Quick Reads
Dip into our collection of quick reads to discover something new about Japan.

Weaving Kumihimo into Your Name

Japanese Noh theatre - subtle expressions of complex emotions

Gogatsu Ningyō & Hina - the century-old craft of doll making

The influence of design on Japan’s regional communities throughout modern times

Bizen yaki - rustic earthenware from Okayama Prefecture

Shunkei lacquerware - rooted in Hida Takayama’s woodwork tradition

Mashiko – Japanese studio pottery through the generations

Orin - hand-hammered and carefully tuned Buddhist bells

How rail transformed Takayama: a stationmaster’s view

Oboro kombu – paper-thin seaweed from Sakai City

Edo Kiriko - intricately cut glass dating back to the Edo period

Hake and burashi - Japanese brushes for every occasion

Kibiso - reviving Yamagata’s silk production through creative new uses

Ryūkyū Dance - the unique performing arts of Okinawa

Sashiko - reviving communities through Japanese embroidery

Sōgetsu Ikebana - an avant-garde approach to Japanese floral design

The Lost Textile of Ryūkyū: uncovering the mystery of ton-byan

Kawanabe Kyōsai - blending classical painting with satirical ukiyo-e

Mifune Toshirō - an exploration of the actor’s legacy through his most iconic films

Chadō, the Japanese Way of Tea, from its origins to today

Aizu momen - colourful and durable cotton fabric from Fukushima Prefecture

Carving the Divine - Buddhist sculptors of Japan

Festival Clothes from Tōhoku recreated after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Aizome Indigo Dyeing from Mashiko

The Rugby World Cup in Kamaishi – a driving force for recovery

Anime in Fukushima

Riku Café – bringing communities together in Rikuzentakata

Mashiko – a town famous for pottery

SPREAD: creative team behind the Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival's design

Oscillating Neutrinos & the Universe

The Japanese Toilet and Omotenashi: Talk by TOTO

Spotlight on Japanese designer Misawa Haruka

Biology of Metal: Metal Craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo

Japanese blade craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo

Colour Combinations and The Tale of Genji

Shōmyō (Japanese Buddhist Sutra Chanting) from the Temples of Nara

Japanese Graphic Design

LGBTQ+: Diversity in Manga

Takahashi Mizuki: international contemporary art curator

Kagura (Sacred Dance) from Kasuga Taisha

Hiba wood from Aomori Prefecture

Prototyping in Tokyo: Illustrating design-led innovation

Natural Washi Dyeing with Yoshioka Sarasa

Society 5.0 – A new model for an ageing society?

Yoshioka Tokujin: the leading designer behind the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic torches

Wrapping with Tenugui (Thin Cotton Cloth)

Face coverings by HIROCOLEDGE

Types of Japanese Tea

SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE

Japanese New Year traditions: kites and kumade

Tamamushi-Nuri – Lacquer Craft Revitalizing Sendai

Air Vases by Torafu Architects - Japanese Paper