Be it a dress, a teacup or a chair, there is something instantly recognizable about a Mina Perhonen creation. Perhaps it's the natural motifs, exquisite textiles and unexpected color combinations. Or maybe it's the nostalgia-tinged atmosphere paired with clean-lined contemporary silhouettes. Akira Minagawa | ...

There is one precise moment when I question the wisdom of taking my two young daughters to visit the Snoopy Museum in Tokyo's Roppongi district. It comes as my 2-year-old kicks her shoes off and makes a barefoot beeline for a fire extinguisher in the ...

Colorful and cluttered, the office bursts with paraphernalia, from stacked bicycles and piles of books on designer chairs to an apple-green iMac, a futuristic record player and a red Snoopy phone on the rosewood desk. This is, of course, no ordinary office — it's the ...

There are seasonal ikebana arrangements, tatami-mat flooring, kimono-style outfits for guests and a steaming hot onsen spring water bath. So far, so ryokan, the traditional-style Japanese inns that dot the country. Until a screen slides open in one of the guestrooms, and 11th-floor views of ...

Maybe it is Nasty's electric blue hair, cascading in braids around her doll-like face. Perhaps it is the gothic-style black lipstick of her friend Candy. Or the surreal fabric limbs sewn onto the dress of lilac-haired Baby. Whatever the reason, my 1-year-old daughter stares at ...

The birds are singing, the wind is rustling in the forest and sunlight is filtering through the treetops. So far, so idyllic — until my 3-year-old releases a primal bird-scattering shriek as she thrusts an axe into a piece of wood. This may sound like ...

Like many Tokyo mothers, there is one ingenious invention that I can absolutely not live without: our much-loved electric mama chari bicycle. The list of things I love about Tokyo biking is endless, from being allowed to cycle on sidewalks to the fact I don't ...

'A Piece Of Cloth". It is these four simple words that acclaimed graphic designer Taku Satoh cites when asked to summarize the essential appeal of Issey Miyake's creations. Compressing the complexity of Miyake's creative designs into such a simple phrase is no mean feat — ...

'Can we go to the park?" In our household, this refrain is heard almost as frequently as "I want ice cream" and "I don't want to go to bed." It is a question asked on a near-daily basis, regardless of weather, season or time of ...

For some parents (or maybe it's just me), there is one particular festive word that causes instant anxiety: "craft." The seemingly innocuous "c" word conjures instant images of The Ideal Parents, sitting down patiently with their children, sprinkling glitter on freshly gathered pine cones before ...