Delve a bit deeper into Kyoto’s urban fabric and it is possible to find a historic architectural gem that can be repurposed and revitalised for the 21st century.
Airbnb has a tense relationship with Japan – it’s illegal for Japanese residents to rent out their homes via the website in some prefectures – but the company is cannily using design as a way to engage with the nation.…
Converted from the holiday hangout of its CEO, this bucolic sanctuary for Tokyo firm Smiles offers a chance for staff to enjoy the best in modern Japanese living.
This ethical investment firm in Geneva based the design of its office on the grand old banks. The dark decor draws the eye to a view of the lake and provides a welcoming space in which to earn your daily keep.
From organically growing their first ventures to exploring new horizons, crafty entrepreneurs know it’s the small touches that make their businesses stand out – whether they are making spectacles in London or tableware in…
On the edge of the Yangmingshan national park, the peaceful suburb of Beitou offers a reinvigorated model for living beyond the bustle of urban centres.
A residence in Kyoto has been given a sensitive makeover that pays homage to its history. Now a cosy guest house, A Day in Khaki offers a soothing retreat in serene surrounds.
Some of Japan’s best assets are its architects and designers, and their know-how is ripe for exporting. A new exhibition in Tokyo showcases the best ideas for the house of the future.
A spirit of unruly fun presides over the Good Neighbors Jamboree. Now in its seventh year, the open-air celebration of retail, food and music has attracted thousands of visitors from across Japan to this remote region.
Fashion can be cruel: trends are fleeting, the work is demanding and the rewards not always forthcoming. Japanese brand Beams is forging a different model with a warmly designed retreat that welcomes all of its employees…
In the small city of Uwajima in southern Japan, a restored ryokan guest house has reawakened the area’s local pride. This simply presented style of accommodation whispers rather than shouts its quality and is a subtle sign…
Those wishing to follow the growing global trend for simple, ecologically sound living could have no better example than Professor Yoshifumi Nakamura and his weekend haven, tucked away in the hills of Japan’s Nagano region…
Like so many accidental entrepreneurs, Masataka Baba only started his business because no one was offering what he needed. Now, having turned dozens of Tokyo’s disused commercial buildings into rentable properties, his firm…
Dai Nippon Printing’s new training centre, by architect Kenya Ishihara, was designed to inspire its employees. With a spa and views of Mount Fuji, it seems more like a retreat than a place of work but with this incentive…
They never make it on to most magazine’s “Best Hotel” lists, but Japan’s simple, pared-down ryokan are setting new standards in service and design. The Fuyija, remodelled by architect Kengo Kuma, looks set to introduce a…
