> Japanese cling wrap

Careful with this one. As I understand it, most consumer cling wrap in western markets is polyethylene film, which is made without plasticizers. But Japanese cling wrap (and the stuff at Costco) is plasticized PVC film, and those plasticizers may well be soluble in your food. The market is supposedly shifting toward safer plasticizers, but I personally would rather not place soft, plasticized plastics in prolonged, direct contact with my food.

From what I've seen, the Japanese have a very different approach to design. The beauty is always so understated. It's not announced, but discovered by discerning eyes. You see it in their pottery, joinery, clothing, paper, architecture, etc. A lot of their stuff looks really bland, but when it's stuff you care about, you really feel the thought and craftsmanship that went into it.

It also brings me memories of Japanese calligraphic art and the careful use of various sizes, shapes and textures for brushes, where even the smudges and splatters are deliberate.