Journal
Stories and guides from the world of Japanese craft: the makers, the materials, and how to live with them.
This week · Guides & Care
How to Set a Solo Afternoon Tea Table with a Bowl, Plate and Cold-Tea Glass
A one-person afternoon tea table needs only three useful places: a bowl for something soft, a small plate for a pastry, and a glass for a cold drink. The Kintsugi-Inspired After...
Read the storyResearch
Our own studies. We ask Americans to use, judge or recall Japanese craft, and publish every answer.
Plates & Bowls
Black Plate or White? 30 Americans Judged the Same 6 Dishes on Both
Leather & Accessories
Is a Nice Pen Still a Good Gift? 30 Americans Who Were Given One
How to Buy
The Gift They Still Use a Year Later: 30 Americans on Japanese Gifts They Received
Guides & Care
How things are made, what they are made of, and how to look after them.
Plates & Bowls
Can the Mount Fuji & Pine Makie Glass Plate Go in the Dishwasher?
Drinkware
Wine vs Cocktails in a 495 ml Ranshi Goblet: How Would You Set the Table?
Plates & Bowls
Are the Three Pieces in This Kintsugi-Inspired Afternoon Set Dishwasher Safe?
Versus
Two or more options side by side, so you can see which one suits you.
Plates & Bowls
Best Japanese Art Plates for Everyday Use: Makie Glass vs Traditional Lacquerware vs Porcelain
Plates & Bowls
Kintsugi Glass Plate vs. Traditional Urushi Kintsugi Repair: Which Is Right for Your Table?
Plates & Bowls
Japanese Urushi Lacquer Plate vs. Mango Wood Serving Plate: Which Is Worth Your Money?
Gifts
What to give, for which occasion, and which gifts actually get used.
Drinkware
Best Japanese Lacquerware Gifts for Special Occasions: Dragon Wooden Cups & Kiri Box Sets
Plates & Bowls
Best Kintsugi-Inspired Plates for Gifting: How to Choose a Meaningful Japanese Table Piece
Tableware Basics
Best Kutani-yaki Pieces to Buy as Gifts: Teacups, Vases & More (2025)
Culture
Anime, daily life and the ideas behind the objects.
Japanese Living
Why Are Japanese Everyday Tools Valued Despite Their Lack of Flashiness?
Anime & Tradition
Demons, Folklore, and Spirituality: The Japanese Mythology Behind Kimetsu no Yaiba
Anime & Tradition
Japanese Swordsmithing in Demon Slayer: How Nichirin Blades Reflect Real Samurai Craftsmanship
The index
Every article, by topic and the kind of answer you need
Numbers are article counts. Choose a topic, a type, or the square where they meet.
| Topic | Research | Guides & Care | Versus | Gifts | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plates & Bowls | 1 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
| Drinkware | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Tableware Basics | — | 8 | 5 | 3 | 16 |
| Kitchen Tools | — | 4 | 3 | — | 7 |
| Textiles & Indigo | — | 4 | 2 | — | 6 |
| Leather & Accessories | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| How to Buy | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
Plates & Bowls20
Tableware Basics16
Kitchen Tools7
Textiles & Indigo6
Leather & Accessories10
How to Buy13
Culture
Stories that sit outside the table
Anime & Tradition (6)
- Demons, Folklore, and Spirituality: The Japanese Mythology Behind Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Japanese Swordsmithing in Demon Slayer: How Nichirin Blades Reflect Real Samurai Craftsmanship
- Why Symbols Matter: The Meaning of Clan Crests and Pattern Motifs in Naruto
- Breathing Techniques and Japanese Swordsmanship: The Real Martial Influence Behind Demon Slayer
- The Traditional Japanese Patterns of Demon Slayer: What Tanjiro’s Ichimatsu and Nezuko’s Asanoha Really Mean
- The Real Ninja Arts Behind Naruto: How Ninjutsu Reflects Japan’s Historical Espionage Culture
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