Trends in Japan

The concept of “universal design” is used for buildings and daily essentials, but it is also being implemented in clothing within Japan, under the name “universal fashion.” This aims to create a society in which everyone can freely enjoy dressing up with barrier-free clothing, regardless of illness, injuries, disability, age, or other aspects.

The Japanese archipelago is part of the circum-Pacific belt, and is characterized by its highly mountainous terrain. Japan is surrounded by seas and has many inland lakes, so there are a lot of places across the country in which being near water is a regular part of life, as well. In recent years, unique vehicles have been developed in different parts of Japan to match these characteristics. These vehicles have gained attention not only as a way to make Japan’s transportation better, but also as a new resource for tourism. Let’s take a look at some of these vehicles.

In April 2025, “Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan” will be held. In correlation with the theme and concept of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, which continues to attract public attention, we'd like to introduce Kansai companies and products that use futuristic and new ideas in their production.

In some areas of Japan with old-established families, you may see a type of traditional Japanese building called a kura (literally, “storehouse”) that remains standing to this day. In general, the term “kura” refers to storehouses for safely depositing precious family assets, and products, as well as harvested rice or other grains. The style of construction for these storehouses is called “dozo-zukuri” in Japanese, and this style has been used for houses, stores, and other buildings as well. These constructions have beautiful exteriors, which have earned them popularity as photo spots for making posts on social media. Let’s take a look at some topics related to cities with charming kura.