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