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Agriculture
fromColossal
17 hours ago

How One Cooperative Champions the Quechua Weavers of Peru's Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley's economy is shifting from traditional subsistence to cash-based systems, impacting Quechua communities and their livelihoods.
OMG science
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

The Guardian view on Japan's cherry blossom: when spring slips out of time | Editorial

Prof Yasuyuki Aono's research shows cherry blossoms in Japan bloom earlier due to climate change, impacting culture and tourism significantly.
Arts
fromColossal
5 days ago

Marvel at Manabu Kosaka's Hyperrealistic Paper Sculptures of Retro Objects

Manabu Kosaka creates intricate paper replicas of everyday objects, showcasing remarkable detail and flexibility in his artistic process.
#product-design
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago
Design

A 400-Year-Old Japanese Candleholder, Upgraded Again - Yanko Design

Dai Furuwatari's Pendulum Candleholder thoughtfully updates the traditional Japanese teshoku by adding a hanging hook and adjustable pendulum mechanism, making it both portable and versatile for modern use.
London
fromianVisits
1 week ago

Free exhibition showcases centuries of Korean ceramic craft

The Korean Cultural Centre in London showcases Icheon ceramics, blending traditional and contemporary craftsmanship until June 2026.
Typography
fromFast Company
6 days ago

Meet Kyoto: the typeface that bleeds (on purpose)

Kyoto blends Japanese calligraphy with classic Latin forms, reflecting a handmade, human feel in design.
Cooking
fromBon Appetit
1 week ago

Ceramic Cookware From Around the World

Culinary tools from around the globe reflect heritage cooking traditions and the stories of their makers.
fromElite Traveler
1 week ago

Luxury Tea Sets Worth Passing Down Through Generations

A Chinese silver-gilt tea service once leapt from a €50,000 estimate to more than €200,000 when auctioned by Sotheby's Amsterdam in 2011.
London food
Graphic design
fromDesign Milk
1 week ago

Hikarigami Lighting Forges New Finishing Techniques

Hikarigami merges handcraft and robotics to create unique light fixtures from aluminum sheets through innovative design processes.
Arts
fromwww.7x7.com
1 week ago

Chiharu Shiota's jaw-dropping yarnscapes take over the Asian Art Museum.

Chiharu Shiota's exhibition explores memory, trauma, and personal experience through immersive installations using red yarn and historical artifacts.
fromColossal
2 weeks ago

Misato Sano's Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality

Visualizing my inner self through expressions and gestures full of charm and humor has also become an opportunity to deepen my self-love.
Pets
#renovation
Arts
fromArtnet News
1 week ago

How a Hopi Potter Named Nampeyo Became a 19th-Century Art Star | Artnet News

Nampeyo significantly influenced Hopi pottery, blending ancient techniques with modern expressions, making her a pivotal figure in the history of ceramics.
Graphic design
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Even more beautiful than I imagined': the nifty Japanese printing gadget uniting artists worldwide

Gabriella Marcella curates an exhibition showcasing risograph art, highlighting its unique aesthetic and community impact.
Portland food
fromABC7 San Francisco
3 weeks ago

Why Bay Area ceramics studios are growing in popularity as pottery interest spikes

The Bay Area's ceramics scene has grown significantly, with 26 pottery studios now in San Francisco, driven by a resurgence in creative hobbies post-pandemic.
Writing
fromwww.cntraveller.com
3 weeks ago

I travelled to Tokyo just to buy stationeryhere's how to shop for it like a pro

A deep passion for stationery drives a quest for unique office supplies, particularly in renowned cities like Tokyo.
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
4 weeks ago

Your Carry-On Isn't Ready for Cherry Blossom Season in Japan - These 9 Designs Are - Yanko Design

Camera (1) is a compact, metal-bodied camera designed for ease of use, featuring a single-edge control layout that allows for quick adjustments without navigating a touchscreen. This design is particularly beneficial during cherry blossom season when moments are fleeting and require immediate capture.
Photography
Arts
fromArtnet News
2 weeks ago

The Monumental Impact of Indian Miniature Painting

Indian miniature painting showcases diverse styles and themes, reflecting the tastes of royal courts across the Indian subcontinent from 1630 to the early 19th century.
Coffee
fromTasting Table
1 month ago

The Unusual Way Coffee Has Been Aged In Japan For Centuries - Tasting Table

Aging coffee through snow-aging enhances flavor by reducing bitterness and improving aroma.
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

Casio's special edition calculator handcrafted using traditional Japanese lacquering technique - Yanko Design

The S100X Urushi Edition, also known as The Special One, is a limited edition desktop calculator designed using a century-old Japanese Urushi lacquer technique.
Gadgets
Renovation
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

This Crumbling Kyoto Home Was Rebuilt as a Wabi-Sabi Sanctuary - and Every Detail Is Intentional - Yanko Design

A Kyoto renovation restores a traditional Sukiya residence by removing decades of alterations, creating livable spaces that honor historical principles while serving contemporary needs.
fromThe Art Newspaper - International art news and events
4 weeks ago

Textiles weave tales of Palestine's rich but troubled history

Textiles are a window into the communities that created them, with every motif and line signalling a different memory, tradition or identity. Often seen as folk art, these pieces of embroidery and weaving bring together dozens of narrative threads, from Japan to South America. But nowhere is it more fraught with meaning than in Palestine.
Arts
Design
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

8 Best Japanese Spring Home Upgrades That Make Tiny Rooms Feel Like a Wabi-Sabi Sanctuary - Yanko Design

Japanese design philosophy emphasizes deliberate minimalism where less means intentional rather than empty, achieved through functional objects rooted in craft traditions and spatial intelligence.
Science
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Know when to fold them: the tech inspired by origami

MIT researchers developed a 3D-printing technique inspired by kirigami that creates flat, foldable structures that pop into predetermined 3D shapes when pulled.
Arts
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

The new life of hand-painted signs in Mexico

Sign painting in Mexico City has surged in popularity following the removal of street signs, leading to increased interest and new opportunities for artists.
fromColossal
1 month ago

Restrained Emotions Simmer in Shinsuke Inoue's Tender Wood Sculptures

I have virtually no idea what the finished piece will look like until I actually begin working with the wood. As a result, the form often emerges as I carve, and I frequently change my plans midway through the process. Naturally, I keep the many failures a secret.
Arts
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Kintsugi: The Japanese Art of Being Remade

Kintsugi 金継ぎ is known as the Japanese art of putting broken things back together, like broken pottery, using materials mixed with powdered gold and other elements. Instead of hiding damage, this technique celebrates the restoration of an object once viewed as broken, flawed, or imperfect. This same process can be seen as a metaphor for addiction recovery. Even for people with addiction who willingly choose recovery, there's an element of being remade that can't be ignored. Addicts often go through a period of denial.
Mental health
Coffee
fromArchitectural Digest
1 month ago

The Best Coffee Mugs, From Hasami to Heath Ceramics

The right coffee mug combines essential functional traits like heat retention and durability with distinctive design personality and sentimental value.
Fashion & style
fromAnOther
2 months ago

Ssstein, the Japanese Label Creating Masterful Tailoring for the Everyday

Ssstein offers warm, unisex tailoring by Kiichiro Asakawa that celebrates everyday movement, memory, and the quiet poetry of ordinary moments.
fromCN Traveller
2 months ago

This underrated Mexican city's artisans have transformed their home into a shopaholic's paradise

Traveller check into hotels for easy access to historical Mayan sites and the cenotes beyond, with ambles through colourful squares and late, balmy nights digesting feasts over tequila tipples. Between cultural excursions and natural wonders, however, there's much to be said for the artisans in these parts. From crafted perfumes to handmade chocolates, these are the gifts and trinkets to make space for in your luggage.
Food & drink
Travel
fromElite Traveler
2 months ago

Uncovering Japan's Road Less Traveled

Japan Heritage promotes regional cultural, artisanal, and spiritual traditions to guide tourists beyond crowded routes and reveal diverse local stories and experiences.
Environment
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

The Japanese gardening technique of kokedama will bring a touch of magic into your home

Kokedama moss-ball arrangements offer an accessible, decorative, and sustainable alternative to traditional floristry while evoking layered urban memories.
Arts
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

Janny Baek's Ceramics Look Like They're Still Evolving - Yanko Design

Janny Baek's ceramic sculptures deliberately maintain ambiguity and incompleteness, appearing caught mid-transformation as though unfinished by the kiln, creating visually arresting forms that suggest multiple organic possibilities simultaneously.
Toronto Raptors
fromDefector
1 month ago

New Japan Makes, The World Takes | Defector

Tomohiro Ishii, a 50-year-old New Japan Pro Wrestling mid-card wrestler, maintains authenticity through his unwavering commitment to a consistent wrestling formula despite being past his prime.
Cooking
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

7 Best Japanese Kitchen Gadgets & Tools So Clever They Make Every Meal Feel Like a Ceremony - Yanko Design

Japanese kitchenware prioritizes single-purpose precision and minimalist design over multifunctionality, with tools refined through centuries of regional manufacturing expertise that create superior cooking performance.
Miscellaneous
fromArchDaily
1 month ago

Kumamoto Exhibition Explores Shoei Yoh's Pioneering Timber Structures and Computational Design

Shoei Yoh, a pioneering Japanese architect born in Kumamoto in 1940, revolutionized timber construction and computational design through rational methodology and elastic architecture principles.
Philosophy
fromAeon
2 months ago

A musical ode to Indian wool and life on the Deccan Plateau | Aeon Videos

Traditional Deccani sheep wool sustains livelihoods and culture but faces decline as economic shifts, land-use change, and imported wool cause waste and threaten pastoral life.
Mindfulness
fromMedium
4 years ago

The Japanese Character for Rest Helped Me Find It

Real rest means being in a safe, peaceful place—grounded and protected—rather than merely sleep or the absence of work.
Photography
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Displaying the cloth like this showed its true beauty': Aung Chan Thar's best phone picture

Photographer documents Inlay Lake's floating cloth production, showing cultural resilience and vibrant craftsmanship despite development challenges.
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

10 Best Japanese Stationery Items Under $100 Planners Obsess Over - Yanko Design

The stationery world has long looked to Japan for innovation, and planning enthusiasts know this better than anyone. Japanese design philosophy brings together minimalism, functionality, and thoughtful engineering to create tools that transform mundane tasks into moments of creative joy. These aren't just accessories that sit pretty on your desk. They're carefully crafted instruments that respect your workflow, elevate your planning rituals, and make every stroke of the pen feel intentional.
Gadgets
Coffee
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

6 Camping Mugs From Japan That Make Coffee Taste Better (Science Says So) - Yanko Design

Japanese ceramic mugs enhance coffee experience through superior heat retention, neutral flavor profiles, and handcrafted design that influences taste perception and creates intentional ritual.
fromdesignyoutrust.com
2 months ago

This Artist Creates Superhero and Comic Watercolors With Traditional Japanese Motifs

Justin Bieber for Calvin Klein Spring 2015 Ad Campaign In A Parallel Universe: Artist Exposes Sexism By Switching Up Gender Roles In Old-School Ads Russian Blogger Makes Parodies Out Of Celebrity Photos, And More Than 20,000 Followers On Instagram Approve 10 Famous Movie Titles Written Using Negative Space The World of Modern Graphic Design & Typography by Kyle Kemink Chinese Tech Companies Hiring 'Pretty' Girls to Motivate Male Employees by Chatting, Playing Ping Pong and Buying them Breakfast
Typography
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

Top 5 Japanese Kitchen Knives Under $200 That Professional Chefs Use at Home - Not the Ones They Recommend for Commission - Yanko Design

Most knife recommendations come with a quiet asterisk. A brand deal, a commission link, a product sent to a chef's PO box before the review goes live. What gets left out of that conversation is what the same chef keeps in the drawer at home - the blade they reach for on a Sunday morning when nobody is filming.
Cooking
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

7 Best Japanese-Designed Valentine's Gifts That Look $1000+, But Cost Half That - Yanko Design

Japanese design has spent centuries perfecting the balance between restraint and richness. These seven gifts embody that philosophy, where every material choice and geometric decision carries intention. From transparent polycarbonate that frames music like sculpture to hand-planted bristles that honor century-old brush-making techniques, each piece reflects the considered craftsmanship that typically commands luxury prices. The precision is palpable, the materials exceptional, yet the cost remains accessible.
Design
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

These Sculptural Japanese Lamps Come in 100 Colors for $150 - Yanko Design

Designed by Michael Kritzer, an industrial designer with Red Dot, iF, and Cannes Lions awards to his name, Dollights are inspired by creative Kokeshi dolls, those beautifully varied Japanese wooden figures that range from traditional to wildly expressive. The connection isn't literal. You won't mistake these for dolls on a shelf. But the DNA is there in the proportions, that satisfying relationship between a rounded head and a tapered body, the way each silhouette feels like it has its own quiet personality.
Design
Design
fromdesignboom | architecture & design magazine
1 month ago

layered floral stickers transform paper into 3D modular bouquet letter set

Towa Mark transforms industrial embossing expertise into Letter Bouquet, a modular stationery system where users layer three-dimensional embossed floral stickers onto washi paper to create sculptural compositions.
fromColossal
1 month ago

Inside the Sacred Valley Ceramics Studio Referencing Ancient Peruvian Practices

It is not about reproducing the past but about engaging in dialogue with it. We apply the same level of care and rigor to all pieces. Many of our utilitarian pieces have a strong sculptural quality, and several of the more artistic works originate from everyday forms and functions. We do not establish rigid boundaries between these categories; all are part of the same vision.
Arts
Design
fromDesign Milk
2 months ago

Lamp-Tapestries Rooted in Basket-Weaving Traditions in Ghana

Recycled PET bottles are integrated into traditional Gurunsi basketry to create contemporary lamps that emphasize light, shadow, and local craft in northern Ghana.
fromArtnet News
2 months ago

British Museum's 'Samurai' Show Reveals the Untold Story of Women Warriors

The show, simply titled " Samurai," dives into the myth of the samurai and how it came to be, to teach viewers how this fierce warrior class emerged during the early medieval period in the 1100s and evolved over the next few centuries to become an elite class of bureaucrats. The exhibition also examines portrayals of samurai in modern-day popular culture, and how that compares to reality. Yes, the samurai started out as fierce fighters, but their identity is much more complex than that.
Arts
Design
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

5 Sushi-Inspired Designs For Japanese Product Fans That Look So Realistic You'll Want to Eat Them - Yanko Design

Sushi exemplifies minimalist design—clarity, precision, and restraint guide creators to prioritize essential elements and function for lasting, purposeful aesthetics.
Design
fromArchitectural Digest
2 months ago

An Heirloom Patchwork Quilt Can Redefine Your Whole Room's Vibe

Patchwork quilts provide nostalgic cottagecore bedding aesthetics through modern retailers and quality materials for people without inherited heirlooms.
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