Arielle Busetto, JAPAN Forward Are you curious about the Japanese traditional dress known as kimono? After the recent media storm surrounding Kim Kardashian’s short-lived underwear…

Centered around 2000 volunteers, the Kyoto Jidai Matsuri brings to life the rich kimono styles, textiles, and figures of Japanese history. Sheila Cliffe, for JAPAN…

Shimoda is normally a sleepy fishing community famous for onsen and seafood, but it celebrates the Kurofune Matsuri with parades, flourish and kimono every May….

Those attending the hybrid event were rewarded with fresh ideas, colors and cultural contexts from the professional designers and participants in Indonesia and Japan. Sheila…

The event celebrated ecology through reusing old kimono, diversity in the types of kimono and varieties of models, and equality by highlighting young people without…

Kimono is inclusive, and it’s for now. It welcomes everyone, according to kimono pioneer Mamechiyo. Above all, it connects with life and with place, and…

Between the threading, the dyeing, the weaving, the sewing, and everything in between “the complexity of each step is mind boggling”, explains Sheila Cliffe. Sheila…

The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to make it difficult for international travel to Japan, let alone domestic travel within the country. For those who love…

Sheila Cliffe, for JAPAN Forward I went to visit Maebashi the other day, to learn a little about the place, enjoy the autumn leaves and…

Sheila Cliffe, for JAPAN Forward The recent enthronement ceremony of the new Emperor and Empress has been a talking point in the last few weeks,…