The original ideas, approaches to color, and designs that characterize Japan’s fashion today do not come solely from leading urban creators. Regional industries throughout the country support the fashion sector as a whole, providing reliable craftsmanship and their own touches of flair.

Kawamata, Fukushima Prefecture
Sabae, Fukui Prefecture
Kojima, Okayama Prefecture

Fashion is a mirror of the times, as well as a hint at what future times may hold. Can Japan’s fashion provide insight into the turmoil confronting Japanese society today? In this series we take a close-up look at the reality of the new age.

Opening Up Japanese Fashion
An Explorer of Japanese Style
Kōenji’s Kitakore Building
How Can Harajuku Get Its Groove Back?
Models Just Like Us
Rising Stars in the Fashion World

Rice has been a staple of the Japanese diet since the Yayoi period (ca. 300 BC–AD 300). An unrelenting quest for quality today continues to guide the cultivation and preparation of the grain, from the initial stages of breed improvement and production to the final stage when rice reaches the table.

The Ultimate Bowl of Rice
New Appliances for the Old Taste
Rice from the Mountainside
The Road to Japan’s Top Rice

As one way to help preserve the environment, many Japanese today are looking to the past, seeking inspiration in traditional cultural aspects like reverence for nature or taking careful care of things to extend their useful lives. Their ecologically friendly lifestyles hint at ways to safeguard the health of the global environment for future generations.

Cooking Up a Do-It-Yourself Lifestyle
Eco-Japan
Saving Electricity to Save Yen
(Re)Built to Last
A Breezy Style of Green Urban Living

Japan’s pop culture is making inroads in overseas populations and product markets and populations. As seen in this section, this is often on the strength of its creators’ dedication to careful craftsmanship, rather than due to a calculated global marketing strategy.

Decoding the Charm of Japanese Video Games (Part 2)
A Soccer Hero Adored Around the World
Exporting “Otaku”
Decoding the Charm of Japanese Video Games (Part 1)
Lasting Popularity for a Tough Watch
If It’s Not “Kawaii,” How Can It Be Smart?
Rokkaku Ayako: An Artist with the World at Her Fingertips

Bentō, or box meals, contain a fine balance of rice and other dishes, carefully thought out down to the colors and layout of the food. The bentō eaten in Japan include homemade meals, those sold at convenience stores, and the luxurious variety offered by upscale Japanese restaurants. Explore the fun of bentō for insights into Japanese food culture.

Power Lunch at Japanese Schools
The Local Flavors of Popular Railway Box Meals
My “Bentō,” My Pride
Your Own Japanese-Style Box Meal