The Arts in Japanese Culture Rikio Takahashi "Tea Ceremony II" 1965 https://www.pinterest.ca/HillelKrauss/woodblock-prints-and-green-tea/ Art in its many forms has always been an important part of Japanese culture. Painting, Poetry, Calligraphy, Ceramics, Lacquerware, Architecture, Dyeing, and Weaving were all perfected by generations of Japanese artists and artisans for millennia. While rooted in Japanese religious, philosophical and folk traditions and in functional life necessities, the arts became more nuanced in design over the course of time. The dual design elements of form and function were always appealing guidelines for Japanese artists and artisans. The principles of subtlety, elegance, and simplicity inherent in Japanese art and design revealed the essential elements of a subject or object with poetic restraint, balance, and harmony. Calligraphy by Muso Soseki 1275-1351 https://www.pinterest.ca/HillelKrauss/japanese-temple-gardens-and-spaces