Spoon & Tamago’s Most-Popular Posts of 2025

japanese art, design and culture

As we near the end of 2025, we like to reflect on the stories that most captivated our readers’ attention, and as always, certain themes tend to emerge. 2025 marked the 80-year anniversary of the end of WWII. It was also a milestone year for Japan in terms of global attention. Tourism hit a record high while anime and soft power continued to see major expansion overseas.

For 18 years in a row, we continued to bring our readers stories from Japan as seen through our lens of art & design. 2025 was a year of loss, but also new beginnings. Artists continued to push old traditions and techniques into the future. From travel destinations and language-learning to reviving craftsmanship and discouraging food loss, these were the stories that mattered most to our readers.

The 9-story Rakuragu hotel (10-stories would have been poetic, but oh well) rises from an ultra-narrow site in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. It opened in 2024, but out coverage of it earlier this year came in at number 10. If it’s nightlife you’re in search of, this hotel may not be right for you but if you’re looking for understated stylishness and rare outdoor space, this is a gem of