Japanese Culture and Traditions– category –
-
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The 1,000-Year Nail: Why Kamakura Samurai Nails Were Stronger Than Temples
Kamakura—the modern pilgrimage site for Slam Dunk fans—was once the birthplace of the strongest Samurai. We unveil the 1,000-year-old secret of Japanese structural philosophy: ultimate strength is not in rigidity, but in controlled, flexible movement. Our furniture applies this ancient wisdom, using stealth metalwork to ensure the wood can flex and endure—just like a temple surviving a seismic shock. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
What Is Life in a Humane Manner?
【The COVID, the one-way time machine】 The COVID is sometimes called "a time machine." Remote work is a good example. I think most of the companies at least in Japan just pretended to take a positive attitude but actually were not so se... -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Anatomy of Japanese Craftspeople of Swordsmith and Furniture
【Something in common between Japanese knives and furniture】 Just before entering the furniture business, I worked in the fishery industry and often took overseas clients to the biggest fish market in Tokyo. It was now-closed Tsukiji ma... -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
Can you hear the voice of insects? We Still Use the Art of Ninja in Japan.
A Japanese professor visited Cuba for a medical conference. When someone threw a presentation, he couldn't focus because the sound of insects was too loud. In the meanwhile, he got interested and asked a man sitting next to him about the insects. Surprisingly, the man answered he didn't hear anything. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Complex of the Frontier: How a Baseball Victory Changed the Soul of Hokkaido
TDoes a shared inferiority complex shape a regional soul? I argue that Hokkaido people—who often view the mainland as the 'better' Japan—have historically carried the Complex of the Frontier. I trace the moment this complex found catharsis: the 2004 high school baseball victory. This shift created a unique Hokkaido Humility—a grounded flexibility that defines our local spirit and is reflected in the open-mindedness of our furniture craftspeople. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Zen Paradox: Why an Old Rock is Beautiful (and Why I Can’t Stylize Snacking)
What makes Sadō (tea ceremony) a profound ritual rather than just drinking tea? I argue that the merchant who formalized it was a genius to elevate a simple daily routine. This leads to the Zen Paradox: the spiritual core of mindfulness that balances objective observation (seeing a dirty rock as it is) with imaginative emptiness (seeing a whole garden in a single flower). We hope this Zen spirit will make you see expansive beauty in the simplicity of our furniture. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Beauty of Imperfection: Why the Japanese Cherish Falling Cherry Blossoms and Decaying Ruins
Why are Japanese people addicted to cherry blossoms even when the petals are falling? I explore the national aesthetic that finds beauty in the transient and imperfect, connecting it to the popularity of decaying ruins and our vulnerability to natural disasters. This philosophy—Wabi-Sabi—teaches us to cherish a single petal in a puddle over a perfect bloom. I conclude by explaining how this spirit is applied to our wooden furniture, where uneven character and aging are, in fact, the design. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Backlash Wisdom: Why Ambiguity is the Japanese Architect of Harmony (and the Key to Durable Furniture)
Ambiguity is a necessary evil—a survival mechanism. We explore the theory that Japanese ambiguity is genetic (linked to S-alleles of the serotonin transporter). Discover the Backlash Wisdom: Ambiguity is not a failing, but a necessary cultural cushion—just like the intentional 'play' in a wooden furniture joint that keeps the whole structure from tearing itself apart. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Sacred Chaos: Why Japanese Summer Festivals Are Essential for Local Relationships (And Our Complicated Faith)
We are a nation that is both deeply pragmatic and quietly spiritual. We have three times more shrines than convenience stores. Natsu Matsuri is essential, not for the gods, but for workplace harmony—and convincing ourselves that summer is finally, truly over. -
Japanese Culture and Traditions
The Productivity Killer: Why Japan’s “Do You Have a Minute?” Is the Most Disruptive Question in Office History
Why is Japan's most polite question—"Do you have a minute?"—the biggest productivity killer? I dissect the high-context culture of the Japanese office, where "Wa" equals mutual surveillance. I argue this constant interruption forces a cognitive shift that minimizes deep work, and propose a flexible design solution to fight the deadly disease of loneliness—or failing that, a strategic escape ticket to Tokyo.
