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

With growing international interest and a series of high-profile collaborations, craft and heritage remain at the heart of Kojima Shoten, the Kyoto lantern workshop whose history dates back to the late 18th century.

The small annex of a house in Osaka has become a garden-facing haven with whimsical touches under the skilful and sensitive approach of design firm Nue

The 2024 laureate speaks to us at Singapore Archifest about good design and how we can make cities work

Cult favourite Issey Miyake presents a new multisensory exhibition, Savor Water, Embracing Water, across its Tokyo and Kyoto galleries. Sensory and abstract, the exhibition is designed by Teruhiro Yanagihara and explores how water connects food, clothing, shelter and more

With reverence for its rugged surroundings, Rosewood Miyakojima delivers high-end hospitality to a remote Okinawan island

Reviving the spirit of its 1966 predecessor, the newly opened Ginza Sony Park redefines the public park as a fluid, multi-level space for art, culture and community in the heart of Tokyo’s Ginza district

For those seeking a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and crafts, Maana Atelier in Kyoto offers experiential workshops held in a serene century-old space designed by architecture firm Sahena Design and local artisans

Kyoto-based designer Ryo Shimada undertook a sensitive renovation to open a gallery owner’s holiday home up to light and nature

A new book from Okinawa-based photographer Paul Tulett is a celebration of Japan’s brutalist architecture, exploring the beauty, practicality and cultural resonance of the ubiquitous concrete structures

This new hotel in Kurashiki in western Japan is a haven of modern craft, contemporary design and timeless aesthetics rooted in location