FEATURE CONTENTS

• 

  Washoku to Welcome Spring —Perfection in Kyoto cuisine

  Three years ago, Japan’s washoku food culture was designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO and since then has become the focus of ever-greater international attention. The sensibilities and aesthetics of Japanese cuisine—nurtured by a love of the seasonal, a lifestyle intimately attuned to nature, and traditional rites and ceremonies—live on most vividly in Kyoto. We visit the city in springtime to explore the washoku scene today.

• 

  Folk Fun — Traditional toys for prayer and play

  Japan’s traditional toys may look charmingly unsophisticated, but they make a strong statement nonetheless. Many were not merely playthings: they represented prayers for children’s good fortune and healthy growth. These toys continue to be handcrafted today from natural, local materials in forms originally influenced by social or regional factors.

• 

  Museums on the Move — Welcome to sensory immersion

  Experiential museums are on the rise, shifting away from displays that visitors gaze at from a respectful distance to exhibits that they can interact with. We take you on a tour of 18 museums, installations, or events selected for the outstanding sensory experiences they offer. Scan the QR Codes provided to view videos and enjoy exhibits to which photographs alone cannot do justice.

• 

  Elegant Glassware: A New Era

  Glass is a mysterious medium that has captivated human beings since ancient times. Clear or translucent or opaque, thin and curvy or thick, straight, and heavy, glass can transform itself into myriad shapes. Meet Japanese artists whose talents in glass are attracting worldwide attention.