Mark Anderson
Reopening Monday 12 April 2021, those hankering for a taste of travel can take a trip to the home of contemporary Japanese culture in the UK on Kensington High Street.
The Shop at Japan House London invites guests to discover bespoke Japanese crafts – from washi paper stationery and tools for bonsai care, to bamboo obento and lacquerware. Often unavailable elsewhere in Britain and Europe, items from The Shop’s permanent collection are sourced from across Japan’s regions and creative disciplines.
Product displays are accompanied by stories of their makers, manufacturers, and craft traditions, giving guests the opportunity to learn more about their origins and history. Also offering an encounter with authentic Japanese culture is the specialist Visitor Experience Assistant team, trained in omotenashi – Japan’s renowned customer service.
Beautifully presented Japanese refreshments will be available to take away only from The Stand café bar. Cultural displays
Interwoven among the products at The Shop are various cultural displays that further explore Japanese craft. From 12 April, guests to Japan House London’s Ground Floor can learn more about Tango Chirimen – silk weaving from the Tango region of Kyoto Prefecture that boasts a history dating back over 300 years.
A sneak-peek of Japan House London’s upcoming May exhibition, Making NUNO: Japanese Textile Innovation from Sudō Reiko, is also available to explore. Guests can enter Sudō’s handmade ‘Maku Manmaku’. A manmaku is a long, horizontal curtain used in Japan to partition off outdoor areas at ceremonies and other special occasions, that has origins in Shinto traditions. Pieced together out of 288 different fabrics from 65 weaving and dyeing centres from across the country, Sudō captures a piece of every corner of Japan for guests to encounter up close.
The Shop online
For those interested in Japanese craft, but unable to reach Japan House London in person, a new online shopping service is now available on the Japan House London website. Guests can browse a specially curated collection of products from various departments, including Kitchen and Tableware, Stationery, Lifestyle and Crafts, and enquiries can be made direct to The Shop team from each page. Visit the online shop here: https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/the-shop/
How to plan a visit
Booking in advance is required at www.japanhouselondon.uk/ with the following opening times:
- Monday to Saturday: 11am to 6pm
- Sunday: 12pm to 6pm
Subject to further relaxation of the current UK Government regulations, the Lower Ground Floor Gallery will reopen from Monday 17 May 2021 with Japan House London’s new hotly anticipated exhibition; Making NUNO: Japanese Textile Innovation from Sudō Reiko, where guests will be able to book free tickets. Japan House London’s Library and AKIRA restaurant will also re-open from this date.
