The City of Kurashiki, Japan’s ‘Little Venice’
The area, with numerous canals running through it, transports visitors to a timeless atmosphere.
The Bikan district, nestled in the city of Kurashiki, not far from Okayama, traversed by the Takahashi River and its canals, is considered the ‘Venice of Japan’. Various waterways wind through this area, offering visitors an ideal setting for a boat trip or just a walk by the water. Bikan is also known for its traditional merchant houses, some of which have been turned into museums to attest to the commune’s feudal past.
Art lovers will also find something for them as the district is home to the Ohara Museum of Arts, the first permanent collection of Western art in Japan. It features works by Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet.
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Paris, Tokyo: Robert Compagnon
With his co-chef and talented wife, Jessica Yang, Robert Compagnon opened one of the top new restaurants in Paris: Le Rigmarole.
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‘It’s a sincere pleasure when the objects I make are recognised as part of the Mingei circle’
The brass cutlery meticulously shaped by Ruka Kikuchi in his Setouchi studio has earned admirers across Japan and beyond.
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Always Shooting, Never Shot: Motohiro Hayakawa’s Fantasy Battlegrounds
In these colourful and cluttered paintings, mysterious landscapes teem with aliens, monsters, and the occasional human.
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Inside the Heart of Japanese Fine Watchmaking, A Visit to the Grand Seiko Manufacture
These refined pieces are made in a Kengo Kuma–designed building, set in a natural environment that inspired their signature dial motifs.
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The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
