Perfection is fleeting, so we need to see the beauty in the imperfect – that’s how the Japanese live with their philosophy of wabi-sabi, according to which all things are charming, even those with flaws. But it hasn’t been possible to carry this idea over to people, because in the land of the rising sun, it’s still business as usual: pressure, perfectionism, success …

The enormous art installations alone are worth a visit: Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo had the original concept of “beautiful chaos” in mind when she opened her first Dover Street Market store in London, and it is now expressed alongside sculptures, photographs and other works of contemporary art at the only Japanese outlet of the legendary high fashion department store …

I received some incense sticks as a souvenir from our neighbour following a trip to Asia. I was eight years old at the time and they seemed infinitely precious to me. They smelt different to anything I’d encountered up until that point, and soon the whole linen cupboard where they were put smelt the same, enchanting and exotic …