The new Four Seasons in Osaka splits its interiors between design firms Curiosity, Simplicity and Design Studio Spin. The smallest of the three commissions — Simplicity's tatami-floored Gensui — is also the most revealing

In Kyoto’s Nishijin district, a century-old machiya unfolds through shifting thresholds and materiality, where space, light and movement are shaped over decades in devotion to the ritual of tea

A century-old Higashiyama residence, renovated by Kooo Architects, becomes the first property under the Kiraku Tei villa brand — its interiors marked by Juraku plaster, hinoki cypress and natural light

The Wishbone chair has passed through generations of hands and homes. Over seven decades later, it remains one of the most recognised chairs in the world, its legacy reflecting a conviction that longevity and respect for craft are the ultimate luxuries

By blending raw MDF with Pakistani pink salt and hand-applied plaster, Negu Inc has created a tactile sanctuary in Omotesando that physically embodies Remedy Cave’s philosophy of healing from within

In Japan’s Kamakura, I In has reimagined an old office building as a seaside retreat, balancing intimate craft with expansive Pacific views and redefining luxury through spatial generosity and light

On Naoshima island, Tadao Ando’s latest museum emerges from the hillside like a modernist temple

A concrete dwelling, designed by the late Japanese architect Yasuhisa Ota and now home to a photographer and a designer, is almost entirely hidden by nature

This year’s DesignArt Tokyo transformed the city into a vibrant stage for design, art and technology, showcasing talent that blended high-tech experimentation with heritage craft, memory and material reinvention

Following a 19-month closure, Park Hyatt Tokyo reopens with a sensitive refresh by French studio Jouin Manku. The iconic hotel, which starred in Sofia Coppola’s 1997 film Lost in Translation, has been redesigned for the modern guest while preserving the original 1994 vision of Kenzō Tange and John Morford

Design studio Negu reimagines a modest Hakone structure as Kúon, a tactile, tea-led retreat that marks its operator’s debut in hospitality

In Tokyo’s Nihonbashi, developer Staple reimagines urban hospitality with Soil — a sensitively designed hotel by Kiyoaki Takeda that grows naturally from its neighbourhood loam

Samaa, a new cafe designed by Studio Dig, brings coffee, bagels and natural wine to a Tokyo neighbourhood of ancient teahouses, giving a 70-year-old building a new lease on life

As Expo 2025 Osaka draws to a close, its constellation of national pavilions reveals a world of contrasts and a subtler narrative: how architecture becomes diplomacy, soft power and an expression of identity in timber, steel and light

Eyewear and luxury goods studio Jacques Marie Mage has opened a three-storey gallery in Tokyo’s Omotesando, designed by Shinichiro Ogato of Simplicity to pay homage to traditional Japanese craft and culture

Shinichiro Ogata’s vision translates traditional Japanese culture into contemporary spaces that nurture community through design

A new exhibition, presented by Chanel and creative hub le19M, is now open in Tokyo, unravelling a timeless dialogue between Japanese and French craft

The Copenhagen-based studio has launched a sensorial retail space inside Shibuya Parco, dedicated to personal care and fragrance products

In the heart of Ginza, I In’s lounge for luxury retailer Matsuya and credit card company JCB realises the studio’s vision of contemporary Japanese luxury

The longstanding symbol of Japan’s post-war creative resurgence is at risk of being demolished, but a campaign to save it is gathering pace