From Buddhist temples to Shinto shrines and castles to historic homes, Japan is rich in national treasures. It's also home to riches ranging from hand-thrown pottery and lacquerware to ancient calligraphy scrolls and one-of-a-kind paintings depicting classical scenes of cherry blossom, koi-filled ponds, geishas and samurai culture. While you'll easily find these prized possessions on display in museums across the country, to buy them for yourself, you'll need to delve into markets and antiques shops - and you need to know where to look.
Tokyo
Tokyo has been inhabited since 300 BC, long before the first Europeans - Portuguese traders whose ship had blown off course - landed in Japan in 1543. Threatened by foreign influence, Japan's rulers imposed a 250-year-long period of isolation. During this time, the economy and arts flourished, as documented in Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, which provides comprehensive exhibitions ranging from Palaeolithic times to the samurai period and beyond.
If the museum offers a snapshot of the city's history, the park provides an overview of its culture, with museums dedicated to art and science. So while you need at least four days to explore Tokyo, if you're short on time, Ueno gives a taste.
Meander east to Asakusa, home of Tokyo's oldest temple, Sensō-ji. Dip beneath an enormous lantern to enter Nakamise, an alleyway flanked with stalls selling parasols, fans and ceramics.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME - Tess Newall
The decorative artist and homeware designer shares her love of patina and a treasured childhood flower press
A Victorian Vision
There's a magical, story-book feel to this 19th-century manor in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where much-loved antique and vintage collections and a sensitive restoration have brought it back to life
Farm FRESH
Filled with painstakingly sourced primitive antiques and Welsh decorative pieces, Dorian Bowen's atmospheric farmstead is an authentic homage to bygone times
THE WOMEN OF MODERNISM
In the Modernist era, when clean lines, geometric forms, and functional design reshaped the world, a group of often-overlooked visionary women defied convention, pioneering innovations that laid the foundations of modern design, says
Global Treasures
Amber Clery has created a cosy, bohemian home filled with unusual finds gathered from her travels across the world
A blazing SUCCESS
This Georgian home in Northern Ireland, once ravaged by fire and time, has been reimagined for the modern age with vibrant colour, joyful patterns and a perfect balance of old and new
HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE SHANNON CLEGG
The botanical sculptor talks to Dominique Corlett about finding her niche and how her creative practice connects with the landscape of her childhood
48 hours in FROME
A cloth town of great importance from the 15th to the late-18th century, Frome in Somerset is now on the map for its vintage fashion and sustainable clothing, as well as its buzzing antiques scene, discovers Rosanna Morris
Island HOPPING
The traditional fitted kitchen island now faces competition from more flexible, modern alternatives
ON THE COFFEE TABLE Art through the ages
Explore 700 years of art history through the paintings of The National Gallery, with people at the heart of every page
