Artist: Hiroko Irie I’ve never mourned the demise of any event the way I mourned the Tokyo International Quilt Show that used to surprise and delight every January, but guess what? Yokohama to the rescue! There’s a new quilt show in town, and (how is this even possible?) it’s bigger and better than ever! InternationalContinueContinue reading “Epic Japanese Quilt Show Returns!”
Category Archives: Traditional Stuff I Love
Magical animal masks of Japan
Even Japanese people joke that Noh dramas equal no drama, but the masks worn by actors performing the world’s slowest-moving and most obscure style of theater are miracles of the carvers’ art. And not because they’re such lifelike representations of the elephants… Ahaha pretty sure this artist never saw a real one cranes… Hmm, IContinueContinue reading “Magical animal masks of Japan”
New Japanese art displayed in old Japanese houses? Yes, please!
“Lifelong Chandelier Remaster” by Kosei Komatsu The Biwako Biennale isn’t just an exhibition of the best Japanese art of 2025, it’s a masterpiece of displaying new art in historic settings, with dramatic lighting to die for. Whoever paired the winning pieces with each gorgeously restored merchant house was a genius, and this little detour onContinueContinue reading “New Japanese art displayed in old Japanese houses? Yes, please!”
Runway of the saints
The hundreds of Jizo figures at Zojo-ji temple always turn heads… but some just have that extra fashion flare! Whether the Jizo-san’s family gives a tongue-in-cheek nod to the traditional red cap and bib… mixes it up with new colors and handmade style… accessorizes with all the latest trends in Jizo fashion… dresses their Jizo-sanContinueContinue reading “Runway of the saints”
The most charming demons you’ll ever meet
Traditional Nebuta float from Aomori, representing “the rage that splits the heavens” of historical figure Sugawara no Michizane Demons have taken over the National Cultural Treasure steps at the Hotel Gajoen, where their gallery curators have whipped up a show riffing off the Japanese summertime tradition of telling ghost stories that send a chill upContinueContinue reading “The most charming demons you’ll ever meet”
Pay your respects like you’re living in 2050
Q: How do you pay your respects to the ancestors without burning down the house? A: Plug in a stick of electronic incense, of course! The fear of fire still runs strong in Japan, because within living memory, everyone still lived in houses built of wood and paper. Incense burning before the ancestral name tabletsContinueContinue reading “Pay your respects like you’re living in 2050”
Stunning woodblock prints capture the joy of Japanese festivals
Special Days in Tokyo: A Decorated City and Its People This special exhibit at the Kokugakuin Museum features rare examples of woodblock prints from the 1800s that are so perfectly preserved, the brilliant colors look like they were printed yesterday! They depict the citizenry having fun, watching impromptu skits at the Niwaka Festival in Yoshiwara…ContinueContinue reading “Stunning woodblock prints capture the joy of Japanese festivals”
The train station with a foot bath!
The minute you get off the train at Kamisuwa Station in Nagano, you know there’s something a little different about it… and then you see the sign! Yes, there’s a free hot spring foot bath for weary travelers, and all you have to do is take off your shoes and wait for a seat! https://youtu.be/tVTKx2GLiPAContinueContinue reading “The train station with a foot bath!”
The Tokyo Kimono Show 2025 delights and amazes
Is this me in my happy place? Why yes, yes it is One again, the Tokyo Kimono Show does not disappoint! This year’s extravaganza of style started off with a contrast between past and future, with a parade of nicely curated Edo Period clothing on the left… and futuristic manga-inspired costumes by a Taiwanese artistContinueContinue reading “The Tokyo Kimono Show 2025 delights and amazes”
Sashiko: Japan turns mending into a high art
Sashiko art by Nonoichi featured on @bluandwhite_japan’s Instagram (Photo thanks to @bluandwhite_japan) If quilting and embroidery had a child, this would be it. Sashiko isn’t the only mundane chore Japan has made into a high art (check out the everyday objects that inspired the Mingei Movement) but it’s one that anyone who lives anywhere inContinueContinue reading “Sashiko: Japan turns mending into a high art”
Places to go before everyone else discovers them
The Pink Season is coming, hand in hand with crazy crowds and high prices. But just because everyone and their cousin is heading for Japan in the next month doesn’t mean you have to sharpen your elbows to enjoy fabulous Japan goodness! Here are some only-in-Japan spots that I love (and some undiscovered gems inContinueContinue reading “Places to go before everyone else discovers them”
The artist who shows us everyday things in a deeply Japanese way
Miyawaki Ayako Retrospective: I saw, I cut, I applied Quilters and other textile artists were the first to see how arts formerly dismissed as “womanly” or “decorative” could be harnessed to convey powerful insights and messages. Ayako Miyawaki didn’t begin to use appliqué as a medium until she was forty—after raising her three children—but herContinueContinue reading “The artist who shows us everyday things in a deeply Japanese way”
Bonsai that have seen some stuff
Recently I was boggled by the beautiful bonsai collection at the Happoen garden, because they’re not just exquisite—dang, these trees are OLD! For example, when this bonsai started growing, the Mona Lisa had not yet been painted, surgery was still being performed by barbers, and Spanish ships had just landed in the New World. 530ContinueContinue reading “Bonsai that have seen some stuff”
Fabulous folk art cats
If yesterday’s “Fairy Tale” exhibit post wasn’t enough to get you to the current exhibition at the Hotel Gajoen before it closes, I’m here to push you off the edge of the table with THESE. The cat theme runs strong throughout the show, but the ones that really put a smile on my face wereContinueContinue reading “Fabulous folk art cats”
Art X Japanese Folk Tales at this deliciously creepy art exhibit
From magical births to bamboo princesses, this whimsical (and slightly spooky) folk tale exhibit at the Hotel Gajoen is well worth climbing its Hyakudan Kaidan (hundred step staircase) to see! The lavishly decorated rooms (each painted by a different famous master) are the perfect setting for the traditional arts on display, and each room hasContinueContinue reading “Art X Japanese Folk Tales at this deliciously creepy art exhibit”
Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024
If you think that “kimono fashion” is something that went out when samurai stopped roaming the streets, think again! Not only is modern kimono dressing alive and well, the annual Tokyo Kimono Show is where designers showcase their latest innovations. This year’s special exhibit was a rare chance to see Heian period robes (from whenContinueContinue reading “Eye Candy from the Tokyo Kimono Show 2024”
Be wowed by all the mega-illumination crowd-pleasers without leaving Tokyo!
Tokyo Mega-Illumi is back! It’s got all the crowd pleasers of more remote illuminations displays but is just a two-minute walk from Ōi-keibajō-mae Tokyo Monorail station. As a veteran of scouting illuminations displays—from the in-town twinklers to the far afield—I can vouch for the fact that the Mega-Illumi designers really did pick the best ofContinueContinue reading “Be wowed by all the mega-illumination crowd-pleasers without leaving Tokyo!”
Where there be dragons
If dragons are on your fantasy bucket list, get thee to Ryōanji temple in Kyoto and feast your eyes on these beauties! From now through March 31, 2023, the legendary lizards take over Ryōanji temple in Kyoto, and they do not disappoint! Imagine having a real live dragon to bork at burglars! Or one thatContinueContinue reading “Where there be dragons”
Jazz Age kimonos to die for
If you’re in Tokyo right now, drop what you’re doing and hightail it to this kimono exhibit at the Yayoi-Yumiji Museum! There are two floors of fabulous 1920s-1950s kimono ensembles on display, each more swoon-worthy than the last. If this museum were a shop, I’d want to buy them ALL! The unifying theme of thisContinueContinue reading “Jazz Age kimonos to die for”
Cats in Ukiyo-e: The best woodblock print show ever
If we were playing my favorite museum game—the one where we admit we’d pass on that famous piece of art if we saw it at a garage sale for $5 and didn’t know who made it—I’d be feeling pretty good about myself at this show. You’d be hearing me say, “TAKE MY MONEY!” for everyContinueContinue reading “Cats in Ukiyo-e: The best woodblock print show ever”
Tokyo Kimono Show: Feast your eyes on THESE beauties
The Tokyo Kimono Show returned last weekend, and the fabulous new kimono coordinations have never been more inspiring. Rows upon rows of mannequins displayed the stylish offerings of designers from all over Japan… …and they were skillfully set up so they could be appreciated from front and back Some designers took the opportunity to styleContinueContinue reading “Tokyo Kimono Show: Feast your eyes on THESE beauties”
Luck meets art at the most delightful Girls Day exhibit ever
Cross your fingers and rub your rabbit’s foot, because we are about to venture into an exhibit where luck meets art and, well, THIS is what might result… “Lucky Subjects and Symbols in Japanese Art” is a delightful surprise of an exhibit, not least because it sounds like the driest of academic takes on theContinueContinue reading “Luck meets art at the most delightful Girls Day exhibit ever”
Yes, all these origami cranes were folded from ONE sheet of paper
Paula Pietranera, “Stillness in Movement” I don’t know about you, but I have to lie down and rest after wrestling one square of origami paper into a crane, let alone folding hundreds, none bigger than a quarter and all connected because they’re made from a single sheet of paper! What sorcery is this? (Paula Pietranera,ContinueContinue reading “Yes, all these origami cranes were folded from ONE sheet of paper”
Japan’s funniest Mundane Halloween costumes 2021!
https://twitter.com/knskk817/status/1454197638010601473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1454197638010601473%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsoranews24.com%2F2021%2F10%2F31%2Fcostumes-from-everyday-life-on-parade-once-more-in-jimi-halloween-2021%2F In Japan, “Jimi Halloween” costumes celebrate everything that nobody wants to be for Halloween because they are just too mundane and boring, like this guy from @dailyportalz Twitter feed, who’s dressed up as “a guy tagged on social media” This year, pandemic-emergency bar, restaurant and movie theater lock-downs and working from home all cameContinueContinue reading “Japan’s funniest Mundane Halloween costumes 2021!”
What do you need for cherry blossom season? Your own light-up Lego cherry tree!
Remember when I ordered all those fab Lego village kits? Well, the Buildiverse folks sent me one that I missed (or I would have already bought it instantly): this light-up pinkness of pinknesses! If you can’t be in Japan right now to see the real cherry trees put on their signature splendor, this is totallyContinueContinue reading “What do you need for cherry blossom season? Your own light-up Lego cherry tree!”
Girls’ Day dolls with a side of quirky
Every March 3rd, families with daughters display a set of Girls’ Day dolls that represent the Imperial court at its Heian Era finest… …but these days, you don’t have to be a nobleman or a shrine maiden to ascend the vermilion steps! The Imperial Pokemon court One Piece characters go royal or go home EmperorContinueContinue reading “Girls’ Day dolls with a side of quirky”
Live eel sushi rolls
Just in time for Setsubun—the Japanese holiday on which demons are exorcized with dry beans and smelly sardines—the Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium built this hilarious (and twisted!) ehōmaki sushi roll hideout for its garden eels. You’ll get the joke immediately if you know that ehōmaki rolls are only sold on Setsubun (which happens to fall onContinueContinue reading “Live eel sushi rolls”
Speed Tribes come of age, Yanki style
Every year in the city of Kitakyushu, Coming-of-Age Day is celebrated in over-the top style by 20-year-olds kitted out in outlandish versions of Japanese formalwear. The second Monday in January (the holiday on which all Japanese twenty-year-olds become legal adults) is well known by kimono-spotters all over Japan as the best day all year toContinueContinue reading “Speed Tribes come of age, Yanki style”
The best winter gift of 2020? A Japanese stomach warmer!
Don’t laugh! The humble haramaki is making a comeback, because nothing—and I mean nothing—keeps you warmer while sitting at your desk fielding endless zoom calls than this legwarmer for your midriff. I didn’t believe it until I tried it, but it turns out that once I started keeping my midsection warm, I didn’t need theContinueContinue reading “The best winter gift of 2020? A Japanese stomach warmer!”
Uber Dandy Kimono: Wildly modern, breathtakingly bold, insanely stunning
Tia Oguri is so fabulous I can’t even I’ve been a fan of the divine Tia Oguri since long before she began designing kimono with traditional African fabrics, because her kimono styling has always been out-of-this-world fresh and exciting. Her latest venture, though, is pure WOW. Take a look at her Uber Dandy Kimono designs,ContinueContinue reading “Uber Dandy Kimono: Wildly modern, breathtakingly bold, insanely stunning”
When Nothing But Unnecessarily Large Tanuki Testicles Will Do
You’ve probably seen these adorable tanuki figures outside of your favorite Japanese bar or restaurant, but did you happen to notice how, er, well endowed they are? Yeah. Can’t unsee. Now that you know to look, it’s amazing you never noticed before, right? But nobody celebrated these giant gonads more inventively than Edo period artists.ContinueContinue reading “When Nothing But Unnecessarily Large Tanuki Testicles Will Do”
The World of The Last Tea Bowl Thief
The new book is a two-timeline tale, with one thread taking place in the samurai era, and the other unspooling in modern-day Tokyo, where two women from opposite sides of the globe discover that both their futures depend on possessing a cultural treasure that’s been missing since before they were born, but neither can getContinueContinue reading “The World of The Last Tea Bowl Thief”
Amazing scenes emerge as you use this notepad
The Japanese design firm Triad just released one of the most Japanese products ever: the Hogwarts Castle notepad. Wait, that’s not Japanese! But…it is. The latest design in a series of notepads that reveal 3-D scenes as each piece of paper is peeled away happens to be Hogwarts Castle, but the idea of creating threeContinueContinue reading “Amazing scenes emerge as you use this notepad”
When you wish upon a…monk?
I don’t know about you, but this year has given me a lot more respect for luck than I used to have. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMFOMor-py8 If 2020 had a spirit animal In Japan, people are a lot more comfortable with acknowledging that stuff we can’t control—aka Fate—plays a huge part in determining the course of our lives.ContinueContinue reading “When you wish upon a…monk?”
Modern Kimonos To Die For: These Designers Are Giving An Old Artform New Edge
Hello, fellow kimono lovers of all shapes, sizes, colors, & geographic persuasions! If you’re like me, and love modern kimono dressing—especially my favorite kimono hime style—you’re in for a treat! Kimono princessing is all about mixing East and West, colors and patterns, styles and eras, and it warmly embraces vintage, second-hand delights as well asContinueContinue reading “Modern Kimonos To Die For: These Designers Are Giving An Old Artform New Edge”
Tweets from the Pillow Book: Pandemic Version
If Sei Shonagon (author of that famous tenth-century snark-bible The Pillow Book) had been alive today and quarantined with the rest of us, I’m pretty sure she’d have tweeted these: @seishonagon The flowers in full bloom at a closed park #thingsthataredistantthoughnear • @seishonagon You finally make it to the front of the line for the supermarket, but realizeContinueContinue reading “Tweets from the Pillow Book: Pandemic Version”
These lovely Tokyo sites light up at night
One of the most entertaining things you can do in Tokyo is wander around town after the sun goes down! The wizards of stagecraft have worked their magic all over Tokyo, and all kinds of interesting stuff lights up after dark, in dramatic and technologically inventive ways. Everyone can enjoy ogling everything from traditional templesContinueContinue reading “These lovely Tokyo sites light up at night”
Feast Your Eyes On This: A Shop Full Of Taisho, Meiji & Showa Era Kimonos
Whoa, is that a Meissen silk…? ga-ZINGGGG! Today I was beelining toward a garden, through a neighborhood I never visit, when I was stopped cold by the kimono lovers’ equivalent of Aladdin’s Cave. Your nose would have been glued the glass too, if you’d spotted this many brilliant & pristine Meissen silk kimonos in oneContinueContinue reading “Feast Your Eyes On This: A Shop Full Of Taisho, Meiji & Showa Era Kimonos”
Kimono Princess For A Day!
Ever since I discovered that one of the most inspiring kimono stylists I know offers private tour and photo sessions, I’ve been dying to swan around Tokyo in a gorgeous ensemble, styled down to the last deco bracelet by modern kimono maven Anji Salz. (If you don’t already follow @salztokyo on Instagram, check these photosContinueContinue reading “Kimono Princess For A Day!”
The One Word Saint
As the old year draws to a close (and we say good riddance to all that was disappointing and discouraging), and a new year is about to begin (along with the ever-springing hope that it will be better than the last), I find myself thinking about this odd little booth that sits in a quietContinueContinue reading “The One Word Saint”
Killer Chrysanthemums 2019
It’s that time of year again, when the chrysanthemum wranglers of Tokyo liberate their flower-of-choice from ragtag funeral bouquets and show the world they can hold their own with far more glamorous blooms! Here’s what’s new for 2019: • YUSHIMA TENJIN SHRINE It’s hard to argue that this isn’t the must-see chrysanthemum diorama every year.ContinueContinue reading “Killer Chrysanthemums 2019”
The Eleven Strangest Shrines In Tokyo
Tokyo is stuffed with gorgeous shrines and temples, but some of the gods in residence have hilarious and entertaining specialties! Here are the ones dedicated to my favorite kami-sama and how to snag some of their favor for yourself: • THE WART SHRINE Resident kami-sama’s superpower: Curing warts How to get your warts cured: Throw aContinueContinue reading “The Eleven Strangest Shrines In Tokyo”
Giant Paper Lanterns On Wheels
Usually you’d have to hie yourself all the way up to rural Aomori* to catch a glimpse of these epic glowing floats, but lucky for me, last fall I happened across an outpost of the Nebuta Festival right in my own backyard! For some mysterious reason, six of the outrageously great floats were swanning down the shopping street near NakanobuContinueContinue reading “Giant Paper Lanterns On Wheels”
Jazz Age Paintings Of Beautiful Women And The Real Kimonos They Were Wearing
If you love kimono – and especially if you love Taisho and Showa-age kimono – don’t miss this exhibition! Right now, the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum – where over 3,000 of artist/illustrator Takehisa Yumeji’s works are archived – is displaying the actual kimonos and accessories worn in his paintings, side by side. I’m a huge fan of TaishoContinueContinue reading “Jazz Age Paintings Of Beautiful Women And The Real Kimonos They Were Wearing”
3-D Goldfish Art: Wait, Those Are PAINTINGS?
Doth my eyes deceive me? Riusuke Fukahori paints 3-D goldfish so real you can’t believe they’re not wriggling. And I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but the exhibit of his work going on RIGHT NOW at the Sano Art Museum in Mishima is so astounding, that in real life, the fish look more realContinueContinue reading “3-D Goldfish Art: Wait, Those Are PAINTINGS?”
Floating Lanterns
Candle-lit lanterns floating across a pond in the moonlight? Yes, please! This Toro Nagashi lantern ceremony was at the Ueno temple that sits amid the nodding lotus heads of Shinobazu Pond, and it was lovely. What I didn’t know was that it signals the end of annual O-bon festivities, the three days in summer when theContinueContinue reading “Floating Lanterns”
Where To See The Most Divine Lotus Blossoms In Tokyo
Most flower seasons in Japan are like hitting the jackpot, but lotus season is more of a treasure hunt. Instead of fields of I-can’t-believe-my-eyes color, you have to hunt for the sublime pinkness amid a sea of green. But when you find it… <swoon!> Lotus flowers open at first light, are at their best fromContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Most Divine Lotus Blossoms In Tokyo”
Things I Did Not Know You Could Do With A Lotus Leaf
This morning I was at the Sankei-en garden in Yokohama at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. to see their field of lotus in bloom, but it was the bonus attractions that really made my day! Sankei-en has special early weekend opening hours during The Season, because (who knew?) lotus flowers only bloom in theContinueContinue reading “Things I Did Not Know You Could Do With A Lotus Leaf”
The Best Places To See Pink Rivers of Cherry Blossom Petals
Photo thanks to the Hikawa Shrine Facebook page, which (thanks to their position right on the banks of the Shingashi River in Kawagoe) got the pink river timing perfect (unlike, uh, moi) The leaves are greening, hangovers cured, blue tarps furled, the madness over. Right? Wrong! Because as soon as the petals begin to fall,ContinueContinue reading “The Best Places To See Pink Rivers of Cherry Blossom Petals”
Hacking Hanami: How To Get Yourself Invited To A Cherry Blossom Party
Kicking back under clouds of pink blossoms in the warm spring sun, eating a picnic and drinking with friends – it’s something you always dreamed of doing in Japan, isn’t it? And then you get here, and you discover that unless you’re a member of a work group that puts on a hanami party, you’ll beContinueContinue reading “Hacking Hanami: How To Get Yourself Invited To A Cherry Blossom Party”
Only In Japan 