It is really hard to put your finger on just what it is that Japanese people do that makes everything so beautiful, but there is definitely something. They have this aesthetic sense which I have never seen anywhere else in the world – simple, perfectly imperfect (see ‘wabi sabi’), treating space and shadows with as much respect as objects and light. Look at the photo above, taken in this lovely shop at Gotenzeki – a cluster of beautiful shops and cafes just of the main street in Yamagata City.. Someone has just put some berries on a stick next to a teapot, but somehow it is a work of art!
And the buildings at Gotenzeki below – so serene yet cool at the same time. I know I will come back to this time and again while here, but this gorgeous little arcade of shops and cafes (designed by Yamagata-born sports car designer Ken Okuyama) really got me thinking…
The coolest drainpipe I have ever seen
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I am currently on a big adventure in Japan. If you fancy an adventure of your own, why not join me for the Do What You Love e-course (Japan edition!). Find out more and register here.
