Visitors to Japan House London, which opened on June 22 on Kensington High Street in the heart of the British capital, could be in for a bit of a surprise.
As the city's new cultural hub of all things Japanese, its minimalist open-plan interiors, striking contemporary central spiral staircase, three floors of innovative design, art and architectural works, and classy open-kitchen restaurant impressively avoid the all-too-easy stereotypical preconceptions about Japan.