At Home: Kintsugi, the Japanese art of restoring broken pottery to create something beautiful

Life Pick up

At Home: Kintsugi, the Japanese art of restoring broken pottery to create something beautiful

About kintsugi In Japan, repairing cracked or chipped pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi and coating them with gold is known as a traditional art of kintsugi. Kintsugi gives new life to broken vessels, giving it a one-of-a-kind appearance as if it had always been designed that way.

What to do in Ginza: Check out the newest experience in Tokyo, Japanese traditional indigo-dyeing ai-zome

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What to do in Ginza: Check out the newest experience in Tokyo, Japanese traditional indigo-dyeing ai-zome

There are many ways that visitors can experience Japanese culture when they come to Japan. While traveling itself is exciting, it is also important to develop unforgettable memories in the process. In the age of mass production, exploring the heart and soul of Japan through hand-made experiences will definitely be a highlight of the journey.

Nezu Shrine: power spot in Tokyo famous for a beautiful architecture and azalea

Shrines & Temples Pick up

Nezu Shrine: power spot in Tokyo famous for a beautiful architecture and azalea

Located in Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Nezu shrine is said to be founded 1900 years ago. It is conveniently located 5 minutes by foot from the multiple stations, and is very popular among visitors. Nearly all of Nezu Shrine's structures are extant from when they were built in the Edo period, and seven buildings are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Nezu shrine is most famous for its azalea garden that bursts into color in spring. Japanese azalea is a flower similar to Rhododendron that grows in the United States and Europe.

Fukutoku Shrine (Mebuki Inari), a power spot in the buzzing commercial district of Nihonbashi, Tokyo

Shrines & Temples Pick up

Fukutoku Shrine (Mebuki Inari), a power spot in the buzzing commercial district of Nihonbashi, Tokyo

Have you ever heard about Nihonbashi, an area that flourished as a castle town during the Edo shogunate? Today, it is a lively commercial district prospered as Tokyo's financial and economic center. Over the last years, its urban landscape has been transformed with several major redevelopments, and some stunning places emerged. Fukutoku Shrine (Mebuki Inari), a power spot hidden in the gleaming skyscraper area of Nihonbashi, is one of them. 

Tokyo Edo Miso is making a modern comeback

Food Pick up

Tokyo Edo Miso is making a modern comeback

During the Edo period, Edo miso was deeply cherished by the general public, but Meiji period brought a gradual decline, ending in a complete ban on its production during the war. Seventy years later, an accidentally discovered old document helped Edo miso gain ground again, after research and trial production. Read this article to learn more about Edo miso, how it sprang back to life again and where to buy it.

My experience of making washi paper during the workshop at Ozu Washi

Crafts Pick up

My experience of making washi paper during the workshop at Ozu Washi

In this article, I will tell you about Ozu Washi, a washi paper shop with a history spanning over 360 years.

Japanese paper from all over Japan! My visit to Ozu Washi, a store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo operating since Edo period

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Japanese paper from all over Japan! My visit to Ozu Washi, a store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo operating since Edo period

Washi paper is one of Japan’s most fundamental products that has been used for various purposes since ancient times. It is made using fibers from the inner bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub (Edgeworthia chrysantha), or the paper mulberry (kōzo) bush.

THE COVER NIPPON, a place where you can see beautiful handicrafts from all over Japan

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THE COVER NIPPON, a place where you can see beautiful handicrafts from all over Japan

Are you wondering what Japanese souvenirs will help spark a wonderful memory of your trip to Japan?

Arita ware, Fukagawa-Seiji Tea & Gallery – FUKAGAWA SEIJI 1894 ROYAL KILN & TEA

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Arita ware, Fukagawa-Seiji Tea & Gallery – FUKAGAWA SEIJI 1894 ROYAL KILN & TEA

Have you ever heard of a traditional Japanese porcelain called Arita ware? It dates back to the beginning of the 17th century, during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaigns in Korea. Nabeshima Naoshige, the lord of Bizen (part of present-day Nagasaki and Saga prefectures), brought back the potter, Li Sanpei who discovered a high-quality porcelain stone at Mount Arita Izumi, and the first fine porcelain thereafter emerged in Japan. The raw porcelain material that was found in Arita, Saga Prefecture in Kyushu is still used for producing tableware and arts and crafts, and continues to be loved by Japanese families up to these days.