FEATURE CONTENTS

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  Encounter Japan’s Beautiful Heritage

  A visit to Japan’s World Heritage sites is nothing less than travel back through layers of time and culture. It’s a journey of discovery and of rediscovery. It can even become an unforgettable experience that changes one’s life.

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  Weaving the Colors of Life

  Through her career in creating textiles from thread dyed with natural pigments, Fukumi Shimura, 95 years old, has elevated weaving to a fine art. In 1990 she was designated a Living National Treasure and in 2015 received the Order of Cultural Merit. Her passion for her craft remains undimmed as she continues her pursuit of beauty. We look at her achievements as well as her goals for the future.

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  Fruitful Discovery

  Grown with enormous care and effort, Japanese fruits are both beautiful and full of flavor. Master pâtissier Pierre Hermé travels to some of the country’s most famous fruit-producing regions to discover the inspiring qualities of fruit in season.

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  Traditional Performing Arts

  Stunning and powerful stage performances are truly works of art. Here is our guide to two stage arts that date back to the Edo period (1603–1867): the nimble puppetry of ningyo-joruri bunraku, and Azuma-odori, the gorgeous dance performed by the geisha of Tokyo’s Shinbashi district.