Natalie Leon

Natalie Leon is a Japanologist, freelance writer and student of Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. She has consulted for NHK, Japan’s national broadcasting organisation, and the Ezen Foundation. A philanthropic organisation dedicated to advancing the appreciation of Japanese art. She has an academic background specialising in Japanese art history and traditional culture, including an MA in Japanese Studies from SOAS, London. Her first book, The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally is a love letter to seasonal Japan. It brings together a collection of Japanese traditions, rituals and philosophies to inspire and demonstrate that it is possible to find a harmonious balance between our hectic modern lifestyles and our natural inclination to connect with nature wherever we are.    Over the past eight years, Natalie’s quest to uncover Japan’s seasonal culture has led her to fabled temples, moss-covered gardens and hidden tearooms. She has attended a fox wedding in Kyoto, foraged for wild mountain vegetables in Yamagata, hunted for autumn leaves in Osaka, slept in a Buddhist monastery on Koyasan, celebrated spring with countless cherry blossom viewing picnics, handpicked yuzu in Kochi and experienced an earthquake in Kumamoto.    Natalie loves to travel, and you’ll often find her hunting for treasure at flea markets, walking in ancient woodlands, visiting local art galleries, studying the Way of Tea, working on her tiny garden or whipping up something seasonal in the kitchen. Natalie is currently based in London, England, where she surrounds herself with nature in myriad ways, inspired by Japan’s 72 micro seasons and annual festivals.  You can often find Natalie on Instagram, sharing her seasonal adventures in Japan and at home. Follow Natalie on Instagram @_Natalie_Leon