haute couture collection in Paris.  Besides, I consider myself a believer in the traditional sense of high fashion like Mori, unlike Yamamoto or Kawakubo, who are more anti-fashion renegades. But I think…