Top 10 Japanese designs to add a boost of minimalism to your daily routine

In the past couple of years, Japanese design philosophy and principles have been discovered by the rest of us, and since then they have slowly but surely taken over the world. There’s something about products with a Japanese touch that instantly makes you feel at ease. They have a sense of warmth and tranquility to them, one that spreads in the space that they’re placed into. There’s something surreal and relaxing about Japanese-inspired products, that just makes you want to introduce some minimalism into your life. And we’ve got you covered with a collection of innovative Japanese designs – from furniture to stationery! Whether you’re looking for high-quality Japanese towels or the latest G-Shock watch with Japanese elements – these beautifully designed products are all you need to introduce some Japanese zen and peace into your daily life!

1. The Levitating Pen

Much like its name, the Levitating Pen actually does seem to be levitating! It looks as if the pen is suspended in its holder at a 23.5-degree angle. Designed to be a grand writing instrument, the pen features a Schmidt ballpoint cartridge, which makes the pen rigid and super easy to hold and creates a smooth and luxurious writing experience. And once you take a break from writing, the pen doesn’t go back to a boring old pen stand, it goes back to levitating!

Why is it noteworthy?

When done writing, you close the pen’s magnetic cap with a satisfying click and position the pen in its holder that has been magnetized to keep the pen floating in that position. To add to the fun, a simple twist leaves the pen spinning in its place for a good 20 seconds, allowing you to interact with the pen on a whole new level!

What we like

The pen is super fun to interact with
Quite easy to hold and write with
Spinning the pen in certain intervals can be a stress buster

What we dislike

We wonder how ergonomic or comfortable would the pen be to use

2. The Outside In

This multifunctional shape-shifting table is called the Outside In, and it integrates beautiful hand-carved grooves into its timber frames, which resemble the raked ruts of Japanese zen gardens.

Why is it noteworthy?

Japanese zen gardens have supplied ceaseless inspiration for designers. While the sheer meditative quality of zen gardens is enough to insight into some new ideas, the artful design of zen gardens rakes its own creative vision for designers. Melbourne-based furniture, lighting, and object design company Sabu Studio found its own creative vision by way of Japanese zen gardens when designing the minimalist Outside In table.

What we like

Features a sinuous timber surface that resembles the hand-raked grooves of a zen garden
Outside In is a crafty piece of furniture that would look right at home in hospitality common spaces or even event halls

What we dislike

No complaints!

3. The Bed Hanger Rack

Called the Bed Hanger Rack, this interesting design is an extension of the open cupboard concept. You can attach the design to your bed, and it creates space to hang your clothes, and racks to store your smartphone, remotes, game consoles, and other accessories you’d want around you while you’re in bed.

Why is it noteworthy?

In addition to the hanging storage and shelving extensions, the hanger rack gets slightly more interesting with its assembly: possible to match the layout of your room. The rack can be installed alongside the shorter front or the longer side of the bed; so that it can attach without having to change the placement of the existing bed.

What we like

Allows you to effortlessly store everyday wear on hangers around the bed
Lets you skip the trouble of folding and sorting the clothes in a regular cupboard

What we dislike

No complaints!

4. The Trisqucle Scissors

If you’re looking for a pair of scissors that will do their job, while looking pretty on your workdesk then you’ve found the right product. The Trisqucle scissors come in really different and interesting shapes and sizes, in comparison to the regular scissors we see. There is a triangle, square, and circle-shaped pair of scissors, which is probably where the name trisqucle comes from!

Why is it noteworthy?

Aside from cutting things, the accessories can also be used as shape templates with various sizes of circles and as a ruler and compass in case you need it for your office work or school work. The items are made from steel and have various colors for some parts like the holder, circle shapes, etc.

What we like

Revamps the traditional scissor
Functional + good looking

What we dislike

The design may be too modern and complicated to use for some people

5. Jakobsson Lamps

Japanese lighting brand Yamagiwa and late Swedish designer Hans-Agne Jakobsson partnered up to create a collection of stunning minimal lamps that cast a light “reminiscent of a bonfire”. They are called the Jakobsson lamps, and they feature light shades that have been crafted from concentric brands of naturally dried pine wood.

Why is it noteworthy?

The lamps beautifully merge Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics, and in turn, pay an ode to the utilization of wood, and warm-toned colors that give a cozy and inviting appeal to the products. In fact, the lamps are manufactured by Japanese artisans. The artisans artfully dry and bend the pine into intriguing shapes, while paying special attention to the growth rings found in timber.

What we like

A beautiful infusion of Japanese and Scandinavian design
Comes in three interesting variations

What we dislike

No complaints!

6. The G-B001 Line

G-Shock recently added the G-B001 line to their collection. It features the double bezel Capsule Tough features, and these removable bezels are crafted from stainless steel and urethane. It also boasts a resin case and a sturdy structure that has been reinforced with Carbon Core Guard.

Why is it noteworthy?

The capsule design is inspired by those toy capsules that you get in vending machines in Japan you never know what is inside them until you actually open them.

What we like

The detachable bezels for all these models of the G-B001 lets you play around with the watch’s look

What we dislike

It’s only available in Japan for now

7. The Furoshiki Denim Bag

Blue Ainery’s Furoshiki denim bag was created by using the traditional dyeing and weaving methods of Japan. The compact fashion storage accessory pays tribute to the history and tradition of Japan, which many still follow and apply even today. The bag is an example of how the hard-earned lessons of the past can be used to make something beautiful and sustainable in the present.

Why is it noteworthy?

Almost everything about the Furoshiki denim bag is a nod to Japan’s past culture, design, and fashion. The term “furoshiki” itself is a reference to the traditional Japanese wrapping of cloths for goods, bento boxes, and informal gifts. When worn as a bag, the Furoshiki looks more like an “Azuma Fukuro” that predated today’s modern tote bags by about four centuries

What we like

It has a minimalist charm to it
Its uncomplicated shape leaves enough room for plenty of items inside
Utilizes traditional Japanese methods and techniques

What we dislike

The design might seem basic and old-fashioned to some

8. The Japarcana Imabari Towels

The Japarcana Imabari towels are an accurate representation of the fact that you don’t need to spend buckets of money to obtain premium towels. These towels are a delicate and high-quality solution to your quest of finding A-grade towels at an economical price.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Japanese towel industry based in Imabari has long solved this problem, and Japarcana wants to bring that to the rest of the world. Simple and time-proven weaving techniques, high-quality cotton, and strict quality standards all come together to create a towel with excellent water absorption, soft texture, and long-lasting durability. These towels have the imabari towel stamp of approval, something that isn’t just given out to any towel brand.

What we like

The towel’s label utilizes an ukiyo-e illustration depicting traditional Japanese baths, clearly pointing to the towel’s primary function
Economical compared to other premium towels on the market

What we dislike

No complaints!

9. The Chouchin

Styled to look like a traditional Japanese ‘chouchin’ lantern, The Chouchin is a pillar-shaped candle, that is great for your pampering sessions or those days when you simply want to unwind and indulge in some me-time.

Why is it noteworthy?

The candle comes made from two different grades of wax, one on the inside, which burns the way a normal candle would, and one on the outside, which serves as the candle’s exterior, mimicking the effects of a lantern by diffusing the light that passes through it. As the inner wax candle continues to burn, the flame glows right through the outer shell, getting diffused into a gentle, warm light in the process.

What we like

The outer shell uses a patented non-melting wax, which lends a beautiful subtle translucency to the candle as the wick burns downwards
On the inside sits a more traditional candle, with a burning time of 60 hours – offering a few months’ worths of light with daily usage

What we dislike

No complaints!

10. The Japanese Cypress Vās Wood Diffuser

The Japanese Cypress vās wood diffuser doesn’t need any electricity, power, or batteries to diffuse your favorite essential oils. All you need is to put a few drops and wait for it to do its natural “magic”. The design is inspired by the Latin word for a vessel which is vās, normally used to hold flowers.

Why is it noteworthy?

The vās itself is handcrafted from the Japanese hinoki cypress tree, giving you not just a natural oil diffuser but also a decorative object to match your wooden theme if you have one.