Looking out on the serenity of Kyoto City from the balcony of Kiyomizu Temple, we glimpse the first bud of spring. Breathing it in, the temple monk shares with me that, "when you look at a cherry blossom in full bloom, maybe you feel it is at the height of its beauty, but for Japanese, the moment it falls to the ground we feel beauty; we enjoy the entire flower, from its budding to its falling."

Doll making is a serious craft throughout Asia. For centuries Japanese artisans and students made frequent visits to China to learn from the Chinese masters of the trade.

For the Japanese, asymmetry, or unbalanced structure, is beautiful. A tearoom is a typical example of this way of thinking. Decoration is limited and rather simple. Simplicity is the essence—"without any decoration we can enjoy life"—that is the Japanese way.