Your Doorway to Japan

“Cool Traditions” Stay in Tune with Modern Life

Traditional art forms and aesthetics can be infused with new creativity as they are passed along from generation to generation. This series looks at some of these “cool traditions” that remain relevant by perfectly suiting contemporary sensibilities.

LATEST
Edo Meets Pop Culture: Reimagining Ukiyo-e with a Modern Manga and Anime TwistCULTURE | May 25, 2025
“Mizuhiki”: Fourteen Centuries of Artistic “Ties that Bind” CULTURE | Aug 21, 2024
Weaving the Future of a Traditional Past: Torigoe Bamboo Artisan Shibata Megumi INSIGHT | Aug 15, 2024
An Auspicious Nō Dance for a New Year: Takeda Isa and Her Father Perform TogetherCULTURE | Feb 13, 2024
“Wabi,” “Sabi,” “Yūgen”: The Surprising Changes in “Traditional” Japanese AestheticsCULTURE | Jan 4, 2024
Daigo Urushi: Japan’s Top Lacquer and the History of Its ArtCULTURE | Jun 30, 2023
Between Reality and Dream: Swedish Jazz Meets Nō TheaterCULTURE | Jun 28, 2023
Spring Festival: A Symphony of “Sakura” and ArtCULTURE | Feb 21, 2020
Japan’s Emerald Carpets: The Cultural Importance and Environmental Promise of MossINSIGHT | Jan 2, 2020
Functional Art in Everyday Life: An Interview with Ceramic Dealer Hirose IchirōCULTURE | May 14, 2019
Japonism: A Rich History of Artistic InspirationCULTURE | Jan 22, 2019
Training Future Champions: An Interview with Sumō Stablemaster Takadagawa KatsumiCULTURE | Jan 11, 2019
The Art and Science of Relaxation: Japanese Massage Chair Maker FujiiryōkiCULTURE | Oct 10, 2018
Daily Life at a Sumō Stable: A Visit to the Takadagawa StableCULTURE | Aug 23, 2018
Spreading the Spirit of Tea in Europe: Nojiri MichikoCULTURE | Jul 5, 2018
Hatsumi Masaaki, the World’s Most Famous Ninja, and His Essence of Martial ArtsCULTURE | Jun 27, 2018
A Requiem in Salt: Japanese Artist Yamamoto MotoiCULTURE | Feb 9, 2018
Sesson Fans: A Cool Breath of TraditionCULTURE | Feb 7, 2018