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Japan House · London, UK

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Name: Japan House
Images: Lee Mawdsley
Words: Steph Wade

The London-based ‘Japan House’, located in a stylish, art deco Kensington High Street building, is a recently opened cultural-hub that includes a gallery for exhibitions, an event space, a Japanese restaurant, and a retail ﬂoor of carefully curated Japanese products.

Combining Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology, the multi-purpose space aims to be the “new cultural home of Japan in London”, reads a statement from the ‘Japan House’. Part of a global initiative led by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is the third iteration of the project, following locations in Los Angeles and São Paulo. The chief creative director, Hara Kenya, is also the art director of Japanese design house Muji, the globally-popular fashion and homewares design company. The minimalist aesthetic that Muji is known for is mirrored in the interior of Japan House, designed by Katayama Masamichi—one of Japan’s leading interior designers, and shown below with images taken by English photographer Lee Mawdsley. In the light-filled space, homewares, books, accessories, and stationary are spaciously displayed in illuminated, recessed wall display cabinets. In the restaurant Akira, fresh sashimi, Wagyu beef, and soba noodles served in a warm dashi broth are served alongside cocktails made with yuzu and rare sakes.