DESIGN TALKS plus

Renowned Japanese product designer Naoto Fukasawa believes that the essence of good design is that it blends into our daily lives, existing outside consciousness. Fukasawa's research into the meaning of design has led him to believe that w…

The first railways in Japan were developed using imported technology, brought in after Japan opened its doors to the West in the latter half of the 19th century. Since then, Japan has developed a world-class railway system that includes Sh…

Japanese culture is often celebrated for its simple beauty. But it has another, very different side. The glamorous, ornate clothing worn by kabukimono and oiran made them popular icons. This avant-garde fashion asserted a sense of self, re…

The flowers that grace each of Japan's 4 seasons have inspired many floral designs in both high art and everyday items. The Japanese love of flowers is most obvious in kado, the art of flower-arranging. Kado is not just about visual beauty…

Shitsuraeru typically means something like "arrange" or "set up", but in the world of Japanese design, it refers to the custom of placing objects in a harmonious way. Beautiful objects like hanging scrolls, bonsai plants and bamboo sunshad…

Even as the Internet and digital media play an ever larger role in our lives, interest in traditional printed media is seeing resurgence. You can't replace the texture or expressiveness of physical printed items. Printing in Japan blossome…

Japanese culture has developed a keen appreciation for "yohaku", which means something like "negative space". In everything from art and entertainment to clothing, food and housing, space is more than just a blank - it is a form of express…

There is a centuries-old theory in Japan that true beauty lie in the gap between reality and fiction. That aesthetic has had an enormous influence on Japanese culture. Studio guest, Tom Kawada of augmented reality design unit AR 3 Brothers…

Human behavior is sometimes constrained by design - while some designs are carefully calculated to nudge us towards certain behavior. The Japanese word 'furumai' can refer to physical movement as well as to general behavior. Japanese desig…

For centuries Japan has squeezed every possible use out of limited resources; exceptional skill and understanding created great beauty along the way. The spirit of regeneration is also part of Zen Buddhism in which a new perspective provid…

DESIGN TALKS plus has featured a fascinating variety of designs from Japan and explored the artistic qualities that make them uniquely Japanese. Today we bring you highlights from all the episodes since April 2015. What discoveries did our…

For centuries Japan has prized a 'floating' aesthetic in architecture and the arts. The elevated floors of homes and pillars that support traditional architecture all create a unique sense of floating. Designer Gwenael Nicolas discovered t…

Japanese have valued small things since ancient times. Bonsai is one well-known, and much-loved, example of Japanese miniaturized design: it condenses the entirety of nature. In modern times, tiny sweets are used as giveaways with products…

Bento have become so popular worldwide that the word now appears in English and French dictionaries. The limited space of a bento box is lovingly packed with a wide variety of balanced foods. Bento bring many happy memories, from the pleas…

The word "homage" refers to a new work of art inspired by, and paying respect to, historical pieces or traditional designs. The world of traditional Japanese arts and crafts is filled with examples of older works that have been reinterpret…

The long eaves of Japanese buildings are designed to shut out direct sunlight, allowing only a gentle glow to fill the rooms within. Interior light fittings wreathed in washi paper create beguiling gradations of light and shade. These subt…