A major survey of the Japanese designers, artisans, manufacturers and technologies that have shaped the world of modern design

A dedication to craft and the finest production quality have been an integral part of culture and day-to-day life in Japan for centuries. For the Japanese, the concept of design is not limited to functionality or materiality, but wholly connected with ancient culture and rituals. In this sense, a chair is much more than what you sit on, a cup more than what you drink from: these objects are to be reflected upon, to be touched and cherished.

As mass manufacturing became widespread in the post-war period, fascinating cross-cultural exchanges began to take place between Japan and the West. These gave rise not only to timeless objects of great beauty and utility, but innovations in materials, form and technology. Far beyond the icons of Japanese design – the perfectly weighted Kikkoman soy sauce bottle, Yanagi’s butterfly stool, the Sony Walkman – the products and objects that have emerged from the country over the past seven decades, few of which have been widely exported, serve to delight and draw admiration. In recent years, a new generation of designers – Nendo, Yoshioka – have taken Japanese creativity into entirely new territory, reconceptualizing the very meaning of design.

No attempt has been made to present a complete overview of Japanese design, until now. Showcasing over eighty designers, hundreds of objects, and contributions from both Japanese and Western design experts, this volume will become the definitive work on the subject for many years to come.

Contents List:

Foreword by Maasaki Kanai • Introduction: The Craft of Japanese Design • The Design Titans • The Designers and Everyday Icons: Tables & Chairs • Essay by Naomi Pollock • Food & Drink • Essay by Makoto Shimazaki • On&Off • Essay by Shinji Hamada • Posters & Packaging • Warp & Weft • Essay by Matilda McQuaid • Lifestyle & Leisure • A–Z of Designers

About the Author:

Naomi Pollock is an American architect who writes about Japanese design and architecture. Her work has appeared in numerous publications on both sides of the Pacific, including A+U, Dwell, Kinfolk, Wallpaper* and Architectural Record, for whom she is the Special International Correspondent. In addition, she is the author of several books, including Modern Japanese House, Made in Japan: 100 New Products, Jutaku: Japanese Houses and Sou Fujimoto. In 2018, she was selected to join the College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects. Masaaki Kanai is President of Ryohin Keikaku, the retailer and manufacturer of the leading Japanese brand Muji.

Pressure exerted by America in 1854 caused Japan to open its doors after 260 years of isolation. Virtually uninhibited receptiveness to everything Western was the driving force behind the modernisation of Japan initiated by the Meiji government yet it also induced a rapid rediscovery of indigenous cultural values. At early Paris and London international exhibitions, the Japanese decorative and applied arts sparked off the Western fascination with all things Japanese – japonisme. In Japan, on the other hand, new technologies were eagerly adopted – the government realised that increasing production for export would be an excellent means of promoting Japanese economic growth and thus enhancing Japan’s status worldwide.

The present publication represents the first detailed survey of the development of Japanese export porcelain against a highly charged background of political, economic and cultural factors. Stylistic development in Japanese ceramics did not mean one-sided Westernisation; instead, inspiration went both ways, most notably in the impact made by Japanese art on Art Nouveau/Jugendstil and, ultimately, the Japanese aesthetic response to it.

This is the first complete survey of Japanese export porcelain from the Meiji era to be published in English – a benchmark standard work for specialists and an insider tip for lovers of porcelain and anyone interested in Art Nouveau and Japan.

Meiji Ceramics represents the first in-depth study of the development of Japanese export porcelain against a highly charged background of political, economic and cultural factors. Includes 180 artists’ signatures.

A History of the Samurai tells the complete story of Japan's legendary warrior class from beginning to end — an epic tale of intrigue, bloodshed and bravery that is central to an understanding of the Japanese character and of Japanese history. It describes in detail the core Samurai philosophy of Bushido —"the way of the warrior"— a complex code of conduct embracing ideals of honor and loyalty that continues to govern the Japanese way of life today.

Historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera offers a compelling look at these enigmatic warriors including:

- The lives of famous Samurai—Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman; Tomoe Gozen, the woman who became a Samurai; Tokugawa Ieyasu, the last Shogun; and many more
- The tragic tale of the 47 Ronin who chose honor over their own lives and were forced to commit ritual suicide after avenging their fallen master
- The philosophy of Bushido, "the Way of the Warrior," the code of conduct that embraced the ideals of honor and loyalty and governed the Samurai way of living
- The decline of the Samurai and their transformation from rough, battle-hardened warriors to highly educated philosopher-poets

Illustrated with 125 archival prints and photos, the nobility and grandeur of the Samurai is brilliantly showcased in this book. Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in the Samurai's world, as historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera traces the fascinating story of the rise and fall of these enigmatic warriors throughout Japanese history.

About the Author:

Jonathan Lopez-Vera has a PhD in Japanese History and an MA in World History from Pompeu Fabra University (Spain). He is a member of the Ethnographies, Cultural Encounters and Religious Missions (ECERM) research group and Research Group on Empires, Metropolis and Extra-European Societies (GRIMSE). He also runs the HistoriaJaponesa.com website and is co-editor of the journal Asiademica.

Russell Calvert has a masters degree in translation studies from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona). He has 25 years TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) experience, including posts at ESADE Business School (Barcelona) and Salalah College of Applied Sciences (Oman). He was the subtitler, translator and interpreter for the 2012 Mecal International Short Film Festival of Barcelona.

Featuring the works Japan’s most celebrated neko-e artists, this gorgeous boxed set contains a volume of more than seventy exquisite accordion-fold prints and an accompanying booklet with explanatory texts.

For centuries, cats have played an essential role in Japanese culture and folklore. Long before Hello Kitty, they were fetishized and revered by every strata of Japanese society, especially by artists. This volume collects dozens of prints by the greatest masters of Japanese printmaking including Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Utamaro, and Kunichika. It beautifully reflects the complex nature of the country’s attachment to felines. Cats are depicted as playful and cuddly, menacing and predatory; they are imbued with erotic meaning; and regarded as symbols of wealth and taste. They can be seen as having human qualities, yet also take on monstrous forms. Each of these prints captures its subject’s personality with meticulous detail, vibrant colors, and intricate patterns.
Included in this package is a booklet featuring an introduction to and brief texts about each of the works ― making this the perfect gift for cat fanciers, Japanese culture enthusiasts and lovers of woodblock prints.

About the Author:

Jocelyn Bouquillard is a curator at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and an expert in Japanese prints.

Celebrating the 400th anniversary of traditional Japanese ceramic culture as interpreted by today’s leading designers

The art of Japanese porcelain manufacturing began in Arita in 1616. Now, on its 400th anniversary, Arita / Table of Contents charts the unique collaboration between 16 contemporary designers and 10 traditional Japanese potteries as they work to produce 16 highly original, innovative and contemporary ceramic collections rooted in the daily lives of the 21st century. More than 500 illustrations provide a fascinating introduction to the craft and region, while the contemporary collections reveal the unique creative potential of linking ancient and modern masters.

About the Author:

Anniina Koivu is a critic, editor, and consultant. She was the editor of Abitare magazine, the director of research and head of international PR & partnerships at Vitra, and in 2013 was appointed head of theory of the masters’ programmes in product design and art direction at ECAL in Lausanne. She is the author of Works (2012) and editor-in-chief of The Walking Society (2015).

After over a decade of travel, study and creative collaboration with Japan, Norm Architects’ shares their uniquely Scandinavian view of Japanese aesthetics.

The book features richly illustrated dispatches from visits to Japanese landscapes, architecture and cultural sites, shedding light on the influence Japanese traditions have had on the studio’s contemporary projects, such as the Äng restaurant in Sweden or Heatherhill Beach House in Denmark.

Juxtaposing images from Japan with Norm Architects’ work, the book highlights the centuries-old connections between the distinct design cultures, emphasizing mutual respect and shared philosophies. Commentary from expert collaborators in both regions provides in-depth understanding into key design principles. At once an ode to Japan, a personal travelogue, and an aesthetic manifesto, Stillness takes readers on Norm’s decade-long journey as they’ve sought to understand one of the world’s most revered creative cultures.

About the Authors:

Norm Architects is a Copenhagen-based practice founded in 2008 working within architecture, interiors, design and photography. Norm’s sensory yet simple work aims to balance richness with restraint and order with complexity. Building on centuries of cultural exchange between Japan and Scandinavia, Norm Architects’ years of close collaboration with Japanese designers has shaped their design philosophy.

Outstanding typography introduced in bilingual Japanese and English text! A must-see book for anyone involved in design.

This book features more than 400 works carefully selected by 14 judges from the Japan Typography Association. With works accepted from all over the world through a public call for submissions, judges chosen from association members and the previous year’s Grand Prix winner conducted a rigorous evaluation process to select one Grand Prix winner from all the entries, along with a “Best Work Award” in each category. A “Jury Award” is awarded to works or designers highly rated by the judges from their individual perspectives. This book offers an overview of the latest trends in typography through the 10 categories, including typefaces, logotypes, and symbols, VI, graphics, editorial, research and experimentation and more. Also featured is part of the production process for the best works in each category. This year’s edition is the 45th edition since the series began in 1969 as The Japan Lettering & Typography Annual.

The first comprehensive monograph on Japanese ceramics in Chinese style and their history.

100 beautiful ceramics showcase the artistic relationship between Japan and China throughout the years.

 A valuable reference source for collectors and art historians.

Kindred Spirits showcases the remarkable flowering of Chinese style ceramics that took place in Japan after the mid-19th century. For over a thousand years, Chinese ceramics have been admired and emulated in Japan. This book discusses for the first time how this artistic relationship evolved during the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa eras. A selection of 100 works from the acclaimed Shen Zhai Collection demonstrates the range and quality of these ceramics, from elegant celadons to sophisticated underglaze blue porcelains. Detailed descriptions, makers’ marks, and box inscriptions make this a valuable reference resource for collectors and art historians.

About the Author:

Rose Kerr is Honorary Associate of the Needham Research Institute in Cambridge (UK), after retiring as Keeper of the Far Eastern Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. She teaches and lectures internationally and is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Glasgow; Trustee of the Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art; and Museum Expert Advisor for Hong Kong. In 2015 she was made an Honorary Citizen of Jingdezhen. An author and contributor to twenty-six books on Asian art, she is a regular contributor to journals and magazines. Patrick M. Kwok (郭建明) is a third-generation Singapore collector whose family art business marked its centennial in 2018. Over the past four decades his research interests have covered a wide range of Chinese art, in particular bronzes and ceramics. These constitute the core collections of 慎齋 (Shen Zhai), the Studio of Reverence. The bronzes were documented in a volume that he edited, Dialogue with the Ancients: 100 Bronzes of the Shang, Zhou, and Han Dynasties: The Shen Zhai Collection (Select Books, 2018). He is a vice president of The China Society, Singapore, and since the early 1980s he has been a member of the Oriental Ceramics Society in London, as well as in Hong Kong, and of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society, Singapore. His interest in Japanese art led him to focus on the influence of Chinese aesthetics in Japanese ceramics, sculpture and painting. Dr. Maezaki Shinya (前崎信也) is Professor of Art and Design History at Kyoto Women’s University and a Visiting Researcher at the Art Research Centre, Ritsumeikan University and Archival Research Centre of Kyoto City University of Arts. After gaining his doctorate in London in 2009, he worked for six years as a post-doctoral fellow at Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto. In 2015 he took up the position of Associate Professor at Kyoto Women’s University and was promoted to Professor in April 2022. Dr. Clare Pollard is Curator of Japanese Art at the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. After gaining her doctorate in Oxford in 1996, she worked for seven years as Curator of the East Asian Collections at the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. In 2004 she took up the position of Curator of Japanese Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, before returning to the Ashmolean in April 2006.

Features 20 gardens by contemporary Japanese garden design masters.

Introduction by lauded designer Chisao Shigemori, grandson of legendary garden master Mirei Shigemori.

A Japanese garden represents the essence of Japanese culture, embodying the country’s spirit and philosophy. It has a distinctive style, quality of materials and emphasis on details. Modern Japanese Gardens captures this spirit through the work of 20 contemporary Japanese garden design masters.

The gardens featured in Modern Japanese Gardens are drawn from a variety of locations in Japan, placed in different settings, from private houses and temples to cafés, restaurants and stores. Some are of traditional appearance; others have a distinctly modern aesthetic. In common, all the gardens have been influenced by Japanese culture and society, created by masters who are internationally recognised and lauded for their skills.

Modern Japanese Gardens includes insightful text on each garden, revealing the concept behind the design and the use of plants, alongside photography exploring both the detail and the overall aesthetic that shape the design.

About the Authors:

Shinobu Sawada is the editor-in-chief of leading Japanese garden magazine Niwa, having previously worked as an editor of Japanese interior design magazine Indoor green. She is a frequent speaker at conferences, media events and workshops. Sawada has extensive, well-established connections with the garden masters of Japan. Together with Sawada, Tadafumi Aoza runs Niwa Japan, a Japanese garden agency based in both Tokyo and Paris. Aoza and Sawada represent and promote Japanese gardeners around the world.

At the heart of this book are twenty-eight real-life animals and the myths and literature, paintings, drawings, textiles and ceramics they have inspired some of the most celebrated Japanese artists and writers to create

Since the dawn of Japanese folklore and religion, the Japanese soul has cultivated a special connection with nature and wildlife, in part due to the natural abundance of the Japanese archipelago. Every animal, from the frightening crow to the sublime crane, is sacred, occupying a central place in Japanese mythology, literature, arts, and crafts. In this text-rich art book, readers will find twenty-eight real-life animals, including the fox, frog, cat, monkey, and firefly, described in texts combining haikus, tales and anecdotes from everyday life and illustrated with objects produced by the some of the most celebrated Japanese artists and craftsmen.

Readers will see just how central animals -from the most fleeting to the most majestic, from the wildest to the most domesticated -are to Japanese legends and literature but also in the latest manga and animated films. In some cases, the animals are transformed and endowed with human attributes; in others, through a representative selection of Japanese art -paintings, prints, fashion and common Japanese objects such as netsuke (miniature sculptures)- they appear lovingly portrayed in their natural element: typical animals of the countryside, mountains, forests, rivers and sea, and even today's cities. While most of the animals in this Japanese bestiary are good omens, even ones a tad mischievous, downright evil or uniquely sacred, such as the sika deer or the crane, all are invested with strong symbolism and have become extremely popular in a country where everything is ephemeral and transient, yet everything remains.

Japanese Bestiary is an ideal book for anyone interested in Japanese drawing and painting, animal illustrations and wildlife art and literature.

About the Authors:

Nelly Delay, art historian, graduate of the Ecole du Louvre high school, was an art critic at Combat – founded in 1941 as a clandestine newspaper – and in various Swiss and Italian magazines before specializing, since 1963, in the study of ancient Japanese art. She organized Japanese art events in Paris from 1974 to 1984, for which she published texts on little-explored subjects and books on old Japanese drawings and paintings and the influence of Japanese on Western Art. Since 1989, she has devoted herself to publications and conferences within the framework of different cultural organizations and the OECD. Two of her many titles are available in English: "The Art and Culture of Japan" and "Japan: The Fleeting Spirit".

Dominique Ruspoli is a writer and photographer. Doctor (PhD) of Philosophy (by Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France) specialized on the aesthetics of western lough, she became lecturer on written communication and psychology at the EISEA (Graduate School of Engineering in Ivry, France). Dominique Ruspoli has addressed in her writings subjects as different as psychodrama, the humorous drawing, the Etruscans, Venice or the Lascaux cave, and has published also books on the Japanese artists Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kyosai. She is, since 2000, member of the College of Pataphysics - The Science of Imaginary Solutions, founded after the principles described by the symbolist writer Alfred Jarry.

Yumi Katsura is the greatest fashion designer you’ve never heard of. One of the world’s bestselling luxury wedding-dress designers, she is venerated in her native Japan as a cultural icon and an inspirational business leader. Among her most celebrated pieces is a paper ‘washi mode’ dress housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art; a vestment worn by Pope John Paul II; and a diamond-laden wedding gown ranked among the most expensive of all time.

These beautifully illustrated pages tell the story of a woman who single-handedly created Japan’s modern wedding industry, turning centuries of tradition on its head. From Katsura’s childhood in the ruins of wartime Tokyo to her stellar international career, her life is an example to anyone who dreams of living for their passion. Written by Cori Coppola – producer of the acclaimed documentary House of Cardin – with co-author Kristin Coppola, this lavish fashion biography is a must-have for critics, connoisseurs and couture fans.

_The story of the number-one-selling luxury wedding-dress designer in the world
_Co-written by Cori Coppola, producer of the acclaimed fashion documentary House of Cardin
_Including historical photographs and lush full-page spreads of Katsura’s greatest creations
_A must-have for critics, connoisseurs and couture fans

About the Author:

Cori Coppola is the Producer of the fashion documentary The House of Cardin, directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. Shot in five countries over the course of two years, the film depicts the life and work of famed French fashion designer Pierre Cardin. Previously, she worked as a Coordinator and VFX Producer for films and commercials both in the U.S. and in France working at high-profile companies such as Kleiser-Walczak, BUF, and Partizan. Ms. Coppola, who originally hails from Hollywood, is fluent in French and has lived in Paris for over 21 years. She is the granddaughter of famed opera conductor Anton Coppola, daughter of jazz bassist Ray Brown, and part of the celebrated Coppola family. Her passion for art, fashion, music and film continues to inspire and drive her work.

Now available in a beautiful new edition, this book presents a meditative, arresting and dazzling collection of 240 black-and-white images of Japan, made over almost 30 years by the internationally renowned photographer Michael Kenna.

A rocky coast along the Sea of Japan; an immense plain of rice fields in the snow; Mount Fuji towering over misty wooded hills; silent temples devoid of people but brimming with Buddhist deities; a Torii gate mysteriously emerging from moving clouds and water ― these are a few images from this remarkable collection of photographs by Michael Kenna, whose black-and-white work is highly renowned. Forms of Japan, brilliantly designed by Yvonne Meyer-Lohr, is organized into chapters simply titled, “Sea,” “Land,” “Trees,” “Spirit,” and “Sky.”

The quietly evocative photographs, often paired with classic haiku poems of Basho, Buson, Issa and others, provide a contemplative portrait of a country better-known for its energy and industry. Gorgeously reproduced to convey the enormous subtleties that exist in Michael Kenna’s traditional black-and-white silver prints, the photographs in this book include both well-known and previously unpublished images from all corners of Japan: Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Okinawa and Shikoku.

About the Authors:

Michael Kenna is an English photographer, now based in Seattle, USA, best known for his black-and-white landscapes. More than 60 books and monographs have been published on his photographic work, including "Buddha", "Holga", "Rouge", and "St. Joseph’s College, Upholland" (all by Prestel).

Yvonne Meyer-Lohr is a designer and author based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Beautifully executed illustrations and in-depth commentry are presented in this excellent introduction to the Chinese language and its millieu

Written Chinese can call upon about 40,000 characters, many of which originated some 6,000 years ago as little pictures of everyday objects used by the ancients to communicate with one another. To convey more abstract ideas or concepts, the Chinese stylised and combined their pictographs. For instance, the character for "man" - a straight back above two strong legs - becomes, with the addition of a head and shoulders and arms held sternly akimbo, the character for "official".

This book, modelled after a classic compilation of the Chinese language done in the 18th century, introduces readers to the 214 root pictographs or symbols upon which this writing system, whose rich complexities hold a wealth of cultural meaning, is based. These key characters, called radicals, are all delightfully presented in this volume, with their graphic development traced stage-by-stage to the present representation, where even now (in many of them) one can easily make out what was originally pictured-with the author's guidance.

Centuries ago, when the Japanese took up writing, they also adopted these symbols, though they gave them different names in their own spoken language. Each of the 214 classic radicals is charmingly explored by the author, both for its etymology and for what it reveals about Chinese history and culture. Chinese characters are marvels of graphic design, and this book even shows the proper way to write each radical, stroke by stroke. Finally, there are also samples of each radical combined with other radicals and character elements to demonstrate how new characters are formed-some 8,000 have been added to the language since the 18th century. With all its expertly executed calligraphic illustrations and fascinating commentary, this book serves as an excellent introduction to Chinese writing and its milieu.

About the Author:

Edoardo Fazzioli, who has studied Chinese language and culture at Hong Kong University and is a member of the Italo-Chinese Institute for Economic and Cultural Exchange, has written newspaper articles and scholarly pieces on Chinese life and civilization.

‘You will have a moment of quiet delight and a mood of introspection to carry you away.’ Edmund de Waal.

Prized by collectors from East to West, Japanese netsuke are tiny objects of wonder that originated as utilitarian accessories for traditional Japanese dress. Over the centuries these small carved toggles, designed to hook over the top of the kimono sash, evolved into high-fashion depictions of all aspects of Japanese life.

In this richly illustrated and highly accessible book, Julia Hutt draws on the V&A’s world-famous netsuke collection to explore the origins and techniques of this captivating art form.

About the Author:

Julia Hutt is Curator of Japanese Art in the Asian Department at the V&A. Edmund de Waal is a world-renowned ceramics artist and author of The Hare with the Amber Eyes

The best of Tokyo cuisine and culture, from AM to PM.

A Day in Tokyo is a culinary journey through one of the world's most vibrant cities.

From the bustling streets of Shinjuku to the hidden corners of Ueno, this book takes you on a delicious food adventure from breakfast through to dinner, showcasing the diverse tastes and ingredients of Japanese cuisine. Start the day with unbelievably fluffy Funwari Hottokeki, dive into some Tokyo-born Yakisoba Pan for a much-earned midday break and end the night with crunchy and tender Tonkatsu.

Capture the delicious flavours of Tokyo at home with 70 recipes and insider tips on where to find the best local eats. A Day in Tokyo is the ultimate book for food and travel enthusiasts.

About the Authors:

Brendan Liew and Caryn Ng have spent more than a decade travelling to Japan, traversing its cities and rural countryside to explore, learn and live the local culture and cuisine. In 2016, they established a pop-up Japanese restaurant, Chotto, in Melbourne, bringing traditional ryokan-style breakfasts to the city. The cafe transported diners to Japan on a cultural and culinary journey spanning old and new, inspired by everything from countryside dinners on the Nakasendo trail, to the food of Japan's far north and deep south, and the animated feasts of Studio Ghibli.
A chef by training, Brendan has worked at restaurants including Kadeau in Copenhagen and Benu in San Francisco, and the three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo and Hong Kong. He studied the craft of ramen making in Osaka before settling on specialising in kappo and modern kaiseki cuisine.