Begin your week with a moment of discovery. Every Monday, The AGOBAY Weekly brings you a curated glimpse into our world – new experiences, inspiring creations and stories to savour.
It’s week 44 / 2026
This week, in our magazine, we tell the story of Kojima Shoten, a traditional lantern workshop in Kyoto where the family has handmade ‘Kyo-chochin’ for 10 generations. Brothers Ryo and Syun preserve the ‘jibari-shiki’ method, assembling bamboo rings, binding them with thread and covering them in washi paper. Faithful to this centuries-old craft, they continue to explore new expressions of the lantern. Another art rooted in Kyoto’s history of papermaking is ‘karakami’, practised by Ko Kado and dating back to 8th-century Japan. At his Kamisoe studio in the historic Nishijin textile district, he brings a contemporary sensibility to handprinted paper, creating tactile designs and greeting cards exclusively for AGOBAY. Discover his story, also in our magazine.
