Trends in Japan
Browse through articles on Japanese fashion and design - from traditional Kimono to the latest Harajuku trend, designs of Japanese architecture, miscellaneous goods, crafts, etc.
Hairstyling is a profession that is taken very seriously in Japan. Japanese hairdressers are some of the most highly trained in the world, and they inherit a tradition that carries deep historical significance. Let’s look at the role hair and hairdressers have played throughout Japan’s history, and the role they continue to play today.
Japanese kimono is a clothing tradition with a history of more than a thousand years. For a long time, the popularity of kimono seemed to be on the decline, as the everyday dress of Japanese people became more and more westernized. Young Japanese people these days typically wear kimono only for important ceremonial events such as Shichi-Go-San (a rite of passage for children) and Coming of Age Day. But recently, a growing group of young people are starting to embrace kimono again, mixing it in with modern elements and introducing fresh new takes on the tradition. Let’s look at some of the ways people are getting creative with their kimono.
Harajuku is a neighborhood in Tokyo that is known as the heart of the Japanese fashion world. Here young people gather and cutting-edge styles are born, some of which spread overseas. You may even be familiar with past Harajuku styles like Decora, in which people deck themselves out in colorful accessories, or Lolita, in which people dress like dolls. But the fashion scene at Harajuku is constantly evolving, with new styles popping up all the time. How has the scene changed in recent years, and what will be the next style to spread from Harajuku to the world? Let’s look at the current state of Harajuku to see where things are headed.
Fireworks are a technology with a long history in Japan. Fireworks in Japan originated as smoke signals from the Sengoku period, or “Warring States” period, when Japan had not yet been unified as a country and different clans competed for power. Today, Japanese fireworks are viewed as an art form, with fireworks manufacturers passing down their craft from generation to generation. Let’s look at what makes Japanese fireworks so unique, and how the art form is continuing to evolve today.
A furoshiki is a Japanese square cloth used to wrap, carry, and store things. It is a traditional item, with its origins said to date back to the Nara period (around 700 AD). The name, which translates literally to “bath sheet,” comes from the fact that people would use them in public baths to wrap and carry around their clothes. However, the uses of furoshiki are wide-ranging and have continued to evolve throughout the ages.
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.
In Japan, interest in a sustainable society has drawn attention to initiatives that create new products from waste. Various types of waste are being transformed into products with beautiful designs that take advantage of their unique characteristics, and this approach has even been applied to popular anime character plastic model kits, creating a buzz.
In this article, we highlight Japanese products and initiatives that have created value from waste through sustainable perspectives and creative design.
Exosuits make a significant impact in a variety of industries, such as the manufacturing industry, where heavy loads must often be lifted, the agriculture industry, which frequently requires work in stooped down positions, and the caregiving industry, where caregivers must provide support in the daily lives of the elderly. Amidst concerns over rising temperatures due to global warming, there has also been a rapid increase in the popularity of apparel equipped with electric fans as a countermeasure against the intense heat of Japan’s hot seasons. In this article, we’ll be introducing the highly beneficial wearable support systems used in workplaces around Japan.
Japan is well-known as a country with some of the longest lifespans in the world, and it has a growing interest in the concept of the “healthy lifespan,” meaning the period in which people can live their lives without any health issues. As such, many items have been developed within Japan in recent years to support people who have reduced physical functions due to aging or other factors, so that they can live energetically for as long as possible. Let’s take a look at some revolutionary ability supplementation items from Japan.
Nambu tekki, or Nambu ironware, is the name for cast iron products made in Morioka City, Oshu City, and other locations in Iwate Prefecture at the north of Japan. These products are also known as Nambu tetsubin and have been manufactured since around the year 1600.
