A stitch, a different way of looking
We cannot call it a global boom. But two university programmes offer a glimpse of how sashiko is being introduced beyond Japan.
Read the note ↗A small desk in Tokyo. An outward-looking perspective.
FIELD NOTES FROM JAPAN — EST. 2026Japan, for
Japan, for
your next idea.
Fresh perspectives on Japanese design, craft and everyday life. A small discovery can be the beginning of an idea.
Explore the journal ↗
The journal / Edition 01
Look closer. Find a new possibility.
We share what catches our curiosity between Japan and the world — and the questions it opens up.
Beyond the bottle: a place for Japanese sake ware
A gallery programme offers a starting point for thinking about objects, rituals and retail.
Read the note ↗When matcha becomes an everyday experience
A brand’s own story reminds us to look beyond the ingredient — and not mistake interest for an unmet need.
Read the note ↗Start with a brief, not just “something Japanese”
Five details that can turn a broad interest into a useful conversation about your next project.
Read the note ↗Someone Else’s Pattern, Your Choice
On old cloth, new choices, and the histories we do not know.
Read the note ↗Where the Conversation Goes
On arriving with a subject, and making room for something else.
Read the note ↗An Ordinary Reason
On liking a colour, enjoying the company, and knowing when to stop explaining.
Read the note ↗Why this desk exists
A bridge starts
with a good question.
We are an editorial desk for new ways of seeing Japan. Come to read, share an observation, or explore a possibility. You do not need a project to belong in the conversation.
Meet Japan Research Desk ↗An open question
What caught
your eye?
An observation, a question, a possibility.
No project required. Curiosity is enough.