Japanese Culture

Add Some Artistry to Your Holidays – Japanese Gift Wrap

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Japan is famous for its culture of craftsmanship, and one of its most important crafts is paper. So it’s no surprise that the intersection of Japan’s rich culture of gift giving and its love and reverence for paper would be intricate and beautiful gift wrapping. The art of gift wrap, or tsutsumu, is an important part of any exchange of gifts. The paper you choose, the contrast of colors and textures, the ribbon, string or bows you add, and the folds, pleats and designs you create with the wrapping let the …

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Kanshasai Omedetou – Happy Thanksgiving!

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While Thanksgiving is a distinctly American holiday,there’s no reason you can’t add a little Japanese flair to your feast! We’ve gathered a few recipes that combine Thanksgiving staples with Japanese fall flavors on our Pinterest board Kanshasai Omedetou  – this phrase is about as close to Happy Thanksgiving as you’ll get in Japanese since there’s no such thing as Turkey Day in Japan :). If you’re looking to shake things up at the table this year, we highly recommend checking them out! We also wanted to wish you all a very Happy …

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From the Speaker: David Jackson on His Japanese Cabinetry Lecture

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If you haven’t had the chance to check out our current exhibit Japanese Design for the Senses, or if you have and you want to learn more, may we suggest making a night of it? Next week, Morikami will host David Jackson, Japanese furniture craftsmen and expert in tansu, for the first lecture of our 2014-2015 Speaker Series. Jackson has spent years studying, writing about and creating Japanese tansu (or storage chests) and Morikami is proud to bring you his lecture on the history, craftsmanship and influence of Japanese furniture …

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What is Obon? Exploring One of Japan’s Most Important Holidays

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During the summer observance of Obon, families in Japan reunite to give homage and thanks to their ancestors, who have returned for a brief visit to the living. Many families set up special altars in their homes decorated with food offerings for these visiting spirits, which may include vegetables, dango (rice dumplings), noodles, and fruits. Candles, special paper lanterns called bon chochin, and incense may also be placed on the Bon Altar. Vegetable animals – a horse made from a cucumber or an ox made out of eggplant – serve …

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Guest Post: The Girl with a Cat and Other Paper Tales by Kyoko Hazama

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Today, we’re pleased to present a guest post from our Curator of Japanese Art, Susanna Brooks. If you haven’t yet had a chance to see this awe-inspiring exhibit, we HIGHLY recommend it! It’s the perfect addition to any summer outing, especially when the South Florida weather turns a little sour. Kyoko Hazama may just be Japan’s most imaginative doll paper sculptress. Using traditional Japanese paper (washi) made from the fibers of the bark of a Japanese tree (gampi), shrub (mitsumata), and various plants and grasses (hemp, rice, wheat, bamboo), a …

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