Much is made of Japan as a land of contrasts, a place where geisha coexist with Harajuku girls and calligraphy sets share shelf space with Hello Kitty pencils, but one consistent element connects Japanese arts both old and new: attention to detail. There is a deliberateness that permeates

 

In marked contrast to the customary

Western attitude toward repair, cracks in ancient Japanese pottery are often filled with gold or silver, highlighting, rather than concealing, the imperfections. The color of the filling is carefully chosen, and the resulting, mend»ed piece is considered a new work of art.

Shiborizome, a traditional Japanese tie-dying method, has been practiced in its current form for hundreds of years. Using indigo dye (purists make their own from indigo harvested on the island of Shikoku) and a variety of sewing and tying techniques, artisans create subtle p »atterns _{that echo forms found in nature.}

Kate T. Williamson wrote and illustrated A Year in Japan and is currently working on a graphic novel about living in Pennsylvania. katetwilliamson.com.

nearly every aspect of Japanese visual culture, from the selection of flowers for a tea ceremony to the window display of a Tokyo boutique. The colors, the patterns, the seasons, what is left to decay and what is repaired, ordinary objects and treasures alike — nothing escapes notice.

The beauty of Japan’s socks is rivaled only by the beauty of its washcloths. These squares of terry resemble origami paper in their intricate, colorful designs and are not meant for the bath, but rather for the pocketbook (many public restrooms i «n Japan have no hand towels).