It’s funny how ideas for blog posts can evolve. This started out as a post where I shared vacation pictures and then kvetched about how it’s been too long since we’ve traveled anywhere exciting. (Oh, and it has. Believe me!) And now it’s a Japan-inspired design board post.
It’s been almost two years since our trip to Japan and my husband and I constantly talk about going back. There’s something so striking about the way old and new co-exist there–the Buddhist temples selling Hello Kitty religious trinkets and the meticulous clay roofed houses sitting in the shadow of high-rise office buildings. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a lot of amazing destinations, but no place has resonated with me as much as Japan.
I love the traditional Japanese aesthetic, usually characterized by clean lines, a wabi-sabi sensibility, and botanical-inspired prints. The only problem is that too much of it can be, well, too much. You don’t want your house to look like an imports store. These are some Old Japan-inspired items that I love:
(Starting at top right) Noriko Blouse Anthropologie // Chiyogami Votive Candles Gamiworks on Etsy // Japanese Maple Tree Branch, Leaf & Bird Hand-Carved Rubber Stamps rubberstampme on Etsy // Red Display Shelf Green Tea Design // Black and Seaweed Green Tea Bowl Goldhawk Pottery on Etsy // Washi Tape Cute Tape // Yuzu-Strawberry Macarons Kyotofu // Koshi Dressers CB2 // Bonsai DIY Kit BuyDisOrDat on Etsy
What an amazing experience that was. I’m pretty jealous. I love all these wonderful reminders of it!
It was definitely a surreal experience, but in a good way.
Just stunning. I’ve only been to Tokyo (once) and was totally awestruck by the old/new juxtapositions.
What an enchanting place. I hope you get back there again soon.
We went to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo, and Kamakura. It was wonderful to see so many cities, but with such a short time in each place, we left feeling like we didn’t see or do everything we wanted to. We tend to be over-ambitious like that when we travel.
Yes, simply beautiful !
Start stashing that money aside. I reside in Hawaii where Japan has brought the culture here. Many places to go where there are replica’s of Japan. I guess I am lucky !
I want to go to Hawaii too! You are so lucky to live in paradise.
When we went to Japan, we got an amazing deal on airfare–it was cheaper than flying to San Francisco. We just couldn’t pass it up. We always end up traveling to these places in the middle of winter because that’s when you can get bargains on plane tickets!
Sounds awesome!!! Love the pictures, too!
Thank you! I have so many, I will probably post more again soon.
Wow! Those are some gorgeous photos and items! How lucky you are to have been able to see the beauty in Japan! Thanks for sharing
I think we must have taken several hundred photos when we were there. It’s an amazing place!
I wanna visit Japan some day too! I love your taste and everything you have picked up there – how is that possible?! Is your new theme going to have green in it?! I noticed your favicon is green!
We both have good taste!
My new theme IS going to have green in it, but the favicon is the default for my current theme, I think. It was like that after Blogelina switched me over and I was too lazy to change it knowing that I’m redesigning.
So beautiful. It looks like a great place to visit. Hopefully you guys will be able to go again soon.
I’ve never been but I can’t wait until we get to go. My mother-in-law is from Okinawa and she wants to take us… well, she wants to take my daughter, we’re just coming along too (haha).
I hope your family has the chance to visit–it is an amazing place.
I’ve always thought Japan would be an interesting place to vist from a cultural standpoint. My brother was stationed there for 2 years, and now my other brother will be there for a long deployment too. Maybe we can use that as a reason to justify the expense of a visit, it’s just airfare is so expensive especially since we’re on the East Coast!
I know, now that we’re on the East Coast there’s a big difference in airfare. I got a fare alert last week that said that Madison > Narita was $600! And from here, it’s $1100. Depressing! But if you watch the fares on Kayak and travel during winter (that’s when we went–no one wants to travel in winter!), maybe you can get a good deal so you can visit your bother.
Lovely photos! I’ve always liked the mix of old and new with Japan, too.
I would love to visit Japan someday! How funny that the temple sold Hello Kitty items!