500 Wonders of Japan

Feb 5

The Wonder 500 exhibition in New York city. Until Feb 9

We just visited a great exhibition of Japanese crafts, The Wonder 500 in New York. The selection includes some of our own artisans, Horiguchi Kiriko, Atsushi Ogata, and coming soon, Kamata Kiriko.

They are unique, fun and useful items we encourage you to check out before the show ends on February 9th. The Wonder 500 is a project designed to promote and discover local Japanese products that are not well-known outside of Japan

We tried delicious yokan chilled in a bubble.

Tea store from 1 or 8 in Brooklyn is serving amazing tea from Kyushu.

A total of 500 products from all 47 Japanese prefectures were selected by 30 expert producers and public voting.

The selections were evaluated in the three categories of Tourism, Craftsmanship, and Food, based on the following criterion: Innovative items created with a certain concept or passion, combined with traditional values supporting unique Japanese craftsmanship and good service.

Each and every one of these 500 items express the values nurtured in the Japanese since ancient times (impermanence and permanence, respect for nature and one’s ancestors, craftsmanship, concept, excellent design, wisdom, etc.).

Through the 500 items, we hope to communicate warmth and wonder, and if it inspires even one person to visit Japan, to buy a Japanese product, or eat some Japanese food, we will have accomplished our goal.

Yokan is packaged in a balloon that we pierce open to enjoy! Oishii!

Beautiful Guinomi from our friend Kamata Kiriko

Japan Suite

Showcasing traditional Japanese crafts and the artisans who create them — their stories and their art in words and visions. Japan’s hand-made crafts have played an integral role in the lives of Japanese for centuries. They are created in response to basic, everyday needs and have long been used in the daily rhythms of life. They come from the earth and from nature, and they are prized for their simplicity and long life. Craftspeople pour their passion, pride and energy into their handiwork, creating objects that can far outlive their creators, but in doing so, they carry on the artist’s legacy. The artisans know their objects can live hundreds of years, and they want to be just as proud of it in 100 years as they are today. So, everyday household items take on a life of their own, their own spirit and their own story. They are unique, one-of-a-kind creations with a character and spirit that grows stronger with regular use. The artist creates the object, but that is just the beginning of the journey. In the hands of its owner, a relationship is created, one that is nurtured across time. Just as we do, these creations will change over time developing new imperfections and new character. Each region and each artisan have their own character. In Japan, this is known as meibutsu. The legacy has been passed down by Japanese artists across time down to today’s craftspeople who are advancing and redefining this tradition. We applaud these artisans, and we strive to support them as they re-interpret the heritage of their predecessors — and we are proud to introduce their work, their stories and the passion they put into their creation here at Japan Suite.

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