Deeper Views
Dive further into Japanese culture.
Join our team of culture editors in exploring deeper connections between Japan’s art, culture, and history.
Latest
More than Matcha:
Understanding Japanese Tea
While matcha might catch the most attention these days, there’s a greater variety of Japanese tea to explore.
Your Guide to Autumn in Japan 2025
Seasonal Guide
Discover the best ways to travel Japan in autumn, from momiji maple views to hiking through Japan’s most iconic outdoor scenery.
Featured
The War on Geisha: Identity in the Face of Tradition
The complex struggle of geisha to preserve their traditional identity while adapting to the pressures of modernity, Western influence, and societal misconceptions.
More entries from
Deeper Views
The Aesthetics of Belief: Space & Shintoism
How Shinto shapes Japanese visual culture, where belief is carefully composed in space, material, and form.
The New Uses of Hakata-Ori
Born in the weaving workshops of Fukuoka more than eight centuries ago, Hakata-ori, the emblematic textile once reserved for samurai belts and ceremonial attire, has now found its way into fashion, interior design, and architecture.
The Chashitsu as the Soul of Japanese Architecture
How Japan’s chashitsu, or tea hut, evolved from Zen simplicity into a timeless architectural form that continues to embody the nation’s spiritual ideals, artistic sensibility, and enduring cultural soul.
From Basho to Pokémon: Japan’s Enduring Fascination with Insects
These small creatures play a big part in Japanese culture, from ancient times to contemporary culture.
The Inked Pages of Japan: A History of Manga
From ancient scrolls to post-war comic creations, the origins of manga have existed in Japan since far before their modern publications.
The Seiza and the Silent Art of Sitting
How posture impacts cultural formation and the creation of crafts, plus the evolution of “seiza” from social circles to widespread Japanese soceity.
Incompletion as Intention: Learning from Mikansei in Japanese Woodwork
Discover the aesthetic philosophy of incompletion, mikansei, and the impact it has had on Japanese art and crafts for countless centuries.
Kintsugi Futures: Repair and Emotional Resilience
How Japan’s traditions of repairing and reusing have survived generations, connecting with modern movements of sustainability.
Repair and Reuse: Crafting New Stories from the Old
How Japan’s traditions of repairing and reusing have survived generations, connecting with modern movements of sustainability.
Monogatari, The Meiji Years, and Japan's Oral Storytelling Tradition
For centuries, an oral tradition was so much more than entertainment. Read more about Japan's unbroken heritage of oral storytelling, from ancient times to modern scenes.
Ukiyo-e: Capturing the Fleeting World Through Print
Discover more about ukiyo-e, a Japanese art revealing not only artistic brilliance but also the values and social dynamics of their the Edo Period.
Japonisme 2.0: A Global Art Meta-Genre
How Japonisme, a 19th-century art movement that introduced Japanese aesthetics to Europe and inspired icons like Monet and Van Gogh, shaped modern art and continues to influence design today.
To Become Another: The Mask in Japanese Culture
How the ancient art of masks continues to shape Japan’s cultural identity, from crafts to culture.
Embracing Ephemera: “Mono no aware” in the Modern Shin-Hanga Movement
How the Japanese culture of “mottainai” and its religious traces connect to modern issues of food consumption and waste in Japan.
Traces of the Seasons: Nagori and Appreciating the Passage of Time
Nagori, a uniquely Japanese way of appreciating the fleeting beauty of seasonal transitions and the passage of time, lives on in art, culture, and craft.
The Art of Dyeing: Traditional, Sustainable Craft
Discover the timeless art of Japanese dyeing, where traditional craftsmanship meets sustainable fashion techniques, blending cultural heritage with modern eco-consciousness.
The Elevation of Craft from Folk to Art: Mingei, Minka, and Modern Japan
How Japan's mingei folk crafts and minka homes evolved from humble origins to celebrated art forms, preserving the nation's cultural heritage
