INSPIRATIONS
An invitation to linger over the details, to feel the passage of time, and to find beauty in imperfection. To share our poetic and subtle vision of Japan and Korea — through their artisans, way of life, and culture — and to offer you a few insights for journeys rich in emotion.

The Sōdeisha Movement: A Silent Revolution in Japanese Ceramics
The Sōdeisha movement revolutionized postwar Japanese ceramics by freeing them from any utilitarian function. From Yagi Kazuo to Kumakura Junkichi, this silent revolution continues to inspire a ne...
Read more
Sung-mi Kim and Korea's Hand-Sewn Legacy
In Seoul, Sung-mi Kim perpetuates the forgotten techniques of traditional Korean sewing. Ramie, hemp, natural dyes, ancient techniques… Each hand-sewn piece embodies a discreet and refined textile...
Read more
Hansan-ramie: the unparalleled finesse of an ancestral Korean textile
Handwoven using ancestral techniques passed down by the women of Hansan, Korean ramie boasts unparalleled lightness and finesse. Discover the history of this rare textile, a World Heritage Site.
Read more
How to care for a Japanese urushi lacquerware object: the expert guide
A few simple steps are enough to prolong the deep and immutable beauty of Japanese lacquer, provided you understand its nature and requirements.
Read more
Japanese urushi lacquer: reflections of time and hand
Why, when faced with an object made of Japanese urushi lacquer, does the gaze linger with this moved curiosity , almost meditative? There is in these deep surfaces, in this subtle dialogue between...
Read more
On the roads of Tōhoku: a peaceful Japan, far from the crowds
Autumn trip to Tōhoku: personal travel diary and practical advice for discovering a calm, discreet, rural Japan.
Read more
The Rimpa School: The Art of Poetic Stylization in Japan
Among Japan's great aesthetic movements, few have left such a singular mark as the Rimpa school. Neither an academy nor a hereditary lineage, Rimpa is a movement without a manifesto, born in Kyoto...
Read more
Under the snow, porcelain - a journey to Japan and Korea
In the snowy countries, immaculate whiteness covers everything, ephemeral and silent. Like it, the white porcelain and ceramics of Japan and Korea capture the light in a rare purity.
Read more
Kōgō and nerikō: the meeting between ceramics and Japanese incense
Little-known treasures of Japanese incense art, kōgō and nerikō are precious objects offering a unique sensory experience.
Read more
Natsume, the poetry of patterns in the tea ceremony
In the Japanese tea ceremony, the natsume is much more than a simple container: it captures the evanescence of the seasons through the finesse of its patterns created with gold powder on the deep ...
Read more
Of Earth and Fire: An Introduction to Japanese Ceramics
A Millennial Tradition and a Timeless Art Japanese ceramics are much more than just a craft. They embody the essence of Japanese culture, a silent dialogue between man and nature. Each piece is...
Read more
Our Favorite Teahouses in Kyoto: An Immersion in the Art of Tea
Tea rooms in Kyoto: a personal selection to discover the soul of the city through its tea rooms, contemporary experiences, havens of calm and refinement.
Read more
Japanese Ceramic Vases: Symbolism and Usage
Ceramic vases in Japan play a key role in the aesthetic and spiritual culture of the country. Beyond being extremely decorative objects, they are supports for an assertive artistic expression, not...
Read more
Japanese Lacquer Boxes: Objects of Art and Tradition
Japanese society is renowned for its meticulous attention to detail and rituals, which explains the diversity and beauty of precious Japanese boxes. Among these treasures, urushi lacquer boxes st...
Read more
LACQUER, GOLD AND TEA CEREMONY: THE SECRETS OF JAPANESE NATSUME
The beauty of exceptional Japanese craftsmanship is concentrated in a single object that fits in the palm of your hand: jet-black urushi lacquer with a multitude of layers applied week after week, ...
Read more
Sung Woo Choi's leaf spoons, made from wood patiently carved in his workshop in the north of Seoul, fill us with wonder: they touch something deep inside us, a graceful object that doesn't even nee...
Read more
IN PRAISE OF THE SHADOW: JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI'S JAPAN
In Japan, the main aim will be to block out natural light, which will then only be indirect, diffused, attenuated, precarious and transformed by the 'obstacles' it encounters along the way.
Read more
The art of Korean pojagi wrapping
Atelier Ikiwa is committed to skillfully wrapping your purchases in delicate fabrics that we bring back from our travels to Seoul, thus allowing the subtle and wonderful art of pojagi, Korean wrapp...
Read more
MONO NO AWARE, THE NOSTALGIC EMOTION OF OBJECTS
Have you ever been moved by the spectacle of ephemeral nature or by the nostalgic contemplation of an object that brings back precious memories? Then you're familiar with the Japanese concept of mo...
Read more
It seems that Seoul is one of those cities that doesn't at all resemble the image we have of it. It's not a city whose beauty is obvious. And is it beautiful? Well, not really, by my own standards....
Read moreFrom Japan and Korea