This study day will start by charting the development of key aspects of the Japanese aesthetic in painting, sculpture and the applied arts through different periods of history. Contact with China and the West, contrasting aristocratic and military tastes and the growth of townsmen's culture in the Edo period have all contributed to distinctive visual trends and techniques. An exploration of the impact of Zen Buddhism on Japanese culture will convey further insights into the Japanese aesthetic as it has evolved through the ages.

Japan's most famous gardens provide a context for understanding the principles of Japanese garden design as it has evolved through the ages. The Japanese love of nature and the changing seasons has manifested itself in the subject matter of paintings and in the intimate and grand-scale gardens surrounding aristocratic palaces and Buddhist temples as well as Zen-inspired dry landscape gardens.

The final lecture introduces us to the kimono, a traditional garment worn by both men and women in Japan. Rich in symbolism and encapsulating the best in textile and techniques through the ages, the kimono has a fascinating history that reflects wider aspects of Japanese life and culture.