Selections from SPRING, SUMMER Issue


Main feature
Spring Flavors in Japan
Delectable regional treats usher in the season of renewal
Spring is when the snows melt, new life bursts forth, and the bounty of land and sea reemerges in delicious abundance. From spring and on into summer, fish fill Japan’s coastal waters and vegetables ripen in the fields. Spring-inspired delicacies appear on our tables, offering a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. From north to south, from mountain to shore, Japan boasts a wealth of regional culinary cultures that showcase the country’s variety of tasty spring foods.

Additional features
The Bath:A Place for Healing and Meditation
The Japanese bathtub is not just a place to cleanse the body. There is nothing more soothing to frazzled nerves, nothing more spiritually rejuvenating, than to sink into a wooden tubful of clean hot water and soak. Today Japan’s bath culture is gaining new fans and taking new forms overseas. Here we indulge in a total-immersion look at the culture of the Japanese bath.

Art of the Interior:The Byobu Folding Screen
The Japanese folding screen, or byobu, has the power to transform space. Simply placing a pair of byobu in a room will create a dramatically different visual context. Byobu art ranges from landscapes to calligraphy, and the style you choose will define the atmosphere of the room. A leading collector shares his ideas for incorporating these lovely screens into your own home decor.

Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto
Among Japan’s many renowned cherry-blossom viewing spots, Kyoto is in a class by itself. Where else can you admire these delicate flowers against a backdrop of so many historic temples and palaces? Flowering cherries come in many varieties, and Kyoto in springtime is famous for having one variety or another in bloom for nearly a month. Native Kyotoites take us on a stroll to some favorite local blossom-viewing haunts.

*Please note:Editional plans are subject to change
Photography by Ryuichiro Sato