In a new multiplatform series Seasons, CNN explores the shifting trends that are shaping global culture. Alongside bespoke social and digital content, audiences can dive deeper with a quarterly 30-minute show.
In the first episode, host Hikari Mori highlights how Japan’s cultural imagination continues to captivate the world, blending innovation with heritage, exclusivity with everyday beauty. She speaks about the country’s distinct aesthetic, “The pursuit of perfection is what makes our culture so celebrated around the world. Here, tradition is never just about the past, it is the thread that runs through our modern lives, shaping today’s trends and creating a cultural legacy that resonates far beyond Japan.”
Mori begins her journey with exclusive access to the Tokyo studio of Takashi Murakami, where the artist is preparing for a new exhibition in Seoul. Even in his most surreal work, Murakami draws on classical motifs and patterns, “I am Japanese, I come from the east. We have a different history, so I have to constantly go back to the history, the identity, it’s part of the job process.”
Murakami credits his success to his versatility in times of change. He tells Mori, “My form looks like a chameleon. So, when AI is popular, I have to change the colour for AI. The most important thing is to escape from boredom.”
Next, Mori travels to Kyoto, Japan’s former capital and cultural heart. At the Fukuda workshop, centuries-old kimono-making traditions are refined and reimagined. CEO Yoshiyuki Fukuda talks about their craft, “I believe the ability to express subtle differences through fine handwork is what makes Japanese skill and artistry so highly valued. That delicate nuance is the essence of true craftsmanship.”
Fukuda’s level of artistry caught the eye one of the world’s leading fashion houses, Dior. The French Maison featured Fukuda’s textiles in a look for their Fall 2025 collection. Fukuda explains, “That was the first time we worked with an overseas brand. The fact that we were able to create something recognised by people like them is something I believe our entire workshop can build on going forward.”
Hidden in the heart of Tokyo lies one of Japan’s most exclusive culinary experiences. At Sugalabo, diners must be invited or recommended by existing patrons. Mori meets the man behind the exclusive restaurant, chef Yosuke Suga. He tells CNN, “If we allow completely random guests, we can’t respond to each person’s expectations in the same way. So, we designed the system to be less open, so we really get to know who’s coming.”
Chef Suga spent 17 years in France, honing his craft alongside the most Michelin-starred chef in history. Returning to Japan a decade ago, he set out to create a dining experience rooted in French cuisine but designed to celebrate Japan’s seasonal ingredients, “Japan is so rich in ingredients that we work within what you could call ‘micro-seasons’, very finely divided seasonal changes. That ability to enjoy something only available for a limited time, in its best form, that’s what true luxury is.”
Finally, Mori visits the tea fields of Marukyu Koyamaen, producers of some of the world’s finest matcha. The tea has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries, but recently its vibrant colour and reported health benefits have sparked a global obsession. Company President Motoya Koyama says that he is preserving a tradition his family began more than 300 years ago, “To make tea with great care, it’s not about producing a large quantity, it’s about focusing closely and crafting each part by hand. Matcha itself is quite a limited type of tea. It’s not something that can just be made anywhere.”